Fresh Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce
These Vietnamese spring rolls are fresh, not fried! This veggie-packed recipe is easy to follow, with step-by-step photos. Vegan and easily gluten free.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on February 12, 2021
My now-husband asked me out for spring rolls and beer for our first date. I vividly remember walking into the nearby Thai restaurant to meet him. Our waitress had to come back three times to get our order, since we could not be bothered to look at the menu.
We were too busy connecting over our love for our dogs (we each have one), coming from families of three kids (I’m the oldest; he’s the youngest), our shared love of food and travel, a million other little things…
He finally ordered us a double batch of his favorite spring rolls. I was too nervous and full from a day of recipe testing to eat much. The waitress kicked us out because the restaurant was closing. I came home and danced around in the living room with Cookie. He asked me out again.
A couple of months later, I confessed that I didn’t share his level of appreciation for those spring rolls. “Too much noodles, not enough veggies. The carrots taste like chlorine. The peanut sauce could be more bold.” He dared me to come up with something better, and I finally have.
These are the fresh, veggie-packed spring rolls I want to order at Thai and Vietnamese restaurants. I can’t say they’re 100 percent authentic, but they’re pretty close.
Of course, I came up with an irresistible peanut dipping sauce to go with them. Invite some friends over and make it a spring roll party! Ready for the recipe?
Fresh Spring Roll Ingredients
These spring rolls are refreshing, colorful and fun to make. I left out tofu (you really can’t pack enough into the rolls to make it worthwhile) and shrimp, since I don’t eat shrimp.
These filling ingredients are flexible. You can use more carrot instead of cucumber, or extra cabbage in place of the lettuce. Here’s my favorite filling combination:
- Thin rice noodles
- Butter lettuce
- Red cabbage (or green cabbage)
- Carrot
- Cucumber
- Jalapeño (skip if you’re very sensitive to spice)
- Green onion, cilantro and mint
You’ll need basic pantry ingredients to make the peanut sauce: peanut butter, rice vinegar, tamari or soy sauce, honey or maple syrup, toasted sesame oil and fresh garlic.
How to Wrap Spring Rolls
Spring rolls can seem intimidating, but you’ll get the hang of it quickly, I promise. If you have folded a burrito before, you can definitely make spring rolls! Don’t stress if your spring rolls aren’t totally perfect. A few tips:
1) Make the base
Start by placing a few pieces of lettuce about one-third from the bottom of the circular wrapper. The width of your fillings will determine the width of the spring roll. You want to leave a couple inches open on the two sides for wrapping purposes.
2) Pile on the ingredients
Then, add the remaining ingredients. The exact order doesn’t matter much. Just pile them on top, making sure to take up the proper width. It’s ok if the fillings spill upward. I try to leave the top one-third of the wrapper open for wrapping.
3) Roll the filling
Gently pull the bottom of the wrapper up and over the lower portion of the filling. Try to keep the fillings compact as you roll upwards, just until the fillings are enveloped.
4) Envelope the sides and roll it up
Pull each side over to enclose the filling. Continue wrapping upward until your spring roll is fully wrapped!
Watch How to Make Spring Rolls
Please let me know how your spring rolls turn out in the comments. I hope they’re a big hit.
Craving more peanut sauce? Me, too. You’re going to love these:
- Crunchy Thai Peanut & Quinoa Salad
- Peanut Slaw with Soba Noodles
- Mango “Burrito” Bowls with Crispy Tofu and Peanut Sauce or Cabbage Wraps
- Peanut Dipping Sauce
You’ll also enjoy the fresh sesame soba spring rolls in my cookbook, Love Real Food (page 98).
Fresh Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce
These Vietnamese spring rolls are fresh, not fried! They’re the perfect party appetizer or light meal. The peanut sauce sends them over the top. Recipe yields 8 spring rolls.
