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With my easy recipe for Golden Veggie Spring Rolls, you can make these crispy, crunchy appetizers at home! You’ll love these delicately fried spring roll wrappers, filled with soft sauteed veggies in a savory brown sauce.
Easy Homemade Fried Spring Rolls
Some foods are just so snackable. Nachos, for example. I mean, how can you resist those crispy little morsels of goodness? Fries, too. Absolutely crave-able. But sometimes, I get a craving for a crispy, crunchy snack that’s a little more involved than just cheesy nachos or French fries. That’s right, I’m talking about the ultimate takeout treat: spring rolls!
That’s why I love this easy spring roll recipe that you can make at home! With a few steps and a little time wrapping and frying, you can make legitimately delicious spring rolls in your own kitchen. Golden-brown, fried to a crisp, with a sesame-scented veggie and vermicelli filling, these are a recipe you’ll want to make again and again.
What’s the difference between spring rolls and egg rolls?
You might be wondering whether spring rolls are the same as egg rolls, or if there’s a difference. Well, there is definitely a difference—the most basic difference being that egg roll wrappers contain egg, while spring roll wrappers usually don’t.
However, when it comes to just exactly what a spring roll is, there are a lot of answers to that question! Spring rolls in some parts of Asia are made with thin, transparent rice wrappers that aren’t fried, and showcase the fillings inside (often fresh raw veggies and other goodies).
Other spring rolls are fried, just like these, and have fillings that may or may not include meat and noodles.
Some spring rolls are even made in un-fried wheat-based wrappers similar to tortillas! It all depends on the region (and the chef).
Recipe Ingredients
Like many dumpling and egg roll recipes, this one has a super-flavorful filling made with quite a few ingredients. It’s helpful to have everything measured and prepped before you start rolling the spring rolls and frying. (Note: to see the full recipe with amounts and other information, scroll down to the bottom of this post.)
For the Filling:
- Oil: You’ll need a couple of tablespoons of oil for sauteing.
- Shredded Cabbage: Cabbage cooks down quite a bit, so you’ll need to start out with 2 ½ cups of shredded green cabbage.
- Noodles: These egg rolls are filled with a noodle-veggie filling, and the noodles are dried vermicelli. You can find this in most grocery stores on the ethnic food aisle.
- Carrots: Grate a couple of carrots, or use matchstick carrots.
- Shiitake Mushrooms: If you can find fresh ones, that’s great, but dried ones work also! If you use dried, soak the mushrooms in boiling water for 10 minutes before using them.
- Button Mushrooms: Slice up 1 ½ sliced button mushrooms, or use baby bellas.
- Onion: Any kind of onion will work, whether white, sweet, yellow, or red.
- Fresh Garlic: Mince or press two cloves of garlic.
- Soy Sauce: Soy sauce adds a salty depth of flavor to the filling mix.
- Sesame Oil: Sesame oil is slightly sweet and nutty, and helps add that classic restaurant flavor to spring rolls.
- Oyster Sauce: Like sesame oil, this is an important ingredient for getting the “real” spring roll taste. Without it, the rolls will still be tasty (although you’ll need extra salt), but they may seem bland or incomplete.
- Salt and Pepper: To taste.
- Crushed Red Pepper: Optional; this is a nice way to add a little heat.
For Making the Spring Rolls:
- Spring Roll Wrappers: This amount of filling will make 20 medium or 40 small spring rolls.
- Cornstarch and Water: You’ll mix a little cornstarch with water, and use that mixture to seal the wrappers.
- Oil: For frying.
How to Make Fried Spring Rolls
This recipe is really fun to make, especially once you get to the wrapping part! If you have some kitchen helpers around, it’s fun to involve them and make it a group project.
Make the Filling
- Prep the Noodles. Place the vermicelli noodles in a large bowl, and pour boiling water over them to cover. Let the noodles soften for about 5 minutes, or until they are tender. Then, rinse the noodles with cold water, and chop into 1-inch pieces. Transfer the chopped noodles to a large mixing bowl.
- Saute the Vegetables. In a large pan or wok, heat 2 teaspoons of oil. When it’s hot, saute the diced onions and carrots for a few minutes to soften them up. Add the cabbage to the pan, and saute until it wilts.
- Finish the Filling. Once the veggies are soft, add the noodles, minced garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Cook for a couple of minutes, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble the Spring Rolls
- Arrange the Wrapper and Add Filling. Place a spring roll wrapper in a diamond or triangle shape on a flat work surface. Place a small amount of filling at the bottom of the wrapper. For larger rolls, use about ¼ cup. Smaller rolls only need about 2 tablespoons of the filling.
