8 Vietnamese Pho and Spring Roll Recipes

There’s a reason Vietnamese cuisine has captured the hearts — and appetites — of food lovers across the globe. The flavors are bold yet balanced, the textures layered and satisfying, and the techniques surprisingly accessible once you understand the fundamentals. Nowhere is that more apparent than in two of Vietnam’s most iconic dishes: pho, the deeply aromatic noodle soup that warms you from the inside out, and spring rolls, those elegant rice paper parcels packed with herbs, protein, and crunch.

What makes these dishes so compelling is that they exist on opposite ends of the effort spectrum. A proper pho broth deserves hours on the stove, bones slowly surrendering their collagen and marrow while spices like star anise and charred ginger work their way into something extraordinary. Spring rolls, on the other hand, reward spontaneity — a quick dip of rice paper, a handful of fresh herbs, and dinner is on the table in under an hour.

The beauty of this collection is range. Whether you’re craving the deep, restorative heat of a classic beef pho, the cool snap of a fresh gỏi cuốn dipped in peanut sauce, or the shatteringly crisp bite of a fried chả giò, there’s something here that will have you reaching for your chopsticks. Some of these recipes are weeknight-friendly; others are weekend projects worth every minute you give them. All eight are worth making.

Grab your rice paper, stock up on fish sauce, and clear some counter space. These are the Vietnamese pho and spring roll recipes you’ll come back to again and again.

1. Classic Vietnamese Beef Pho (Phở Bò)

Phở bò is arguably the most recognized Vietnamese dish in the world, and for good reason. The broth — built from beef bones roasted until deeply colored, scented with charred onion and ginger, and layered with star anise, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom — is something closer to an art form than a recipe. When made properly, it’s at once sweet, savory, slightly sweet from the spices, and possessed of a round, beefy depth that makes you close your eyes on the first sip.

The secret most home cooks miss? Par-boiling the bones first. Before you begin the actual broth, bring your bones to a boil in plain water, drain everything, rinse the bones under cold water, and then start your proper stock. This step purges the blood and impurities that would otherwise cloud your broth and add an off-putting bitterness. Restaurants that skip this step produce murky, vaguely sour pho. Don’t skip it.

Ingredients

For the Broth:

• 3 lbs beef marrow and knuckle bones
• 1 lb beef oxtail
• 1 large yellow onion, halved
• 3-inch knob of fresh ginger, halved lengthwise
• 5 whole star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick (about 3 inches)
• 5 whole cloves
• 3 black cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon rock sugar (or brown sugar)
• Salt to taste
• 3 quarts cold water

For Serving:

• 1 lb dried flat rice noodles (bánh phở), soaked in cold water for 30 minutes
• 1/2 lb beef eye of round or sirloin, sliced paper-thin against the grain (freeze for 30 minutes first to make slicing easier)
• 1 small white onion, sliced paper-thin and soaked in cold water
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• Fresh cilantro

Pho Accompaniment Plate:

• Mung bean sprouts
• Fresh Thai basil
• Sliced jalapeño or Thai bird chili
• Lime wedges
• Hoisin sauce and sriracha for the table

Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 4 to 5 hours
Total Time: Approximately 5 hours 30 minutes
Difficulty: Intermediate — the cooking itself is passive, but the spice-toasting, bone-blanching, and broth-skimming steps require attention and patience.

Instructions

Prepare the Bones:

1. Place the marrow bones, knuckle bones, and oxtail in a large stockpot. Cover with cold water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes — the water will turn gray and murky with impurities. Drain, discard the water, and rinse each bone thoroughly under cold running water. Rinse the pot as well.

Char the Aromatics:

2. Set your oven broiler to high. Place the halved onion and ginger cut-side up on a foil-lined baking sheet and broil for 8 to 10 minutes, until the cut surfaces are deeply charred and fragrant. Alternatively, char them directly over a gas flame using tongs. The charring is not cosmetic — it adds a smoky sweetness and depth that’s fundamental to authentic pho flavor.

