Deutsch Gỏi Cuốn (Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls / Rice Paper Rolls / Summer Rolls) are refreshing, light, and easy to make. They’re by far my most favorite street food in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City).
There are many variations of this fresh spring roll on the internet, but I’m here to guide you to make the authentic Vietnamese Gỏi Cuốn, filled with shrimp and pork.
Don’t forget the four accompanying dipping sauces that will surely impress you.
Table of Contents
🙋♀️ What is Gỏi Cuốn?
Vietnamese cuisine is renowned for its abundant use of herbs and vegetables in cooking.
That’s why most of our food is light and refreshing, from noodle salads like Bún Thịt Nướng, or Phở Trộn to noodle soups such as the famous Phở or lesser-known options like Bún Mọc or Canh Bún.
Gỏi Cuốn is the Vietnamese fresh spring rolls which are are traditionally made with pork, shrimp, vegetables, and rice vermicelli, all wrapped in rice papers.
Originally a popular street food in Sài Gòn (Ho Chi Minh City), Gỏi Cuốn is now beloved throughout Vietnam.
🌟 How to enjoy Vietnamese Spring Rolls
In Vietnam, there are two main ways to enjoy spring rolls:
The first way:
We buy ready-wrapped spring rolls from sellers who wrap and sell them whole. We simply dip them in the accompanying sauce and enjoy.
The second way (often done at home):
We prepare a rice paper platter with rice papers, proteins such as boiled pork belly, shrimp, grilled lemongrass chicken, Vietnamese herbs and lettuce.
Everyone gathers around the dining table to prepare their own spring rolls, dipping them into sauce before eating. It’s a fun and interactive experience that brings everyone together.
Vietnamese cuisine has a special affinity for rice papers, and I could say we could wrap anything with rice papers. We have various versions of fresh spring rolls beyond Gỏi Cuốn:
🌟 Four Dipping Sauces
In Vietnam, dipping sauce (nước chấm) is just as important as the main dish. These four dipping sauces will surely impress you:
Peanut Sauce
Highly beloved in South Vietnam, this classic sauce elevates Gỏi Cuốn with its creamy, sweet, and savory goodness. It’s the very peanut sauce recipe I learned from a lunch lady during my time in Saigon.
Usually, we would drizzle some lemongrass chili oil and garnish with pickled carrots & daikon over the sauce to make it even better.
Nước mắm chấm (Dipping Fish Sauce) (Southern and Northern style)
Known for its tangy and sweet notes, this light and versatile sauce is the “Liquid Gold” of Vietnamese cuisine.
It can serve as a dressing for rice noodle salads (like Bún Thịt Nướng & Bún Chả Giò) or as a dipping sauce for fresh and fried spring rolls (like Chả Giò & Nem Rán).
My ultimate Nước Chấm is easy to make, and you can create a generous batch to store for months. It’s a typical dipping sauce in the South.
If you like to try new things, this Northern-style dipping fish sauce is an option.
It pairs perfectly with many Northern dishes like Bún Bò Nam Bộ (rice noodle salad with stir-fried beef), Bún Chả (rice noodles with grilled pork) and Bánh Cuốn (steamed rice rolls).
Nam Jim Jaew (Thai BBQ dipping sauce)
It’s my latest obsession!!
I found that Thai Nam Jim Jaew is not only the best partner with Kai Yang (Thai BBQ Chicken), but the sauce is also fantastic with rice paper rolls. It adds a bolder flavor with an extra kick.
🛒 Filling Ingredients
I know you could include any proteins or veggies you prefer in your fresh spring rolls but in this post I’ll talk about authentic ingredients for Gỏi Cuốn (Vietnamese spring rolls):
- Rice papers: Use thin and translucent rice papers specifically meant for Gỏi Cuốn. You can check out my post on how to wrap Vietnamese spring rolls (fresh and fried).
- Cooked shrimp.
- Boiled pork belly: you could substitute it with pork shoulder and pork loin also, or even poached chicken if you don’t consume pork.
- Cooked rice vermicelli.
- Veggies: lettuces, crunchy vegetables (such as cucumber & carrot matchsticks, beansprouts…), and some herbs like cilantro, mint, chives, or Thai basil.
- Dipping sauce: Serve the spring rolls with your favorite dipping sauce.
📝 Instructions
Prep all your ingredients:
- To remove any strong pork odors, add aromatics like ginger, green onions, or shallots to a pot of boiling water. Place the pork belly in the pot and let it cook for about 15 minutes or until there is no pink or red water visible when the meat is pierced with a chopstick.
- Remove the pork belly from the pot and allow it to cool before slicing it thinly. Set the sliced pork belly aside for later use.
- Bring the pot to a boil, then add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink (which should take around 3 minutes).
- Remove the shrimp from the pot and slice them in half lengthwise along the back. Set the cooked shrimp aside for later use.
- Cook the rice vermicelli according to package instructions, then rinse with cold water and drain well.
- Slice the crunchy vegetable like cucumber.
