Goi Cuon- How To Make Fresh Vietnamese Summer Rolls With Shrimp + Peanut Hoisin Dipping Sauce

Watch Video reel: How to assemble and roll Vietnamese summer spring rolls.

Simply translated Goi Cuon literally translates to salad rolls. They were definitely a popular treat growing up and continue to be one of our favorite snacks because they’re so fresh and healthy.

These traditional Vietnamese spring rolls are packed with fresh herbs, veggies, and shrimp. Often times you will also see them with pork as well but today we will be making them with just shrimp (equally tasty and pescatarian).

These are great appetizers and they’re often served with a peanut and hoisin dipping sauce (aka Tuong Cham) or Nuoc Mam Cham.

Feel free to sub out the shrimp for tofu for a completely vegetarian option. Below are the classic fixings for a traditional Vietnamese Spring Roll but feel free to sub out the veggies or herbs with whatever you have on hand.

SPRING ROLL INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb of shrimp (I used Wulf’s Fish Organic CleanFish shrimps)

Romaine lettuce or red leaf lettuce (cleaned, tear individual leaves into large sections)

1/2 bunch of cilantro

1/2 bunch of mint (or any other kind of herbs like Vietnamese coriander, Vietnamese perilla…)

1 small bunch of chives or scallions (rinse, use green parts only)

10-12 dried spring roll wrappers (rice wrappers)

1/4 pack of dried round rice noodles (look for rice noodle that is called “bun”)

Pickled daikon / carrots (optional, or use julienned carrot and daikon slices)

➕ Peanut hoisin dipping sauce
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
3 tbs peanut or other nut butter
1 tbs tea seed oil (or light EVOO)
1 tsp sesame oil
2 garlic cloves (minced)
2 tbs sriracha
1/4 lime (juice of 1/4 of a lime, or sub with vinegar)
1/2 tsp fish sauce
1/8-1/4 cup water (to your desired consistency)

Roasted/crushed peanuts (*optional to add on top of the dipping sauce, or cashews or almonds if using cashew or almond butter instead…)

How to make the sauce:
1. Add oil until hot then add a garlic into small saucepan until fragrant. Lower heat to low.
2. Add hoisin sauce, nut butter, sesame oil, other ingredients except water.
3. And slowly add water until consistency reached and it’s slightly runny and smooth. Turn off heat.
4. Then add optional sriracha, pinch of fish sauce and/or lime juice/vinegar to taste and mix well.

SPRING ROLL PREPARATION

1. Defrost shrimp, clean and devein and remove tails.

2. Cook noodles according to package directions until cooked through. Rinse under cold water and drain and let cool.

3. Cook shrimp by adding a little salt and water to cover shrimps. Boil until shrimps are no longer transparent and cooked through. Immediately strain shrimps in colander and run under cold water to stop the cooking process. Let fully drain.

4. Cut shrimps lenghwise along body.

5. Prepare all veggies (wash lettuce, slice cucumbers into thin strips).

WRAPPING PREPARATION

1. Add warm water to a large bowl or deep plate. Soak a rice paper sheet for about 10 seconds in the water. Then transfer the wet rice paper to a clean plate.

2. Add a little lettuce and noodles towards one end of the paper (leave about an inch or so from the edge). Then add a couple sprigs of cilantro, a couple mint leaves, chives, and a few shrimps lined up. DO NOT overstuff your rice rolls or they will rip.

3. Fold ends like a burrito, then roll semi-tightly til you reach the end.