Toast the Spices:

3. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom pods, and coriander seeds for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Watch carefully — they should smell toasty and aromatic, not burned. Bundle the spices in cheesecloth and tie securely, or use a metal tea infuser.

Build the Broth:

4. Return the blanched bones to the pot. Add 3 quarts of cold water and bring to a boil over high heat.

5. Once boiling, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Never let pho broth boil aggressively — a hard boil emulsifies the fat into the broth, making it cloudy and greasy. The surface should show only a quiet, lazy bubble.

6. Add the charred onion, charred ginger, the spice bundle, fish sauce, and rock sugar. Simmer uncovered for 4 hours, skimming any foam or fat from the surface every 30 minutes.

7. After 4 hours, taste the broth and adjust with fish sauce for saltiness and rock sugar for sweetness. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean pot. Discard the solids.

Cook the Noodles and Assemble:

8. Cook the soaked rice noodles in a separate pot of boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes, until just tender. Drain and divide among warmed bowls.

9. Lay thin slices of raw beef over the noodles in each bowl. Top with sliced white onion and scallions.

10. Bring the strained broth to a rolling boil. Ladle the boiling broth over the raw beef slices directly in the bowl — the hot broth will cook them instantly to a silky, just-done texture. Serve immediately with the accompaniment plate on the side.

Why This Method Works

The combination of charred aromatics and toasted spices is non-negotiable. Without the charring, the broth tastes flat; without toasted spices, it lacks depth. Many home cooks skip the par-boiling step because it adds time, but the difference in clarity and cleanliness of flavor is dramatic.

Tips for the Best Phở Bò

• If you have access to an Asian market, ask for a mix of marrow bones, knuckle bones, and neck bones — the collagen from the knuckle and neck bones gives the broth body.
• The thin-sliced raw beef should be almost translucent. Your best tool here is a sharp knife and a partially frozen piece of beef.
• Broth freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Make a double batch and freeze in quart containers.

2. Classic Gỏi Cuốn (Fresh Shrimp and Pork Spring Rolls)

Gỏi cuốn translates literally to “salad rolls” — gỏi means salad, and cuốn means to coil or roll. That name tells you everything about the spirit of this dish: bright, fresh, herb-forward, and meant to be eaten without any cooking at the moment of assembly. These are the fresh Vietnamese spring rolls you see wrapped in translucent rice paper at restaurants, where the pink curve of shrimp shows through like a watercolor painting.

The filling is traditionally a combination of boiled shrimp and sliced pork belly, rice vermicelli noodles, crunchy vegetables, and an abundance of fresh mint. The rice paper wrapper — bánh tráng — softens when briefly dipped in warm water, becoming pliable enough to roll without tearing when handled correctly.

Ingredients

For the Spring Rolls:

• 12 large (21/25 count) shell-on shrimp, about 3/4 lb, defrosted if frozen
• 1/2 lb pork belly
• 3 oz thin rice vermicelli noodles
• 1 large carrot, peeled and julienned into thin matchsticks
• 1 Persian cucumber (or half an English cucumber), julienned
• 1/2 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
• 12 pieces butter lettuce, tough stems removed
• 12 large (22cm / 8.5-inch) circular rice paper sheets
• Warm water for rolling

For the Peanut Dipping Sauce:

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup filtered water, added gradually
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup or brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

For Nước Chấm (Traditional Alternative Dipping Sauce):

• 1/3 cup warm water
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 Thai bird chili, thinly sliced
• 1 small garlic clove, minced

Yield: Makes 12 spring rolls
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Difficulty: Beginner to Intermediate — the components are simple, but rolling takes practice after the first few tries.

Instructions

Prepare the Dipping Sauce:

1. Choose your dipping sauce and whisk all the ingredients together. For the peanut sauce, start with 1/4 cup water and add more a tablespoon at a time until it reaches a consistency that coats a spoon but still flows. For the nước chấm, use warm water so the sugar dissolves cleanly. Prepare the sauce first — the flavors deepen and come together as it rests while you prepare everything else.

