Fresh Spring Rolls
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Looking for a refreshing, light, and incredibly healthy meal option? You have got to try these Fresh Spring Rolls! Packed with crisp vegetables and herbs, all wrapped in delicate rice paper, these rolls are as fun to make as they are to eat. Pair these with my easy Peanut Sauce recipe, and you’ll get some delicious dipping action.
The Best Fresh Spring Rolls Recipe
Fresh basil, soft butter lettuce, crunchy carrots, refreshing cucumber, colorful red peppers and crisp red cabbage, make an abundantly healthy meal. It’s not always easy to make a healthy meal that’s also delicious. However, it doesn’t get better than this!
I love these Asian-inspired Spring Rolls because they require no cooking and are easy to assemble. These are a favorite of mine, because of all the crunchy and crisp vegetables. The most amazing thing is you can eat as much as you want, absolutely guilt-free.
Why You’ll Love These Fresh Spring Rolls
- Vibrantly Healthy: These Fresh Spring Rolls are packed with a rainbow of nutritious vegetables, making them a delightful way to up your daily veggie intake.
- Versatile and Customizable: The recipe is highly versatile. You can easily switch up the veggies, herbs, and even add proteins like shrimp or tofu, according to your preference or dietary needs.
- Quick and Fun to Make: Not only are these spring rolls a quick fix, but the assembling process is also quite enjoyable. It’s a fun culinary activity for the whole family or a group of friends. So, roll up your sleeves and get rolling!
- Rice Paper – These are the wrappers for our spring rolls. They are light and have a subtle flavor, allowing the fresh ingredients to shine. If unavailable, you could use lettuce leaves for a wrap-style alternative.
- Basil Leaves – Basil adds a fresh and aromatic flavor to the spring rolls. If basil isn’t your thing, cilantro, mint, or even a bit of parsley can also work wonders here.
- Butter Lettuce – Butter lettuce is best, because it is soft and won’t pierce the wrap. However, you can also use iceberg, romaine or leaf, just be careful when assembling.
- Carrots – They bring sweetness, crunch, and vibrant color to the rolls. You can substitute with yellow bell peppers or jicama for a similar crunch.
- Red Bell Pepper – Green or yellow bell peppers also work well. Thinly slice and, these peppers add color and crunch.
- Red Cabbage – Shredded green cabbage can be substituted.
- English Cucumber – Its refreshing flavor and crunch add to the overall freshness of the spring rolls. If unavailable, regular cucumbers work too, but remember to deseed them.
- Green Onion – Green onions add a gentle sharpness and depth of flavor. If not available, a small amount of thinly sliced red onion could work as a substitute.
Listen, making these fresh spring rolls is as simple as it gets, plus it’s a lot of fun. Let’s get started, shall we?
First up, we’re going to deal with the rice paper. These sheets can seem tricky, but it’s all about timing. Just give them a quick dip in some warm water – 5 seconds max! Then pull it out and let it chill for about 10-15 seconds. It’ll become nice and pliable, perfect for wrapping.
Start with a basil leaf and some lettuce and cucumber. Then sprinkle on those vibrant carrots, bell pepper slices, and shredded cabbage. And for the final touch, scatter some green onions over the top. Make sure to place everything on the lower middle section of the rice paper, leaving enough space on the edges for rolling.
Start by folding up the smaller end of the rice paper over the veggies. It’s just like wrapping a present. Then, fold in the sides and keep rolling tightly until you reach the end of the wrapper. Don’t worry if it doesn’t look perfect; it’s homemade after all.
And you’re done! I usually serve these with a peanut sauce for dipping. Trust me, the combo is unbeatable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between a Spring Roll and an Egg Roll?
Spring rolls use a rice paper wrapper that is filled mostly with vegetables. Whereas, egg rolls have a thicker wrapper, containing vegetables and meat, and are deep fried.
What is Rice Paper?
Rice Paper is made of tapioca flour, salt, and water. The tapioca powder makes it glutinous and smooth. It is usually sold dried in thin, crisp, translucent round sheets.
Is Rice Paper healthy for you?
Because Rice Paper does not require cooking, there is no frying involved. This means you get a healthy wrapper that is free from oil and fats.
What other ingredients can be used?
Spring Rolls are so versatile because a wide variety of ingredients can be used. Consider adding bean sprouts, avocado, vermicelli, cilantro, shrimp or chicken. It’s like having a new meal everyday!
My spring rolls are sticking together, what can I do to prevent this?
To avoid sticking, don’t let the spring rolls touch each other once rolled. Also, using a damp tea towel to line your storage container can help prevent sticking.
Expert Tips
- Practice Makes Perfect: Rolling these fresh spring rolls may seem daunting at first, but with a bit of practice, you’ll find your rhythm. Don’t be disheartened if the first couple aren’t perfect – they’ll still taste delicious!
- Don’t Over-soak the Rice Paper: Soak each rice paper wrapper in water just until it softens, and not a second longer. Over-soaking can make the wrapper tear easily during the rolling process. It continues to soften as you add the fillings, making it easier to roll.
- Balance Your Fillings: Aim for a balance of flavors and textures in each roll. Too much of one ingredient can overpower the others.
