Goi Cuon – Fresh Spring Rolls (Vietnam)
This Goi Cuon – Fresh Spring Rolls recipe brings together vibrant Vietnamese flavors with a fresh, no-fry twist that’s perfect for snacking, appetizers, or light meals. Featured on Global Street Eats with Devan Rajkumar, this recipe combines juicy shrimp, crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, and a rich peanut dipping sauce for a dish that’s easy to roll and fun to share.
The Inspiration
Goi Cuon, often called Vietnamese fresh spring rolls or salad rolls, is a staple of Vietnam’s street food and home cooking culture. Unlike their fried cousins, these rolls celebrate freshness—cool rice paper bundles packed with herbs, noodles, and seafood, often dunked into a sweet, salty, and slightly spicy sauce. For Global Street Eats, this dish perfectly reflects Devan Rajkumar’s style: layered flavor, bright herbs, and street food that feels both light and deeply satisfying. Whether enjoyed at a bustling market in Saigon or at your kitchen table, this recipe delivers that same balance of texture and taste.
Ingredient
For the Peanut Sauce:
- ½ cup (120ml) crunchy peanut butter
- ½ cup (120ml) water
- 1 tbsp (14.8ml) rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp (14.8ml) soy sauce
- ½ tbsp (7.4ml) fish sauce
- 3 tbsp (44.4ml) maple syrup
- 2 red Thai chilies, deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tsp (4.9ml) toasted sesame oil
For the Spring Rolls:
- ¾ lb peeled and deveined shrimp, 21/25 count
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tsp (4.9ml) salt
- 1 tsp (4.9ml) ground black pepper
- 3 oz thin rice vermicelli
- 1 carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
- 1 Persian cucumber, cut into thin matchsticks
- 2 scallions, cut into thin matchsticks
- ½ cup (120ml) packed cilantro leaves
- ½ cup (120ml) packed mint leaves
- 1 head butter lettuce, leaves separated
- 12 large round rice paper sheets
Methods
Make the Peanut Sauce:
- Add all the peanut sauce ingredients to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring regularly, until the sauce starts to simmer, about 5 minutes. Take the sauce off the heat and set aside to cool.
Make the Spring Rolls:
- Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the bay leaves, salt, pepper, and shrimp and cook for 2 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink. Transfer the shrimp to an ice bath to cool.
- Once the shrimp are cool, slice them in half horizontally.
- Fill a bowl with room temperature water and soak the noodles for 15 minutes. Drain the noodles and cut them a couple times to make them shorter and easier to work with.
- Fill a cake pan with room temperature water. Lay a damp towel down on your work surface. Spread out the butter lettuce leaves on a large plate. Have the rest of the spring roll ingredients nearby.
- Dip a rice paper wrapper in the water and quickly remove, laying it down on the wet towel. Arrange small amounts of cilantro, mint, rice vermicelli, carrot, cucumber, scallion in the center of the rice paper, with the matchsticks horizontal. Arrange a row of 3 or 4 shrimp pieces between the other fillings and the top edge of the rice paper, with the pink side facing down.
- Fold the left and right sides of the rice paper wrapper over the filling ingredients so the fillings reach the folded edge. Bring up the bottom edge of the rice paper wrapper and roll up completely to form a fresh spring roll. Place the spring roll on top of a lettuce leaf and repeat with remaining wrappers and filling ingredients.
- Serve with the peanut sauce for dipping.
Serving Suggestions
These Goi Cuon – Fresh Spring Rolls are ideal as a light lunch, starter, or part of a vibrant street food–inspired spread. Serve them on a large platter with plenty of peanut sauce and an extra splash of fish sauce or lime on the side for those who love more tang. They pair beautifully with iced jasmine tea, Vietnamese iced coffee, or a crisp lager.
For a full Global Street Eats experience, plate them alongside other Southeast Asian dishes—like fried spring rolls, noodle salads, or grilled skewers—for a shareable, interactive meal. The rolls are also perfect for entertaining; set up a DIY station and let guests roll their own with their favorite herb and veggie combinations.
This Goi Cuon – Fresh Spring Rolls recipe is perfect for warm days when you want something light but still full of flavour!
Final Thoughts
This Goi Cuon – Fresh Spring Rolls recipe is a celebration of Vietnamese street food: fresh, colorful, and full of bold yet balanced flavors. With tender shrimp, cool herbs, and a creamy, spicy-sweet peanut sauce, it delivers big satisfaction without ever feeling heavy. Whether you’re cooking for guests or treating yourself, this recipe brings the spirit of Vietnam’s markets into your kitchen in a way that’s approachable, fun, and endlessly customizable.
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