Vietnamese Shrimp Salad Rolls (with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce)
Fresh, colorful, and bursting with flavor, these Vietnamese Shrimp Salad Rolls with Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce are a light yet satisfying dish perfect for warmer days, casual lunches, or as a beautiful appetizer for gatherings.
Crisp vegetables, tender shrimp, and delicate rice noodles are wrapped up in soft rice paper and paired with a rich, savory peanut dipping sauce that’s just the right amount of spicy.
Shrimp Salad Rolls (also called ‘summer rolls’) are easy to make, uses simple ingredients, and are a healthy choice. Popular at Vietnamese restaurants, they can be easily made at home and can be customized to suit preferences.
Typically this Vietnamese shrimp recipe is served as an appetizer or a light meal, they can also be enjoyed as a snack or for gatherings especially when paired with our Ramen Noodle Salad.
Refreshing and flavorful, serve these chilled or at room temperature. The spicy peanut dipping sauce is optional, but absolutely delicious.
What are Vietnamese Salad Rolls?
Unlike spring rolls which are usually fried, Vietnamese Salad Rolls (Gỏi Cuốn) are enjoyed fresh. They are commonly made with rice wrappers, vermicelli rice noodles, meat (usually shrimp), fresh vegetables, and fresh herbs. They can be eaten alone or with a dipping sauce.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Total Time: 35 Minutes
- Makes: 8 Rolls
Ingredients and Notes
As always, the full ingredients and recipe is on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Recipe Variations & Substitutions
- Make it vegetarian: Swap the shrimp for marinated tofu, sautéed mushrooms, or creamy avocado slices.
- Boost the texture: Add a sprinkle of crushed peanuts or sesame seeds inside the rolls for an extra crunch.
- Veggie Additions: Add purple cabbage or bell pepper for color, or snow peas or snap peas for that extra crunch to your shrimp salad rolls recipe.
- Fruity Taste: You can add thin slices of mango for a bit of sweetness.
- Alternate Dip: Instead of our homemade peanut sauce dip, try fish sauce a traditional Vietnamese flavor.
Tips for Success
How to Make Shrimp Salad Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce
STEP 1 – Cook the Noodles
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the rice vermicelli noodles and cook according to the package instructions, usually about 3–4 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
STEP 2 – Prepare the Dipping Sauce
In a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sriracha (or sweet chili sauce). Add warm water a little at a time, whisking until you reach a smooth, pourable consistency. Set aside.
STEP 3 – Soften the Rice Paper
Fill a large shallow dish or pie plate with warm water or almost hot water. Dip one rice paper wrapper into the water for 5–10 seconds, just until it becomes pliable. Be careful not to over-soak; the wrapper will continue to soften as you assemble.
STEP 5 – Assemble the Rolls
Place the softened rice paper on a cutting board or clean surface. In the bottom third of the wrapper, arrange 3 shrimp along with a few mint and cilantro leaves, if using. Top with lettuce leaf, a small amount of carrot, green onion, cucumber, bean sprouts, pea shoots, and a small bundle of vermicelli noodles. Fold and repeat with the remaining wrappers and fillings.
STEP 5 – Serve
Arrange the vietnamese shrimp salad rolls on a lightly oiled platter or a tray lined with lettuce leaves to prevent sticking. Serve with the spicy peanut dipping sauce on the side for dipping.
How to Wrap Salad Rolls
How to fold a salad roll: Place the filling ingredients on the middle-bottom half of the wrapper. Fold the bottom of the wrapper over the filling, then fold in the sides, and roll tightly like a burrito.
Serving Suggestions
This Vietnamese Shrimp Salad Rolls Recipe can be served alone as a snack or a light meal. Yet they can also be an appetizer or paired with other Asian dishes such as:
Storage
Store homemade Vietnamese salad rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 3 days. They are not freezer friendly.
Recipe FAQ
Our recipe includes shrimp, lettuce, green onions, bean sprouts, pea shoots or microgreens, cucumber, and carrot. You can also add fresh cilantro and fresh mint leaves if you wish.
Salad rolls (or summer rolls) are fresh and contain lettuce and fresh veggies, vermicelli, and cooked meat or seafood – all wrapped in rice paper. Spring rolls are cooked (usually fried) and have the ingredients in a dough wrapper.
More Asian Recipes
If you’ve tried this Vietnamese Salad Rolls Recipe or any other recipe on my blog please let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you. Finally, consider leaving a 🌟 star rating while you’re here. Thanks!
Vietnamese Shrimp Salad Rolls with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
For the Rolls
- 8 large rice paper wrappers
- 4 oz vermicelli noodles
- 24 large cooked shrimp (peeled)
- green leaf lettuce
- 8 green onions (trimmed)
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1 cup pea shoots (or microgreens)
- 1 small cucumber (julienned)
- 1 medium carrot (julienned)
- fresh mint leaves (optional)
- fresh cilantro (optional)
For the Spicy Peanut Dipping Sauce
- ⅓ cup crunchy peanut butter
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1-2 tsp sriracha or chili sauce (to taste)
- 1-2 tsp warm water (to thin)
Instructions
- Cook the NoodlesBring a pot of water to a boil. Add the rice vermicelli noodles and cook according to the package instructions, usually about 3–4 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
- Prepare the Dipping SauceIn a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sriracha. Add warm water a little at a time, whisking until you reach a smooth, pourable consistency. Set aside.
- Soften the Rice PaperFill a large shallow dish or pie plate with warm water. Dip one rice paper wrapper into the water for 5–10 seconds, just until it becomes pliable. Be careful not to over-soak; the wrapper will continue to soften as you assemble.
- Assemble the RollsPlace the softened rice paper on a cutting board or clean surface.In the lower third of the wrapper, arrange 3 shrimp along with a few mint and cilantro leaves, if using. Top with a piece of lettuce, a small amount of carrot, green onion, cucumber, bean sprouts, pea shoots, and a small bundle of vermicelli noodles.Fold the bottom of the wrapper over the filling, then fold in the sides, and roll tightly like a burrito.Repeat with the remaining wrappers and fillings.
- ServeArrange the spring rolls on a lightly oiled platter or a tray lined with lettuce leaves to prevent sticking. Serve immediately with the spicy peanut dipping sauce on the side.
These Salad Rolls are so easy to make, and a great light summer meal. Way better than from a restaurant, the kids love to add their favorite fillings too.