- Fold. Fold the bottom corner of the wrapper over the filling, and roll up towards the center. Then, fold in the sides. Finally, finish rolling the wrapper up. Brush a little of the cornstarch and water mixture along the remaining edge before you fold, to seal. Repeat this procedure with the remaining wrappers and filling.
Cook the Spring Rolls
- Heat the Oil. Pour an inch or two of cooking oil into a wok or deep pan. Heat the oil on medium heat, until the edge of a spring roll dipped in the oil sizzles.
- Fry the Spring Rolls. Cook the spring rolls in the oil in batches, turning now and then. After 3-5 minutes, the spring rolls should be golden brown.
- Drain. Transfer the cooked spring rolls to a paper towel lined plate to drain off any excess oil.
- Repeat. Repeat with the rest of the spring rolls.
Tips for Success
When making spring rolls, especially if you’ve never done it before, it’s helpful to have a few tricks up your sleeve! Here are some of my favorite tips for making them!
- Use Frozen Wrappers. They are thinner, and super crispy when fried.
- If you don’t want to deep fry the spring rolls, they can be cooked in an air fryer.
- You can seal the edges with egg wash, if you prefer.
Serving Suggestions
Spring rolls are a wonderful light appetizer, and they also make a nice side dish with stir fry, soup, or other Asian-inspired dishes. These recipes are awesome for a takeout-style dinner at home:
- Chicken Stir Fry: My easy Szechuan Chicken is a spicy, sweet stir fry that’s easy to make and absolutely scrumptious! You’ll love the tender chicken, crisp-tender veggies, and tiny stir-fried chili peppers.
- Fried Rice: Bold, colorful, and with a tangy twist thanks to the pineapple, my Shrimp Fried Rice with Pineapple is a takeout inspired delight!
- Egg Drop Soup: Simple, wholesome, and nourishing, classic Egg Drop Soup is the perfect dish to serve with crispy spring rolls.
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- You can keep leftover spring rolls in airtight containers in the refrigerator, for up to 2 days.
- To reheat, place on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F until piping hot all the way through.
Can I Freeze Spring Rolls?
- Yes, you can! Make the spring rolls, but don’t fry them. Instead, place them on a baking sheet in a single layer, not touching. Freeze until frozen solid, and then place in freezer bags.
- Keep in the freezer for up to 1 month. Do not thaw before frying.
Golden Veggie Spring Rolls
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 ½ cups shredded green cabbage
- 4.5 ounces dried vermicelli noodles
- 1 ½ shredded carrots
- 5 dried or fresh shiitake mushrooms,, if dried, soak the mushrooms in boiling water for 10 minutes before using
- 1 ½ sliced white or brown mushrooms
- 1 small onion,, diced
- 2 garlic cloves,, minced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- Salt and pepper
- Crushed red pepper,, optional
For Making the Spring Rolls:
- 20 spring roll wrappers
- 2 teaspoons of cornstarch
- 1 ½ teaspoons water
- Oil for frying
Instructions
Make the Filling:
- Place the vermicelli noodles in a bowl, and pour boiling water over them to cover. Let them soften for 5 minutes, or until tender. Rinse with cold water, and chop into 1-inch pieces. Transfer the chopped noodles to a large mixing bowl.
- In a large pan or wok, heat vegetable oil. Saute the diced onions and carrots for a few minutes, to soften.
- Add the cabbage, and saute until wilted. Add more oil, if needed.
- Add the noodles, garlic, soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sesame oil. Cook for a couple of minutes, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble the Spring Rolls:
- Place the spring roll wrapper in a diamond/triangle shape on the flat surface. Add up to ¼ cup of the filling to the bottom of the wrapper. (For smaller rolls, use about 2 tablespoons of the filling.)
- Fold the bottom corner of the wrapper over the filling, and roll up towards the center. Fold in the sides, and continue to roll, but don't seal it, yet.
- In a small bowl, whisk to combine the cornstarch and water. Brush a little of the cornstarch mixture along the remaining edge before you fold to seal.
- Repeat this procedure with the remaining wrappers and filling.
Fry the Spring Rolls:
- Pour an inch or two of cooking oil in a wok or deep pan. Heat on medium until the edge of a spring roll dipped in the oil sizzles.
- Cook the spring rolls in the oil, in batches, turning now and then. After 3 to 5 minutes, the spring rolls should be golden brown.
- Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- Repeat with the rest of the spring rolls.
- Serve.
Notes
- Use frozen wrappers. They are thinner, and super crispy when fried.
- If you don’t want to deep fry the spring rolls, they can be cooked in an air fryer.
- You can seal the edges with egg wash, if you prefer.
- Freeze cooked spring rolls by placing them in a zip-top bag and freezing for 2-3 months.
- Serve warm with sweet chili sauce.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