Ingredients
Spring Rolls
- 2 ounces rice vermicelli or maifun brown rice noodles*
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup torn butter lettuce, ribs removed
- 1 cup very thinly sliced red cabbage
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks or sliced into strips with a julienne peeler
- 2 Persian (mini) cucumbers or 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced or sliced into strips with a julienne peeler
- 2 medium jalapeños, ribs and seeds removed, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
- ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup roughly chopped fresh mint
- 8 sheets rice paper (spring roll wrappers)
Peanut Sauce
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 1 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- 2 to 3 tablespoons water, as needed
Instructions
- To make the spring rolls: Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the noodles just until al dente, according to package directions. Drain, rinse them under cool water, and return them to the pot. Off the heat, toss the noodles with the sesame oil and salt, and set aside.
- Fill a shallow pan (a pie pan or 9″ round cake pan works great) with an inch of water. Fold a lint-free tea towel in half and place it next to the dish. Make sure your prepared fillings are within reach. Combine the green onion, cilantro and mint in a small bowl, and stir.
- Place one rice paper in the water and let it rest for about 20 seconds, give or take. You’ll learn to go by feel here—wait until the sheet is pliable but not super floppy. Carefully lay it flat on the towel.
- Leaving about 1 inch of open rice paper around the edges, cover the lower third of the paper with a few pieces of butter lettuce, followed by a small handful of rice noodles, some cabbage, and a few strips of carrot, cucumber and jalapeño. Sprinkle generously with the herb mix.
- Fold the lower edge up over the fillings, rolling upward just until the filling is compactly enclosed. Fold over the short sides like you would to make a burrito. Lastly, roll it up. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- To make the peanut sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, rice vinegar, tamari, honey, sesame oil, and garlic. Whisk in 2 to 3 tablespoons water, as needed to make a super creamy but dip-able sauce.
- Serve the spring rolls with peanut sauce on the side. You can serve them whole, or sliced in half on the diagonal with a sharp chef’s knife.
Notes
*Noodle note: I always opt for whole grains when I can, so I used Annie Chun’s brand of maifun brown rice noodles. I found them with the Asian ingredients at Whole Foods.
Make it gluten free: Be sure to use certified gluten free noodles and tamari (not soy sauce, which typically contains gluten).
Make it vegan: Use maple syrup instead of honey.
Make it peanut free: Substitute almond butter (if not avoiding nuts altogether) or sunflower seed butter for the peanut butter.
Prepare in advance: You can definitely mix together the peanut sauce in advance. You can also prepare the veggies several hours or up to 1 day in advance, and store them in an air-tight container (they will lose freshness with time). The spring roll wrappers tend to dry out with time or once chilled, so spring rolls are best assembled shortly before serving. If you’d like to keep them fresh for an hour or two, store them under a lightly damp, lint-free tea towel at room temperature (the skin tends to harden in the refrigerator).
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Just made these for my 8 and 5 yo boys as their vegetable component for dinner tonight. They each asked for and ate a second roll. The 5 yo asked me to add some kick to the sauce next time. Definitely a winner here! Thank Kate!!!
That’s great! Thank you for sharing, Rachel.
I never reply to recipe blogs but this is just that good. The peanut sauce is the best recipe I’ve found so far. I’ve made them two days in a row. I might run to the store for more cucumber and make it 3.
Another excellent recipe! This came out delicious and was a big hit with even my picky eaters. We also added avocado strips.
That’s great! Thank you for sharing, Raz.
Great but how do you store them
Really liked this recipe!!
Like Raz, I added some avocado – it was very yummy!
Than you Kate – delicious. and colorful :)
You’re welcome, Carol!
This was super yummy. I had extra noodles and veggies, so I added peanut sauce to it and another dish was made. Will surely make this again.
Kate, Hello from Washington! Made these yesterday.. they were a big hit. Substituted zucchini for the cucumber. Added red bell pepper strips. The peanut sauce was DEEE-licious. Very easy to make. For some reason the rice paper sheets were super sticky.. stuck to the towel, the plate, each other, our fingers. I tried soaking them less, more, made no difference. Oh, well. Just wrapped more lettuce around, & everything still tasted great. I will be making these again & again. I’ll use the peanut sauce recipe on noodles, also. Thank you for your great recipes & beautiful site. Best wishes, ♡Margie W.
Thank you for your review, Margie! I’m glad you loved the combination.
I was reading on Cooks Illustrated that they recommend using a ceramic dish or plastic cutting board on which to lay your wrapper. The article said other surfaces may absorb too much of the water and making it hard to work with. Hope that helps.
