Name: Chả Giò (Southern Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls)
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 115 min
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 300 g ground pork, not extra-lean; 200 g raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and finely chopped; 250 g taro, peeled and coarsely grated; squeeze out excess liquid; 100 g carrot, peeled and coarsely grated; 80 g yellow onion, finely minced; 25 g dried mung-bean glass noodles, soaked until pliable, drained and cut short; 8 g dried wood-ear mushrooms, rehydrated, drained and finely chopped; 1 large egg, beaten, to bind the filling; 20 ml fish sauce; 10 g shallot, finely minced; 5 g granulated sugar; 3 g fine salt; 2 g ground black pepper; 24 round dried rice-paper wrappers, about 22 cm; choose wrappers suitable for frying and check the label; 500 ml water for dampening wrappers; not all will be used; 1.2 L neutral high-heat frying oil, measured for frying; about 120 g is assumed to be absorbed for the nutrition estimate; 45 ml fish sauce; 90 ml water; 45 ml fresh lime juice; 40 g granulated sugar; 8 g garlic, finely minced; 3 g red chilli, thinly sliced (optional); 200 g lettuce leaves, washed and dried; 20 g fresh mint, washed and dried; 20 g fresh cilantro, washed and dried; 150 g cucumber, sliced

A platter of crisp Vietnamese fried rolls with lettuce, mint, cucumber and nước chấm — Chả giò with fresh herbs and dipping sauce for a shared meal.

Yield 4 servings (24 rolls)

Cook 40 minutes

Passive 30 minutes

Total 1 hour 55 minutes

Calories About 940 kcal per serving

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Chả Giò (Southern Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls)

Chả giò are southern Vietnamese fried rolls wrapped in rice paper and cooked until crisp. This version fills 24 rolls with pork, shrimp, taro, carrot, onion, glass noodles and wood-ear mushroom. A little egg binds the filling; nước chấm, lettuce, herbs and cucumber bring freshness alongside the hot rolls. Fillings and wrapper styles vary across Vietnam, so treat this as one southern-style home version rather than a universal formula.

The name chả giò is used in southern Vietnam; related fried rolls go by other names in other regions. Rice-paper wrappers fry into a delicate, blistered shell, distinct from fresh rolls and from some wheat-wrapped styles. The filling here combines pork and shrimp with grated taro, vegetables, glass noodles and wood-ear mushroom. Taro gives the centre a soft, lightly starchy texture, while the noodles and mushroom add contrast.

Fry a small test roll first so you can check the seasoning and confirm the filling cooks through. Work in small batches to keep the oil temperature steady, and drain the rolls on a rack rather than stacking them; airflow helps the wrappers stay crisp. Serve soon after frying, with nước chấm and fresh greens.

Ingredients

Filling and wrappers

300 g ground pork, not extra-lean
200 g raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and finely chopped
250 g taro, peeled and coarsely grated; squeeze out excess liquid
100 g carrot, peeled and coarsely grated
80 g yellow onion, finely minced
25 g dried mung-bean glass noodles, soaked until pliable, drained and cut short
8 g dried wood-ear mushrooms, rehydrated, drained and finely chopped
1 large egg, beaten, to bind the filling
20 ml fish sauce
10 g shallot, finely minced
5 g granulated sugar
3 g fine salt
2 g ground black pepper
24 round dried rice-paper wrappers, about 22 cm; choose wrappers suitable for frying and check the label
500 ml water for dampening wrappers; not all will be used

For frying

1.2 L neutral high-heat frying oil, measured for frying; about 120 g is assumed to be absorbed for the nutrition estimate

Nước chấm

45 ml fish sauce
90 ml water
45 ml fresh lime juice
40 g granulated sugar
8 g garlic, finely minced
3 g red chilli, thinly sliced (optional)

Fresh accompaniments

200 g lettuce leaves, washed and dried
20 g fresh mint, washed and dried
20 g fresh cilantro, washed and dried
150 g cucumber, sliced

