Vietnamese Fresh Summer Rolls

Summer rolls are one of my favourite dishes to make for friends and family. Rolling the colourful ingredients into delicate rice paper is meditative, and the finished rolls look almost too beautiful to eat.

The combination of fresh herbs, prawns, and edible flowers makes this dish as vibrant on the plate as it is on the palate. Every bite is fresh, aromatic, and balanced with the sweet, salty, and nutty dipping sauces that bring the rolls to life.

Vietnamese Fresh Summer Rolls

Fresh, colourful, and fragrant, these Vietnamese summer rolls are packed with prawns, vermicelli, herbs, edible flowers, and pork. Served with sweet chilli and peanut dipping sauces, they are light, healthy, and perfect for sharing.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Servings: 4 people

Course: Lunch, Salad, Snack

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Summer rolls

• 250 g cooked prawns halved
• 1 medium carrot julienned
• ½ large cucumber julienned
• 1 packet 22 cm Vietnamese rice paper
• 100 g Vietnamese rice vermicelli 3 mm, thinner is better or regular rice vermicelli
• 1 box fresh edible flowers about 20 pcs
• 100 g Vietnamese pork roll Gio Dac Biet Pate, sliced into medium strips
• Bunch of fresh mint leaves
• Bunch of fresh coriander
• Bunch of Vietnamese perilla leaves
• 4 –5 iceberg lettuce leaves

Sweet chilli dipping sauce

• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2 tbsp Thai sweet chilli sauce
• Few drops of fish sauce
• ½ tbsp fresh lime juice

Peanut dipping sauce

• 3 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp white rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp crushed salted peanuts
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp warm water

Equipment

• 1 large bowl or pan (for soaking rice paper)
• 1 small bowl (for sweet chilli sauce)
• 1 small bowl (for peanut dipping sauce)
• 1 damp tea towel

Method

 

1. Prepare the fillings: julienne carrot and cucumber; slice pork roll into medium strips; halve the cooked prawns.
2. Soak rice vermicelli in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain through a sieve, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
3. Fill a large bowl or pan with cold water big enough to soak a sheet of rice paper. Place a damp tea towel on your chopping board.
4. Dip one sheet of rice paper into the cold water until fully wet. Place it on the damp tea towel.
5. Layer the rice paper with a few leaves of coriander, mint, carrot, cucumber, edible flowers, prawns, pork roll, and some vermicelli.
6. Fold the rice paper sides over the filling, fold the bottom up, then roll forward tightly to seal. Repeat until all filling is used.
7. Place finished rolls on a bed of lettuce so they do not stick. Garnish with edible flowers.
8. To make the sweet chilli sauce: mix rice vinegar, sweet chilli sauce, lime juice, and fish sauce in a small bowl. Adjust to taste.
9. To make the peanut sauce: combine peanut butter and hoisin into a paste, then add soy sauce, vinegar, and sugar. Gradually add warm water to combine. Stir in crushed peanuts.
10. Serve the summer rolls with the dipping sauces immediately.

Notes

• Work quickly with rice paper: It dries and tears easily; keep a damp cloth nearby.
• Fresh herbs are key: Mint, coriander, and perilla give each bite aromatic freshness.
• Edible flowers: Optional but make the rolls visually stunning for presentation.
• Balance the sauces: Sweet chilli is bright and tangy; peanut is rich and nutty.
• Make ahead tip: Keep rolls covered with a damp cloth in the fridge for up to 1 hour before serving.