Assemble the rolls:
- Fill a large bowl with water. Quickly dip one rice paper into the water, shake off any excess water. The rice paper should only be soaked about 5 seconds to become soft and pliable.
- Begin by placing the softened rice paper onto a large plate, ensuring the smooth side is facing down and the rough side faces up. Next, on the bottom third of the rice paper, add a few lettuce leaves, a bed of rice vermicelli, sliced pork belly, and fresh herbs.
- Place the shrimp onto the opposite end of the rice paper, with the shrimp facing downward to make them more visible and appetizing.
- Fold the sides inwards towards the center. Then, fold the bottom edge of the rice paper over the filling. Roll the rice paper up tightly to enclose the filling. Add a sprig of chive and continue rolling up the rice paper to seal it tightly.
- Repeat steps 1 to 3 with the remaining ingredients to make more spring rolls.
- Serve the spring rolls with your choice of dipping sauce.
📹 Instructional Video
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🌟 FAQ
How to store spring rolls without sticking
Do not place finished spring rolls beside or on each other because they WILL stick together. If you want them to be packed tightly, you can use plastic wrap or baking paper to separate them.
How to store fresh spring rolls
To keep fresh spring rolls from drying out, wrap each roll in plastic wrap. You can make the rolls a day ahead and store them in the fridge. Before using, let them sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Can you still eat spring rolls the next day?
Although it’s best to eat spring rolls right away, if you follow my instructions for storing them, they will still taste good after a day.
🍜 Other Saigon Food Recipes
Cà Phê Sữa Đá (Vietnamese Iced Coffee)
When in Hanoi, be sure to try Egg Coffee (Cà Phê Trứng) , and when in Huế, Salt Coffee (Cà Phê Muối) is a must.
However, during your visit to Saigon, don’t miss out on this iconic Cà Phê Sữa Đá and Bạc Xỉu (Saigon’s white coffee).
Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Sizzling Pancakes)
Originating from Miền Tây (Mekong Delta), Bánh Xèo and Bánh Khọt (Vietnamese mini pancakes) have become specialties of Saigon.
I even have a fuss-free recipe for Bánh Xèo Waffle.
Just like Xôi Mặn , Bánh Mì is my favorite breakfast when living in Saigon.
Of course, it couldn’t be complete without homemade mayo, liver pâté, and Chả Lụa (Vietnamese pork roll).
Sharing your Bánh Mì feast with friends? Let’s try the deconstructed Bánh Mì aka the Bánh Mì Charcuterie Board.
This hearty Southern Beef Stew infused with fragrant lemongrass is my go-to comfort food during chilly days.
It can be served with Vietnamese baguette or Hủ Tiếu tapioca noodles to make Hủ Tiếu Bò Kho.
If you’re a fan of Phở or Bún Bò Huế, you’ll definitely fall in love with Bò Kho.
Thank you for trying my recipe!! Don’t forget to stay in touch with me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube 🥰.
Vietnamese Spring Rolls (Gỏi Cuốn) with 4 dipping sauces
Equipment
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Large bowl of water
- 1 Strainer
- 1 Large plate
Ingredients
- 10 Rice papers
- 15-18 Shrimp
- ⅔ lbs Pork Belly (300g)
- ⅓ lbs Dried Thin Rice vermicelli (150g)
- Assortment of vegetables and herb (lettuce, bean sprouts, Thai basils, chives, mint, etc.)
Instructions
Prep all your ingredients:
- To eliminate strong pork odors, you could incorporate some aromatics such as ginger, green onions, or shallots into a pot of boiling water. Boil the pork belly about 15 minutes or until there is no visible pink or red color when piercing the meat with a chopstick.
- Once done, carefully remove the pork belly from the pot and let it cool before thinly slicing it. Set the sliced pork belly aside for future use.
- Next, bring the pot to a boil and add the shrimp, cooking them until they turn a vibrant pink color, which usually takes around 3 minutes.
- After cooking, remove the shrimp from the pot and slice them in half lengthwise along the back. Set aside the cooked shrimp for later.
- Cook the rice vermicelli according to the instructions on the package. Once done, rinse the vermicelli with cold water and thoroughly drain.
- Lastly, slice the crunchy vegetables such as cucumber to complement the dish.
Assemble the rolls:
- Fill a large bowl with water. Take a rice paper and dip it quickly (around 5 seconds) into the water, ensuring that any excess water is shaken off. The rice paper then will become soft and pliable.
- Place the softened rice paper on a large plate, ensuring the smooth side is facing down and the rough side faces up. At the bottom third of the rice paper, add a few lettuce leaves, a layer of rice vermicelli, sliced pork belly, and fresh herbs.
- On the opposite end of the rice paper, position the shrimp facing downwards to enhance their visibility and appeal.
- Fold the sides of the rice paper inwards towards the center. Then, fold the bottom edge of the rice paper over the filling. Roll the rice paper tightly to enclose the filling. As you near the top, add a sprig of chive and continue rolling to seal it securely.
- Repeat steps 1 to 3 with the remaining ingredients to create more spring rolls.
- Serve the spring rolls with your preferred dipping sauce.
