Fresh, herb-packed Vietnamese spring rolls wrapped in soft rice paper, piled with tender pork belly and sweet shrimp, then dipped into a silky peanut sauce — this is a make-ahead, shareable dish that hits crunchy, fresh, and savory notes in every bite. It’s the kind of recipe you’ll reach for when you want something impressive but not fussy for a weekend lunch, light dinner, or party platter. If you prefer a crunchy take on rolled rice-paper snacks, try the crispy rice paper spring rolls for a delightful contrast.
Why you’ll love this dish
This recipe balances rich, slow-simmered pork belly and quickly poached shrimp with bright herbs and cooling cucumber — the contrast is irresistible. It’s flexible for feeding a crowd (make extra fillings), friendly for guests with different tastes (serve components buffet-style), and ideal for a healthy, low-carb wrap when you skip the vermicelli.
“I served these at a family reunion and everyone assembled their own rolls — it was fun, fast, and the peanut sauce disappeared first.” — a reader review
Why make it at home:
- Better value: pork belly and shrimp cooked together give great flavor from the stock.
- Customizable: swap proteins, add julienned carrot or pickled daikon, or make it vegetarian.
- Interactive: perfect for DIY dinner nights where everyone builds their own roll.
Step-by-step overview
You’ll poach the proteins together to build a flavorful stock, cook the noodles, prepare fresh produce and herbs, whisk the peanut dipping sauce, then assemble rice-paper wraps just before serving. The whole flow is straightforward: simmer → chill shrimp briefly → slice pork → prep fillings → make sauce → roll and serve.
This quick overview helps you organize mise en place: start the proteins first (they need the longest cook time), while the pork simmers you can cook noodles and prep the vegetables and herbs.
What you’ll need
- 1.5 lb shrimp, 16–20 count, peeled and deveined
- 2 lb pork belly, skin removed or left on (trim excess fat if desired)
- 1 slice fresh ginger (about 1-inch), smashed
- 18 sheets rice paper (bánh tráng)
- 1 pack banh hoi (18 very thin rice vermicelli sheets), separate into layers
- 1/2 pack vermicelli rice noodles (thin rice vermicelli)
- 1 head lettuce (butter or romaine), leaves washed and dried
- 1 cucumber, julienned
- Fresh cilantro, mint, and chives (small bunches)
Peanut sauce: - 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
- 3.5 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1/4 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/4 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2–3/4 cup reserved cooking stock (from the boiled pork & shrimp)
Garnish: - 1 tbsp crushed peanuts
- Thai pepper slices or chili paste to taste
Ingredient notes and substitutions:
- Banh hoi adds a delicate, threadlike rice-sheet texture; if unavailable, increase the vermicelli or use thin rice noodles.
- For a nut-free sauce, swap peanut butter for tahini and omit crushed peanut garnish (see FAQs).
- If pork belly is too fatty for your taste, trim some fat or use pork shoulder for a leaner option (longer simmer time).
Step-by-step instructions
- Place pork belly, shrimp, and smashed ginger in a large pot. Cover with cold water and heat to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer the pork until tender, about 1–1.5 hours. Shrimp will cook much faster — remove them as soon as they turn opaque (about 2–4 minutes) and keep warm.
- Once the pork is tender, remove it from the pot and let rest until cool enough to thinly slice or shred. Reserve 2/3–3/4 cup of the cooking liquid (warm) for the peanut sauce; cool and refrigerate the rest for soups.
- Cook vermicelli according to package directions, drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside. Carefully separate banh hoi into single layers.
- Wash and dry lettuce leaves thoroughly. Julienne cucumber and trim the herbs. Keep everything chilled but covered to prevent drying.
- Make the peanut sauce: whisk together peanut butter, hoisin, fish sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Gradually whisk in the reserved warm stock until the sauce is smooth and silky. Adjust thickness with more or less stock. Taste and tweak: add extra fish sauce for saltiness, vinegar for tang, or a spoon of sugar if it needs balance.
- To assemble: briefly dip a rice-paper sheet in warm water for 5–8 seconds until pliable. Lay it flat on a damp cutting board. On the bottom third, place a lettuce leaf, a small nest of vermicelli, a strip of banh hoi, cucumber sticks, herbs, and a few slices of pork and shrimp. Fold sides in and roll tightly from the bottom up.
- Serve immediately with the peanut sauce and garnish with crushed peanuts and Thai pepper slices or chili paste.
Timing tip: assemble close to serving time — rice paper becomes gummy if left sitting too long.
Best ways to enjoy it
Serve these spring rolls as an appetizer, light dinner, or finger-food at gatherings. Plate them on a large platter, fan them out with the dipping bowl in the center, and sprinkle crushed peanuts and sliced chilies over the sauce.
Pairing ideas:
- For a casual party, pair with a crisp, dry white wine or jasmine tea.
- If you want a hefty main after starters, try a classic diner sandwich like a patty melt with secret sauce for a surprising, crowd-pleasing contrast.
- Offer extra bowls of hoisin, sriracha, lime wedges, and pickled vegetables so guests can customize flavors.
Plating suggestion: slice rolls on a diagonal for cross-sectional presentation and alternate shrimp-facing and pork-facing rolls for visual variety.
Storage and reheating tips
- Assembled spring rolls: best eaten within a few hours. If you must store them, wrap each roll tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Texture will soften; rice paper won’t be as tender-fresh after refrigeration.
