Equipment
Ingredients
Rolls
- 100 g rice vermicelli noodles, dry
- 8 rice paper wrappers
- 200 g cooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, halved lengthwise
- 8 butter lettuce, leaves separated and washed
- 15 g fresh mint, leaves picked from stems
- 15 g fresh cilantro, tender leaves and stems
- 8 garlic chives, cut into 10cm lengths
Peanut Dipping Sauce
- 60 ml hoisin sauce
- 60 g peanut butter, smooth and unsweetened
- 45 ml warm water
- 1 garlic, finely minced
- 15 g roasted peanuts, crushed
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 185 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbohydrates
- 24 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 473 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 53 mg
- Potassium
- 164 mg
- Calcium
- 44 mg
- Iron
- 0.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 32 mg
- Phosphorus
- 156 mg
- Zinc
- 0.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 57 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 16 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.4 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.06 mg
- Niacin
- 2.1 mg
- Folate
- 27 mcg
- Water
- 42 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a rolling boil at 100°C/212°F. Add the dry rice vermicelli noodles and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until tender.
Pour the noodles into a strainer and rinse thoroughly under cold running water to stop the cooking process and wash away excess starch. Set aside to drain and dry.
In a small mixing bowl, vigorously whisk together the hoisin sauce, smooth peanut butter, warm water, and minced garlic until the emulsion is smooth and cohesive.
Fill a large shallow bowl with warm water, approximately 40°C/105°F. Swiftly dip one rice paper wrapper into the water for about 2 seconds, ensuring all edges are wetted, then lay it flat on a damp cutting board.
Place one butter lettuce leaf horizontally across the bottom third of the wrapper. Layer a small pinch of the cooked vermicelli noodles, fresh mint leaves, and cilantro sprigs directly onto the lettuce.
Arrange three shrimp halves in a single row across the center of the wrapper, leaving the pink cut-side facing up. If using garlic chives, lay them horizontally over the noodles so they extend slightly past the edges.
Fold the left and right sides of the wrapper inward over the lettuce and herbs. Lift the bottom edge over the filling, tucking it tightly under the bundle, then roll upward with firm pressure to encompass the shrimp and seal the roll.
Transfer the finished roll to a serving plate and cover immediately with a damp towel to prevent drying. Repeat with remaining ingredients, then garnish the prepared peanut sauce with crushed peanuts and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Slicing the shrimp in half lengthwise serves a dual purpose: it stretches the ingredient further and creates a perfectly flat surface that lays beautifully against the wrapper without causing tears.
- A common mistake is soaking the rice paper until it is fully limp. It should still feel slightly rigid when it hits the cutting board; the residual moisture will perfectly hydrate it by the time you are ready to roll.
- Keep your work surface slightly damp. Using a damp plastic or wood cutting board prevents the highly adhesive rice paper from clinging aggressively to the surface.
- Rinsing the rice vermicelli well is crucial. Excess starch on the noodles will make the interior of your roll gummy and heavy rather than light and fresh.
Storage
Refrigerator: 12 hours — Wrap rolls individually in damp paper towels, then tightly in plastic wrap to prevent the rice paper from hardening.
Troubleshooting
Rice paper wrapper tears during the rolling process
Cause: The wrapper was soaked for too long or in water that was too hot, making the starch structure overly fragile.
Fix: Soak a second half-sheet of rice paper and carefully wrap it around the torn area as a patch.
Prevention: Dip the wrapper very briefly (1 to 2 seconds) in warm, rather than hot, water. Rely on residual moisture on the cutting board to finish softening it.
Rolls stick together on the plate and tear when picked up
Cause: The sticky nature of hydrated rice paper bonds with adjacent rolls upon contact.
Fix: Cannot be fixed once fully bonded.
Prevention: Leave a gap of at least a centimeter between each roll on the serving plate, or individually wrap them in plastic wrap if traveling.
Cultural Context
Goi cuon translates directly to salad rolls in Vietnamese, reflecting their fresh, vegetable-forward nature. They are an iconic staple of Vietnamese street food and home cooking, relying heavily on the delicate aromatic balance of fresh herbs like mint and cilantro. While traditional versions often include boiled pork belly alongside the shrimp, this all-shrimp variation is incredibly popular worldwide and perfectly highlights the crisp, clean flavors synonymous with southern Vietnamese cuisine.
