Fresh spring rolls are a light and satisfying appetizer that you can assemble at home. This version combines cooked shrimp and savory ground pork with crisp carrots, lettuce, and avocado, all wrapped in delicate rice paper.
The process takes under an hour, mostly spent preparing the ingredients and mixing the two quick dipping sauces. Serving both a rich sesame sauce and a tangy fish sauce gives you contrasting flavors for each bite.
Why is Shrimp Spring Roll a Must-Try?
Cooking the ground pork with Shaoxing wine adds a deep, savory layer to the filling.
Slicing the shrimp in half lengthwise makes the rolls easier to fold and creates a neat presentation.
Wetting the rice paper briefly rather than soaking it prevents the wrappers from tearing while you roll.
Shrimp Spring Roll Ingredients
• Shrimp: Medium shrimp fit well inside the rolls. Peel and devein them before boiling.
• Ground pork: You can substitute ground chicken or turkey if you prefer, cooking it to 165°F (74°C).
• Rice paper wrappers: Look for 8.5-inch round wrappers, which provide enough surface area for the fillings without being too bulky.
• Shaoxing wine: A traditional Chinese cooking wine. Dry sherry or a splash of chicken broth works as a substitute.
• Chinese sesame paste: Made from toasted sesame seeds. Unsweetened natural peanut butter is an easy alternative.
Exact quantities are in the recipe card below.
How to Make Shrimp Spring Roll
Step 1: Cook the proteins
Boil the shrimp until pink and cooked through, then slice them in half. Brown the ground pork in a skillet, seasoning it with salt and cooking wine until the liquid cooks off. Let both cool.
Step 2: Mix the dipping sauces
Whisk together the sesame paste, soy sauce, and sugar in one bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the fish sauce, lime juice, vinegar, sugar, garlic, and chili with a little water.
Step 3: Assemble the spring rolls
Dip a rice paper wrapper in warm water and lay it flat. Layer the lettuce, pork, avocado, carrots, and herbs in the middle, and place the shrimp near the top edge.
Step 4: Roll and serve
Fold the bottom over the filling, tuck in the sides, and roll tightly upward over the shrimp. Serve the rolls immediately with the sauces.
Expert Tips for Shrimp Spring Roll
Food safety: Ensure the ground pork reaches a safe internal temperature of 160°F (71°C) and the shrimp reaches 145°F (63°C).
Rice paper will soften quickly once wet. Do not soak the wrappers, as they will continue to hydrate while you assemble the rolls.
Keep the finished rolls separated on your serving plate so the rice paper does not stick together and tear.
What to Serve with Shrimp Spring Roll?
Serve these spring rolls as a starter before a main course of noodle soup or a grilled pork rice bowl.
How to Store and Freeze Shrimp Spring Roll
Store the unassembled ingredients in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Wrapped spring rolls should be eaten the same day. Do not refrigerate assembled rolls, as the rice paper will become hard and chewy.
Shrimp Spring Roll Recipe FAQs
Can I make spring rolls ahead of time?
You can prepare the fillings and sauces up to 2 days in advance, but you should assemble the rolls just before serving for the best texture.
Why is my rice paper tearing?
The water might be too hot or you might be soaking the wrappers for too long. A quick dip in warm water is enough.
Can I use different vegetables?
Yes. Cucumber matchsticks, bell pepper strips, or purple cabbage all work well inside these rolls.
Shrimp Spring Roll
Ingredients
For the rolls
- 12 medium shrimp peeled and deveined
- 1 tsp peanut oil
- 8 oz ground pork 225g
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp Shaoxing wine
- 8 rice paper wrappers 8.5-inch / 22cm
- 8 leaves Bibb or iceberg lettuce
- 1 medium avocado thinly sliced
- 1 medium carrot julienned
- 1/2 cup mixed fresh herbs mint, cilantro, and basil
For the sesame sauce
- 2 tbsp Chinese sesame paste or unsweetened peanut butter
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
For the clear sauce
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 2 tsp fresh lime juice
- 1 1/2 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 Thai bird's eye chili thinly sliced
- 4 tsp water
Instructions
- Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until they turn pink and opaque. The internal temperature must reach 145°F (63°C). Drain and let cool, then slice each shrimp in half lengthwise.
- Heat the peanut oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the ground pork and break it into small pieces with a spatula. Cook until browned and the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C), stirring occasionally. Season with salt and Shaoxing wine, cooking until the liquid evaporates. Transfer to a plate to cool.
- Make the sesame sauce by mixing the sesame paste, 1 tablespoon sugar, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Stir until smooth, adding a few drops of water if it is too thick.
- Make the clear dipping sauce by combining the fish sauce, lime juice, rice vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, garlic, chili, and 4 teaspoons of water in another small bowl.
- Fill a wide, shallow dish with warm water. Working with one at a time, dip a rice paper wrapper into the water 3 or 4 times until moistened but still slightly stiff. Lay it flat on a clean cutting board.
- Place a lettuce leaf on the lower third of the wrapper. Top the lettuce with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the cooked ground pork and fold the lettuce over the pork.
- Place a few avocado slices and julienned carrots in the center of the wrapper, topping them with a few herb leaves. Place three shrimp halves on the top third of the wrapper, pink side down.
- Fold the bottom edge of the wrapper over the lettuce and pork. Fold the left and right sides in tightly. Continue rolling upward over the vegetables and finally over the shrimp to seal the roll.
- Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling. Serve the rolls at room temperature with the two dipping sauces.
Notes