Cook the Pork Belly:

2. Place the pork belly in a small pot with enough water to cover by 1 inch. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to medium, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the pork is cooked through and the juices run clear when pierced. Remove and let cool completely, then slice as thinly as possible — thin slices make rolling much easier.

Cook the Shrimp:

3. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the shell-on shrimp and cook for exactly 2 minutes. Drain and let cool for 5 minutes, then peel the shells. Lay each shrimp on its side on a cutting board. Pressing gently to hold it flat, slice each shrimp in half horizontally (knife parallel to the board) to create two flat halves. This allows the orange-pink side to face outward through the rice paper, which is part of the visual appeal of gỏi cuốn.

Cook the Noodles:

4. Bring a pot of water to a boil, then turn off the heat. Add the rice vermicelli and let sit in the hot water for 5 to 8 minutes — check the package directions as timing varies by brand. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Use kitchen scissors to cut the noodles into shorter segments (about 4 to 5 inches); this makes them much easier to grab and portion into each roll.

Set Up the Rolling Station:

5. Fill a large bowl or shallow dish with lukewarm water. Arrange all your components — shrimp, pork, noodles, vegetables, mint, and lettuce — in individual bowls within easy reach.

6. Dampen a chopping board by brushing water over its surface with your hand. Alternatively, lay a damp kitchen towel flat on the counter to roll on. Re-wet the surface every two rolls.

Roll the Spring Rolls:

7. Dip one rice paper sheet into the lukewarm water for no more than 3 to 5 seconds — you’re not soaking it, just moistening it. The paper will still feel slightly stiff when you remove it. Don’t worry. It continues to soften as it lies on the board.

8. Lay the rice paper flat on your damp board. Place one piece of butter lettuce toward the bottom third of the paper. Over the lettuce, arrange a small pinch of noodles, a few matchsticks each of carrot, cucumber, and bell pepper, and 3 to 4 mint leaves.

9. Position 3 shrimp halves about 1.5 inches below the top edge of the rice paper with the pink/orange side facing down — this positioning means the shrimp will only be covered by a single layer of rice paper once rolled, making them vividly visible in the finished roll.

10. Grip the bottom edge of the rice paper and roll it up and over the filling, pulling snugly toward you as you go. When you reach the shrimp, fold the left side in, then the right side in to seal the ends like an envelope. Finish rolling all the way to the top edge. The rice paper will seal itself.

11. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve immediately with both dipping sauces on the side.

The Most Important Rolling Tip

The single biggest mistake beginners make is over-soaking the rice paper. A soggy sheet tears the moment you try to roll it. A brief 3-to-5-second dip is all it takes — the paper keeps absorbing moisture as it sits on the board, so by the time you’ve arranged your filling, it’s perfectly pliable.

3. Crispy Chả Giò (Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls)

If gỏi cuốn is cool and refreshing, chả giò is its bold, golden opposite. These fried spring rolls — called nem rán in Hanoi and chả giò in Saigon — are wrapped in rice paper and fried until the exterior becomes almost lacework-thin, shatteringly crisp, and impossible to stop eating. The filling is a savory, tightly-packed mixture of ground pork, shrimp, glass noodles, and vegetables that stays moist inside while the wrapper turns audibly crunchy.

The trick to getting that signature lacework texture is the rice paper wrapper itself. Unlike wheat-based wrappers, rice paper fries to a texture that’s lighter, crisper, and more delicate. One technique that professional cooks use is brushing the rolled spring rolls with a thin sugar-water solution before frying — this encourages even golden browning without adding any detectable sweetness.

