This is the ultimate guide to help you throw the BEST Vietnamese Fresh Roll Party! These rice paper rolls, also known as fresh rolls or summer rolls, are flavorful, versatile, FRESH, and so fun to make with your friends.

Before I moved to the Bay Area, I knew very little about Vietnamese food. I grew up in a small town in Indiana, and didn’t have a fresh roll until I was in college. However, Vietnamese fresh rolls have become a staple in my diet and a “food party” I LOVE to attend. This post will show you all the details, tips, and tricks to be able to host a Fresh Roll party like a pro!

Before I dive into the details, I want to give a huge shoutout and thank you to my friends Bryan and Jessica – this post wouldn’t have been possible without their love for Vietnamese food, desire to capture and share their family recipes and traditions, and friendship to me as they’ve been supporting my food blogging journey from day 1! I hope you all enjoy 🙂

Table of Contents:

• Menu & Ingredients
• Prep List
• Step by Step Instructions with Photos
• Host Tips
• Grocery List
• Recipes

Menu & Ingredients

Fresh Rolls with Herbs, Veggies, and Proteins

• Herbs – Mint, Vietnamese Perilla Leaves, Chives, Thai Basil
• Veggies – Persian cucumbers, pickled carrots and daikon, romaine lettuce
• Proteins – Shrimp, Vietnamese Sausage (Nem Nuong), Vietnamese Ham (Cha), Lemongrass Charred Beef Tenderloin
• Crunchies – Fried Spring Roll wrappers
• Rice Noodles

Variety of Dipping Sauces

• Peanut Sauce
• Traditional Nuoc Cham

The best thing about a Vietnamese fresh roll is that they’re composed of a variety of fresh ingredients. You can mix and match whatever ingredients look good to you, which is always a win!

It’s also important to have a good variety of textures and flavors, and I’ll explain below the recommended combinations.

ingredients:

Rice Paper – The rice paper wrappers are used to make the rolls and wrap all the ingredients together. I use the medium sized ones.

Romaine Lettuce – A crunchy and fresh element that is mandatory for the fresh rolls. Some restaurants use shredded lettuce, but if you use romaine lettuce, you can just tear this into pieces as you’re assembling each roll.

Fresh Herbs – This is another essential ingredient to the rolls and what brings flavor and freshness.

• Mint is an absolute must have.
• If you want to a few more herb options, you can also include Thai Basil, Chives, and Perilla (also known as Shiso, or Rao Tia To). Just 1 type of herb is really necessary, but including 2 types of herbs adds good variety.

Persian Cucumbers – Another fresh and crunchy element to a Vietnamese fresh roll.

Rice Vermicelli Noodles – One of the main carbs of the spread besides the rice paper rolls. We use the thinner noodles and form them into small individual coils for easy assembly.

Pickled Carrot and Daikon – This isn’t traditionally found in fresh rolls you find at restaurants, but I LOVE the acidity these pickled vegetables bring. You can either buy this pre-made, or follow the recipe below to make this at home.

Proteins – I like to use at least 2 different types of proteins in the fresh rolls. This creates for some different flavors and textures. For this party, we prepared 4 different proteins. Here are a few options you can pick and choose from.

• Shrimp – Large shrimp is best and most traditional. These are simply poached then sliced in half.
• Vietnamese Ham (Cha – left most image) – We bought this prepared from the Vietnamese market. If you can’t find this near you, you can skip this option.
• Fried Pork Sausage (nem nuong – right most image) – A simply marinated pork sausage that is flavor packed and then shallow fried. This juicy, flavorful protein is one of my FAVORITE additions to the spread, as it balances out the remaining fresh ingredients really well.
• Pork Belly or Pork Tenderloin – Pork belly is very traditional, but since we already had 2 different pork options (the Ham and Sausage), we decided to pass on this. To prepare this, you can slice thinly and poach. I prefer the fattier more flavorful combinations to a simple poached pork belly.
• Lemongrass Charred Beef Tenderloin – Not particularly traditional, but this is another option you could include. We made this to have another protein option besides pork and shrimp, and it was delicious! 3 protein options are plenty, but this fourth option was definitely appreciated by the hungry guys at our party.
• Firm Tofu – A vegetarian option that you can include in the spread – we didn’t include these this time, but this is another great option. You can thinly slice similar to the Cha (Vietnamese ham).

Spring roll wrappers – These are what I consider the SECRET INGREDIENT to making this the most epic fresh rolls ever. We all agreed that this majorly enhanced the texture and flavor of the Vietnamese fresh rolls – they are a MUST HAVE!

Prep List – for the Vietnamese Fresh Roll

Assembling all these ingredients for the party may seem intimidating, but broken down into small steps and with a few friends all cooking together, you can prepare the food in about an hour and a half.

