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Appetizer · Vietnamese

Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls

Fresh rice paper rolls with prawns, vermicelli and herbs, served with a peanut hoisin dipping sauce. No cooking beyond the noodles and prawns.

Prep
40 min
Cook
10 min
Total
50 min
Serves
4

Updated

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Ready in 50 min, serves 4.

Total time
50 min
Serves
4
Course
Appetizer
Cuisine
Vietnamese
Ingredients
14
Steps
6

Make ahead / storage: Best eaten the day they're made, rice paper toughens in the fridge and the rolls can crack.

Five prawn rice paper rolls with lettuce and carrot and a bowl of peanut dipping sauce

Rice paper rolls are more about assembly than cooking, most of the work is prepping the vegetables and herbs so everything's ready to go before you wet the first sheet. Once you start rolling, things move fast, so lay everything out within reach first.

The water temperature for softening the rice paper matters more than people expect. Lukewarm, not hot, and dip each sheet only briefly, it keeps softening after you lift it out, so pull it out while it's still slightly firm. Oversoaked rice paper turns sticky and tears the moment you try to fold it.

Place the prawns cut-side up against the rice paper, near the bottom edge, before adding the noodles and vegetables on top. That way the pink shows through the wrapper once it's rolled, which is most of what makes these look good on a plate.

Keep a damp tea towel over the finished rolls while you keep working, rice paper dries out and cracks quickly once it's exposed to air, especially in a warm kitchen.

Recipe

Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls

Prep
40 min
Cook
10 min
Total
50 min
Serves
4

Ingredients

4 Servings

Rolls

Peanut dipping sauce

Method

  1. Step 1: Cook the vermicelli noodles according to the packet instructions, drain, rinse under cold water and set aside.

  2. Step 2: Prepare the carrot, cucumber, lettuce and herbs and arrange them within easy reach, along with the halved prawns and noodles.

  3. Step 3: Fill a wide, shallow dish with lukewarm water. Dip one rice paper round in the water for about 10-15 seconds, until just pliable, then lay it flat on a clean, slightly damp board or plate.

    Tip: Pull the rice paper out while it still feels a little firm. It keeps softening for a few seconds after you lift it out of the water.

  4. Step 4: Lay 2-3 prawn halves, cut-side up, across the rice paper near the bottom third. Top with a little lettuce, noodles, carrot, cucumber, mint and coriander.

  5. Step 5: Fold the bottom edge of the rice paper up over the filling, fold in the sides, then roll up firmly away from you to enclose everything. Place seam-side down and cover with a damp tea towel while you repeat with the remaining rounds.

  6. Step 6: For the dipping sauce, whisk the peanut butter, hoisin, water, garlic, lime juice and sriracha together until smooth, adding a little more water if it's too thick. Serve alongside the rolls.

Tips

  • Don't oversoak the rice paper, it keeps softening after it comes out of the water and a soggy sheet tears the moment you fold it.
  • Place the prawns cut-side up against the wrapper so the colour shows through once the roll is finished.
  • Roll with light, even pressure rather than pulling the wrapper tight, stretched rice paper is what tears around firmer fillings.

Variations

  • Chicken instead of prawns: use shredded poached or barbecued chicken breast.
  • Vegetarian: use strips of marinated firm tofu in place of the prawns, and tamari instead of hoisin in the dipping sauce.
  • Nut-free: skip the peanut dipping sauce and serve with a nuoc cham instead (fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, water and a little garlic and chilli, mixed to taste).

Storage and make-ahead

Best eaten the day they're made, rice paper toughens in the fridge and the rolls can crack. If you need to prepare ahead, wrap each roll individually in a damp paper towel then plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to a few hours.

Nutrition per serving, estimated

Calories
220
Protein
15g
Carbs
26g
Fat
6g

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