Goi cuon: Vietnamese fresh summer rolls and how to roll them

Goi cuon are Vietnamese fresh summer rolls: a sheet of softened rice paper wrapped around cooked shrimp, rice vermicelli, lettuce and herbs, and left unfried so the roll stays cool and translucent. Goi cuon are dipped in a hoisin and peanut sauce or in nuoc cham, and they are rolled by hand in about a minute each.

What are goi cuon?

Goi cuon (also written gỏi cuốn) are cold, fresh rolls from Vietnam, often called summer rolls or salad rolls in English. The name means roughly “salad rolls”, because the filling is a salad wrapped in rice paper.

Goi cuon come from southern Vietnam, where they are everyday food and a common starter. The wrapper is banh trang, a thin, dried sheet of rice flour that turns soft and clear once wetted. In English-speaking countries they are sometimes confused with spring rolls, but they are a different dish.

What goes inside goi cuon?

Goi cuon usually hold shrimp, rice vermicelli, soft lettuce and herbs, and sometimes sliced chicken, egg or tofu. Everything is cold or at room temperature.

• Protein: boiled shrimp, sliced chicken or fried tofu.
• Noodles: thin rice vermicelli (bun), cooked and drained.
• Greens: soft lettuce leaves, bean sprouts, cucumber and garlic chives.
• Herbs: mint, Thai basil, cilantro and perilla.
• Wrapper: round rice paper, 8 to 9 inches (20 to 23 cm) across.

What are the types of rolls in Vietnamese cuisine?

Vietnam has several roll styles, and they are often mixed up. The easiest way to tell them apart is whether the wrapper is fresh, fried or steamed.

How do you roll goi cuon?

You roll goi cuon by dipping a rice paper wrapper in water, filling the lower third, folding the sides in and rolling tightly. The method takes a little practice, and the first roll is rarely the neatest.

1. Prepare the fillings and set them near a damp work surface, for example a plate or a damp dish towel.
2. Dip one rice paper wrapper in warm water for about three seconds, until it is just pliable. It will keep softening as it sits.
3. Lay the wrapper flat and arrange lettuce, a small amount of vermicelli and herbs on the lower third.
4. Place two or three shrimp halves in a row just above the fillings, cut side up if you want them to show through the wrapper.
5. Fold the bottom edge over the filling, fold in both sides, then roll tightly toward the top.
6. Place the finished roll seam side down on a plate, and keep the rolls from touching, as they stick together.

Keep the filling modest. An overfilled roll will tear, and a roll that is too loose will fall apart when dipped.

What sauce goes with goi cuon?

Goi cuon are most commonly served with a peanut and hoisin dipping sauce or with nuoc cham. Both are easy to make from pantry staples.

• Hoisin and peanut sauce: hoisin sauce, a spoonful of peanut butter, water and a little chili sauce, whisked until smooth, and topped with crushed peanuts.
• Nuoc cham: fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, water, garlic and chili.
• Tuong sauce: a fermented soybean dip used in some regions, with garlic and chili.

Many diners offer both a sweet and a salty sauce, so each bite can differ.

How do you keep rice paper from sticking or tearing?

Rice paper sticks when it is too wet and tears when it is too dry or overfilled. The fix is a short dip, a damp work surface and a modest filling.

• Dip for only a few seconds. The paper should still feel slightly stiff when it leaves the water.
• Use a damp cloth, a silicone mat or a plate to roll on, because a dry board grips the paper.
• Warm water softens faster than cold, so adjust the dip time.
• Do not stack finished rolls directly. Separate them with lettuce leaves or a damp paper towel.

How do you cook the shrimp and noodles for goi cuon?

Boil shrimp in salted water for two to three minutes until pink, cool them in ice water, then peel and halve them lengthwise. Cook rice vermicelli in boiling water until soft, then rinse in cold water and drain well.

Drained noodles matter, because wet noodles make the roll soggy and slippery. Toss the cooled vermicelli with a few drops of oil if it clumps. For other proteins, thin slices of poached chicken or strips of fried tofu work in the same way, and cucumber sticks add crunch to any version.

What makes a good goi cuon filling balance?

A balanced goi cuon has a little protein, a modest bundle of noodles, plenty of leaf and herb and one crunchy item. The roll should taste fresh first and savory second.

• Aim for about two shrimp halves, a small nest of noodles and three or four herb leaves per roll.
• Place the herbs on the lower part so they show through the wrapper.
• Add a stick of cucumber or a few bean sprouts for crunch.
• Keep the filling flat and even so the roll is not lumpy.

Can you make goi cuon ahead of time?

You can make goi cuon a few hours ahead, but they are best fresh. The wrapper dries and turns chewy in the refrigerator.

Place the rolls on a plate, cover with damp paper towels and then plastic wrap, and keep them cool. Serve within a few hours. For a party, many hosts set out the fillings and rice paper and let guests roll their own.

What would you buy to make goi cuon at home?

A goi cuon shopping list is short: rice paper, thin rice vermicelli, shrimp, lettuce, herbs, hoisin sauce, peanuts and a few pantry sauces. The rice paper and vermicelli are dry goods, found in most Asian groceries.

Jason’s Best Asian Market in Kissimmee is an Asian grocery store whose public listings describe fresh fruit, vegetables, seafood, spices and seasonings, and pantry staples. This guide has not confirmed which brands or products are stocked, and no menu or prices exist for the store, so no item is promised. Call +1 407-785-1112 to ask about a specific item. The menu page summarizes the departments named in the listings and the hours and location page lists the opening times. This guide is independent and takes no orders.

Common questions

Before you go, check the Jason Asian Market guide for the current hours and the menu.

This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Jason's Best Asian Market itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.