Wrapped up in Nutrition: Vietnamese Spring Rolls

休斯顿食品银行供稿

8月 31, 2026

A mother and her two children enjoying Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Wrapped up in Nutrition: Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Food and Culture

Written by: Cindy Tran, UH Intern Spring 2026

In Vietnamese culture, eating together at the table with your family is very important. While in some places people may eat separately or on the go, meal times are often seen as a chance to slow down and connect. In many Vietnamese households, preparing spring rolls is a group activity where family members sit together and assemble their own rolls. Often, a parent teaches their children how to place the ingredients in the correct order so the spring roll looks visually appealing and how to wrap it tightly so it stays together. These small lessons help children connect with their culture and understand the importance of the foods they eat.

Nutrition Facts

Vietnamese spring rolls, also known as gỏi cuốn, are an important part of Vietnamese culture and tradition. They are traditionally made with rice paper that is filled with a source of protein such as shrimp, pork, or tofu, vermicelli noodles, lettuce, and cucumbers as a source of carbohydrates, and often paired with peanut sauce, providing healthy fats.

The raw vegetables and herbs in Vietnamese spring rolls promote healthy digestion because they contain insoluble fiber, which helps food move through the digestive tract. The vegetables and herbs are also high in Vitamins A, C, and K. Vitamin A supports healthy vision, skin, and teeth; Vitamin C boosts immunity and supports collagen production; and Vitamin K helps maintain strong bones and is essential for proper blood clotting.

Rice paper and vermicelli noodles are made from rice flour, water, and sometimes tapioca starch, making them naturally gluten-free and safe for people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. Vietnamese spring rolls also provide protein from shrimp, pork, or tofu, which helps with satiety and muscle maintenance.

Lastly, it is dipped in a delicious peanut sauce, which provides healthy fats and a little extra protein. Healthy fats help lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and support good cholesterol (HDL), reducing the risk of heart disease. They also provide long-lasting energy and help you feel fuller for longer, especially when paired with protein and carbs.

 

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

尚无评分
打印食谱

Yield: 8 spring rolls Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 1 hour & 20 minutes Total time: 1 ½ hours

Course Main Course, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine Vietnamese

配料

  

  • 250 grams Vermicelli noodles bamboo tree brand is preferred
  • 8 pieces rice paper bamboo tree brand is preferred
  • 1/2 lbs pork belly Protein option, or
  • 1 lbs shrimp Protein option, or
  • 1 block firm tofu Protein option
  • 1 romaine lettuce use the heart
  • 1 cucumber large
  • 8 to 12 mint leaves small
  • 8 to 12 cilantro sprigs
  • 1.5 tbsp peanut butter
  • 2 tbsp peanuts chopped
  • 5 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 6.5 tbsp water
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/2 shallot large
  • Avacado oil Or an oil of your choice
  • 1.5 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp garlic powder

说明

 

Spring rolls

  • Wash your lettuce and cucumber
  • Cut your lettuce and cucumber into medium slices
  • Fill up a medium pot with water and bring it to a boil
  • Cook the vermicelli noodles for 10-15 minutes, making sure to stir every few minutes
  • After the noodles are done cooking, strain and rinse with cold water, and place them in a bowl
  • Wash the shrimp and boil for 15 minutes in the medium size pan
  • Strain the shrimp and put them in ice water for 3 minutes, then remove from the water
  • Wash the pork and boil it for 15 minutes to clean it, pour out the water, and boil it again in garlic powder and salt for another 15 minutes. You’ll know it is ready when you poke it with a chopstick, and the juices run clear instead of red
  • Remove the pork from the pot and place it in a bowl
  • Fill up a bowl with cold water
  • Dip the rice paper in the water for 3-5 seconds
  • Place it on a plate and wait around 30 seconds for the rice paper to soften up. You don’t want it to be too hard or too soft; around 30 seconds is just right
  • Add lettuce and cucumber
  • Add vermicelli noodles
  • Add mint and cilantro
  • Lastly, add your protein of choice neatly, whether it be shrimp, pork, or tofu
  • Start rolling from the bottom
  • Fold the left side over, and then the right side over
  • Finish rolling until you get to the top, and you’re all done!
  • – If there are leftover ingredients, you can store them in the refrigerator up to 4 days, and you can store the rice paper in a ziploc bag in your pantry

Vegetarian option

  • Wrap a block of firm tofu in paper towels and press for 10-15 minutes to remove excess water
  • Cut into thin rectangles
  • Sprinkle with salt and garlic powder
  • Fill your pan with 1 tbsp of oil and pan fry for 3-4 minutes or until golden
  • Let the tofu cool before wrapping

Peanut sauce

  • Mince the garlic and shallot
  • Put the garlic and shallot into a pan along with the oil of your choice
  • Cook until the garlic and shallot turn golden
  • Add in hoisin sauce, peanut butter, and water
  • Stir until it is well incorporated
  • Let it simmer on low heat
  • Remove when you’re ready to serve and top with peanuts

注释

您可以在“农产品时令指南”中查看更多食谱以及我们今天储藏室里有哪些食材，或者点击此处查看其他食谱。

Cooking-Oil-Go-English.pdf
Cooking-Oil-Go-Mandarin.pdf
Cooking-Oil-Go-Spanish.pdf
Cooking-Oil-Go-Vietnamese.pdf
 
Cucumber-Go-English.pdf
Cucumber-Go-Mandarin.pdf
Cucumber-Go-Spanish.pdf
Cucumber-Go-Vietnamese.pdf
Garlic-Go-English.pdf
Garlic-Go-Mandarin.pdf
Garlic-Go-Spanish.pdf
Garlic-Go-Vietnamese.pdf

Keyword protein, vegetable
试过这个食谱吗？快来告诉我们味道如何吧！

 

Links

How to roll spring rolls

How to dip rice paper

Nutrition information:

Mayo Clinic

Brown Health

Medline Plus