In Chinese and other Southeast Asian cuisines, spring rolls are rolled appetizers or dim sum. Depending on the culture of the place, there are significant variations in the name, the type of wrapper, the fillings, and also the method of cooking. They contain many ingredients, including veggies, Rice noodles, and also mint leaves. The amount of spring roll carbs contain is 4.3 g.
Healthy fresh spring rolls packed with fresh veggies, tofu, or also shrimp, and served with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce make the best appetizer, for lunch, or dinner. We love having them as an appetizer when we have an Asian-themed dinner to switch things up from the usual healthy egg rolls or sesame soy edamame.
Whenever we get Vietnamese food, the first thing I order is the fresh Vietnamese spring rolls. Not only are they delicious, I like to start with something that is light and fresh. Filling up with veggies is always a good way to start a meal. That way I don’t end up eating a plateful of noodles.
Plus I am a sucker for dipping sauces and with spring rolls there are so many good options. You can’t go wrong with peanut sauce but the traditional fish sauce and soy sauce options are pretty spectacular as well.
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What Kind of Sauce Goes With Fresh Salad Spring Roll Carbs?
There are so many options when it comes to spring roll dipping sauces. Peanut sauce is the most traditional.
- Peanut sauce: This is what I included in the recipe and it is made with peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, honey, and red curry paste. It’s sweet, savory, spicy, and completely addicting.
- Garlic soy sauce: Combine equal parts soy sauce (or tamari) and rice wine vinegar. Add a touch of sesame oil, a minced garlic clove, chopped green onions, and a pinch of chili flakes if you like things spicy. You can also add a touch of sugar if you like a sweeter sauce.
- Fish sauce dipping sauce: Fish sauce is traditionally used in almost all Vietnamese spring rolls sauce. Try combining 3 tablespoons of fish sauce, 3 tablespoons of water, the juice of 1 lime, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, a teaspoon of fresh ginger, and a teaspoon of Sriracha.
- Store-bought options: Sweet chili sauce, sesame ginger dressing, chicken satay sauce, hoisin sauce, duck sauce, thick teriyaki sauce, or straight-up Sriracha
What Does a Fresh Spring Roll Have Inside? What Kind of Veggies Can You Include?
There are so many different options for what to include in a spring roll. In the recipe, I included my personal favorites, but below I have included a more comprehensive list of all the filling ingredients you could use so you can create your own fresh spring roll combinations.
- Lettuce leaves
- English Cucumber
- Carrots
- Cabbage
- Bean sprouts
- Red bell pepper
- Avocado
- Edamame
- Mint leaves
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Rice noodles
- Tofu
- Shrimp
- Chicken
Is Spring Roll Carbs Healthy?
Fresh spring roll carbs are very healthy, especially if you pack them full of raw veggies and lean protein. The biggest question people have about the healthfulness of spring roll carbs is the wrapper. Spring roll carbs wrappers are low in fat and calories. One piece of rice paper usually has between 30-40 calories.
When spring rolls because less healthy are when they are fried. Fried spring roll carbs absorb a lot of the oil they are cooked in and aren’t as healthy as the fresh version. They also normally contain less healthful fillings like ground pork sausage.