Ingredients

For the Filling:

• 2 oz cellophane noodles (bean threads), soaked in hot water for 30 minutes, drained, and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 lb ground pork
• 1/2 lb medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and finely chopped (not pureed — keep some texture)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
• 8 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped (white and green parts)
• 1 small onion, finely minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

For Assembly and Frying:

• 20 to 25 (6 or 8-inch) rice paper rounds
• 1/4 cup water mixed with 2 tablespoons sugar (the sugar-water glaze)
• Peanut or vegetable oil for frying (about 1.5 inches deep in a heavy pan)

For the Nước Mắm Dipping Sauce:

• 1/4 cup warm water
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 Thai bird chili, thinly sliced
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot

For Serving:

• Large green leaf lettuce leaves
• Fresh mint, cilantro, and Thai basil
• Julienned cucumber

Yield: Makes 20 to 25 fried spring rolls
Prep Time: 1 hour (includes soaking the noodles)
Cook Time: 30 to 40 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour 30 minutes
Difficulty: Intermediate — the rolling requires practice, and oil temperature management during frying is key.

Instructions

Make the Dipping Sauce:

1. In a small saucepan, combine the water and sugar and heat over medium until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove from heat and cool. Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, chili, and garlic. Add the shredded carrot. Taste and adjust — the sauce should be a balance of salty, sweet, sour, and lightly spicy. Set aside.

Make the Filling:

2. In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, chopped shrimp, carrots, scallions, onion, garlic, drained cellophane noodles, salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly — your hands are the best tool here. You want the filling completely uniform so every bite of the finished roll has the same flavor. Don’t puree the shrimp — a slightly chunky texture adds character.

3. Let the filling rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This rest time allows the ingredients to bind and the flavors to develop.

Make the Sugar-Water Glaze:

4. Heat the 1/4 cup water and 2 tablespoons sugar together until the sugar dissolves. Let cool completely before using.

Roll the Spring Rolls:

5. Fill a shallow pie dish or wide skillet with warm water. Dip one rice paper sheet for exactly 5 seconds — no more. Remove and lay flat on a clean work surface. It will continue softening.

6. Scoop 1 heaping tablespoon of filling onto the bottom third of the circle, keeping the filling compact and centered.

7. Lift the bottom edge over the filling, pulling it tight. Fold in the left side, then the right side (like folding a letter). Roll the cylinder forward firmly, applying gentle pressure to keep it tight, until you reach the end. Seam side down — the rice paper seals itself on contact.

8. Brush the outside of each rolled spring roll with the cooled sugar-water glaze on all sides. Allow the rolls to dry for 10 minutes before frying. Don’t stack the rolls — they will stick together.

Fry the Spring Rolls:

9. Pour oil to a depth of 1.5 inches into a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or wok. Heat to 350°F (175°C). Test with one roll — the oil should bubble gently around the edges when the roll is added, not violently.

10. Fry the rolls in uncrowded batches, turning gently every 2 minutes, for a total of 6 to 8 minutes until deep golden on all sides. Don’t rush the heat — rice paper needs time to develop that golden, crunchy exterior. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

11. Serve immediately. To eat the traditional way: place a hot spring roll inside a lettuce leaf with fresh herbs, fold the lettuce around it, and dip the whole thing into the nước mắm.

Troubleshooting Fried Spring Rolls

If the wrapper is bubbling aggressively, your oil is too hot or the rolls are still wet. Let them dry longer after glazing before frying. If the rolls won’t brown, you either skipped the sugar-water glaze or the oil isn’t hot enough. If the wrapper tears during rolling, you over-soaked the rice paper — 5 seconds is genuinely all it needs.

4. Vietnamese Chicken Pho (Phở Gà)

Phở bò gets all the glory, but phở gà — chicken pho — is a dish in its own right, not simply the lighter cousin of beef. The broth is cleaner, brighter, and more delicate. Where beef pho is about depth and weight, chicken pho is about clarity and freshness. It also comes together in a fraction of the time: a proper phở gà broth can be ready in about 90 minutes, making it a realistic choice on a weeknight.

The key is using a whole chicken, not just breasts or thighs. The carcass, wings, and connective tissue give the broth its body and the subtle gelatin that makes it feel silky rather than watery. The aromatic base stays the same — charred ginger, charred onion, toasted spices — but the spice quantities are dialed back slightly so they complement rather than overpower the more delicate chicken flavor.

