These shrimp summer rolls are the perfect appetizer for any season! Rice paper is packed full of zesty shrimp, bright vegetables, and a spicy sauce. Healthy, flavorful, and easy to make, Vietnamese shrimp rolls are a must make!
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Vietnamese Shrimp Rolls
These shrimp summer rolls (or what you might think of as Spring rolls) are about to be your go-to appetizer for dinner parties, summer days, and happy hour alike. They’re so simple to make, but they are so flavorful and look just beautiful!
Zesty lime-infused shrimp is cooked up in a skillet, then wrapped up with crisp, fresh veggies (like cucumbers, carrots, greens, and more), and paired with a flavorful sauce. The dipping sauce adds a touch of heat and acidity that takes these appetizers to the next level.
Why You’ll Love this Shrimp Summer Roll Recipe:
- REFRESHINGLY HEALTHY: This healthy shrimp recipe is light, crisp, and full of healthy ingredients like cucumber, butter lettuce, and parsley.
- ANY TIME RECIPE: These summer rolls make a great light meal or appetizer. If you’re looking for something more substantial, you could serve them with a side of rice or noodles.
- EASY: This recipe is pretty straightforward and easy to follow. Just cook the shrimp briefly, and the rest is easy peasy.
Don’t delay on making this Vietnamese shrimp spring roll recipe. No need to go out when you can make these right at home.
How to Make Shrimp Summer Rolls
You can jump to the recipe card for full ingredients & instructions!
- Marinade: Whip up the lime marinade, and marinate shrimp in the fridge. Prep veggies.
- Shrimp: Cook just a few minutes in a skillet, then let them cool.
- Assemble: Dip rice paper in hot water, add shrimp & veggies, then roll up like a burrito.
- Dipping Sauce: Simply combine ingredients in a bowl, and serve alongside the rolls.
Shrimp Summer Roll Recipe Notes
- Shrimp: Make sure to use the best quality shrimp you can find. Try to find medium-small shrimp so they fit into the rice paper.
- Olive Oil: Used while sautéing shrimp so they become crisp around the edges.
- Lime Juice and Zest: Lime adds so much flavor to the shrimp. Make sure to juice your lime before you zest it!
- Salt: Kosher salt is highly recommended.
- Rice Paper: Rice paper wrappers are available in the international aisle of most grocery stores.
- Butter Lettuce: Softer and sweeter than regular romaine so it wraps better in the thin rice paper. If you can’t find butter lettuce, baby greens or spring mix will work too.
- Veggies: I’m using carrots, cucumber, avocado, and green onion as my fillings, but you can use anything you like. Radish, mango, and rice noodles are also common additions to spring rolls. Feel free to mix and match to create your perfect roll!
- Fresh Herbs: Adds a bright earthiness to the rolls. Thai basil is my favorite but it can be difficult to find, so parsley and mint can be used as well.
- Ponzu Sauce: This a citrus soy sauce that is available in the international aisle of most grocery stores. It adds a sweeter, more subtle flavor than normal soy sauce.
- Sweet Chili Sauce: Adds a touch of sweetness and heat to the sauce–it’s delicious with shrimp!
- Sesame Oil: Optional, but it adds a rich nuttiness to the sauce! I highly recommend using toasted sesame oil rather than plain.
- Sesame Seeds: Adds a bit of crunch and additional sesame flavor to the sauce. Again, this is optional but delicious!
A summer roll is a combination of cooked meat and raw vegetables in a translucent rice paper wrapper. They are usually not cooked in any way and are served cold. Spring rolls, by contrast, consist of a combination of meat and veggies wrapped in a flour-based dough, deep-fried, and served hot. (Although the term spring rolls is often used interchangeably.)
I do not recommend making these in advance because the rice paper can quickly dry out and the rolls can also stick together. However, you can cook the shrimp and cut the veggies ahead of time, so they’re ready to assemble.
The rolls themselves are naturally gluten-free, but the dipping sauce is not. Ponzu sauce contains soy sauce, which is not gluten-free. To make these rolls gluten-free, swap the ponzu sauce for gluten-free ponzu sauce, coconut aminos, or tamari.