They’re are amazingly delicious! They have been a hit with family and friends! Everyone loved the Peanut Sauce, too! Thank you so much for this delicious Vegan dish! LOVE, A TRIDE AND TRUE FOODIE!
My husband’s eyes light up when I make these for dinner! I add shrimp to his but I keep mine vegan. The peanut sauce for these is incredible!! I usually have to double and keep in the fridge to have plenty of sauce on hand when we need. I add sambal to spice it up a little bit. My entire family raves about these! So much cheaper to make than to buy at a restaurant and so much fresher! Plus, I can put exactly what I want in them. Thank you for this recipe!!
I love that, Savannah! I’m happy this is a recipe you both look forward to. I appreciate you sharing and for your review.
Love this recipe! I omitted the lettuce and added some extra herbs instead. Tasted great! Just a question about the peanut sauce- how long can it be stored in the fridge once made? Also, do you know if the sauce can be frozen? Thanks so much!
Thank you for sharing, Jen! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
*cringe
These are, by definition, summer/salad rolls, not spring rolls. The thick shredded cabbage also don’t make for a good eating experience.
Hi John, I’m sorry to hear you are disappointed by this recipe.
The ingredients go well together and the crunchiness of the cabbage balances the softness of the noodles. The recipe is good and far exceeds 2 stars. Looks like John was having a bad day.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, nick!
I believe the recipe calls for “very thinly sliced cabbage” John. I found them to be delicious!
The recipe says thinly sliced cabbage, not thick! It was delish imo
These were delicious!! I took them to a gathering and they were all gone in a matter of minutes. I omitted the noddles because I couldn’t find them at my store and added avocado. I found my rolls to be a little bland, but I think that was my error and not a recipe problem.
That sauce!! Oh my gosh …. that sauce!!! It was so good. People starting using the sauce on a number of other snacks that weren’t the spring rolls because they loved it so much!
Thank you for a great recipe!
Thank you! I’m glad you were able to make them work, Kerry.
The peanut sauce is amazing!! I mostly used this recipe as a general guide and it worked really well. I used brown rice papers and forgot to add the garlic to the sauce. The spring rolls turned out delicious- and pretty too! These were super fun to make and I highly recommend this recipe!
Thank you, Karina!
This recipe is the best! Absolutely love the sauce. 1st time I made the sauce i cooked it. Made it thick & delicious. 2nd time I did as written .
Thank you, Sheila!
The actual roll itsself was amazing! I loved it, the sauce was good in very small amounts. ( i am not a fan of peanutbutter so it was not my ideal sauce)
I would love to see other sauce recipes! Great
Made the recipe tonight as it was a really hot day. Loved the recipe and sauce as did my husband. Only complaint I have is that my husband managed to assemble nicer, more compact looking rolls, and he compared mine to flower bouquets with everything sticking out, lol
I’m an over stuffer too! I’m glad you enjoyed them, Tat.
Hello, you should try your dipping sauce with the addition of some Mexican lemon (the green one, in most of the world called lime) it adds a tasty zing, maybe we Mexicans “lemonize” a lot of food, but I recommend trying it. Enjoy!
Thank you for sharing!
Great recipe, best peanut sauce I have ever made its great in an Asian salad as well.
These were excellent! Be sure not to skip the fresh mint and cilantro, they add a delicious dimension to these wonderful spring rolls. The peanut sauce was amazing as well! I added a tablespoon of white miso paste (trying to find new, exciting ways to use it up!) and dialled back the honey to one tablespoon. I prefer ponzu to soy sauce so I substituted that. All in all, this is going into my regular summer rotation! Thank you Kate for this refreshing recipe!
I had each family member make their rolls and it was such a fun and tasty experience. A fantastic way to get family involved in making dinner and adding more veggies in their diet!
Love your peanut sauce, been making these & they are super addicting!
Hi Kate, I was looking for rice paper rolls recipe (as I had many avocados in fridge).
I have Japanese friend who made rice paper rolls for me long time ago. Today I wanted to try it on my own and combined your recipe with my friend receipt…
I loved the idea with peanut butter and added smoked salmon, avocado, sushi seasoning (instead of rice vinegar) and also fresh ginger. I always alter the receipts, because I don’t have all the ingredients at home.
