I perfected Crispy Rice Paper Rolls that rival restaurant versions and come with a surprisingly tangy dipping sauce you’ll want to make again.

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I can’t stop thinking about these Vietnamese fried spring rolls. The snap of the rice paper wrappers (bánh tráng) around a savory mix of ground pork is the kind of combo that makes you hush at the table, honestly.

I chase that perfect blistered crunch every time, and somehow these Crispy Rice Paper Rolls always surprise me, even when I mess up the roll and stuff spills out. There’s a dipping sauce that changes everything, and yeah, it’s addicting.

If you like bold textures and food that feels fancy but is actually easy, you’ll get why I keep making them, again and again.

Ingredients

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Rice paper wrappers: thin and crisp when fried, mostly carbohydrates, light and neutral
Ground pork: rich in protein and fat, gives savory depth, can be a bit greasy
Shrimp: optional, adds sweet briny protein, lowers overall fattiness and adds texture
Wood ear mushrooms: earthy, chewy, add fiber and umami, soak up other flavors
Rice vermicelli: light carbs, soaks juices, adds soft springy bite and bulk
Jicama or taro: jicama is crisp and watery, taro is starchy and slightly sweet
Fish sauce: salty savory backbone, concentrated umami, brings sweet sour balance to sauce
Eggs: bind the filling, add protein and silkiness, help wrappers stick closed

Ingredient Quantities

20 to 25 round rice paper wrappers (bánh tráng), 22 to 24 cm diameter

1 lb (450 g) ground pork (about 20% fat)

6 oz (170 g) shrimp, peeled, deveined and roughly chopped (optional)

1.5 oz (40 g) dried wood ear mushrooms, rehydrated and finely chopped

2 oz (60 g) dried rice vermicelli or cellophane noodles, soaked and roughly chopped

1 cup shredded jicama or taro (about 120 g)

1 cup grated carrot (about 120 g)

1 small yellow onion or 3 shallots, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 large eggs

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tbsp cornstarch or tapioca starch (for binding)

Vegetable oil for frying, about 6 cups (1.4 L) or enough for deep frying

For nước chấm dipping sauce: 1/3 cup fish sauce (80 ml)

For nước chấm dipping sauce: 1/2 cup warm water (120 ml)

For nước chấm dipping sauce: 3 tbsp granulated sugar

For nước chấm dipping sauce: 3 tbsp lime juice or rice vinegar

For nước chấm dipping sauce: 1 clove garlic, minced and 1 bird’s eye chile, thinly sliced

Optional garnishes: lettuce leaves, cilantro, Thai basil, sliced cucumber and shredded carrot

How to Make this

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1. Rehydrate the wood ear mushrooms in warm water for 20 to 30 minutes, squeeze out excess water and finely chop; soak the rice vermicelli or cellophane noodles in warm water until soft (about 5 to 10 minutes), drain and roughly chop; if using shrimp peel, devein and roughly chop.

2. Prep the veg: shred the jicama or taro, grate the carrot, finely chop the yellow onion or shallots and mince the garlic. Pat the jicama, mushrooms and noodles dry with paper towels so the filling wont be soggy.

3. Beat the 2 eggs in a small bowl and reserve about 1 tablespoon for sealing the wrappers. In a large bowl combine ground pork, chopped shrimp, chopped mushrooms, chopped noodles, jicama, carrot, onion, garlic, 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp sugar, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper and 1 tbsp cornstarch; add most of the beaten eggs and mix with your hands until sticky and well combined. Fry a tiny spoonful to taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

4. Set up an assembly station: a shallow bowl of warm water for softening rice paper, a damp towel or cutting board to rest wrappers, and a plate for finished rolls. Keep everything within reach.

5. To wrap: quickly dip one rice paper wrapper into warm water until just pliable, lay it on the towel, place about 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling slightly off center, fold the bottom up, fold both sides in then roll tightly toward the top; seal the edge with the reserved beaten egg. Dont overfill or the wrapper will tear.

6. Heat about 6 cups (
1.4 L) vegetable oil in a deep pot to about 350 to 375 F (175 to 190 C) or until a wooden chopstick produces steady bubbles. Use a thermometer if you have one and fry in small batches so the oil temp stays steady.

7. Fry the rolls seam side down first for about 4 to 6 minutes until evenly golden brown and very crispy, turning occasionally. If they brown too fast lower the heat. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in a low oven while you finish the rest.

8. Make the nước chấm by stirring 1/3 cup fish sauce (80 ml) with 1/2 cup warm water (120 ml) and 3 tbsp sugar until dissolved, then add 3 tbsp lime juice or rice vinegar, the minced garlic and thinly sliced bird’s eye chile; taste and adjust sweet sour salty balance.

9. Serve hot, cut rolls in half on the diagonal and offer lettuce leaves, cilantro, Thai basil, sliced cucumber and shredded carrot so people can wrap bites and dip in the nước chấm. Its the most authentic way to enjoy them.

