Traditional Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls (Goi Cuon)

Goi Cuon, also known as Vietnamese fresh spring rolls, is a popular dish in Vietnamese cuisine. It is made by wrapping a combination of ingredients such as shrimp, pork, vegetables, herbs, and rice vermicelli in Vietnamese rice paper, also known as bánh tráng. The rolls are typically served fresh and are not deep-fried.

Goi Cuon is considered a national dish of Vietnam, alongside other famous dishes like phở and bánh mì. It is a light and refreshing snack or appetizer, commonly found as street food in Vietnam. The name "goi cuon" translates to "salad roll" in English, which reflects the fresh and healthy nature of the dish.

What are Vietnamese spring rolls made of?

Vietnamese spring rolls or goi cuon are a healthy, refreshing dish that is perfect for summer. Traditionally, Vietnamese spring rolls are made with fresh veggies, shrimp and pork belly (optional) all wrapped in rice paper. However, you can put almost anything in your spring rolls. I’ve had it with pork, tofu, and even just vegetables. The best part about this dish is you can make it your own by changing the fillings you use. Some variations include nem nuong (nem nướng) spring rolls, Salmon spring rolls and bo bia (bò bía) which is made with Chinese sausage! It is also a cold dish, so it’s perfect for hot summer days!

Ingredients, Substitutions & Adjustments

Spring Roll

Pork belly – Pork belly is the preferred cut of meat for these spring rolls. The fattiness and sweetness of the pork pair really well with the fresh ingredients of the spring roll. You can maybe get away with using pork butt as a leaner option, but it is definitely not the ideal ingredient for this recipe.
Shrimp – Any type of shrimp should work for this recipe. I would recommend buying medium sizes shrimp because large and small shrimp are harder to wrap.
Vermicelli Noodles – This dish is traditional made with vermicelli noodles. You can use other types of thin rice noodles, but the texture and taste will not be the same.
Rice paper – Rice paper can be found in many grocery stores nowadays. There are not substitutions for rice paper.
Other fillings (lettuce, carrot, cucumber, mint) – These are the other fillings I normally use. You can customize these toppings however you like. Sometimes I use all of them. Sometimes I use just lettuce and cucumber.

Hoisin Dipping Sauce

Hoisin sauce – Hoisin sauce is a very common condiment used in Chinese and Vietnamese cuisine. It has a salty and sweet flavor. If you can’t find hoisin sauce, I would recommend using my Vietnamese dipping sauce as a good second option for a dipping sauce.
Garlic – Adds extra flavor to the sauce.
Peanut butter – I love to use creamy peanut butter, but you can also use chunky peanut butter.
Water – Cold water works for this recipe. It thins out the sauce and lightens it up because the hoisin sauce has an intense flavor.