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Vietnamese

Gỏi Cuốn (Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls)

Fresh Vietnamese rice-paper rolls filled with prawns, pork, rice vermicelli, crisp vegetables, and herbs.

Published and reviewed by Kitchgrow on 7 September 2026Updated

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Gỏi Cuốn (Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls)

45 mintotal

Prep 30 min · Cook 15 min

Serves
2
Difficulty
Medium
Spice
Mild
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Ingredients

Quantities are for 2 servings.

You'll need: Stovetop.

Forty-five minutes. Poaching and prep take most of it; rolling eight goes quickly once everything is laid out in a row.

Method

  1. Poach the prawns in simmering water until just opaque and firm, then cool and slice lengthwise.

  2. Cook the pork slices in the same simmering water until fully cooked through, then cool and slice thinly if needed.

  3. Mix fish sauce, lemon juice, sugar, green chilli, salt, and a little warm water to make a dipping sauce; stir in crushed groundnuts.

  4. Dip one rice paper wrapper in warm water until pliable, then place it on a clean board.

  5. Layer lettuce, rice vermicelli, cucumber, carrot, herbs, pork, and prawns on the lower third of the wrapper.

  6. Fold the sides inward and roll firmly but gently so the wrapper stays intact and the filling is snug.

  7. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and serve with the prepared dipping sauce.

How to tell it's done

The wrapper should be soft and slightly chewy, the vegetables crisp, and the prawns firm but not rubbery.

Getting it right

Tip

Soften one wrapper at a time; rice paper becomes sticky and tears easily if soaked too long.

What to serve it with

Serve the rolls soon after assembling with the dipping sauce on the side.

Common mistakes

The wrappers tear or glue themselves together.
Dip each one for a couple of seconds only and roll it while it still feels a little stiff — it keeps softening on the board. Soaked until floppy, rice paper splits as you roll and sticks to whatever it touches.
The rolls fall open.
Keep the filling to a modest line across the lower third, fold the sides in, and roll firmly. Overfilled rolls cannot be closed tightly, and a loose roll comes apart the moment it is lifted.

Substitutions

  • Use Tiger Prawns instead of Prawns if available; keep the same doneness cues.
  • Omit the pork and use additional prawns for a seafood-only version; the result will taste lighter and more seafood-forward.
  • Use Basil Leaves if Thai Basil is unavailable; the aroma will be milder.
  • Rice Paper Wrappers and Fish Sauce are packaged ingredients, so labels should be checked for formulation and allergen details.

Storing and reheating

Best within a couple of hours. If they must wait, cover them with a damp cloth at room temperature — refrigerated, rice paper goes hard and cloudy. Do not freeze. The dipping sauce keeps a week.