Method

Soak and drain. Cover the glass noodles and wood-ear mushrooms with warm water until pliable, following package directions. Drain very well; cut the noodles short and finely chop the mushrooms. Squeeze excess moisture from the grated taro and carrot.
Mix and chill the filling. In a large bowl, combine pork, shrimp, taro, carrot, onion, noodles, mushrooms, beaten egg, 20 ml fish sauce, shallot, sugar, salt and pepper. Mix just until evenly combined. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
Make the dip and prepare the greens. Stir together 45 ml fish sauce, 90 ml water, lime juice and 40 g sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add garlic and optional chilli. Wash and dry the lettuce, mint and cilantro; slice the cucumber and arrange the accompaniments on a platter.
Roll the chả giò. Set out a clean damp towel or shallow dish of water. Soften one rice-paper sheet briefly, just until flexible. Place about 45–50 g filling near one edge. Fold the sides over the filling and roll snugly, without trapping air or tearing the wrapper. Repeat with the remaining sheets and filling, keeping finished rolls covered so they do not dry.
Heat the oil and fry in batches. Pour the measured oil into a heavy high-sided pot, filling it no more than halfway. Heat to 165–170°C, checking with a frying thermometer. Carefully add 4–5 rolls at a time; fry for about 7–9 minutes per batch, turning gently, until evenly golden and crisp. Keep the oil in the target range and do not crowd the pot.
Check doneness and drain. Test a roll from the first batch with a clean instant-read thermometer inserted into the centre of the filling; the ground pork must reach 71°C. If needed, return the rolls to the oil and continue cooking. Lift them out with a spider and drain on a wire rack. Let the oil return to temperature before frying the next batch.
Serve and store. Serve the rolls hot with nước chấm, lettuce, mint, cilantro and cucumber. Refrigerate cooked rolls within 2 hours at or below 4°C; keep fresh herbs separate. Reheat leftovers to 74°C until hot throughout.

Practical

Practical guidance

Keep the filling chilled while you work and soften wrappers one at a time; a wrapper that sits in water too long can tear. Roll each one snugly but do not compress the filling. Fry a few at once so the oil stays hot enough to crisp the wrapper without darkening it too quickly. The first batch is your best chance to adjust the seasoning before rolling the rest.

Troubleshooting

Wrappers split in the oil: they may have been soaked too long or rolled too tightly. Moisten only until flexible, keep the filling centred and leave a little room at the ends. The rolls brown before the pork is cooked through: check oil temperature and lower the heat slightly; cook in smaller batches and verify the filling reaches 71°C. The wrappers soften after frying: let the rolls drain in a single layer on a wire rack, not on paper or stacked on a plate; serve soon after frying.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: 6 rolls, one-quarter of the dip and fresh accompaniments

Nutrition per serving

Serving size6 rolls, one-quarter of the dip and fresh accompaniments
Calories940 kcal
Carbohydrate96 g
Protein30 g
Fat48 g
Fibre5 g
Sodium1,600 mg

Allergens and food safety

Contains shrimp (crustaceans), egg and fish (fish sauce). Wrapper ingredients vary; some products or alternatives contain wheat, so check the package and cross-contact statement. Keep raw pork, shrimp and egg separate from the herbs and cooked rolls. Fry in a heavy high-sided pot filled no more than halfway; add rolls gently, keep water away from hot oil, and never leave the pot unattended. If the oil smokes, turn off the heat and let it cool. Cook the filling to 71°C at the centre of a test roll; crispness and colour are not substitutes for a thermometer check. Refrigerate cooked rolls within 2 hours at or below 4°C and reheat leftovers to 74°C.

To finish

Serve the rolls freshly fried so their rice-paper wrappers stay crisp.
Wrap a bite in lettuce with mint, cilantro and cucumber, then dip in nước chấm.

Chả Giò (Southern Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls)

Ingredients

Filling and wrappers

For frying

Nước chấm

Fresh accompaniments

Method

Practical

Practical guidance

Troubleshooting

Nutrition per serving

Nutrition per serving

Allergens and food safety

To finish

Vietnamese National Dishes

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Cao lầu (Hội An Chewy Noodles with Braised Pork)

Bánh cuốn (Hanoi Steamed Rice Rolls with Pork and Wood-Ear Mushrooms)