Ingredients

For the Broth:

• 1 whole chicken (3 to 4 lbs)
• 1 large yellow onion, halved
• 3-inch knob of fresh ginger, halved lengthwise
• 3 whole star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, lightly toasted
• 2 teaspoons fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon rock sugar or brown sugar
• Salt to taste
• 3 quarts cold water

For Serving:

• 1 lb dried flat rice noodles, soaked and cooked
• The poached chicken from the broth, shredded or thinly sliced
• Thinly sliced white onion, soaked in cold water for 15 minutes
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• Fresh cilantro

Accompaniment Plate:

• Bean sprouts
• Fresh Thai basil
• Lime wedges
• Sliced jalapeño
• Hoisin sauce and sriracha

Yield: Serves 4 to 6
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Difficulty: Beginner — more forgiving than beef pho, with a shorter cook time and fewer steps.

Instructions

Char the Aromatics:

1. Broil or flame-char the halved onion and ginger cut-side up until deeply blackened in spots, about 8 to 10 minutes under a broiler. Rinse briefly under cold water and set aside.

Toast the Spices:

2. Toast the star anise, cinnamon, cloves, and coriander seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant. Bundle in cheesecloth.

Poach the Chicken and Build the Broth:

3. Place the whole chicken in a large pot and cover with 3 quarts of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Skim off any gray foam that rises to the surface during the first 10 minutes of boiling — this is important for a clean, clear broth.

4. Add the charred onion, charred ginger, spice bundle, fish sauce, and rock sugar. Reduce to a steady but gentle simmer — not a boil.

5. Simmer for 45 minutes. At 45 minutes, use tongs to remove the chicken and transfer it to a bowl to cool. The meat should be just cooked through.

6. Continue simmering the broth with the aromatics for another 30 minutes while you handle the chicken. Pull all the meat from the carcass and shred or slice it. Return the carcass to the pot if you want more body from the bones. Otherwise, strain the broth.

7. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer. Taste and season with fish sauce and salt.

Assemble the Bowls:

8. Cook the soaked noodles in a separate pot of boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes. Divide among bowls.

9. Top each bowl with shredded chicken, sliced white onion, and scallions. Ladle the hot broth over everything and serve immediately with the accompaniment plate.

What Makes Phở Gà Special

Don’t shred the chicken while it’s hot — it tears into stringy, dry pieces. Let it cool to the point where you can handle it, then use your fingers to pull it apart gently along the natural grain of the muscle fibers. The result is silky, tender shreds rather than dry, matted strings.

5. Pho-Inspired Deconstructed Spring Rolls (Phở Cuốn)

Phở cuốn is a Hanoi specialty that takes the flavors of pho — the beef, the herbs, the brightness — and wraps them inside fresh rice noodle sheets rather than serving them as a soup. Think of it as pho in a completely different format: no bowl, no broth, just the essence of the flavors bundled up in a compact, hand-held roll.

Traditional phở cuốn uses fresh rice noodle sheets (the same wide, flat noodles cut into strips for noodle soup), which you can find at most Asian supermarkets in the refrigerated section. If you can’t source them, large rice paper sheets soaked until pliable work as a substitute, though the texture is slightly different.

Ingredients

For the Rolls:

• 400g (about 14 oz) fresh flat rice noodle sheets
• 200g (about 7 oz) beef fillet or sirloin, sliced paper-thin into bite-sized pieces
• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 1 small head butter lettuce, leaves separated
• 1 cup mixed fresh herbs (mint, cilantro, Thai basil)
• 1 carrot, julienned into thin matchsticks
• 1 cucumber, seeds removed, cut into thin strips
• 3 tablespoons fried shallots (store-bought or homemade)

For Nước Chấm (Dipping Sauce):

• 1/3 cup warm water
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 Thai bird chili, sliced
• 1 small garlic clove, minced

Yield: Makes approximately 20 rolls, serves 4 to 6
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Difficulty: Beginner — this is one of the most approachable spring roll recipes in this collection.