The Day Before (or earlier in the day):

• Grocery shop

For the friends who don’t cook much (this can be split between 1-2 people):

• Wash, dry, pick herbs & place into serving bowls
• Cut chives into 3” pieces and place into servings bowls
• Wash & dry lettuce 
• Cut cucumbers into thin ¼” thick and 2” long slices 
• Cut the cha (Vietnamese ham) into 2” long by ¼” thick pieces
• Setup a water in a large bowl to dip the rice paper rolls (you may need to setup 2 depending on the size of your group)

For the friends who don’t mind using their hands (this can be split between 1-4 people):

• Make the nem nuong (pork sausage), following the recipe below
• Make the beef tenderloin following the recipe below
• Peel and devein the shrimp (you can also buy the peeled and deveined shrimp)
• Poach the shrimp until the shrimp loses is opacity (~2-3 minutes)
• Cut the shrimp in half lengthwise and place onto a serving plate
• Roll spring roll paper
• Fry spring roll paper at oil temp 375F until golden brown
• Boil the noodles 
• Rinse the noodles and form into bite sized coils
• Make peanut sauce according to the recipe below
• Make Nuoc Cham sauce according to the recipe below

Step by Step Instructions with Photos

For the Vegetable, Herb, and Knife Prep [EASY]

• Wash, dry, and pick herbs & place into serving bowls
• Cut chives into 3” pieces and place into servings bowls
• Wash & dry lettuce 
• Cut cucumbers into thin ¼” thick and 2” long slices 
• Cut the cha (Vietnamese ham) into 2” long by ¼” thick pieces

the Protein Prep

Pork Sausage (Nem Nuong)

• Make the nem nuong (pork sausage), following this recipe:

Fried Pork Sausage (nem nuong)

• (2) 1 lb packages of nem nuong [or 2 lbs of ground pork + 2.5 teaspoons of kosher salt]
• 8 shallots 
• 10 cloves of garlic 
• ⅓ cup shredded lemongrass 
• 2 tablespoons of honey 
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce 
• ¼ cup neutral oil – for frying

1. Prepare the shallots and garlic. If you have a food processor, this would be an excellent opportunity to use it to finely chop the shallots and garlic. Otherwise, you can chop by hand. 
2. Combine the pork from the defrosted nem nuong packages, the chopped shallots and garlic, shredded lemongrass, honey, and fish sauce. If you were only able to find ground pork and not the nem nuong packages, add 2.5 teaspoons of kosher salt.
3. Mix everything together and form into small sausage links (2” long by ½” wide). Lay this on a plate or parchment lined sheet tray. 
4. Once all the sausage links are formed, heat a cast iron skillet or heavy duty pan on medium high heat. Add ¼ cup of neutral oil. Once the oil is hot (you can check with either a meat thermometer – 350F or if there are bubbles surrounding a wooden chopstick), reduce the heat to medium, and add a layer of the pork sausages. Be sure to leave at least ½” between the sausages. Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, checking occasionally and turning to prevent burning. Once the inside has reached 145, or it’s been at least 6 minutes, remove from the oil and onto a paper towel lined plate. 
5. Continue this process with all the sausages. 
6. Halve the nem nuong lengthwise, plate, and serve. This can sit at room temperature, so no need to rush to be done last. 

The Lemongrass Charred Beef Tenderloin

• Prep the beef tenderloin following the recipe below:

Lemongrass Charred Beef Tenderloin (bo nuong xa):

• 2 lbs beef tenderloin
• ¼ cup oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons lemongrass

1. Combine the marinade ingredients together in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. 
2. Thinly slice the beef tenderloin, aiming for ¼” thick pieces. 
3. Add the marinade to the beef and let sit for 10 minutes. 
4. Heat a large pan on medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, add an even layer of the beef to the pan. Cook until the beef is brown on one side, about 1.5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 30 seconds. You want to cook the beef tenderloin just enough so that it’s not raw, as this is a delicate cut of meat. 
5. Remove the cooked beef onto a plate and continue searing the beef in batches until finished.

The Shrimp

• Poach the shrimp until the shrimp loses is opacity (~2-3 minutes)
• Peel and devein the shrimp (you can also buy the peeled and deveined shrimp)
• Cut the shrimp in half lengthwise and place onto a serving plate

the Remaining Fresh Roll Ingredients:

• Roll spring roll paper
• Fry spring roll paper at oil temp 375F until golden brown

• Boil the noodles according to package instructions
• Rinse the noodles and form into bite sized coils
• Make Nuoc Cham sauce following the recipe below:

Nuoc Cham (traditional fish sauce):

• ½ cup water
• 3 tablespoons sugar 
• 4 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 limes, juiced 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 thai chili, thinly sliced

1. Add all the ingredients into a bowl. 
2. Taste, adjust seasoning as desired, and serve.

• Make the peanut sauce following the recipe below:

Peanut sauce

• 1 cup water
• ⅓ cup peanut butter
• ½ cup hoisin sauce

1. In a small saucepan, combine all the ingredients. 
2. Heat on medium high heat and continue to whisk until smooth. Once the mixture comes to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer. You will see the sauce begin to break, but just continue whisking. The sauce will come together after about 7-8 minutes. 
3. Pour the sauce into a bowl, and serve.

