Vietnamese Summer Rolls
The ultimate Summer meal
For me, this is the ultimate summer meal. I will never get enough of Vietnamese summer rolls. Ever. They’re crunchy, juicy, light-but-filling, and—let’s be honest—an elite excuse to dunk something repeatedly into a sweet, garlicky dipping sauce.
I’ve packed these rolls with prawns and seared pork steak, but the best thing about them? They’re really customisable. Go full veggie with tofu and double the veg, or use leftover chicken, salmon, or even roast beef from Sunday’s dinner. No rules, just roll. Why waste food in your fridge when you can bang it in these?
5-a-day wrapped in rice paper wrappers
We’ve gone in hard with the freshness here—think cucumber, red pepper, shredded carrot, mint, coriander, red cabbage, baby gem lettuce, and a little chilli if you fancy a kick. You could practically tick off your entire 5-a-day in one sitting. And if you happen to eat the whole batch in one go (not advised, but also… kind of expected), your vitamin count will be flying. I typically make these after a carb heavy day, so essentially when I’ve been filming potato content!
It might take a couple of attempts to get that snug roll, but I promise you’ll get into the groove. Practise makes perfect.
The dipping sauce is non-negotiable
Let’s not forget the real star—that Vietnamese dipping sauce. It’s so simple: just fish sauce, garlic, bit of water, and caster sugar. But the flavour? DELICIOUS. It’s sweet, savoury, salty, and absolutely essential for taking your summer rolls from good to insanely good.
If you’re not into fish sauce, swap it for soy sauce to keep it veggie. Either way, double it up—you’ll want extra for dipping anything that happens to be nearby.
FAQ – summer rolls edition
Q: Can I make these ahead of time?
A: The rice paper can turn pretty sticky when you try to store these rolls, so I usually recommend eating them straight away. If you’re making them for your lunchbox, roll them in the morning and brush the tiniest bit of sesame oil over the outside of the rice paper.
Q: What’s the best way to soften rice paper wrappers?
A: Dip each sheet in tepid water for about 5 seconds—until just bendy, not floppy. They’ll continue softening as you roll.
Q: Can I swap out herbs?
A: Of course. Thai basil, chives, or even rocket work if mint/coriander isn’t your vibe.
Q: Can I skip meat or seafood?
A: 100%. Add tofu, tempeh, or more veg—thinly sliced avocado is lovely in these.
Roll your own (literally)
Think of these summer rolls like a wrap party for your fridge. Got leftover steak? In it goes. Some cabbage you need to use? Shred it and stuff it in. You’ll find more healthy-ish lunches and dinners over on my recipe page, but this one right here is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Vietnamese Summer Rolls
By Poppy Cooks
https://www.poppycooks.com/recipes/vietnamese-summer-rolls/
Ingredients
For the summer rolls
- 6 rice paper wrappers
- 1 thick pork steak, marinated if you like, pan fried and sliced
- 3 large, peeled prawns per summer roll
- 1/4 red cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely shredded
- 1 red pepper, finely sliced
- 1 baby gem lettuce, leaves separated and cut in half lengthwise if wide
- 1/4 cucumber, wet middle removed and sliced into thin strips
- Fresh mint and coriander
- Fresh red chilli, for garnish
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Imperial
For the fish sauce dip
- 75ml fish sauce
- 75ml water
- 2 tsp caster sugar (or to taste)
- 1/2 clove garlic, grated or minced
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Imperial
For the peanut satay dip
- 30g smooth peanut butter
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp honey
- Splash of boiling water
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Imperial
Instructions
- For your fish sauce dip, simply mix the fish sauce, water and caster sugar with the garlic until combined and the sugar has dissolved.
- For the peanut satay dip, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar and honey with a little pinch of salt. Add a splash of boiling water to thin it out to a dipping consistency.
- Grab a bowl that's wide enough to fit the summer roll wrapper and pour in a little water to coat the bottom. Very quickly dip the wrapper in water for 1-2 seconds until just moist - don't over do it!
- Layer in all of your ingredients, including the fresh herbs, starting with your protein of choice, like you would for a burrito - 2/3rd's of the way down the dampened wrapper. Fold in the sides then roll up.
- Serve bowls of your dips and your delicious summer rolls with a sprinkle of fresh herbs and some sliced red chilli.
Notes & Tips
- You can fill these babies up with whatever you have on hand - leftover cooked beef, sliced onion, white cabbage, get creative with it!