Vietnamese Prawn Summer Rolls

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How to Make Fresh Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls (Gỏi Cuốn)

Light, healthy, and bursting with flavour, Vietnamese rice paper rolls (also known as gỏi cuốn) are a favourite for good reason. These fresh rolls are packed with prawns, rice noodles, crisp vegetables, and fragrant herbs—rolled up in delicate rice paper and served with a punchy dipping sauce.

At Otao Kitchen, we love teaching our students to make rice paper rolls in our Vietnamese cooking classes, because they’re fun to assemble and perfect for sharing. Now you can recreate them at home with this step-by-step guide.

Vietnamese Prawn Summer Rolls

🛒 Ingredients

For the Dipping Sauce:

  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  • 1 small red chilli, finely chopped (remove seeds for less heat)

  • 1 tbsp caster sugar

  • 3 tbsp fish sauce

  • Juice of 1 lime

For the Rolls:

  • 100g vermicelli rice noodles (or bean thread noodles)

  • 12 x 20cm rice paper sheets

  • 18 cooked medium prawns, halved lengthways

  • 2–3 large iceberg lettuce leaves, torn into 12 pieces

  • 1 medium carrot, cut into thin batons

  • 1 cucumber, cut into thin batons

  • 1 bunch of mint leaves

  • A handful of coriander

  • A handful of Thai basil

  • A handful of long chives (optional)

  • 50g bean sprouts


👩‍🍳 Method

1. Make the Dipping Sauce

Finely chop the garlic and chilli. In a small bowl, mix the garlic, chilli, caster sugar, fish sauce, and lime juice. Stir well until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.

2. Prepare the Noodles

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook the vermicelli noodles according to the package instructions (typically 5–7 minutes). Drain well and set aside to cool.

3. Soften the Rice Paper

Fill a large shallow bowl with warm water. Dip one sheet of rice paper in for about 3 seconds, rotating gently until softened. Lay it flat on a clean tea towel or non-stick mat.

4. Fill and Roll

Layer your ingredients on the lower third of the wrapper:

  • Start with mint leaves

  • Add 2 prawn halves

  • Top with lettuce, a small handful of noodles, carrot, cucumber, herbs, bean sprouts, and a few chive tips

Pro Tip: Don’t overfill—this makes rolling difficult!

Begin rolling tightly from the bottom. Halfway through, fold the sides over, then continue to roll until sealed.

Repeat with the remaining wrappers and fillings.


🥢 Serving Suggestions

  • Serve immediately with your homemade sweet chilli fish sauce dipping sauce

  • Add crushed peanuts or fried shallots for extra texture

  • Perfect as a starter, light lunch, or shared platter at your next gathering


🌿 Why We Love Rice Paper Rolls

“Vietnamese rice paper rolls are a celebration of fresh, healthy ingredients. They’re beautiful to look at, fun to make, and every bite is different.”Chef Ha Nguyen, Founder of Otao Kitchen

Not only are they gluten-free and customisable, but they’re also a great activity for groups or family meals.


👨‍🍳 Want to Learn More?

Join our Vietnamese Cooking Class in Melbourne and master the art of rolling, seasoning, and plating traditional dishes like:

  • Pho noodle soup

  • Banh xeo (crispy pancake)

  • Vietnamese grilled meats and dipping sauces

👉 Book Your Vietnamese Cooking Class Today

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