We learned this Vietnamese spring roll recipe during a visit to Vietnam, where we were fortunate enough to see traditional spring rolls being prepared.
It was a memorable part of the trip, and we were lucky enough to be shown how to make them from scratch. The original Natural Health Kingdom article included the recipe after that demonstration, and we have kept the ingredients and basic method while giving the page a clearer, easier-to-follow recipe format.
By Thuong Dinh (aka Anna)
These spring rolls are filled with pork, prawns, egg, vermicelli, wood ear mushroom and vegetables, wrapped in rice paper and deep-fried until crisp and golden.
At a glance
Prep time: About 30 minutes
Cook time: About 10 minutes
Total time: About 40 minutes
Serves: 5
Ingredients
For the spring rolls
- 60g vermicelli noodles
- 100g lean ground pork
- 25g prawns/shrimp, washed, peeled and cut into small pieces
- 4 pieces of wood ear mushroom, soaked and finely sliced
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 2 spring onions, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, grated
- 1/2 tsp Hạt Nêm seasoning powder
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 24 sheets rice paper
- Oil for deep-frying
- Coriander and basil for garnishing
For the dipping sauce
- 3 fresh chillies, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup caster sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 5 tablespoons water
Prepare the dipping sauce
This part is wonderfully simple.
Mix the chopped chillies, garlic, caster sugar, lime juice, fish sauce, and water until the sugar dissolves and the ingredients are well combined.
Set the sauce aside while you prepare the spring rolls.
Prepare the filling
1. Soak the noodles
Soak the vermicelli noodles in cold water for about 2 minutes to soften them.
Drain well and cut them into pieces about 2 inches long.
2. Prepare the wood ear mushroom
Soak the wood ear mushrooms in hot water until softened.
Drain them well and cut them into thin slices.
3. Combine the filling
Place the noodles, egg, pork, prawns, wood ear mushrooms, spring onions and grated carrot in a large bowl.
Mix everything together thoroughly.
4. Season the mixture
Add the Hạt Nêm seasoning powder, sugar and black pepper.
Mix well so the seasoning is distributed throughout the filling.
How to roll the spring rolls
Rice paper softens quickly, so have everything ready before you begin.
5. Soften the rice paper
Briefly dip a sheet of rice paper in warm water.
Place it on a clean work surface and allow it to soften enough to roll.
Put a spoonful of the filling in the centre of the lower part of the rice paper.
Fold the sides in towards the filling, then roll the bottom edge up and over the filling.
Continue rolling firmly until you have a neat spring roll.
Use a little water to seal the edge if necessary.
Repeat with the remaining filling and rice-paper sheets.
Fry the spring rolls
6. Heat the oil
Heat the oil in a wok or suitable deep-frying pan over moderate heat.
Deep-fry the spring rolls a few at a time to avoid overcrowding the pan.
Turn them regularly so they cook evenly and become crisp and golden brown.
Drain on paper towels before serving.
Serving the spring rolls
Arrange the spring rolls on a serving plate and garnish with fresh coriander and basil.
Serve with the chilli, garlic, lime and fish-sauce dipping sauce.
They make a lovely starter, part of a sharing meal, or a centrepiece for a Vietnamese-inspired spread.
A few useful tips
Keep the rice paper under control
Rice paper only needs a brief dip in warm water. If it becomes too soft, it can be difficult to handle and may tear while rolling.
Don’t overfill them
A modest amount of filling makes the spring rolls easier to roll and helps prevent them bursting while cooking.
Roll them firmly
A firm, even roll helps keep the filling together while the spring rolls are fried.
Don’t overcrowd the pan
Frying too many at once can make it harder to maintain the heat and can prevent the spring rolls from cooking evenly.
The story behind this recipe
One of the things that makes this recipe special to Natural Health Kingdom is that it came from a real cooking demonstration during a visit to Vietnam.
The original article recorded that experience and then shared the recipe so readers could make the spring rolls at home.
We have kept that connection because a recipe is sometimes about more than ingredients and instructions.
It can also be about where it came from, who shared it and the memories attached to it.
The bottom line
These Vietnamese spring rolls take a little preparation, but the ingredients are straightforward, and the finished rolls are well worth the effort.
The combination of vermicelli, pork, prawns, egg, mushroom, vegetables and fresh herbs gives the filling plenty of texture and flavour, while the dipping sauce adds chilli, garlic, lime and savoury depth.
A good recipe doesn’t just feed you.
Sometimes it brings happy memories into your kitchen.
Recipe Notes
This recipe is a modern presentation of the original Traditional Vietnamese Spring Rolls recipe published on Natural Health Kingdom in 2015. The young lady is now married with children.
The ingredient quantities and basic preparation method have been retained from the original source. The wording, organisation and instructions have been clarified to make the recipe easier to follow.
The original article described the recipe as being demonstrated during a visit to Vietnam. Because Vietnamese spring-roll recipes vary by region, family, and style, this page presents it as a traditional Vietnamese recipe rather than claiming it is the single authentic version.