- Cooked pork and shrimp: store separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. Cool to room temperature (no more than 2 hours at room temp) before refrigerating.
- Peanut sauce: refrigerate in a sealed jar for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature and whisk; add warm water or stock to loosen before serving.
- Freezing: do not freeze assembled rolls — rice paper becomes brittle and soggy. You can freeze cooked pork (sliced) for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Shrimp texture degrades if frozen after poaching, so freeze raw if needed.
Food safety: always refrigerate proteins promptly, and reheat pork to a safe temperature (steaming or pan-warming) if serving hot.
Pro chef tips
- Keep a shallow dish of warm water at the ready and work one sheet at a time to avoid mushy wrappers. Warm (not hot) water softens rice paper quickly.
- Pat ingredients dry — excess moisture makes rolls soggy. Use a clean towel to blot cucumber and lettuce.
- Make rolling easier: place the fillings slightly off-center and fold tightly, like a burrito, to eliminate air pockets.
- Use the reserved cooking stock in the sauce for depth; if you accidentally cool it too much, gently warm before whisking into the peanut butter so the sauce emulsifies smoothly.
- For even slices of pork, chill the cooked pork until just firm (20–30 minutes) for neater cuts.
Creative twists
- Vegetarian: replace pork and shrimp with marinated grilled tofu, roasted sweet potato sticks, or shredded king oyster mushrooms for a savory umami bite. Use tamari instead of fish sauce in the peanut sauce.
- Grilled flavor: char the pork belly briefly on a high-heat grill or under the broiler after poaching for caramelized edges.
- Spicy-sweet sauce: add 1–2 tbsp sambal or sriracha to the peanut sauce and a teaspoon of honey.
- Individual bowls: deconstruct into rice-paper “bowls” — fill lettuce cups with vermicelli, herbs, and chopped proteins for a roll-free option.
Common questions
Q: How long does it take to prep and cook?
A: Active prep is about 30–45 minutes. Simmering the pork takes 1–1.5 hours, but most of that time is hands-off. Plan on 90–120 minutes total from start to finish.
Q: Can I make these ahead of time for a party?
A: You can prepare proteins, noodles, herbs, and sauce ahead (up to 24–72 hours refrigerated depending on the item), but assemble the rolls within a few hours of serving for best texture. Lay out components and let guests roll for a hands-on experience.
Q: Can I freeze any part of the recipe?
A: Freeze sliced cooked pork (sealed) for up to 2 months. Avoid freezing assembled rolls or poached shrimp (they’ll become rubbery). Freeze raw shrimp if you plan to cook later.
Q: What if someone is allergic to peanuts?
A: Swap peanut butter for tahini (sesame) or sunflower seed butter and skip crushed peanut garnish; adjust hoisin/fish sauce for salt and sweetness. Taste and balance with vinegar and a touch of sugar.
Q: Any tips for working with banh hoi?
A: Gently separate layers with a soft brush or a pair of chopsticks — they’re fragile. Keep them covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying while assembling.
Enjoy the process: this recipe rewards a little prep and yields bright, flavorful rolls that are fun to build and impossible to eat just one of.
Print
Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 90 minutes
- Total Time: 120 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Poaching and Rolling
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
- Diet: Gluten-Free
Description
Fresh Vietnamese spring rolls filled with herb-packed pork belly and shrimp, served with a silky peanut sauce.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb shrimp, 16–20 count, peeled and deveined
- 2 lb pork belly, skin removed or left on (trim excess fat if desired)
- 1 slice fresh ginger (about 1-inch), smashed
- 18 sheets rice paper (bánh tráng)
- 1 pack banh hoi (18 very thin rice vermicelli sheets)
- 1/2 pack vermicelli rice noodles
- 1 head lettuce (butter or romaine), leaves washed and dried
- 1 cucumber, julienned
- Fresh cilantro, mint, and chives (small bunches)
- 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
- 3.5 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1/2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1/4 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/4 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2–3/4 cup reserved cooking stock (from boiled pork and shrimp)
- 1 tbsp crushed peanuts (for garnish)
- Thai pepper slices or chili paste to taste
Instructions
- Place pork belly, shrimp, and smashed ginger in a large pot. Cover with cold water and heat to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer the pork until tender, about 60–90 minutes. Remove shrimp as soon as they turn opaque (about 2–4 minutes) and keep warm.
- Once the pork is tender, remove it from the pot and let rest until cool enough to thinly slice. Reserve 2/3–3/4 cup of the cooking liquid for the peanut sauce.
- Cook vermicelli according to package directions, drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
- Wash and dry lettuce leaves thoroughly. Julienne cucumber and trim the herbs. Keep everything chilled but covered.
- Make the peanut sauce by whisking together peanut butter, hoisin, fish sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Gradually whisk in the reserved warm stock until smooth and silky.
- To assemble, dip a rice-paper sheet in warm water for 5–8 seconds until pliable. Lay it flat on a damp cutting board.
- On the bottom third, place a lettuce leaf, a small nest of vermicelli, a strip of banh hoi, cucumber sticks, herbs, and a few slices of pork and shrimp. Fold sides in and roll tightly from the bottom up.
- Serve immediately with the peanut sauce garnished with crushed peanuts and chili slices.
Notes
Assembled spring rolls are best served within a few hours. Store leftovers wrapped tightly in plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.