Once you’re ready to eat:

• Dip a rice paper roll into room temperature water for 2-3 seconds.
• Add a layer of shrimp or protein to the center of the rice paper. Top with lettuce, rice noodles, herbs, more protein, pickles, and a crunchy spring roll piece.
• Roll over the filling, tuck in the 2 sides (or you can tuck the sides first, whatever works for you), and continue rolling to seal the roll.
• Dip in your favorite sauce, and enjoy!

Host Tips – For the Fresh Roll Party!

Whether this is your first time hosting a group of friends cooking together, or you’re a seasoned expert, I’ve got a few tips and tricks on hosting a seamless, fun, and DELICIOUS fresh roll party!

Planning and portioning tips:

• Plan for each person to eat 5-7 rolls. 
• Plan for each person to eat .5 lbs of protein. 
  • If you have 14 people attending, plan to have a combined total of 7 lbs of proteins (2 lbs of Viet sausage, 1 lb of Viet ham, 2 lbs of shrimp, 2 lb of beef tenderloin)
• 1 large bunch of herbs (asian supermarkets are very generous with herbs) should be enough for your party.

Divide and concur:

I always love cooking with my friends. We have a great time cooking, chatting, catching up, and just being really excited to be together. The best part about a fresh roll party is that you don’t have to do much prep work BEFORE your friends arrive.

Once you get the groceries and organize your space, you can DIVIDE and CONCUR. Assign each person to 1-2 items on the “prep list”. The prep list includes “easy” items like picking herbs and slicing cucumbers, and more difficult tasks like marinating the meats and frying the spring rolls. You could also have the prep list printed or shared in advance with your guests so they know what to expect.

As the HOST, here are a couple tips I have for you to ensure a smooth party and cooking experience:

1. Clean and declutter your kitchen. If you’re going to have a good number of people helping out, you want to make sure there’s enough counter space. If you live in small space, you can also utilize your dining table for counter space.
2. Make STATIONS for people to do their task, and have what they need ready and in front of them.
   • For example, if you have someone picking herbs, give them a bowl or plate for their picked herbs. 
   • If you’re assigning someone to wash and cut all the veggies, have them be next to the sink and setup a cutting board with a knife next to it.
   • It’s totally OK to not have this all setup before everyone arrives, but just know the more you prep in advance, the less overwhelmed you’ll feel when you have a few other people in the kitchen with you. Preparing and following the prep list can also really help you enjoy the company even when you’re hosting 🙂 

Sourcing Ingredients

Sourcing several of these ingredients can be a challenge if you’re unfamiliar with Vietnamese food and markets. I would have been very overwhelmed if it wasn’t for my Vietnamese friends who showed me exactly where to go and what to look for. Here are my tips on how to source the ingredients you need:

Vietnamese shop

• If you’ve grabbed a Bahn mi before, you may seen that It’s very common to have Vietnamese markets where there are many prepared foods for sale. You can purchase anything from already wrapped fresh rolls to sticky rice desserts, Cha Lua (Vietnamese ham), and much more. We stopped by a shop to pick up the Cha.

Vietnamese or Asian Grocery Store

• In the Bay Area, we have Lion Market, Duc Loi, 99 Ranch, H Mart, and many others asian stores. Any of these supermarkets should have the unique asian herbs, wrappers, and all the other ingredients you need. I aim to always grocery shop the DAY BEFORE the event, just in case I need to pick up any last minute items the day of.
• Some unique items to look for and make sure to grab are the frozen shredded lemongrass, nem nuong (Vietnamese pork sausage mixture), rice paper wrappers, rice noodles, oyster sauce, and spring roll wrappers. The links can also allow you to shop online in you’re in the delivery radius.

Grocery List – (for 12 -14 people)

Proteins:

• 2 lbs Beef tenderloin 
• (2) 1 lb packages of Nem Nuong (in the frozen section). If you can’t find this, you can also just use ground pork (80 lean /20 fat)
• 1 Cha (Vietnamese ham – buy at the Vietnamese shops that sell Bahn Mi’s)
• 2 lbs Large Shrimp

Produce / Veggies:

• 6 Persian Cucumbers 
• 1 pack (3 hearts) of Romaine lettuce 
• 1 bunch of Chinese Chives
• 1 bunch of Perilla (purple leaf herb) – about 2 cups picked
• 1 bunch of Thai basil – about 2 cups picked
• 8 Shallots 
• 14 ounce pack of chopped lemongrass (you can find this in the frozen section)
• 2 heads of Garlic, about 12 cloves
• 2 limes 

Pantry Items:

• 2 lbs Thin Vermicelli noodles 
• (2) 12 ounce packs of Rice Paper – I use the 22 cm size one
• Fish Sauce
• Oyster Sauce
• Sesame oil
• Honey
• Peanut Butter
• Soy sauce 
• White sugar
• Hoisin Sauce

Frozen goods:

• Spring roll wrappers (in the frozen section)

Refrigerated goods:

• Pickled daikon & carrots – or you can make a homemade version

Recipes

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I also hope to start publishing more posts like this. Let me know in the comments if there’s any specific you’d like to see!