No, do not fry these summer shrimp rolls. These are meant to be enjoyed cold, and the rice wrappers are not suitable for frying.
Serving Suggestions
- Don’t forget the sauce: Serve with a dipping sauce such as sweet chili sauce, Yum Yum sauce, hoisin sauce, or peanut sauce.
- Side of rice or noodles: The best way to serve these spring rolls is with a side of rice or noodles.
- Don’t forget dinner: These shrimp rolls make a great starter/side for Teriyaki Tofu, rice, and Honey Garlic Chicken.
Make Ahead Instructions
Although I do not recommend making the fully-assembled rolls ahead of time, you can make the components ahead of time and do the assembly just before serving. To make these summer rolls ahead of time, marinate and cook the shrimp, then refrigerate until ready to use. Chop the vegetables ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble.
Storage Instructions
For best results, individually wrap each summer roll in plastic wrap, then refrigerate for up to 2 days. I do not recommend freezing summer rolls.
Summer Roll Variations
- Thai Summer Rolls: Switch up the sauce for spicy Thai peanut sauce
- Crab Rolls: Swap the shrimp for crab and add thinly sliced avocado
- Spicy Salmon Rolls: Substitute salmon for the shrimp and add a dash of sriracha to the filling
- Veggie Rolls: Swap the shrimp for more veggies, like bell peppers and mushrooms
- BLT Rolls: Fill the rice wrappers with romaine lettuce, slices of cooked bacon, and diced fresh tomato. Serve with homemade ranch
- Strawberry Balsamic: Add sliced strawberries, baby spinach, feta cheese, and chopped pecans to the rice wrappers. Serve with balsamic dressing
More 30-Minute Shrimp Recipes We Love
Shrimp Summer Rolls are a delicious and healthy appetizer that can be enjoyed by everyone. Nothing beats flavorful shrimp combined with crisp veggies. And despite the name, they’re not just for summer, so make them any time you want!
More Asian Appetizers to Try:
- Gochujang Wings
- Crab Rangoon
- Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Air Fryer Egg Rolls
- Crockpot Teriyaki Meatballs
- Honey Sesame Shrimp
If you make this recipe be sure to upload a photo in the comment section below or leave a rating. Enjoy! You can also jump to recipe.
Shrimp Summer Rolls Recipe
Ingredients
For the Shrimp
- ½ pound medium shrimp peeled, deveined, and tails removed (about 15 shrimp)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 tablespoons lime juice from 1 lime
- 1 teaspoon lime zest from ½ lime
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Summer Rolls
- 5 sheets rice paper
- 5 pieces butter lettuce
- 2 carrots cut into matchsticks
- 1 persian cucumber cut into spears
- 1 avocado sliced
- 2 green onions cut into 1-inch pieces
- 10 fresh herb leaves parsley, thai basil, or mint
For the Sauce
- ⅓ cup ponzu sauce
- 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions
For the Shrimp
- Add the shrimp, 2 tablespoons olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, and kosher salt to a large bowl and toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.½ pound medium shrimp, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 teaspoon lime zest, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Once marinated, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the shrimp, making sure to put them all in a single layer. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side or just until the shrimp are opaque pink and c-shaped. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
For the Summer Rolls
- Fill a large shallow bowl with hot water.
- Dip one sheet of rice paper in the hot water for 5 seconds, or just until it begins to soften. Then, place it on a clean work surface.5 sheets rice paper
- Place 3 shrimp in the center of the rice paper. Add a piece of butter lettuce, a few sticks of carrot, a piece of cucumber, a slice of avocado, a few green onions, and two herb leaves on top.5 pieces butter lettuce, 2 carrots, 1 persian cucumber, 2 green onions, 10 fresh herb leaves, 1 avocado
- Roll the summer rolls the same way you would a burrito– by folding the bottom over the toppings, folding the sides in, and then rolling upward to seal.
- Repeat steps 2-4 with the remaining ingredients.
For the Sauce
- Stir together the ponzu, sweet chili sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds.⅓ cup ponzu sauce, 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce, 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- Serve the rolls with the sauce and enjoy immediately.
Becky’s Tips
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
