Crispy Rice Paper Rolls

You’ve had rice paper rolls, but have you ever tried crispy rice paper rolls? They take these classic Vietnamese rolls to a whole new level.

Have you ever had Vietnamese rice paper rolls fried? If you love rice paper rolls (summer rolls) like I do then you have to try this crispy rice paper rolls recipe.

Crispy on the outside but chewy and full of flavor on the inside. They are a mix between Vietnamese rice paper spring rolls and crispy dumplings.

They give a satisfying crunch. And to top it off, its oh so healthy and super simple to make. This makes it perfect as an appetizer for parties or a great afternoon snack.

I couldn’t stop my friends from eating them! I ended up having to make more.

• These crispy little delights will be gone in minutes and are super easy to make.
• You can fill rice paper rolls with any leftover vegetables you may have in the fridge.
• This recipe can easily be made vegan friendly or vegetarian. Simply leave out the pork mince.
• They are chewy on the inside and crispy and crunchy on the outside.

• Rice paper sheets: This will hold all your filling and forms the wrapper of these delicious treats. They can be found at your local Asian grocer or at most supermarkets.
• Vegetable oil
• Pork mince: If you want to make this vegetarian, you can substitute a hard tofu. You can also substitute any other mince such as chicken or beef.
• Minced garlic
• Minced ginger
• Mushrooms: chopped
• Carrots: grated
• Green cabbage: shredded
• Spring onions / green onions: finely chopped
• Soy sauce
• Sesame oil: Provides a slight nutty flavor to the filling.
• Sugar
• Fish sauce (optional): This can be used to season your filling as opposed to using salt. It adds a nice extra flavor and saltiness to the filling. If you use fish sauce, be sure to taste the filling before adding any extra salt.
• Salt and pepper: This is to season your filling to your liking. Add as little or as much as you prefer.
• Oil for shallow frying: You will need some extra oil to pan fry the spring rolls.

Instructions

Step 1 - In a medium saucepan, heat the 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the pork mince and break it into small pieces using a wooden spoon.

Cook until the pork has turned white and is cooked.

Step 2 - Add the minced garlic and ginger to the saucepan. Saute for 1 minute and mix through the pork.

Step 3 - Place the chopped mushrooms to the pan and cook until the mushrooms have reduced in size and have become a darker brown.

Step 4 - Add the grated carrots, shredded green cabbage, and finely chopped spring onion. Mix well. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes.

Step 5 - Place the soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, fish sauce (optional), and mix through the ingredients until well combined.

Turn off the heat and taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper to your liking. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.

Step 6 - Once the mixture is cool, fill a shallow tray with water.

Dip a rice paper sheet in the water for a few seconds (or until it becomes slightly soft). Place wet rice paper sheet on a damp surface.

Step 7 - Add 3 tablespoons of filling in the centre of the rice paper sheet or as much or as little as you like.

Step 8 - Fold the bottom of the rice paper sheet over the filling. Then fold the left outside edge to the centre of the filling.

Do the same with the right outside edge of the rice paper sheet. Then roll the rice paper roll up until the filling meets the top of the rice paper sheet.

Step 9 - Dip another rice paper sheet in water until slightly soft and transfer to slightly damp surface.

This time place the previously wrapped rice paper roll with the filling inside the rice paper sheet you just made wet.

Roll the rice paper roll the same way as step 8.

Step 10 - Repeat steps 7 to 9 until all the filling is used up.

Step 12 - In a medium non-stick saucepan heat oil for shallow frying. When the oil is hot add the rice paper rolls and cook on each side until lightly golden.

Tips for Success

• Work on a damp surface when you are wrapping your rolls. This will prevent them from sticking to your work surface.
• Make sure you air dry your rolled summer rolls before frying. If you place your rice paper rolls in hot oil when they are still wet it can be very dangerous. The oil will splatter and you may burn yourself.
• Using a non stick pan is super helpful. When I used a pan that wasn’t non stick, despite using sufficient oil, they stuck to the pan which caused the rolls to break up.
• When storing the rolls, either fresh or fried, make sure they do not touch. Otherwise they will stick together.
• Double wrap the rolls to avoid splitting when frying.

Substitutions / Variations

• These can be filled with anything you like. To make these vegan friendly you can use tofu instead of pork mince.
• You can also use shrimp, beef mince or chicken mince instead of pork mince.
• Use any leftover vegetables you have in your fridge.
• A nice addition to the filling is adding a bit of crushed peanuts.
• Serve plain or with a sauce such as Vietnamese dipping sauce or soy sauce.
• These taste the best on the day they are made, best immediately after frying (of course let them cool down first).

Storage

Crispy rice paper rolls can be stored in the fridge for a few days. If you find they have gone soft, simply reheat them over low heat in a frying pan.

FAQ