Fresh and healthy goi cuon or fresh Vietnamese spring rolls are made with tender pork belly, shrimp, vermicelli noodles, and fresh herbs rolled in rice paper. This easy goi cuon recipe comes together in under an hour and is delicious when paired with a peanut dipping sauce.
Growing up, Vietnamese spring rolls with pork and shrimp or gỏi cuốn were a staple dish in my family. Whenever we had a large gathering with all the aunts, uncles, and cousins everyone would gather around the table and make these fresh rolls. It is a healthy and delicious Vietnamese dish that is easy to make in large quantities and brings everyone together.
What’s great about this goi cuon recipe is that you can easily customize each spring roll based on your preferences! Serve these Vietnamese rolls with peanut sauce or nuoc cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce) for a delicious appetizer, snack, or full meal.
Gỏi cuốn tôm thịt or fresh Vietnamese spring rolls with shrimp and pork is a popular refreshing appetizer or a light meal served in most Vietnamese restaurants. Goi cuon is typically assembled with boiled pork belly and shrimp, vermicelli noodles, lettuce, cucumber, and an assortment of Vietnamese herbs all wrapped in translucent rice paper. They are sometimes also referred to as summer rolls.
Gỏi cuốn is typically served with a dipping sauce that is either the traditional nuoc cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce) or Vietnamese peanut dipping sauce. Vietnamese fresh rolls are a healthy and delicious option for the hot and warm months. They are extremely versatile and can be served as an appetizer, snack, or full meal.
Ingredients
You can find the following Vietnamese spring rolls ingredients at your local grocery store. I have linked everything that I used for you below.
Pork Belly: pork belly is the traditional cut that yields the most flavor for this goi cuon recipe.
Salt and Sugar: a pinch of salt and sugar season the pork belly and shrimp.
Shrimp: medium-sized shrimp around 31/35 that are deveined but not peeled are ideal.
Vegetables and Herbs: you can use any combination of lettuce, cucumber, mint, perilla, and garlic chives for your Vietnamese fresh rolls.
Vermicelli Noodles:vermicelli noodles are thin rice noodles that are boiled.
Rice Paper:rice paper (bánh tráng) is thin, translucent sheets typically made with rice and water and softened by soaking them in warm water before filling.
Substitutions and Additions
You can easily customize this Vietnamese spring roll recipe with whichever fillings you’d like! I have listed some suggestions for substitutions and additions for you below.
Substitutions
Pork: pork butt or pork shoulder are alternative pork options for a leaner less fatty cut.
Protein: instead of pork or shrimp, you can use alternative proteins such as tofu, or beef.
Additions
Vietnamese dipping sauce: instead of a Vietnamese peanut dipping sauce, you can alternatively use the traditional nuoc cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce).
Vegetables: additional vegetables that you can use include, Vietnamese coriander, Thai basil, cilantro, bean sprouts, etc.
Egg roll wrapper: for additional crunch, you can roll up an egg roll wrapper brush it with a little oil and air fry it until crispy.
How to devein the shrimp
You will want to devein the shrimp because it is unsightly and can add a noticeable grittiness. I recommend leaving the shell on the shrimp when you cook it to enhance its flavor and help the shrimp retain its moisture. Here are the easy steps on how to devein a shrimp with the shell on.
Hold a toothpick with one hand and the shrimp with the other hand. Locate the vein along the back side and poke the toothpick underneath the vein about two knobs from the tail.
Gently lift the toothpick outwards, and the vein should lift out with the toothpick.
Then pull the rest of the vein out. If the vein breaks it is okay, repeat the steps at another point on the shrimp.
How to Make Vietnamese Spring Rolls (Goi Cuon)
Here are the step-by-step instructions on how to make this Vietnamese spring roll recipe.
Cook the pork. In a large pot, add pork, sugar, salt, and enough water to cover 1 inch of the pork belly. Bring to a boil over high heat. When it reaches a boil, lower the heat to medium heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. The pork is done when it reads 160 degrees F when read with a meat thermometer at the thickest part. Remove from the pot, place in a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap to slightly cool, and then thinly slice the pork.
Cook the shrimp. In the same pot, heat to a boil, and add the deveined shrimp into the pot. Cook until the shrimps turn pink about 2-2 1/2 minutes. Then remove the shrimp and allow them to cool before peeling and slicing in half.
Cook the noodles. In a separate large pot, fill the pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and boil according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop it from cooking. Plate and set aside.
Assemble
Soften the rice paper. In a large bowl, or rice paper bowl pour in warm water. Dip the rice paper into the water submerging the entire paper, drip off the excess water, and then lay it on a plate that is slightly larger than the rice paper.
Add your filling. Place the lettuce, cucumber, herbs, noodles and closest to you leaving about 1-2 inches for you to grab onto. Then add the pork on top of the vegetables.
Add the shrimp. To have the shrimp appear on the outside of the roll, place the shrimp with the orange skin facing down above the vegetables and pork.
