Crispy Spring Rolls

There’s something weirdly calming about making spring rolls. It’s like therapy, but cheaper. You set everything out — the wrappers, the veggies, the little bowl of cornflour paste — and for the next half hour, you just roll. Fold, tuck, roll. Fold, tuck, roll. It’s quiet work, but it feels good.

The first time I made these, I was nervous I’d mess them up. I thought the wrappers would tear, or they’d all open in the oil, or I’d end up with soggy little disasters. But you know what? Even my ugly first batch tasted amazing. There’s just something about that crunch — that shatter when you bite in — that makes you forget all the tiny imperfections.

These spring rolls are full of simple things: cabbage, carrot, pepper, maybe some bean sprouts if you’ve got them lying around. Nothing fancy, nothing complicated. The magic’s all in how it comes together — a little soy, a quick stir-fry, and then the deep fry that gives you that golden, crispy shell.

They’re the kind of snack that disappears fast. You make a plateful, turn your back for a second, and suddenly there’s two left. Great for parties, but honestly? I love them most when it’s just me, standing over the counter with sweet chili sauce and a half-burned tongue because I couldn’t wait for them to cool.

Ingredients

• 20 spring roll wrappers
• 2 cups (150 g) shredded cabbage
• 1 cup (100 g) grated carrot
• 1 cup (100 g) bean sprouts (optional)
• ½ cup (50 g) thinly sliced green pepper
• ½ cup (50 g) chopped spring onions
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil (for stir-frying filling)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water (for sealing)
• Vegetable oil (for deep frying)

Instructions

1. Start with the filling.
   Heat a bit of oil in a big pan — not too hot. Toss in your cabbage, carrots, green pepper, and bean sprouts. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes. You want them soft, but still crisp.
2. Add flavor.
   Pour in the soy sauce, sprinkle salt and pepper, give it all a good mix, then take it off the heat. Let it cool — if it’s hot, it’ll steam the wrappers and make them tear.
3. Get rolling.
   Lay out a wrapper like a diamond. Spoon a bit of filling near the bottom corner. Fold it up over the filling, then fold in both sides and roll it tight. Seal the edge with a little cornflour paste. Keep going until you’ve got a small army of rolls lined up.
4. The fun (and slightly dangerous) part.
   Heat oil in a deep pan — not too hot or they’ll burn before they crisp. Fry a few at a time until they’re golden and crunchy. Don’t overcrowd the pan; they need space to breathe and crisp properly.
5. Finish strong.
   Lift them out, let them rest on paper towels to drain. Serve right away with sweet chili sauce, or even ketchup if that’s what you’ve got. Either way, they’ll be gone before you know it.

Recipe FAQs

1. Can I bake them instead of frying?
You can, yeah. Brush them lightly with oil and bake at 400°F (200°C) for about 20–25 minutes. They won’t be quite as crisp as deep-fried, but still really good.

2. My wrappers keep tearing — what am I doing wrong?
Probably overfilling. Try using less filling and roll tighter but gently. Also, keep the wrappers covered with a damp towel so they don’t dry out while you work.

3. Can I make them ahead?
Absolutely. Roll them all, line them up on a tray, and freeze. Once frozen, you can pop them into a bag. Fry straight from frozen — just give them an extra minute or two in the oil.

4. What kind of oil works best for frying?
Something neutral — vegetable, canola, sunflower. Avoid olive oil; it smokes too easily and changes the flavor.

5. What do you serve them with?
Sweet chili sauce is classic. But I’ve dipped them in everything from soy and lime to spicy mayo. Once, I even used leftover peanut sauce — no regrets.

When you bite into one fresh from the fryer, you’ll hear it crackle. The filling’s hot, savory, with just a little sweetness from the cabbage. It’s the kind of food that makes people hover around the kitchen waiting for the next batch. No fuss, no frills — just pure, golden, crispy joy.

Crispy Spring Rolls

Recipe by Salma Recipe

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Ingredients

• * 20 spring roll wrappers

• * 2 cups (150 g) shredded cabbage

• * 1 cup (100 g) grated carrot

• * 1 cup (100 g) bean sprouts (optional)

• * ½ cup (50 g) thinly sliced green pepper

• * ½ cup (50 g) chopped spring onions

• * 2 tbsp vegetable oil (for stir-frying filling)

• * 1 tbsp soy sauce

• * ½ tsp ground black pepper

• * ½ tsp salt (or to taste)

• * 1 tbsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water (for sealing)

• * Vegetable oil (for deep frying)

Directions

• *Start with the filling.*
• Heat a bit of oil in a big pan — not too hot. Toss in your cabbage, carrots, green pepper, and bean sprouts. Stir-fry for 2–3 minutes. You want them soft, but still crisp.
• *Add flavor.*
• Pour in the soy sauce, sprinkle salt and pepper, give it all a good mix, then take it off the heat. Let it cool — if it’s hot, it’ll steam the wrappers and make them tear.
• *Get rolling.*
• Lay out a wrapper like a diamond. Spoon a bit of filling near the bottom corner. Fold it up over the filling, then fold in both sides and roll it tight. Seal the edge with a little cornflour paste. Keep going until you’ve got a small army of rolls lined up.
• *The fun (and slightly dangerous) part.*
• Heat oil in a deep pan — not too hot or they’ll burn before they crisp. Fry a few at a time until they’re golden and crunchy. Don’t overcrowd the pan; they need space to breathe and crisp properly.
• *Finish strong.*
• Lift them out, let them rest on paper towels to drain. Serve right away with sweet chili sauce, or even ketchup if that’s what you’ve got. Either way, they’ll be gone before you know it.