Translucent rice paper rolls with herbs and peanut hoisin — light, fresh and completely no-cook, these Goi Cuon fresh shrimp spring rolls are the coolest thing you can put on a summer table. Poached shrimp, rice vermicelli and a tangle of herbs wrapped tight and dipped in a silky peanut hoisin sauce.
It’s one of the 20 recipes inside our Vietnamese Cookbook, and we’re sharing it in full so you can taste the standard before you buy the book. There’s no oven and barely any stove time — just careful rolling and a dip you’ll want to make on repeat.
Why this recipe works
The trick is in the rice paper: a three-second dip in 35°C water, then finish softening it right on the board so it never over-soaks and tears. Laying two shrimp halves pink-side down before you roll means the pink backs show through the translucent wrapper — that signature Goi Cuon look, with a snug, low roll that holds together.
Ingredients
Rolls
- 8 medium shrimp, poached 90 seconds, peeled and halved lengthwise
- 80 g rice vermicelli, cooked, rinsed and drained
- 8 round rice paper sheets, 22 cm diameter
- 4 butter lettuce leaves, torn in half with ribs removed
Peanut hoisin dip
- 3 tbsp hoisin sauce and 1 tbsp smooth peanut butter
- 60 ml coconut water or plain water, warm
- 1 clove garlic minced and 1 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp roasted peanuts, crushed, plus chili oil to taste
Optional garnish
- Thai basil, mint, garlic chives and crushed peanuts
Serves 2 · Prep 25 min · Cook 10 min · 320 kcal per serving
Instructions
- Prepare fillings. Poach shrimp in salted water with a bruised ginger slice for 90 seconds until just opaque; shock in iced water, peel and halve lengthwise so the pink backs face outward when rolled.
- Whisk the dip. Warm hoisin with peanut butter and coconut water over low heat, whisking until silky. Off heat, stir in garlic, vinegar and chili oil; finish with crushed peanuts just before serving for crunch.
- Hydrate rice paper. Dip one sheet in 35°C water for 3 seconds only; it will keep softening on the board. Lay flat on a damp cloth so it stays pliable without sticking or tearing.
- Roll tight and low. Place lettuce, vermicelli and herbs on the lower third. Lay 2 shrimp halves pink-side down above the filling. Fold sides in, roll up snugly, tucking a chive to protrude. Serve within 30 min.
Chef’s tip
Dip rice paper briefly and work on a damp cloth; over-soaked sheets tear and seal poorly, while slightly stiff ones finish softening as you roll.
Get the full Vietnamese Cookbook
Loved this one? It’s a single recipe from a 20-strong collection of Vietnamese cooking built the same way — clear ingredients, exact timings, no guesswork. Grab the full Vietnamese Cookbook below.
