Vietnamese Prawn & Pork Rice Paper Rolls (a.k.a GỎI CUỐN) are a staple in our household. So healthy and packed full of fresh, bright flavours. Because of how easy it is to make, Rice Paper Rolls can be found just about anywhere these days, in almost any combination. That being said, I still find myself coming back to this traditional pork & prawn combination. Here, the meat is simply salted and boiled, which lets the natural flavours of the produce speak for themselves.
DON’T FORGET THE DIPPING SAUCE!
GỎI CUỐN isn’t complete without a deliciously nutty Hoisin Peanut Dipping Sauce. Add hoisin sauce, peanut butter, a dash of olive oil, and water to a pot on low heat and stir until mixed together well. It’s best served warm or at room temperature. Top it off with some homemade, SUPER EASY Pickled Carrots, roasted peanuts and fresh chilli.


Rice Paper Rolls – Vietnamese Prawn & Pork (HEALTHY, SIMPLE & FRESH)
Ingredients
RICE PAPER ROLLS
- 0.3 kg Fresh prawns, deshelled (substitute: shrimps)
- 0.3 kg Pork belly/fillet
- Dried vermicelli rice noodles
- Perilla
- Mint/Vietnamese mint
- Lettuce leaves
- Spring onion
- Round rice paper sheets
PEANUT HOISIN DIPPING SAUCE
- Hoisin sauce
- Peanut butter (I prefer crunchy!)
- Pickled carrots (optional – to garnish)
- Toasted peanuts (optional – to garnish)
- Chilli (optional – to garnish)
Instructions
Prepare Vegetables
- Optional but recommended for sauce garnish. Make these super easy Pickled Carrots the night before if you can, otherwise at least 3 hours before serving to allow the flavours to come through.
Prep meat, noodles & veges
- Boil or pan fry prawns until cooked through. Set aside.
- To cook your pork, add it to a pot of salted water until cooked through. Timing will depend on how thick your meat is. For a fillet, mine usually takes 10 minutes. Set aside to cool when done.
- Slice prawn & pork into thin pieces for easy assembling.
- Cook vermicelli noodles. Follow pack instructions or boil in a pot for a few minutes or until cooked through (be careful not to overcook).
- Slice veges into long & thin pieces, so they are easy to assemble.
Dipping Sauce
- In a bowl, add warm water, hoisin sauce and peanut butter. Mix. Add more water to thin out the sauce. Taste and adjust (some people like more peanut butter, I like more hoisin).
- Garnish with chopped roasted peanuts, pickled carrots, and fresh chilli.
Assemble Rice Paper Rolls
- In a large bowl with warm water, submerge the rice paper for a few seconds only so it still retains its shape when taken out.
- Place onto your tea towel/chopping board & wait 30-60 seconds for it to soften.
- Add all ingredients and roll!
Can I leave out or substitute the Pork/Prawn?
Yes, you can put anything in your rice paper rolls. If you’re meat-free, you can also check out my mum’s Crispy Tofu Rice Paper Roll recipe, which is a vegetarian version of ‘Bi Cuon’, another Vietnamese Rice Paper Roll dish traditionally made with Shredded Pork Skin.
What’s a good peanut substitute?
The peanut butter flavour is more authentic but you can use any nut butter substitute, like Tahini.
CAN I EAT THEM THE NEXT DAY?
They are best served fresh, but yes, can be stored in the fridge overnight to consume the next day. If you are going to store them in the fridge, ensure each roll is wrapped up in cling wrap to prevent the rolls from drying and sticking to other rolls.
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