Appetizer recipe
Summer Rolls Recipe
A practical, source-aware recipe for summer rolls, with the history kept close to the method.
Jump to recipeDeveloped by the Recipe Desk. This original editorial recipe uses measured ingredients, explicit timing and yield, allergen notes, storage guidance, and step-by-step visual cues. Use the stated doneness and texture cues because ingredients, ovens, and kitchen equipment vary.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
- 2 ounces thin rice noodles (from one 8-ounce package of mai fun)
- 12 8-inch rice paper rounds
- 2 cups halved Bibb lettuce leaves
- 1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken or 8 ounces cooked medium shrimp (about 12) halved lengthwise, or thinly sliced tofu
- 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced into 2-inch matchsticks
- 1 medium carrot, very thinly sliced into 2-inch matchsticks
- 1 Persian cucumber, thinly sliced into 2-inch matchsticks
- ½ avocado, thinly sliced
- 1 red chile (such as Fresno; optional)
- ½ cup cilantro leaves with tender stems
- ½ cup mint leaves
Method
Step 1: Step 1 for Summer Rolls. 1Step 1
Stir sugar and 1 Tbsp. warm water in a small bowl to dissolve sugar. Stir in lime juice, mirin, soy sauce, and vinegar; set dipping sauce aside.
Step 2: Step 2 for Summer Rolls. 2Step 2
Soften rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain; run under cold water until chilled.
Step 3: Step 3 for Summer Rolls. 3Step 3
Fill a shallow dish with warm water. Working with 1 rice paper round at a time, dip in water, turning occasionally, until just pliable but not limp, about 20 seconds (replenish with more warm water as needed). Transfer to a cutting board.
Step 4: Step 4 for Summer Rolls. 4Step 4
Place a ½ lettuce leaf in center of the rice paper. Top with a small handful of rice noodles and a few pieces each of chicken, bell pepper, carrot, cucumber, and avocado. Top with chile, if using, and cilantro and mint. Fold bottom of rice paper over filling, then fold in sides and roll like a burrito into a tight cylinder; cut in half if desired. Place roll, seam side down, on a platter. Repeat to make 11 more rolls. Serve with reserved dipping sauce.
Step 5: Step 5 for Summer Rolls. 5Step 5
Do Ahead: Rolls can be made 1 hour ahead. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and chill.
Why this dish belongs here
The history behind the method
This appetizer builds on the history of the tiny crustacean with a colossal global appetite, linking the dish to shrimp’s longer story in food culture.