Roll. Lift the rice paper on the edge closest to you and tightly roll. Fold the left and right sides towards the middle keeping some chives poking out for garnish. Continue rolling until you reach the end and lightly squeeze the roll as you roll.
Wash your vegetables! It is important that you thoroughly wash and dry your vegetables and herbs in a salad spinner to remove the impurities.
Prepare the other ingredients while cooking the pork. There are many parts to this goi cuon recipe. While the pork is cooking, boil the noodles, make the Vietnamese peanut sauce, and wash and cut the vegetables and herbs.
Organize your spring roll ingredients nearby. Keep your rolling station clean and organized for easy assembly.
Be cautious of overfilling the spring rolls. Rice paper is very thin and can rip easily so be careful of overfilling your fresh spring rolls.
Use a second wrapper if the spring roll rips. If you don’t mind a slightly chewier texture, use a second rice paper to wrap any roll that ripped.
Customize your filling! You can use any variation of the Vietnamese spring roll ingredients. You can add more pork and less shrimp or more herbs and no noodles! Do what makes you happy.
Storage Instructions
Goi cuon or Vietnamese fresh rolls, are best enjoyed immediately when assembled. If you need to store them, wrap them in plastic wrap and store them in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. The rice paper will lose its texture the longer it sits out. Do not reheat them this will further alter the texture.
Frequently Asked Q’s and A’s
What is in a Vietnamese spring roll?
There are multiple types of Vietnamese spring rolls (like bo bia and nem nuong) but traditional Vietnamese spring rolls typically are made with a thin rice paper wrapper that is filled with vermicelli rice noodles, lettuce, herbs like mint, perilla, cilantro, etc, thinly sliced pork belly and boiled shrimp.
Can you make Vietnamese spring rolls in advance?
Yes, you can make Vietnamese spring rolls in advance but only for a few hours in advance. If you are making them early, wrap them individually with plastic wrap to prevent the rice paper from drying out.
What dipping sauce do you serve with Vietnamese spring rolls?
Fresh and healthy goi cuon or fresh Vietnamese spring rolls are made with tender pork belly, shrimp, vermicelli noodles, and fresh herbs rolled in rice paper. This easy goi cuon recipe comes together in under an hour and is delicious when paired with a peanut dipping sauce.
Cook the pork. In a large pot, add pork, sugar, salt, and enough water to cover 1 inch of the pork belly. Bring to a boil over high heat. When it reaches a boil, lower the heat to medium heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. The pork is done when it reads 160 degrees F when read with a meat thermometer at the thickest part. Remove from the pot, place in a bowl, and cover with plastic wrap to slightly cool, and then thinly slice the pork.
Cook the shrimp. In the same pot, heat to a boil, add the deveined shrimp into the pot. Cook until the shrimps turn pink about 2-2 1/2 minutes. Then remove the shrimp and allow them to cool before peeling and slicing in half.
Cook the noodles. In a separate large pot, fill the pot with water and bring to a boil. Add the noodles and boil according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop it from cooking. Plate and set aside.
Assemble
Soften the rice paper. In a large bowl, or rice paper water bowl pour in warm water around 120 degrees F. Dip the rice paper into the water submerging the entire paper, drip off the excess water, and then lay it on a plate that is slightly larger than the rice paper.
Add your filling. Place the lettuce, cucumber, herbs, noodles and closest to you leaving about 1-2 inches for you to grab onto. Then add the pork on top of the vegetables.
Add the shrimp. To have the shrimp appear on the outside of the roll, place the shrimp with the orange skin facing down above the vegetables and pork.
Roll. Lift the rice paper on the edge closest to you and tightly roll. Fold the left and right sides towards the middle keeping some chives poking out for garnish. Continue rolling until you reach the end and lightly squeeze the roll as you roll.
Serve. Serve with Vietnamese dipping sauce or peanut sauce and enjoy!
Notes
Wash your vegetables! It is important that you thoroughly wash and dry your vegetables and herbs in a vegetable spinner to remove the impurities.
Prepare the other ingredients while cooking the pork. There are many parts to this goi cuon recipe. While the pork is cooking, boil the noodles, make the Vietnamese peanut sauce, and wash and cut the vegetables and herbs.
Organize your spring roll ingredients nearby. Keep your rolling station clean and organized for easy assembly.
Be cautious of overfilling the spring rolls. Rice paper is very thin and can rip easily so be careful of overfilling your fresh spring rolls.
Use a second wrapper if the spring roll rips. If you don’t mind a slightly chewy texture, use a second rice paper to wrap any roll that ripped.
Customize your filling! You can use any variation of the Vietnamese spring roll ingredients. You can add more pork and less shrimp or more herbs and no noodles. Do what makes you happy.
Incredible. Delicious dipping sauces. Love the rolling method. Many thanks for an amazing recipe. This will go in the regular rotation