Vietnamese Spring Rolls (leftover makeover)

A healthy start to the day with this veggie packed no cook Vietnamese spring rolls and sesame peanut dipping sauce.

One of the easiest ways to use up leftover veg form the fridge has to be making these delicious Vietnamese spring rolls. The beauty about this recipe is that it is totally customizable and extremely delicious regardless of what you add into the filling as the sesame peanut dipping sauce is a flavor bomb to say the least. There is no better to kick start the year than with a no cook/no bake recipe that is wholesome delicious and so easy to make!

I usually get myself to make a huge batch of these in January specifically as I always have a little of many veggies hanging around the fridge thanks to the holiday meals over December. Which is why I think it is a great time to use up those leftover veggies and make these vegetarian Vietnamese spring rolls. If you are missing the meat in this spring roll you can add grilled shrimps, chicken or fish into the spring roll. I have also added leftover steak into these spring rolls and they were delicious to say the least. I am trying to say that anything goes and you can get creative with the filling.

What ingredients do you need to make these Vietnamese spring rolls?

We need rice wrappers to start with, most grocery stores stock them but if you cannot find them in your local store, you will be able to buy it online. For the filling I have used cucumbers, carrots, purple cabbage, fresh herbs like coriander, kale and parsley, avocado, onions and garlic. To make the sauce you will need, chunky peanut butter, rice vinegar, soya sauce, honey, sesame seed oil, tahini, fresh garlic and water.

Filling option ideas: You can use glass noodles, steamed shrimp, lettuce, bell peppers, mushrooms, tofu, spring onions, fresh ginger, grilled chicken, red chili, mint or other herbs as well.

What equipment do you need to make these Vietnamese spring rolls?

We need to chop the veggies using a knife and chopping board. However we need a fresh kitchen towel to help roll these spring rolls. A few mixing bowls as well for soaking the rice wrappers. To make the sauce we need a small mixing bowl and spoon to bring the ingredients together.

How to make these Vietnamese spring rolls?

We start preparing all our ingredients. I like to ensure they are all chopped and laid out in front of me so I don’t forget to add any one of them into the rolls while making them. Make sure to chop up everything and set aside. Let us also make the sauce now by mixing all the ingredients in a mixing bowl until smooth. If it is too thick add more water and stir it well. If it is too thin add a little more tahini or peanut butter.

We need to set up our workspace, so to make the spring rolls we get a bowl (large enough to soak the rice sheet/paper into it) of water, clean kitchen towel, all the prepared ingredients and the serving platter. We start by soaking a rice wrapper into water. Make sure the entire wrapper is submerged into the bowl of water, this will soften it. Once it is not crispy and soft to touch place the wet rice wrapper on a clean kitchen towel and start layering the vegetables into the center of the wrapper. Fold two opposite sides into the center and roll the wrapper into a little sausage. Be gentle while rolling it as we don’t want to tare the wrapper. Hence once the rice wrapper is wet and soaked, don’t waste time since it will get sticky and might tare while rolling it. Repeat the process until all the filling is over. Serve it cold with the sesame peanut dipping sauce.

How to store these Vietnamese spring rolls?

Once the spring rolls are made they must transfer to a platter you will serve them in. Alternatively you can leave them on a damp kitchen towel until ready to serve. I wouldn’t make these sit out for long as they will get soggy. If you refrigerate them the rice wrapper will get hard and chewy. So you can prep the ingredients, sauce ahead of time and roll these just before serving. It is also a great way to get your friends or family involved in the recipe. It is best eaten within an hour of making.

Pro tips to make the best Vietnamese spring rolls:

Do not over soak the rice wrappers as they will get very flimsy and difficult to handle.
Once the rice wrappers are wet, don’t waste time and start building the spring roll.
Use a clean kitchen towel to help you roll the spring rolls as the wet rice wrapper could get stuck your kitchen counter top/ chopping board.
Make sure to use colorful vegetables but also different textured veggies and diverse flavors to ensure they taste as good as they look.
Don’t skip on the sauce, you could also serve the spring rolls with a sweet chili sauce.

Now that we have covered how to make these Vietnamese spring rolls, you can have a look at the recipe video on my socials but let’s get to it. Don’t forget to follow along for more healthy recipe inspiration.

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to share it with me on instagram so I can see how it turned out. I’d love nothing more than to chat with you on your cooking/baking.