Have you ever ordered shrimp spring rolls at a restaurant and thought, “Wow, these are so delicious… but there’s no way I could make these at home?” Friends, let me convince you otherwise. These fresh shrimp spring rolls are filled with juicy shrimp, crisp cucumbers, sweet bell peppers, crunchy carrots, and fresh mint, all wrapped in soft, tender rice paper and served with a creamy peanut dipping sauce. They’re light, refreshing, packed with texture, and come together in about 30 minutes, making them one of my favorite meals for hot summer days.

Fresh shrimp spring roll dipped into creamy peanut dipping sauce, filled with juicy shrimp, cucumbers, carrots, red bell peppers, and fresh mint wrapped in tender rice paper.

As the summer heat rolls in, these fresh spring rolls also known as Vietnamese spring rolls or summer rolls, have become one of my go-to lunches or easy dinners for the kids. Aside from quickly cooking the shrimp, there’s almost no cooking involved—just a little chopping and rolling.

Not only are they easier than you think, but making them at home means you can load them up with fresh vegetables, extra shrimp, and all your favorite fillings.

My 5- and 3-year-old absolutely love helping me make these spring rolls. From choosing what goes inside their rolls to layering the vegetables and rolling everything up, they have so much fun creating their own meal.

And somehow, vegetables always taste better when they’ve made them themselves! Of course, their favorite part is dunking every bite into the creamy peanut dipping sauce.

Ingredients for fresh shrimp spring rolls. On a board there are raw shrimps, fresh mint leaves, cucumbers, bell peppers, carrots and rice paper.

How to Make Shrimp Spring Rolls

Don’t let the rice paper scare you—once you’ve made one or two, you’ll get the hang of it.

Shrimp boiling in water in a silver pot over the stove.
Cook the shrimps until they’re just opaque and tender.
Shrimp are draining on a piece of paper towel.
Drain and set them aside to cool.
A piece of rice paper being dipped in water to soften.
Dip one rice paper wrapper into lukewarm water.
Place the wrapper on a cutting board or clean work surface. Start by layering the shrimp.
Place the wrapper on a cutting board or clean work surface. Start by layering the shrimp.
Followed by the bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers, and fresh mint.
Top with the bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers, and fresh mint.
Fold in both sides of the wrapper.
Fold in both sides of the wrapper.
A hand holding the bottom over the filling and roll tightly until sealed.
Fold the bottom over the filling and roll tightly until sealed.
A finger touching a finished spring roll with shrimp, cucumber, red pepper wrapped in it.
Set the finished spring roll on a slightly damp plate or parchment paper to keep it from sticking while you assemble the rest.

Variations for These Fresh Spring Rolls

One of my favorite things about fresh spring rolls is how easy they are to customize. While traditional Vietnamese spring rolls often include rice vermicelli noodles, I like switching up the fillings depending on what I have in the fridge.

Some of my favorite additions include:

  1. Rice vermicelli noodles
  2. Avocado
  3. Purple cabbage
  4. Fresh mango
  5. Leftover Asian grilled chicken or chicken marinated in my easy Asian chicken marinade
  6. Thai basil
  7. Fresh cilantro
  8. Crispy Air Fryer Tofu

While creamy peanut sauce is the classic pairing, these fresh shrimp spring rolls taste just as delicious with other dipping sauces too.

  1. Dumpling dipping sauce
  2. Honey Sriracha sauce
  3. Sriracha aioli
Fresh homemade shrimp spring rolls filled with juicy shrimp, cucumbers, carrots, red bell peppers, and mint, served with creamy peanut dipping sauce on a ceramic platter.

My Best Tips for Perfect Shrimp Spring Rolls

After developing countless recipes with rice paper—from my viral Rice Paper Dumplings to Rice Paper Egg Rolls—I’ve learned a few tricks that make rolling spring rolls so much easier.

Don’t Over-Soak the Rice Paper

This is the number one mistake people make.

Dip the rice paper in warm water for just 5–10 seconds. It should still feel slightly firm when you remove it from the water. The wrapper will continue to soften as it sits on your work surface. If you wait until it’s completely soft before taking it out, it’ll become sticky, flimsy, and much harder to roll.

Prep All the Fillings First

Rice paper waits for no one! Before you soften your first wrapper, have all of your vegetables sliced, shrimp cooked, and herbs ready to go. This makes assembly much easier and keeps the wrappers from becoming too soft while you’re still prepping ingredients.

Don’t Overcook the Shrimp

You can absolutely use pre-cooked shrimp to save time. If you’re cooking raw shrimp, only cook them until they turn pink and opaque. Shrimp cook very quickly, and even an extra minute can make them rubbery instead of juicy and tender.

A bite is taken out of a fresh homemade shrimp spring rolls filled with juicy shrimp, cucumbers, carrots, red bell peppers, and mint, served with creamy peanut dipping sauce on a ceramic platter.

Whether you’re making these for a quick weekday lunch, serving them as a refreshing summer appetizer, or turning them into a fun build-your-own dinner with the kids, these homemade shrimp spring rolls never disappoint.

They’re fresh, colorful, and surprisingly easy to make. Once you roll your first one, I have a feeling you’ll be making them on repeat all summer long.

Get the recipe:Fresh Shrimp Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Yield: 10 rolls
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
These fresh shrimp spring rolls are filled with juicy shrimp, crisp vegetables, and fresh mint, then wrapped in chewy rice paper and served with a creamy peanut dipping sauce. Ready in just 30 minutes for an easy lunch, appetizer, or light dinner.
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Ingredients

  • 1 lb shrimp, peeled and devined
  • 10 sheets rice paper
  • 1 cup shredded Carrots
  • 20 Mint leaves, removed from the stems
  • 1 Red pepper, thinly sliced
  • 1 medium Cucumber, thinly sliced

Peanut Sauce Recipe

Instructions 

  • Wash and dry all the vegetables. Thinly slice everything exepct for the mint leves.
  • Peel and devine the shrimps (if applicable). Quickly boil or steam just until it changes color and tender in the middle.
  • Optional: Slice the shrimp in the middle along the back (to make 2 thinner halves).
  • Mix the peanut sauce until smooth, set aside.
  • Soften one rice paper wrapper in warm water for 5–8 seconds. Place it on a damp chopping board
  • Line up mint, vegetables, and shrimp in the middle in the shape of a spring roll.
  • Fold the bottom over the filling, fold in the 3 sides, and roll tightly over the last side.
  • Repeat with the remaining wrappers.
  • Serve immediately with peanut sauce.

Notes

Storage Tips:
Shrimp spring rolls are best enjoyed fresh. If making ahead, wrap each spring roll individually in plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container with a slightly damp paper towel to prevent the rice paper from drying out.
Enjoy within 24 hours.

The Nutrition Facts above are specific to the ingredients I chose to use for this recipe, which may vary.

Author: Shuang Shuang Liang
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian