FRESH SPRING ROLLS & PEANUT DIPPING SAUCE
It’s been forever since I’ve had fresh spring rolls! So, I solved that problem with these homemade Fresh Spring Rolls & Peanut Dipping Sauce. Hubby agrees these taste as yummy the ones from our favorite Thai spot (though spring rolls are actually Vietnamese in origin). This version is full of plump shrimp, crunchy cabbage and carrots, bold radish, and fresh herbs. They’re perfect dipped in the sweet and spicy peanut sauce!
Did you know? Wild-caught shrimp and shrimp farmed in the US are not administered antibiotics. This is often not the case with imported shrimp. The use of antibiotics has been linked to “antibiotic resistance,” i.e., outbreaks of disease that do not respond to antibiotic treatment. If you’re not sure, look for the Marine Stewardship Council or Best Aquaculture Practices certification label. (source)
For this recipe, I used precooked peeled and deveined tail-off shrimp. Small or medium shrimp work best! Thaw the shrimp in the fridge overnight, or in the sink in the bag under cool water. You can also buy raw peeled and deveined shrimp – just steam until pink, then pluck the tails off!
Baked tofu would make a delicious vegan option, or tempeh pan-fried with coconut aminos (mmm).
What veggies to use in spring rolls?
I wanted super colorful rolls, so I went with purple cabbage, carrots, and radish for my veggies. Other recipes call for green cabbage, collard greens, chard, lettuce, bell peppers, cucumber, even pickled beets – so use what you like! Fresh herbs are a must for authentic spring or summer rolls, traditionally basil, cilantro, and mint. Again, add what you like!
Making the rice paper rolls
For the rice paper spring roll wrappers, I used Blue Dragon brand from my local Walmart, but any brand will do! Just make sure each sheet is roughly 10 inches across. If yours are smaller, you’ll just need more sheets!
The trick with rice paper wrappers is to soak them just until soft (about 15-25 seconds in my case). Wet the area you are working on and don’t be afraid to re-wet your wrapper with your fingers if it starts sticking too soon!
Gently wrap your contents like a burrito: lay soaked rice paper sheet on a wetted surface, quickly arrange fillings across the bottom half of the sheet, fold up the bottom first, fold the sides in, tuck stray fillings into your “pocket,” and carefully roll up onto itself.
I didn’t add vermicelli noodles to my spring rolls because the rice paper rolls had enough carbs for me, but that’s definitely an option.
Making the peanut sauce
For the sauce, I used natural creamy peanut butter (can sub cashew, almond, or sunflower seed butter), reduced sodium soy sauce (can sub tamari sauce or coconut aminos), honey (use maple syrup for strict vegan), rice wine vinegar (can sub sake), and fresh ginger and garlic (can sub one teaspoon dried ground ginger and one quarter teaspoon garlic powder). The red pepper flakes add a little heat and are optional. You could also try half a teaspoon of sriracha in place of the red pepper!
Now, here’s the printable recipe for these Fresh Spring Rolls & Peanut Dipping Sauce. I hope you’ll rate and comment below if you try them 😉
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