Instructions

Make the Dipping Sauce:

1. Combine all nước chấm ingredients in a small bowl, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves. Taste and adjust — it should be balanced between sweet, sour, salty, and lightly spicy. Set aside.

Prepare All the Fillings:

2. Wash and dry all the lettuce and herbs. Julienne the carrot and cucumber. Arrange everything in separate bowls at your work station so assembly is smooth and organized.

Cook the Beef:

3. Heat a wok or heavy skillet over high heat until smoking. Add the neutral oil and immediately add the sliced beef and minced garlic. Stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes, moving constantly, until the beef is just cooked through with some caramelization at the edges. Don’t overcook — overcooked beef in a spring roll becomes dry and chewy. Remove from heat and set aside.

Assemble the Rolls:

4. Lay one fresh rice noodle sheet flat on a clean board. Along one edge, place a lettuce leaf. Layer on top a few herb leaves (mix the mint, cilantro, and basil together), 2 to 3 pieces of sautéed beef, and 5 thin strips each of carrot and cucumber.

5. Holding the filling in place with your fingers, roll the noodle sheet into a firm, fat cigar shape. Because fresh noodle sheets are already pliable, there’s no need to fold in the ends — they seal naturally. Set the finished roll seam-side down on a serving plate.

6. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Sprinkle fried shallots generously over all the rolls on the serving plate. Serve with nước chấm on the side.

Serving Suggestion

These rolls are best eaten within 30 minutes of assembly. Because fresh rice noodle sheets are already hydrated, they don’t dry out as quickly as dried rice paper, making phở cuốn slightly more forgiving for entertaining. Serve them at room temperature as part of a larger Vietnamese spread.

6. Vegetarian Pho with Mushroom and Charred Ginger Broth

A great vegetarian pho doesn’t try to mimic beef pho and come up short — it leans into its own strengths. Dried shiitake mushrooms, combined with charred ginger and onion and the same warming spice blend, produce a broth with remarkable depth: earthy, slightly sweet, and fragrant in all the right ways. The umami from the mushrooms does much of the heavy lifting that bones do in the traditional version.

The one mistake many vegetarian pho recipes make is under-salting and under-seasoning, hoping the spices will carry the broth. They won’t without proper seasoning. Soy sauce and a touch of tamari add salt and color; mushroom powder amplifies the savory quality without tasting artificial.

Ingredients

For the Broth:

• 1 oz (about 1 cup) dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1 oz (about 1/2 cup) dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 large yellow onion, halved
• 3-inch knob fresh ginger, halved
• 5 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon tamari
• 1 tablespoon rock sugar or brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon mushroom powder (optional but recommended)
• Salt to taste
• 3 quarts cold water

For Serving:

• 1 lb flat rice noodles, soaked and cooked
• 4 oz firm tofu, sliced and pan-fried until golden
• 4 oz shiitake mushroom caps, sliced and sautéed in a little oil and garlic
• Thinly sliced white onion
• Scallions and cilantro

Accompaniment Plate:

• Bean sprouts
• Thai basil
• Fresh lime wedges
• Sliced jalapeño

Yield: Serves 4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes (plus 30 minutes soaking time for mushrooms)
Difficulty: Beginner — straightforward technique with excellent results.

Instructions

1. Soak the dried shiitake and porcini mushrooms in 2 cups of warm water for 30 minutes. Drain and reserve the soaking liquid — this liquid is liquid gold and goes directly into the broth. Squeeze the mushrooms gently to remove excess water.

2. Broil or flame-char the onion and ginger as described in the beef pho recipe above.

3. Toast the spices in a dry skillet until fragrant, then bundle in cheesecloth.

4. Combine the soaked mushrooms, their soaking liquid (poured carefully, leaving any grit behind), and 3 quarts cold water in a large pot. Bring to a boil.

5. Add the charred onion, charred ginger, spice bundle, soy sauce, tamari, rock sugar, and mushroom powder. Reduce to a gentle simmer.

6. Simmer uncovered for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing on the solids to extract all the flavor. Season with salt.

