The Ultimate Guide to the Perfect Fried Spring Rolls: A Secret Technique for Consistent Results

Fried spring rolls are a traditional dish that is indispensable during the Vietnamese New Year celebration. The crispy spring rolls with their distinctive aroma are served with a sweet and sour dipping sauce and herbs, captivating anyone who tries them. Not only do Vietnamese people love this dish, but international friends who visit Vietnam also fall under the spell of this traditional delicacy.

Although fried spring rolls are simple and familiar, not everyone knows how to wrap them evenly and prevent them from bursting when fried. Many people struggle with making them uniform in size and shape, resulting in an unattractive final product.

If you’re still having trouble with the wrapping process, check out the recipe from Ha Phan below. Ha Phan shared that she often introduces fried spring rolls to her foreign friends, and they particularly enjoy them. The traditional spring roll filling includes ground meat, carrots, wood ear mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, scallions, bean sprouts, glass noodles, eggs, and the special ingredient—pepper.

Ha Phan.

She added that wrapping spring rolls evenly is not as difficult as people think. The key is to work slowly and let your hands get used to the process, and eventually, you will become proficient. Ha Phan usually wraps one spring roll per leaf, as she is concerned about the saltiness of the wrapper.

Here are the detailed steps for wrapping spring rolls shared by Ha Phan:

Step 1: Prepare the Filling

First, prepare the traditional spring roll filling with ground meat, carrots, wood ear mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, scallions, bean sprouts, glass noodles, eggs, and pepper.

For the meat, choose pork shoulder for its tenderness and marbling, which will prevent the filling from becoming dry. Soak the mushrooms and wood ear in warm water until softened, then rinse and finely chop them. Also, soak the glass noodles in warm water until they become slightly chewy, then drain and cut them into small pieces. Clean and shred the carrots, then cut them into small pieces. Rinse and cut the bean sprouts. Clean and finely chop the scallions. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, crack in an egg (don’t add too much egg, as it will make the rolls soggy). Season with a pinch of salt and ground pepper to taste.

Mix everything together.

Step 2: Start Wrapping the Spring Rolls

Place a spring roll wrapper on a cutting board or clean, flat surface. Take a small amount of filling, about the size of your palm, and place it on the wrapper. Spread the filling evenly to match the length of the desired spring roll.

Gently shape the filling into a rectangle, approximately five finger widths long and two finger widths wide when placed side by side.

Fold in the sides of the wrapper and start rolling. The first turn is usually tighter to secure the filling, then loosen your grip and gently roll towards the front to shape the spring roll evenly. If you roll the spring rolls too tightly, they may burst during frying due to trapped air, so it’s important to roll them loosely.

Continue wrapping until you’ve used up all the filling. You can also prepare a large batch of spring rolls in advance and freeze them for later use.

Once your spring rolls are wrapped, it’s time to fry them. You can either deep-fry them or fry them in two batches of oil to achieve a golden, crispy texture.

Good luck, and happy cooking!