These are the easiest spring rolls you will ever make! No filling to prepare and cool before assembling, these Easy Shrimp Spring Rolls are inspired by one of my must-get Chinese dim sums but simplified. Whole shrimp are seasoned simply with salt, white pepper and sesame oil, then rolled in spring roll wrapper and deep fried. Their taste and their simplicity are equally appealing. Golden and crunchy exterior with a succulent bite of shrimp inside, you won't be able to stop at one or two or three. They beg only to be dipped in your favourite sauce. See some of my dipping sauce suggestions in the recipe notes below.

These Easy Shrimp Spring Rolls are great as a party or holiday appetizer, for game day or lunar new year (they resemble bars of gold) or enjoyed any time the craving strikes. We love to eat them alongside simple congee to make a nice lunch out of it, too.

Eat well + be well,

Sonia X

Cut two slits on the underside to make shrimp lie straight:

“Spring roll wrappers” are for Chinese-style spring rolls and are made of wheat flour. Not to be confused with Vietnamese spring roll wrappers made of rice (“rice papers”). Spring roll wrappers are typically sold frozen, in three sizes. I like using the largest 8.5” x 8.5” size for this recipe, cut into quarters.

The largest size spring roll wrappers cut into quarters make the perfect size for these Easy Shrimp Spring Rolls:

How to roll: (1) Fold right corner in. (2) Lay shrimp a third of the way from the bottom, tail shell lined up with the folded straight edge. (3) Roll bottom corner of wrapper up and around shrimp once. (4) Fold left corner in, creating a nice clean straight edge. (5) Roll up once. (6) Dab top corner with a bit of water. (7) Roll up and seal.

Serve with your favourite dipping sauce or a selection of sauces for parties!

Recipe Notes and faqs - Easy Shrimp Spring Rolls:

1. what are Spring Roll Wrappers?

This recipe uses Chinese-style spring roll wrappers made of wheat flour (see image in blog post). They are typically sold in three sizes in the freezer section of Chinese grocery stores and larger conventional grocery chains with good international items. The size I use for this recipe is the largest 8.5” x 8.5” squares, cut into quarters. Smaller spring roll wrappers are fine too -- simply cut them to the appropriate size to match your shrimp size. Spring roll wrappers specifically have the words "spring roll” or “spring roll pastry” on the package, different from those used for egg rolls which are labelled “egg roll wrappers” on the package. However, if you can only find egg roll wrappers, they are similar enough and also made of wheat. The main difference is they bubble up on the surface when fried whereas spring roll wrappers remain smooth after frying. Finally, note that Vietnamese spring roll wrappers (commonly called "rice papers") are yet another kind of wrapper that may cause confusion. They are made of rice, not wheat.

2. DIPPING SAUCES:

In my family, we love Worcestershire sauce for dipping our Shanghai Spring Rolls and these EASY SHRIMP SPRING ROLLS. At dim sum, shrimp spring rolls are often served with a neon-red sweet tangy sauce which is at once super suspicious and so delicious. You can use similar dipper such as sweet and sour, Thai sweet chili, plum sauce or anything with a little sweet and tang. Sriracha or chili oil are also excellent! As is a little mayonnaise with togarashi. So many options!

3. can I make these in advance and reheat?

Freshly fried is always the best but luckily I’ve found these shrimp spring rolls reheat pretty well. Lay them on a baking sheet, preferable with a wire rack so spring roll bottoms stay crispy. Place in a preheated 350f oven for 12-15 minutes, or when center is heated through.

4. Can these be frozen and cooked later?

Yes! These crispy fried shrimp nests can be assembled and frozen uncooked. To freeze, lay them not touching on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours until frozen solid. Transfer into ziptop bag or freezer-safe container. To cook, follow the same instructions for deep frying from frozen.

5. CAN I AIR FRY THESE?

A number of people asked whether these EASY SHRIMP SPRING ROLLS can be air fried. Although I haven’t yet tried, I have been presented with reader evidence that they indeed can! I suggest spraying a bit of oil all over before air frying at 390f or so until golden, flipping once partway through. Let me know if you air fry these!

6. CAN I USE Vietnamese RICE PAPER WRAPPERS FOR GLUTEN-FREE?

I haven’t made these with Vietnamese rice papers but I don’t see why not. Obviously, they will have a different texture and appearance since rice paper wrappers are made of rice, and spring roll wrappers are made of wheat. But if you are gluten-free or can only find Vietnamese-style rice papers, you should be able to substitute them in this recipe. Depending on the size of your rice papers and size of your shrimp, you will most likely also need to cut them down like I do with the spring roll wrappers. Shallow fry the same way as directed in the recipe.

7. SEASONINGS AND ADD-INs:

This recipe is intentionally kept very simple. The shrimp are seasoned simply with salt, white pepper powder and sesame oil. Since the IG reel for this recipe gained a lot of views on Instagram, people have suggested add-ons like scallions, cream cheese, more spices, etc. I’m mentioning this here in case this sparks your interest and you wish to experiment. Just make sure you don’t put anything too wet inside, as moisture will cause your spring rolls to be soggy or sputter when placed in hot oil. But I will say again that much of the appeal of this recipe is in its all-around simplicity.

