Vietnamese Rice Paper Roll Bowl (Printer View)

A vibrant bowl with rice paper shards, crisp vegetables, protein, and creamy peanut sauce for a fresh, satisfying Vietnamese-inspired meal.

# Components:

→ Rice Paper & Base

01 - 8 sheets rice paper
02 - 2 cups cooked jasmine rice or vermicelli noodles, optional

→ Protein (choose one)

03 - 14 oz grilled chicken breast, sliced
04 - 14 oz firm tofu, pressed and cubed
05 - 14 oz cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Vegetables

06 - 1 large carrot, julienned
07 - 1 cucumber, deseeded and julienned
08 - 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
09 - 1 cup shredded red cabbage
10 - 2 cups mixed salad greens
11 - 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
12 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves

→ Peanut Sauce

13 - 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
14 - 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
15 - 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
16 - 1 tbsp rice vinegar
17 - 1 tbsp lime juice
18 - 1–2 tsp sriracha, optional
19 - 2–4 tbsp warm water

→ Toppings

20 - 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
21 - 2 tbsp fried shallots, optional
22 - Lime wedges for serving

# Method:

01 - Fill a large shallow dish with warm water. Submerge each rice paper sheet for 5–10 seconds until just softened, then place on a clean towel. Stack 2–3 sheets at a time and cut into rough strips or squares. Set aside.
02 - Grill, pan-fry, or bake your chosen protein. Slice or cube as appropriate.
03 - Wash, peel, and slice all vegetables as indicated.
04 - In a bowl, whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, hoisin, rice vinegar, lime juice, and sriracha. Gradually add warm water until the sauce is smooth and pourable.
05 - Divide the rice or noodles if using among four bowls. Top with rice paper pieces, vegetables, salad greens, herbs, and your chosen protein.
06 - Drizzle generously with peanut sauce. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and fried shallots. Serve with lime wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • You get all the bright, herbaceous flavor of spring rolls without the fussy rolling and sealing that never quite works on the first try.
  • The peanut sauce is dangerously good, the kind you'll want to drizzle on everything from roasted vegetables to plain rice for days afterward.
  • It comes together in half an hour, uses mostly raw vegetables, and leaves you feeling full but not heavy.
  • You can swap proteins or go completely plant-based without losing any of the satisfaction or texture.
02 -
  • Don't leave the rice paper in the water too long or it will turn into a gummy, impossible-to-handle mess that sticks to itself and everything else.
  • Make the peanut sauce ahead if you can, it thickens as it sits and the flavors meld together, just thin it out again with a splash of warm water before serving.
  • Press your tofu well if you're using it, otherwise it won't crisp up properly and will release water into the bowl, diluting the sauce.
  • Taste the peanut sauce before you serve it, everyone's peanut butter is a little different in saltiness and sweetness, so adjust with more lime, soy sauce, or a pinch of sugar as needed.
03 -
  • Use kitchen scissors to cut the softened rice paper, it's faster and cleaner than trying to use a knife on something so slippery.
  • Toast the peanuts yourself in a dry skillet for a few minutes before chopping them, it brings out a deeper, richer flavor that store-bought roasted peanuts sometimes lack.
  • If you can find fried shallots at an Asian grocery store, buy them, they add a crispy, savory finish that's hard to replicate at home.
  • Taste your peanut sauce after it sits for a few minutes, the flavors develop and you might want to tweak the lime or heat before serving.
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