7. To assemble: divide cooked noodles among bowls, top with pan-fried tofu and sautéed mushrooms, add sliced onion and scallions, then ladle over the boiling hot broth. Serve with the accompaniment plate.

Building Depth Without Bones

The secret weapon here is the combined mushroom soaking liquid. Pour it into the pot in a slow, steady stream and stop before the last tablespoon — dried mushrooms sometimes leave a tiny bit of grit at the bottom of the soaking water that you don’t want in your broth.

7. Vietnamese Tofu and Herb Fresh Spring Rolls

These rolls prove that you don’t need shrimp or pork to make gỏi cuốn worth eating. Crispy pan-fried tofu takes on a satisfying chew inside the rice paper wrapper, and a combination of avocado, shredded purple cabbage, and cucumber adds color, crunch, and substance. The peanut sauce — which is genuinely the best pairing for vegetarian rolls — pulls everything together with richness.

The key to tofu that actually tastes like something in a spring roll is pressing it thoroughly before cooking and then searing it in a hot pan until each side develops a golden, slightly chewy crust. Soft, wet tofu inside a delicate rice paper wrapper is one of the less exciting eating experiences. Crispy tofu is a completely different story.

Ingredients

For the Spring Rolls:

• 14 oz extra-firm tofu, pressed for at least 30 minutes and cut into 1/2-inch wide rectangles
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sriracha (optional)
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil for pan-frying
• 3 oz thin rice vermicelli noodles, cooked and rinsed
• 1 ripe avocado, pitted and sliced
• 1/2 cup shredded purple cabbage
• 1 large carrot, julienned
• 1 cucumber, julienned
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• 12 large rice paper sheets

For the Peanut Sauce:

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup water, added gradually
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (optional)
• 1 garlic clove, grated (optional)

Yield: Makes 12 spring rolls
Prep Time: 40 minutes (including pressing tofu)
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Difficulty: Beginner — the tofu prep requires some forethought, but the assembly is simple.

Instructions

Press and Marinate the Tofu:

1. Drain the tofu and wrap it in a clean kitchen towel. Place a heavy skillet or a few books on top and let it press for at least 30 minutes to remove excess moisture.

2. Cut the pressed tofu into 1/2-inch wide rectangular sticks. In a shallow dish, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and sriracha if using. Add the tofu sticks and marinate for 10 minutes, turning once.

Cook the Tofu:

3. Heat the neutral oil in a non-stick skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the tofu sticks in a single layer without crowding. Sear for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy on all surfaces. Remove and let cool slightly.

Make the Peanut Sauce:

4. Whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and sesame oil. Add water a tablespoon at a time, whisking until smooth and pourable. Add grated ginger and garlic if using. Taste and adjust — it should be savory, slightly sweet, and tangy.

Assemble the Rolls:

5. Set up your rolling station with all components in bowls. Wet a sheet of rice paper in lukewarm water for 4 to 5 seconds, then lay it on a damp board.

6. In the lower third of the rice paper, layer a small amount of noodles, a piece of tofu, a few slices of avocado, a pinch of purple cabbage, carrot, cucumber, and a few leaves each of mint and cilantro.

7. Roll tightly from the bottom, folding in the sides when you reach halfway, then rolling to seal. Serve with peanut sauce for dipping.

Storage Note

Unlike shrimp spring rolls, these hold up reasonably well in the refrigerator for a few hours if kept covered with a slightly damp paper towel. The avocado may discolor slightly, which you can minimize by using a drizzle of lime juice directly on the avocado slices before rolling.

8. Pho-Spiced Pork Spring Rolls with Hoisin Chili Sauce

This recipe is a genuinely creative bridge between the two dishes in this collection. The pork filling is seasoned with star anise, cinnamon, ginger, and fish sauce — the same flavor profile that defines a great pho broth — then wrapped in fresh rice paper alongside bean sprouts, cilantro, and sliced chili. The result is a spring roll that tastes like someone condensed pho into a hand-held form, with the sauce rolled right inside so there’s no double-dipping required.