I loved the sauce and thank you for publishing it!
The peanut sauce was WAY too pea nutty, I would use 1/4 cup instead.
I’m sorry you didn’t enjoy this as-is, Tracey. I appreciate your review and feedback.
Another win from Cookie and Kate! I made these for a cool summer dinner. I subbed red bell peps for cucumbers because I’m weird and I don’t like cucumbers! My partner (who is not big on veggies) and I absolutely loved these delicious, fresh spring rolls. And the peanut sauce was to die for – my partner is rarely overenthusiastic about food but he still talks about that peanut sauce. I stored the rolls with a clean damp towel and they still tasted fresh for lunch the next day. My coworkers were all very jealous! Thank you for the amazing recipe!
I’m glad this one was a hit for you, Sammi! Thank you for sharing.
I would love to know the brand of peanut butter you use. I hope to make mine just like yours.
Hi! I use the Whole Foods 365 organic usually.
Thanks!
I just made this for my family, they went wild for it! I followed the recipe word for word as I’d never made this before and OH MY!! The dipping sauce was just devine!
So filling and satisfying, thank you!
You’re welcome, Stefania!
How long do these last in the fridge? Can I meal prep them for later in the week for lunch.
Hi Georgia, It should keep well for 3-4 days in the fridge.
These are so satisfying! I didn’t have any noodles or shrimp so mine were veggie only but my family loved them! I added some crushed red pepper to the peanut sauce – yum!
As a Vietnamese person, I am not satisfied with the sauce. Followed the recipe to a tee and then realized something wasn’t right and had to keep on fixing it. Asians steer clear. A disappointment and huge vat of sauce are in your future.
Hi, I’m sorry to hear this didn’t meet your expectations.
The peanut sauce is great, I added some siracha for some heat. Does it need to be refrigerated? I made a double batch, it was so good!!!
Hi! Yes, you will want to refrigerate this. I’m glad you loved it, JC.
Honestly, I’d dress the rice noodles with a little rice vinegar (or better yet, marinate the veg) to give these a much needed touch of acid. Rice paper wrappers take about 3 seconds in warm water, so start there. The peanut sauce is good, try thinning it with coconut milk instead of water. Richer tasting. Thanks for posting, it was a decent starting point for me.
Wife thought the peanut sauce was ‘meh’ and didn’t have enough of a ‘distinctly Asian’ flavor to it; I thought it was ‘ok’ but as it’s just my wife and I, will have to suss out an alternative peanut dipping sauce.
I’ve found that laying the rice papers on a wet, wooden board with the edge hanging over the side closest to me most easily allows me to ‘grip’ the rice paper sheet and begin the folding process. Thanks for trying!
I’m sorry you didn’t love the sauce. Thank you for sharing, Chris.
These were delicious! When I can find something that everyone likes, it goes in the rotation.
Thank you, Danelle! I appreciate your review.
I made the peanut sauce from this recipe and it was great, perfect! Just as good or better than in restaurants. I had already tried a different summer roll recipe before I saw this one. Can’t wait to try this one!
Hello
I have my own receipe for Thai Spring Rolls but my peanut dipping sauce has always been lousy. So today, I made your receipe and it was FAB…..it will be my go to every time I make the rolls, and thats at least a couple times a month.
THANKS! Deb
I’m glad you found my recipe, Debrah! I appreciate your review.
Your falafel receipe is next in my hopper. I lived and worked in Asia for 14 years, returning home in 2017, I have ordered this multiple times and have been terribly disappointed with the local versions here in KC.
So I’m going to take the plunge and finally try to make it in my own kitchen. If mine look as good as yours does, I’ll be in heaven.
I’ll post again on that page, after giving them a try!
Thanks
I hope you love these, Deborah!
Delicious! Peanut sauce is amazing, I added some packaged teriyaki baked tofu to make them more filling and everyone loved. I also would love suggestions on how to store them so I can use for kids lunches. Thanks for the recipe!
