Crispy Duck Spring Rolls Recipe

Prepare duck

If using a whole cooked duck or leftover roast duck, remove all skin and bones and shred the meat finely. Reserve about 2 cups shredded meat. If using store-bought shredded duck, measure out 2 cups.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 teaspoon neutral oil (from the frying oil). Add minced garlic and minced ginger and sauté 20–30 seconds until fragrant, stirring so they don’t burn.

Add shredded duck, shredded cabbage, and julienned carrot to the skillet. Stir-fry 2–3 minutes until cabbage begins to soften but still has a slight bite; you want the filling to be moist but not soggy.

Stir in soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame seeds, salt, and black pepper. Cook another 1–2 minutes to marry flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and let filling cool to room temperature (about 15 minutes).

Set up an assembly station: a clean work surface, a shallow bowl of warm water (if wrappers need softening), a small bowl with cornstarch slurry (mix 2 tsp cornstarch with 2 tsp water), and a plate lined with parchment or a baking sheet to hold rolled spring rolls.

If your spring roll wrappers are dry-packed, soften one wrapper at a time by dipping it in warm water for 5–8 seconds and lay it flat on the work surface. If wrappers are fresh/moist, simply separate and place one on the work surface.

Place about 2–3 tablespoons of the cooled duck filling near the lower third of the wrapper, leaving a 1/2-inch border on the edges. Do not overfill—filling should be compact so rolls seal and fry crisply.

Fold the bottom edge up over the filling, then fold both left and right sides toward the center snugly. Brush the top 1-inch edge of the wrapper with a thin layer of cornstarch slurry and roll tightly to seal, finishing seam-side down. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling (makes about 12 rolls).

Heat 1 cup neutral frying oil in a large heavy skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Heat until oil reaches 350°F (175°C) if you have a thermometer; alternatively, test by dropping a small piece of wrapper—if it sizzles and rises, oil is ready.

Fry spring rolls in batches, seam-side down first, 2–3 minutes per side until golden brown and crisp. Turn carefully with tongs or a spider to brown evenly. Avoid overcrowding the pan which lowers oil temperature.

When golden and crisp, transfer rolls to a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate to drain for a minute. Let rest 2–3 minutes before serving so filling settles and scissors/slicing don’t squeeze out juices.

In a small bowl, combine hot mustard powder (or 1 tsp prepared hot mustard if used), Dijon mustard, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, sweet chili sauce, 1 tablespoon water, and toasted sesame oil. Whisk until smooth. Adjust heat by adding more hot mustard powder or reducing it; add more water to thin to desired consistency.

Taste and adjust balance: more honey for sweetness, more vinegar for tang, or more sweet chili for sweetness and texture. Stir in thinly sliced scallion if using. Serve at room temperature alongside the warm spring rolls.