8. CAN I REMOVE THE SHRIMP TAIL ON MY SHRIMP SPRING ROLLS?

I keep the tail shell on the shrimp for this recipe because it provides a nice ‘handle’ to hold the spring rolls and have a nice presentation. Viewers have asked if they can remove the shell of the tail and my answer is of course, yes!

You May Also Be Interested in these other pescatarian recipes:

》SHANGHAI SPRING ROLLS

》TUNA + KIMCHI ONIGIRAZU

》TARTINES WITH MACKEREL + REFRIED BUTTER BEANS

EASY SHRIMP SPRING ROLLS

Yield: 21-25

Easy Shrimp Spring Rolls

Golden and crunchy with a succulent bite of shrimp inside. These are the easiest spring rolls you will ever make! There is no filling to prepare and cool before assembly. Whole shrimp are seasoned simply with salt, white pepper and sesame oil, then rolled in spring roll wrapper and deep fried. So simple, so good!

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinInactive time: 15 MinTotal time: 45 Min

Cook modePrevent screen from turning off

Ingredients

Easy Shrimp Spring Rolls

1 lb jumbo shrimp, defrosted (size 21/25 count)
½ tsp baking soda (optional see step 2)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
½ tsp kosher salt (1 tsp if using Diamond Crystal brand)
Pinch white pepper powder
5-7 sheets large spring roll wrappers (8.5” x 8.5” square) – see note 1
2 C avocado oil or other high heat neutral oil for shallow frying
Dipping sauce ideas:
Worcestershire sauce, sweet and sour sauce, plum sauce, Thai sweet chili sauce, chili oil, sriracha, kewpie mayo, etc.

Instructions

Peel and devein shrimp, leaving the shell on the tails so they can be used as a "handle" for eating. Place in a bowl.
Optional step: add ½ tsp baking soda, toss well and refrigerate 15 minutes. This step make shrimp juicier and bouncier when cooked. Chinese chefs and home cooks swear by this technique so I’m including it here for you to consider. After the 15 minutes, rinse well, pat dry.
Using a small paring knife, cut 2 small diagonal slits on the shrimp underside so they lie straight. Toss with sesame oil, salt and white pepper. Marinade 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut spring roll wrappers into quarters. Cover with dry kitchen towel to prevent edges drying out.
To roll (see step-by-step image on blog post), place a cut spring roll wrapper oriented like a diamond with the four corners pointing at north-east-south-west. Fold the right corner partway in. Place a shrimp horizontally, about 1/3 up from the bottom of the wrapper, tail hanging off the folded straight edge. Roll wrapper up and around the shrimp once. Fold left corner smugly against the left side of the shrimp. Roll once more. Dab a little water on the remaining (top) corner and fold down to seal. Place shrimp spring roll sealed-side down on a tray. Repeat with remaining shrimp.
To shallow-fry, place enough oil in your cooking vessel (wok or skillet) to about ¾” deep. Heat until oil shimmers. If you have a thermometer, oil should be heated to and maintained at about 350f throughout. Gently slide spring rolls into hot oil, in batches of 4 or 5 such as not to overcrowd, and fry about 2-3 minutes per side or until golden brown. Adjust heat as needed to maintain a constant oil temperature. Drain on paper towel. Enjoy with your favourite dipping sauce!

Notes

What are "Spring Roll Wrappers"? This recipe uses Chinese-style spring roll wrappers made of wheat flour (see image in blog post). They are typically sold in three sizes in the freezer section of Chinese grocery stores and larger conventional grocery chains with good international items. The size I use for this recipe is the largest 8.5” x 8.5” squares, cut into quarters. Smaller spring roll wrappers are fine too -- simply cut them to the appropriate size to match your shrimp size. Spring roll wrappers specifically have the words "spring roll” or “spring roll pastry” on the package, different from those used for egg rolls which are labelled “egg roll wrappers” on the package. However, if you can only find egg roll wrappers, they are similar enough and also made of wheat. The main difference is they bubble up on the surface when fried whereas spring roll wrappers remain smooth after frying. Finally, note that Vietnamese spring roll wrappers (commonly called "rice papers") are yet another kind of wrapper that may cause confusion. They are made of rice, not wheat.
Dipping sauces: We love Worcestershire sauce for spring rolls. At dim sum, shrimp spring rolls are often served with a neon-red sweet tangy sauce which is at once super suspicious and so delicious. You can use similar dipper such as sweet and sour, Thai sweet chili, plum sauce or anything with a little sweet and tang. Sriracha or chili oil are also excellent! As is a little mayonnaise with shichimi togarashi. So many options!
Can these be made in advance and reheated? Freshly fried is always the best but luckily I’ve found these shrimp spring rolls reheat pretty well. Lay them on a baking sheet, preferable with a wire rack so spring roll bottoms stay crispy. Place in a preheated 350f oven for 12-15 minutes, or when center is heated through.
Can these be frozen and cooked later? Yes! These crispy fried shrimp nests can be assembled and frozen uncooked. To freeze, lay them not touching on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours until frozen solid. Transfer into ziptop bag or freezer-safe container — make sure not to crush the nests in the freezer! To cook, follow the same instructions for deep frying from frozen.