10. Quick tips: squeeze or pat dry filling ingredients so rolls stay crisp, test one roll first to check seasoning and frying time, dont overcrowd the oil, reheat leftovers in the oven or air fryer to restore crunch (not the microwave), and store uncooked rolls in the fridge for a day or freeze them before frying for longer storage.

Equipment Needed

1. Large mixing bowl (for pork, shrimp, veggies and binding)
2. Small bowl or ramekin (for beating eggs and reserving 1 tbsp)
3. Cutting board and sharp chef’s knife, plus a grater for carrot
4. Shallow wide bowl or pie plate (warm water to soften rice paper)
5. Heavy-bottomed deep pot or deep fryer for frying
6. Frying thermometer (or use a wooden chopstick to check bubbles)
7. Slotted spoon or spider and long tongs for turning and removing rolls
8. Wire rack set over a baking sheet plus paper towels and plates for draining and keeping warm

FAQ

Q: How do I stop the rolls from getting soggy? A: Fry in very hot oil around 350 F, do not crowd the pan so oil temp stays steady, and drain on a wire rack not just paper towels. Keep the filling from being too wet, squeeze excess water from jicama and noodles, and don’t overfill the wrapper. Serve soon after frying, they lose crispness if they sit too long.

Q: Can I make these vegetarian or leave out the shrimp? A: Yes. Omit pork and shrimp and use crumbled firm tofu, extra mushrooms, or shredded taro and carrot. For the fish sauce use soy sauce, mushroom seasoning, or a store bought vegan fish sauce. The texture will be a bit different but still tasty.

Q: What is the easiest way to soften and roll the rice paper without tearing it? A: Briefly dip the wrapper in warm water until pliable, about 3 to 5 seconds, lay it flat, place a modest amount of filling near the edge, fold in the sides and roll tightly. Don’t soak the wrappers, and work quickly so they do not get sticky or tear. Keep unused wrappers under a damp towel so they do not dry out.

Q: Can I prep these ahead or freeze them? A: Yes. You can make the filling a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. For freezing, assemble the rolls, flash freeze them in a single layer until firm, then bag them. Fry from frozen, adding about 1 to 2 extra minutes so they heat through. Cooked rolls can be reheated in a hot oven or air fryer to recover some crispness.

Q: What oil temp and frying time should I use for best results? A: Heat oil to roughly 350 F, deep fry batches for about 3 to 5 minutes until golden and crisp. Adjust time if rolls are larger or smaller. Keep a thermometer handy, and let the oil return to temp between batches.

Q: How do I balance the nước chấm dipping sauce and store it? A: Mix fish sauce, warm water, sugar, and lime or rice vinegar until sugar dissolves, then add minced garlic and sliced chile. Taste and tweak, more lime for tang, more sugar for sweetness. It keeps in the fridge up to a week, but add fresh garlic and chile just before serving if you want brighter flavor.

Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Ground pork: swap for ground chicken or turkey, same weight. They are leaner so add 1 tbsp oil or an extra egg to help bind. Or for a veg option use firm tofu, pressed and crumbled, mixed with 1/4 cup finely chopped mushrooms to mimic texture and 1 tbsp cornstarch.
Shrimp (optional): omit or replace with an equal weight of chopped scallops, chopped king oyster or shiitake mushrooms, or extra ground meat. Mushrooms give the same chew when finely chopped, just squeeze out excess water first.
Fish sauce (in filling or nước chấm): substitute light soy sauce or tamari 1:1 for salty umami. For vegetarian swap use soy sauce plus a pinch of seaweed flakes or 1 tsp miso dissolved in the sauce. Coconut aminos works too if you want lower sodium, use slightly more to taste.
Round rice paper wrappers: if you want to fry but can’t find them, use egg roll wrappers (wheat) or spring roll wrappers, roughly the same thickness; no wetting needed, just wrap and seal with a little cornstarch slurry. For a fresh, non fried roll use large lettuce leaves or collard greens instead of wrappers.

Pro Tips

1) Pat the jicama, mushrooms and noodles dry until almost damp free, squeeze with paper towels if you have to. If the filling is wet the rolls will never get crispy, and the wrapper will tear more easily. Also keep the filling a little chilled while you wrap so it holds together better.

2) Always fry a tiny spoonful of the filling first and taste it, then adjust fish sauce, sugar and pepper. You want the mix sticky not soupy, so use the cornstarch and most of the beaten eggs to bind, dont add more liquid.

3) Dip each rice paper quick in warm water until just pliable, dont let it go limp or it will tear. Dont overfill, use about a tablespoon or two of filling, and reserve that tablespoon of beaten egg to seal the final edge so they dont pop open in the oil.

4) Keep the oil hot and fry in small batches so the temperature stays steady, test with a wooden chopstick for steady bubbles. Start frying seam side down, dont overcrowd the pot, drain on a rack or paper towels and keep finished rolls warm in a low oven. Leftovers get crunchy again in the oven or an air fryer, not the microwave, and you can freeze uncooked rolls on a tray then bag them for fast future frying.