- Keep Ingredients Fresh: The key to a great spring roll is the freshness of the ingredients. Use crisp veggies and fresh herbs for the best taste and texture.
- Serve With a Dipping Sauce: While these spring rolls are fantastic on their own, a good dipping sauce can elevate the flavors. A tangy peanut sauce or a spicy fish sauce dip would pair wonderfully.
Handling Rice Paper Tips
- Soaking: Rice paper wrappers only need to be soaked until they are pliable, not overly soft. The wrappers continue to absorb water as you’re filling and rolling, so a quick dip in warm water (usually for about 5 seconds) is often enough. If they’re still a bit stiff, that’s okay. They will soften up by the time you’re done rolling.
- Working Surface: When it comes to rolling, I like to use a large cutting board or a silicone baking mat, something that’s non-stick. You can also use a damp tea towel or even a ceramic plate.
- Sticking: If you’re finding that the wrappers are too sticky, one trick is to wet your hands before handling them. This can help prevent sticking.
- Rolling: Start by placing your fillings closer to one end of the wrapper, then fold in the sides and start rolling tightly from the filled end, much like you would a burrito. A firm but gentle hand is key – you want them tight, but squeezing too hard could cause the wrapper to tear.
- Practice: Lastly, don’t be too hard on yourself. Making beautiful spring rolls takes practice. Each one you make, you’ll get a little better.
Storage
To store these fresh spring rolls, you want to keep them from drying out and sticking together. Immediately after making them, place each spring roll on a plate without them touching each other. If you need to stack them, place a layer of plastic wrap or parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.
Once arranged, cover them with a damp cloth or paper towel to prevent drying, then seal the entire plate with plastic wrap or place in an airtight container. They can be stored in the fridge for about 1-2 days. However, they are best consumed fresh, as the rice paper tends to harden and may not be as pleasant after refrigeration.
Other Great Recipes To Try
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Fresh Spring Rolls
Ingredients
- 8 rice paper sheets
- 8 large basil leaves (or cilantro)
- 6 large butter lettuce leaves
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 red bell pepper (sliced thin)
- ¼ head red cabbage (shredded)
- 1 medium english cucumber (sliced into thin, 2-3" long matchsticks)
- ¼ cup green onion (sliced thin)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
- Submerge one sheet of rice paper at a time for 5 seconds to soften. Remove it and set aside for 10-15 seconds.
- On the lower middle section of the rice paper wrap, place the ingredients. First, a basil leaf, a few pieces of lettuce and cucumber, carrots and bell pepper, some shredded cabbage, and some green onion.
- Bring up the smaller end of the rice paper to wrap tightly over the vegetables. Next, bring the sides of rice paper over. Roll tightly until you get to the end of rice paper wrapper. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
- Serve with peanut sauce.
Notes
- Variations: Feel free to add or substitute the vegetables based on your preference. Adding protein like tofu, shrimp, or chicken can make these spring rolls more filling.
- Sauce Options: Peanut sauce is a classic choice, but you can also try soy sauce, sweet chili sauce, or hoisin sauce for different flavors.
- Prep Ahead: All the veggies can be prepped ahead of time and stored in the fridge, making assembly quick and easy when you’re ready to eat.
- Storing: Avoid stacking spring rolls directly on top of each other, as the rice paper can stick together. If you need to stack, use parchment paper in between layers.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
Made these last night added shrimp and avocado to the items in the recipe. I felt like I was eating a healthy snack. I will make them again, using rice paper was new to me so hopefully practice will make perfect! But great easy recipe thanks!
So glad you enjoyed them! Adding shrimp and avocado sounds delicious, and you’re right, practice makes perfect with rice paper. Keep it up!
Just made these for the first time. First couple were a bit of a mess but my granddaughter soon got rid of them. The others got better the more I made. Granddaughter said they were the “best thing ever”
Oh, that warms my heart to hear! Isn’t it wonderful how cooking can be such a bonding experience with loved ones? I’m glad to hear that both you and your granddaughter enjoyed the spring rolls. Practice definitely makes perfect when it comes to wrapping those little gems. Thank you for sharing your experience, and kudos to your granddaughter for declaring them the “best thing ever!” 🌱🥰
I had been wanting to make thee for some time. They were delicious & of course I used your sauce recipe. I need tips on handling the wrappers. They get so sticky, mine were to closed up to well, just loose like – I still ate them, but I would like them to look nicer. I soaked a bit longer than 5 seconds cuz they were still so still. What do you place them on to roll? I am going to try again today & hope they come out better looking.
Glad you enjoyed the recipe. I included a section on handling rice paper tips, you can read all about it here: https://www.jocooks.com/recipes/fresh-spring-rolls/#Handling_Rice_Paper_Tips
Delicious! I could drink the peanut sauce, it is that good.
I just made these! Really surprised how good they were, but I can use some practice rolling them…lol
I’m making these beauties again for dinner tonight. I’ve made them four times, with a little variation in ingredients, before and my family loves them.
Looks easy and delicious! Would it work to put the sauce inside the rolls?
You could try it!
These remind me of Salad Rolls. They are awesome and easy to make.