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Asian Spring Rolls for Entertaining and Party Appetizers

Vietnamese-style Asian spring rolls served with homemade peanut sauce

Entertaining with Asian Spring Rolls and Peanut Sauce

Warm weather has a way of changing the entire mood of a day. When the sun is shining, the air feels light, and spring produce starts appearing everywhere, fresh food suddenly feels like the only thing worth making. These Asian spring rolls are exactly that kind of recipe: colorful, crisp, refreshing, and perfect for sharing.

This version is inspired by Vietnamese-style spring rolls and is made two ways. One version highlights bright spring vegetables, including baby spinach, mango, asparagus, radicchio, fennel, and fresh cilantro. The other is a more traditional combination with daikon radish, carrots, lettuce, shrimp, red bell pepper, green onions, and cilantro. Both are wrapped in delicate rice paper and served with a creamy homemade peanut sauce that brings everything together.

Spring rolls are a wonderful choice for entertaining at home because they are light, beautiful, and easy to customize. You can prepare the vegetables ahead of time, place everything on a large table or serving board, and let guests build their own rolls. It turns dinner into a relaxed, hands-on experience, and it also makes the meal feel fresh and fun without requiring heavy cooking.

Fresh spring vegetables prepared for Asian spring rolls

These spring-inspired rolls are especially good when seasonal produce is at its best. Sweet mango adds brightness, fennel gives a delicate crunch, asparagus brings a tender green bite, and radicchio adds color and a pleasantly bitter note. The traditional rolls offer a classic balance of crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, and tender shrimp. Together, they make a generous spread that works well as an appetizer, a light lunch, or even a fresh main course.

Colorful spring rolls with mango, fennel, spinach, and herbs

The key to making spring rolls enjoyable is preparation. Have all the fillings washed, sliced, chopped, blanched, or cooked before you begin. Rice paper softens quickly in very hot water, so the process moves more smoothly when every ingredient is within reach. A clean work surface, a large bowl of hot water, and neatly arranged fillings will make rolling much easier.

Asian spring rolls arranged for entertaining at home

No spring roll party feels complete without a flavorful dipping sauce. Homemade peanut sauce is simple to make and tastes fresh, creamy, tangy, savory, and slightly spicy. This version combines creamy peanut butter with hoisin sauce, lime juice, low sodium soy sauce, sugar, gochujang, garlic, sesame oil, and water. Roasted peanuts can be sprinkled on top for extra texture if desired.

Fresh Asian spring rolls served with creamy peanut dipping sauce

Whether you serve these Asian spring rolls already assembled or set everything out DIY style, they make a beautiful and refreshing dish for warm-weather gatherings. They are colorful, naturally vibrant, and full of texture. Best of all, each roll can be made a little differently, so everyone can choose the ingredients they love most.

Asian spring rolls with peanut sauce

Entertaining with Asian Spring Rolls

Recipe yields 25 full-size spring rolls, or 50 pieces when cut in half.
Course:
Appetizer or Main
Cuisine:
Asian
Author:
Hip Foodie Mom

Ingredients

For the peanut sauce:

  • 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 4 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon gochujang Korean hot pepper paste
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • Roasted peanuts for topping optional

For the spring rolls:

  • 1 package rice paper wraps for spring rolls large round sheets, 25 count
  • Large bowl of very hot water

For the spring medley spring rolls:

  • 4 cups fresh baby spinach
  • 2 mangos peeled and sliced lengthwise into strips
  • 10 to 12 asparagus spears blanched
  • 1 to 2 cups radicchio thinly chopped
  • 1 to 2 cups raw fennel thinly sliced, white bulb only
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro

For the traditional version spring rolls:

  • 1/2 large daikon radish peeled and cut into 3 to 4 inch pieces
  • 3 large carrots peeled and cut in half crosswise
  • 3 to 4 cups green leaf lettuce shredded or chopped
  • 1/2 pound fresh shrimp peeled and cooked
  • 1/2 large red bell pepper thinly sliced lengthwise
  • 1 bunch fresh green onions or scallions cut in half crosswise
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro

Instructions

For the peanut sauce:

  • In a medium or large mixing bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, water, hoisin sauce, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, gochujang, minced garlic, and sesame oil until smooth and creamy.
  • Taste and adjust only if needed. Top with roasted peanuts before serving, if desired.

For assembling the spring rolls:

  • Prepare all vegetables, herbs, mango, and shrimp as listed in the ingredients. Arrange everything on a platter or table so the fillings are easy to reach.
  • Dip one sheet of rice paper into very hot water just until it begins to soften, then place it on a clean work surface.
  • Add a small amount of your chosen fillings to the center of the wrapper. Fold the sides in and roll tightly, keeping the ingredients tucked inside.
  • Repeat with the remaining rice paper and fillings. Serve the spring rolls whole or cut in half with homemade peanut sauce on the side.

These fresh Asian spring rolls are ideal for casual entertaining, especially when you want a meal that feels colorful, interactive, and full of seasonal ingredients. Serve both versions together so guests can enjoy the sweet, crisp spring medley rolls as well as the more traditional shrimp and vegetable rolls.

Vietnamese-style spring rolls made two ways with peanut sauce

Disclosure: This post was created in partnership with KitchenAid USA. Thank you for supporting collaborations with brands that are used and loved.