The inspiration comes from the idea of deconstructing pho into something more portable. Pho’s aromatics work beautifully as a dry marinade for thinly sliced pork, and with the fresh herbs and bean sprouts that typically accompany a bowl of soup, every component is accounted for in a new format.

Ingredients

For the Pho-Spiced Pork:

• 1/2 lb thinly sliced pork loin or tenderloin, cut into bite-sized pieces (or use shaved deli porchetta for a shortcut)
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground star anise (or 1 whole star anise, toasted and ground)
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil for cooking

For the Spring Rolls:

• 12 large rice paper sheets
• 1 1/2 cups mung bean sprouts, rinsed
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, stems removed and roughly chopped
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 to 2 serrano or jalapeño peppers, thinly sliced
• 2 limes, cut into wedges

For the Hoisin Chili Sauce (Rolled Inside):

• 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce
• 1 teaspoon lime juice

Yield: Makes 10 to 12 spring rolls
Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 20 minutes marinating)
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Difficulty: Beginner — no special techniques required.

Instructions

Marinate and Cook the Pork:

1. Combine the fish sauce, soy sauce, five-spice powder, ground star anise, ginger, garlic, and brown sugar in a bowl. Add the pork pieces and toss to coat evenly. Marinate for at least 20 minutes at room temperature.

2. Heat the neutral oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the marinated pork and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until cooked through and lightly caramelized at the edges. The marinade will reduce and cling to the pork. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Make the Sauce:

3. Whisk together the hoisin sauce, sweet chili sauce, and lime juice until smooth. This sauce is rich and concentrated — you only need a spoonful per roll.

Roll the Spring Rolls:

4. Fill a medium skillet or shallow bowl with warm water. Submerge one rice paper sheet for 8 to 10 seconds, until just pliable but still slightly firm. Lay it flat on your work surface.

5. Spread 1 teaspoon of the hoisin-chili sauce across the bottom third of the rice paper, leaving 1.5 inches clear on each side for folding.

6. Layer over the sauce: a small handful of pork, a pinch of bean sprouts, a generous amount of cilantro, a few scallion slices, and 3 to 4 slices of chili pepper. Squeeze fresh lime juice directly over the filling.

7. By now the rice paper should be fully pliable. Fold the bottom edge up and over the filling, pulling it back toward you to snug everything tight. Fold in the left and right sides, then roll forward to seal completely.

8. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Store finished rolls seam-side down on a plate lined with parchment paper. These can be refrigerated for up to 2 days — the sauce inside keeps the filling moist.

The Advantage of Sauce Inside the Roll

Rolling the sauce inside rather than serving it separately is one of those small changes that makes a big practical difference, especially if you’re making these for meal prep or a packed lunch. Each bite has built-in flavor without needing a dipping bowl. If you want additional sauce for dipping when serving fresh, simply double the sauce recipe and serve the rest on the side.

Final Thoughts

Vietnamese cooking rewards patience and technique, but it also rewards curiosity. The eight recipes here cover the full range of what’s possible with pho and spring rolls — from a slow-cooked beef broth that fills your kitchen with the fragrance of toasted spices, to a 30-minute assembly of fresh herbs and rice paper that requires no cooking at all.

A few things are worth carrying from every recipe here: always taste your broth before serving and adjust with fish sauce and sweetness until it’s balanced; never over-soak your rice paper, which is the most common mistake beginners make; and don’t be afraid to adapt the fillings to what you have on hand — gỏi cuốn and its variations are some of the most forgiving recipes to personalize.

The dipping sauces matter more than most people expect. A sharp, well-balanced nước chấm or a properly thinned peanut sauce doesn’t just accompany the food — it completes it. Give the sauces time to rest before serving, and taste them again right before the meal, adjusting lime juice, sugar, or fish sauce as needed.

Start with the recipe that excites you most, then work through the rest. Once you’ve made a batch of hand-rolled gỏi cuốn with a good peanut sauce, you’ll understand why this cuisine inspires such loyalty — and why you’ll find yourself making these dishes on repeat.