Shrimp summer rolls recipe

Recipe image shows shrimp summer rolls sliced in half for easy serving with sauces on the side.

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5 from 1 vote

Vietnamese shrimp summer rolls made easy. Learn how to roll rice paper without tearing, sticking, or turning too soft.

Prep Time20

Wrapping time20

Total Time40

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Keyword: fresh vietnamese spring rolls, Shrimp summer rolls, Vietnamese shrimp spring rolls

Servings: rolls

Author: ChihYu Smith

Equipment

1 Rice paper water dipping bowl or a large bowl (for dipping rice paper)
2 large plates (to hold the vegetables and the rolls)
1 Rice paper rolling tray or a silicone baking mat
Paper towels (to keep the rolls moist)
1 Julienne peeler

Ingredients

For the shrimp summer rolls:

0.5 lb white shrimp 26-30 counts per pound, peeled and deveined
4 oz dried Vietnamese rice stick vermicelli noodles (viet bun noodles)
2 whole persian cucumber julienned using a julienne peeler
1 medium carrot julienned using a julienne peeler
6 Garlic chive
1 small head butter lettuce
Thai basil leaves or Italian basil
Mint leaves
Cilantro optional
8 sheets Rice paper 9-inch (22 cm) round

Dipping sauces:

US - Metric

Instructions

Preparations:

To poach shrimp, bring a medium pot of water to boil. Add the shrimp and give it a quick stir to fully submerge. Turn off the stove and immediately cover the pot. Let the shrimp soak in hot water for 5 minutes. After soaking, check one shrimp to see if it’s cooked through. It should be pale in the center and taste snappy and juicy. If not, cover the pot for 2 more minutes. Drain and set the shrimp aside to cool.
Once cool to the touch, use a small paring knife to slice the shrimp in half lengthwise so they lay flat.
Rice vermicelli noodles: Follow the package instructions to cook the noodles. Some require boiling and others only need hot water soaking. Drain the noodles and rinse under cold water to remove excess starch. Shake off excess water and spread them out in a large bowl. You can drizzle a small amount of avocado oil and toss the noodles to prevent them from sticking. Set aside ready to use.
Cucumber and carrots: Trim both tip ends and julienne the cucumber using a julienne peeler. If you don’t have one, thinly slice it into matchsticks. Trim the carrot and slice into matchsticks about 4–5 inches (10–12 cm) long to match the cucumber. Julienne it as well. Set them aside over a small sheet pan. You can line the sheet pan with paper towels to help absorb excess moisture from the cucumber.
Garlic chive: Rinse and pat dry the garlic chive. Trim away both tip ends and slice into 4–5 inch (10–12 cm) sections to match the other vegetables.
Butter lettuce, mint, basil, and cilantro: Remove the stems and use only the tender leaves for the lettuce and herbs.

To start wrapping:

Set up your workstation with rice paper, a large bowl of room temperature water, shrimp, vegetables, herbs, and a large plate for the finished rolls. Use a silicone mat (or clean surface) for rolling. Also prepare a few clean paper towels.
Moistening: Take one piece of rice paper and slide it into the water bowl and quickly rotate the rice paper for about 5-6 seconds only. The sheet should be fully moistened but still feel slightly firm—it will continue to soften as you assemble.
Assemble: Immediately transfer the sheet to your work surface - place smooth side down and rough side facing you.
Place a layer of butter lettuce at the bottom of the rice paper. Add a small amount of noodles, then carrots and cucumber, keeping everything aligned and tucked in.
Take 2-3 slices of garlic chives and place them right next to (above) the vegetables, then add a few leaves of basil, mint, and cilantro. Finally, place 3 pieces of shrimp, pink side down, right above the herbs.
To wrap: Gently lift the bottom edge and roll it over the filling to cover the noodles and the herbs. Fold the left and right sides then keep rolling away from you to seal the roll. Repeat the steps until you finish all the ingredients.
As you work through the ingredients, rest the rolls on a large plate with some space between them. Lightly moisten the paper towel to cover the rolls. This prevents the rice paper from getting dry and maintains the perfect moisture level.

To serve:

Soft summer rolls taste best when they are freshly made. I recommend serving them immediately after rolling with either Vietnamese peanut sauce (creamy, nutty) or Nuoc cham sauce (salty, sweet, funky) on the side. You can also slice it into half for easy serving.

Video

Notes

Low Carb option: You can skip the vermicelli noodles to reduce the total carb count or use kelp noodles.
Make-ahead: This dish is all about preparing in advance! You can poach the shrimp up to 2 days ahead, and make the dipping sauces 3-4 days ahead.
Storage: Once they are made into rolls, store them in a large airtight container, lined with slightly moistened paper towels between each layer.
To soften the summer rolls after refrigeration: Cover the summer roll with a lightly moistened paper towel and microwave on medium for 20-30 seconds until soft again.
It’s best to only make the number of rolls you need on the day of serving. Pack all the ingredients separately and assemble the rolls right before serving.

Nutrition