I don’t typically comment on recipes but I just had to take a minute to tell you these were awesome!!! I went back to store to buy more stuff to make more
This peanut sauce got rave reviews at dinner tonight. We made fresh rolls with a lot of these same ingredients. In my opinion, the mint really seals the deal on deliciousness; so much so that I wouldn’t make these if we didn’t have mint available. Fortunately, we are growing mint and cilantro in our garden. This is THE peanut sauce recipe to top them all.
Hooray! I love to hear that. Thank you for sharing, Penelope.
Made it, and it turned out great! My child is a very particular eater (10 yo) but she enjoyed making her own rolls (cucumbers and vermicelli) and she also LOVED the peanut sauce so I consider this one a huge win because she rarely even touches peanut butter. Yay!!!
Hooray! Thank you for sharing, Ellen.
I made this as an appetizer for my whole extended family (only two of which are vegan like me) and they LOVED THIS RECIPE!! They didn’t even want the main dish…and they all agreed it was better than the Thai restaurant we go to! Thank you so much!!!
Really delicious! I added little baby shrimp to some and cooked some extra firm tofu to add to others! Yummy!
Sooooo good! Better than what I can buy! Thank you for creating such a wonderful recipe! I have made this recipe 6 times already! I have gotten three families into spring rolls because of this! Thank you.
I’m glad you loved these, Clarissa! I appreciate your review.
All of the comments say the peanut sauce is the best part and they are right! The rolls were good too but very crunchy-maybe I didn’t cut my carrots small enough. Good stuff overall.
Hooray! I’m glad you loved it, Jane.
Made the peanut sauce and it wasn’t what I expected. It needs more peanut butter or less soy sauce.
I’m sorry you didn’t love it. Thank you for your feedback, RKT.
I’ve had this recipe saved for so long and finally made it today. What an absolute hit! My husband was so impressed and we will definitely be enjoying these again!
The peanut sauce is outstanding!!!
Thank you!
You’re welcome, Samantha!
This is our go to for snacking while talking and hanging with friends. Often for the cabbage we pick some variety of chopped coleslaw. Sometimes we add shrimp or tofu or extra jalapeños or avocado…..all delicious. The peanut sauce is perfect and if ever any leftovers it’s great on noodles. Definitely a permanent member of our recipe box!
First time working with rice paper, I decided to use wax paper and it worked out great! I enjoy eating these from my favorite Thai restaurant, so I worked up the courage to make them myself. This is a great recipe! I left out the jalepeno, and I added chicken that was simmered in chicken broth. I like the flavor of sesame oil, so next time I plan on adding even more the recipe. The peanut sauce is what makes this so great and this one turned out delicious (I used maple syrup). Thanks!
Made these last night at a friend’s house for girls night…had everything prepped and we assembled and ate as we went. So amazing… definitely will be part of my weekly lunch schedule!
Hi there! just found your article when I was looking for making Fresh Spring Rolls Recipe.
Thanks for sharing this very well-written and worth reading article.
wish to see more in the coming days.
I’m glad you came across it and love it!
Hi Kate,
I’ve made these twice now & they have become a staple for me! Mastering the wrap as I go! I’m making these for the week of work lunches & I make extra for my kiddos at work who rave about them!!! The peanut sauce freezes wonderfully so I make a triple batch!
Thank you so much and Happy Holidays, Jane
That’s great to hear, Jane! I appreciate your review.
Made these last evening as an appetizer for a friend’s dinner party…They were delicious and real a hit. As a matter of fact they were eaten up so fast I did not get a photo. There was no red cabbage at the grocery store & since I wanted the lovely red colour I added radichio lettuce…Perfect! I added a little extra Tamari Sauce and Rice vinegar to the peanut sauce.
We will certainly make these again!! Thank you yet another tested & delicious recipe.
I’m glad you loved them, Louise! Thank you for your review.
Absolutely nummy. To be able to prepare a dish like this at home is so fun and this recipe was easy to follow and delicious. Thank you for sharing it.
You’re welcome, Claudia! I appreciate your review.
Spring Rolls are one of my FAVORITE foods in the World !! I put FRESH BASIL, Rice noodles, cucumbers, carrots, green onions and shrimp in mine. LOVE YOUR UNIQUE VERSION OF THE PEANUT SAUCE !!! YUMMY !!!
I’m glad to hear that, Cindy! I appreciate your review.