Healthy Spring Roll Carbs With Peanut Butter Sauce
Healthy spring roll carbs with creamy peanut butter sauce are a perfect treat for yourself at home. 30 min flavorful, healthy rolls for lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
- 10-12 large shrimps deveined
- 1 cucumber julienned (3-4″ long)
- 2-3 small carrots julienned (3-4″ long)
- 3 oz buckwheat noodles
- Leaves from 1 small head of iceberg lettuce
- 1 cup coriander (springs)
- ½ cup fresh mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 10 rice paper wraps
- Salt
Dipping
- ¼ cup peanut butter (plain)
- 1-2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Heat oil in a medium skillet on medium heat. Add shrimp, 1 teaspoon of soy sauce, and also salt if necessary. Sauté the shrimps for about 2-3 min or until well done. Let it cool for about 5 min
- Meanwhile, cook noodles according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water to avoid further cooking
- Combine all ingredients listed under ‘DIPPING’ into a small saucepan. Cook the mixture on medium heat for about 3-5 min or until corn starch is cooked
- Cut cooked shrimp into half lengthwise
- Take very warm water in a large skillet or large plate. Dip rice paper wrap in the water for 10-15 sec and then spread it carefully on a slightly wet cutting board
- Now put lettuce, some noodles, 2-3 carrot juliennes, 2-3 cucumber juliennes, some cilantro leaves, and 3-4 mint leaves on one side of the wet wrap. Also, layer 2-3 shrimp halves ahead of the veggies leaving some gap in between. Gently fold the rice paper wrap from the noodle and veggie side once. Then tuck in the side edges of the wrap and continue to fold over the shrimp and roll until the seam is sealed. Repeat this step for each roll.
- Enjoy these fresh healthy spring roll carbs with prepared peanut butter dipping
Notes
Freezing Instructions: Grease a tray (can be plastic or a baking tray) and lay out the spring rolls one by one on it, making sure there is space between each one of them. Keep them in the freezer for an hour or so till they are partially frozen. Once they are frozen, carefully remove them from the tray and place them in ziplock bags. To make the spring rolls, just take them out of the freezer and deep fry them till golden.
Spring Roll Wrappers: The number of spring rolls that will be made depends on the size of the wrappers. For this recipe, I used the 7.5-inch size (190 mm x 190 mm) which resulted in about 20 – 24 spring rolls. The brand of pastry that I used is TYJ Spring Roll Pastry by Spring Home, which is available in major supermarkets in Sydney and also in Asian stores.
In Pakistan, spring roll wrappers can be purchased from your local bakery – they are easily available in Ramadan but need to be ordered in advance at other times of the year.
FAQs
Fresh spring rolls are very healthy, especially if you pack them full of raw veggies and lean protein. The biggest question people have about the healthfulness of spring rolls is the wrapper. Spring roll wrappers are low in fat and calories. One piece of rice paper usually has between 30-40 calories.
Frozen spring rolls from the store are an ultra-processed food that contains a lot of white flour. Additionally, they are often fried, making them a sub-optimal choice for weight loss. Some frozen spring rolls are high in sodium and fat, though not all are.
While they can be a healthy and nutritious option, deep-fried spring rolls are also high in calories and fat. One small deep-fried spring roll contains approximately 100 calories and 6 grams of fat. The majority of the calories and fat come from the oil that is used to fry the spring roll.
Origins and etymology. The name ‘spring roll’ is a straightforward translation of the Chinese chūn juǎn. ‘Spring’ refers to the season, and the roll has its origins as a spring festival food.
While they can be a healthy and nutritious option, deep-fried spring rolls are also high in calories and fat. One small deep-fried spring roll contains approximately 100 calories and 6 grams of fat. The majority of the calories and fat come from the oil that is used to fry the spring roll.
Conclusion
Healthy fresh Spring Roll Carbs packed with fresh veggies, tofu, or shrimp, and served with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce make the best appetizer, lunch, or also dinner. We love having them as an appetizer when we have an Asian-themed dinner to switch things up from the usual healthy egg rolls or sesame soy edamame.
Fresh Spring Roll Carbs are very healthy, especially if you pack them full of raw veggies and lean protein. The biggest question people have about the healthfulness of spring rolls is the wrapper. Spring roll wrappers are low in fat and calories. One piece of rice paper usually has between 30-40 calories.
Whenever we get Vietnamese food, the first thing I order is the fresh Vietnamese spring rolls. Not only are they delicious, I like to start with something that is light and fresh. Filling up with veggies is always a good way to start a meal. That way I don’t end up eating a plateful of noodles.
While they can be a healthy and nutritious option, deep-fried Spring Roll Carbs are also high in calories and fat. One small deep-fried spring roll contains approximately 100 calories and also 6 grams of fat. The majority of the calories and fat come from the oil that is used to fry the Spring Roll Carbs.
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