Spring Rolls Recipe

Prepare vegetables

Thinly slice the cabbage and julienne the carrot. Finely chop the mushrooms and thinly slice the green onions. Mince the garlic and grate the ginger.

Cook filling

Heat a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon neutral oil. If using ground pork or chicken, add it now and cook, breaking up with a spatula, until no longer pink (about 4–5 minutes). If using tofu, crumble and cook until lightly browned (3–4 minutes). Remove excess fat if needed, leaving about 1 teaspoon in the pan.

Add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the pan and sauté 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook 2–3 minutes until they release moisture. Add the julienned carrot and sliced cabbage; stir-fry 2–3 minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp.

Stir in soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, white/black pepper, salt, and sliced green onions. Cook another 1 minute to combine flavors. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and let the filling cool to warm (not hot) so it won’t tear the wrappers.

Make flour paste: whisk together 2 tablespoons flour and 2 tablespoons water until smooth; this will act as glue.

Lay one spring roll wrapper on a clean work surface with a corner pointing toward you (diamond shape). Place about 2–3 tablespoons of filling just below the center (adjust to wrapper size), forming a log about 3–4 inches long. Do not overfill — leave space at edges.

Fold the bottom corner up over the filling, tuck tightly, then fold the two side corners toward the center. Brush a thin line of flour paste on the top corner and roll up firmly to seal. Place rolled spring rolls seam-side down on a tray. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.

Heat oil in a deep, heavy skillet or pot to 350°F (175°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, test by dropping a small piece of wrapper in—if it sizzles and browns in about 15–20 seconds, the oil is ready.

Fry spring rolls in batches (do not overcrowd) for 2.5–4 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp. Adjust heat to maintain a steady 325–350°F so they cook through without burning. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Let rest 2 minutes to crisp up.

For a lighter finish, place fried spring rolls on a wire rack in a single layer after draining to keep them crispy.

Whisk together rice vinegar, water, sugar, soy sauce, chili flakes, and minced garlic in a small bowl until sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust balance—add more sugar if too sharp, or more soy sauce for saltiness. Serve alongside hot spring rolls.

Arrange spring rolls on a platter and serve hot with the dipping sauce. Garnish with additional sliced green onions or cilantro if desired.