Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls (Cha Gio)
If you love egg rolls and fried spring rolls, but have given up on gluten. Try “Cha Gio” or Vietnamese fried spring rolls. It’s packed with protein and fiber. You can enjoy them on their own or wrap them in lettuce for a fun and colorful way to eat!
What are Vietnamese Egg Rolls Made of?
Let’s start with the optional ingredients: wood ear mushrooms and bean thread. They add a crunchy and chewy texture and extra umami flavor to the rolls. Now for the must-have items: your choice of protein, seasonings, and vegetables. Carrots and cabbage work well for spring rolls—you can chop them up yourself or use store-bought shredded versions. I season with chicken bouillon, fish sauce, and a little sugar to keep everything gluten-free. Finally, you’ll need an egg and some cornstarch as binding agents.
Egg Rolls, Spring Rolls, and Summer Rolls
According to Food Network, The main differences between these two appetizers has to do with the wrappers and fillings. The spring roll wrappers are more delicate than the egg roll wrappers. The egg roll wrappers are big wonton wrappers and have bubbles on the skin when fried. Summer Rolls or Fresh Spring Rolls use rice paper just like Cha Gio. However, the protein and noodles for summer rolls are already cooked. The filling for Cha Gio is raw as you will cook as you deep fry it later.
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Tips for Crispy Golden Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls
- Adding a bit of sugar, beer, or carbonated water to the water can help the rolls turn golden and crisp up faster. If you’re okay with them not browning as much, you can skip this step.
- Lightly rolling the rolls in cornstarch can prevent them from sticking to each other and make them crispier after frying. This step might be controversial, but it’s worked well for me. It also helps me to be able to freeze and air fry these rolls as well.
- Double frying for 1-2 minutes before serving for extra crispiness.
Can you Freeze Rice Paper Rolls?
Yes, you can freeze pre-cooked rice paper rolls if you follow my tips. Rice paper rolls contain moisture, which can cause them to stick together. To prevent this, coat them lightly with cornstarch before placing them in a ziplock bag or vacuum-sealing them for freezing. This will help keep them from sticking. However, be cautious, as cornstarch mixed with moisture forms a suspension. That’s why it’s important to fry them directly from the freezer to avoid sticking. They might splash a bit at first, but you’ll still end up with perfectly crispy, gluten-free fried spring rolls.
Can you Air Fry Rice Paper Spring Rolls?
Yes, you can air fry rice paper spring rolls! Simply coat the rolls lightly with cornstarch, then spray them with oil. Air fry at 400°F for 12 minutes, and you’ll have perfectly crispy spring rolls. Coating the rolls in cornstarch helps them not stick to the air fry rack.
How to Store and Reheat Fried Spring Rolls
Store your Cha Gio in an airtight container. To reheat, you can refry them for 1-2 minutes, either deep or shallow frying will work. However, my favorite way to reheat these rolls is by air frying them at 350°F for 3-5 minutes.
You May Enjoy These Dishes and Recipes
If you like this type of filling, feel free to use it in pork spring rolls and pork &shrimp spring rolls. If you’re not in the mood for folding more wrappers, this filling is also perfect for adding to cabbage soup or even rice porridge (congee).
Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls (Cha Gio)
Equipment
- 1 wok
- 1 mixing bowl
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 1 cup wood ear mushrooms (optional -see the link) (or rehyrated Shitake)
- 1 bundle bean thread (optional -see the link)
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp chicken bouillon
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp ground pepper (black or white)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 cup cabbage (shredded)
- 1 cup carrot (shredded)
- ½ cup green onion (chopped)
For Wrapping and Frying
- 24-30 rice paper
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp sugar (optional for extra crispy and browning)
- ½ cup cornstarch (optional to prevent the rolls from sticking together and extra crispy)
- oil for frying (depends on your wok or frying pan)
For the Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham)
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- ¼ cup sugar (or granulated monk fruit)
- ¼ cup hot boiling water
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp garlic (minced)
- 1-2 Thai chili pepper (chopped)
Instructions
Make the Filling
- Rehydrate the wood ear mushrooms in hot water for 5-10 minutes.
- Rehydrate the bean thread in room temperature for 5-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the filling by mincing the garlic, chopping the green onion, and shredding the cabbage and carrot.
- After 5-10 minutes, chop the rehydrated wood ear mushrooms.
- Use kitchen scissors to cut the bean thread noodles into about half-inch pieces.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the ground pork with all the vegetables and the bean thread noodles.
- Season with chicken bouillon, ground pepper, and fish sauce.
- Add an egg and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Mix everything together thoroughly.
- Place a teaspoon of the filling in a small bowl and microwave it for about 40 seconds. Taste to see if you need to adjust the seasoning before wrapping the spring rolls.
Wrapping the Spring Rolls
- Fill a baking sheet or bowl with water, then add sugar and stir until it dissolves.
- On another baking sheet, spread some cornstarch to have it ready for the spring rolls.
- Dip the rice paper in the sugar water for 5-10 seconds, then transfer it to a cutting board. The rice paper should still be firm but wet—it will soften quickly as you add the filling and start rolling.
- Place the wet rice paper on the cutting board. Add about a tablespoon of the filling about an inch away from the edge.
- Begin by tightly folding the wrapper over the filling and roll it forward one complete turn. Fold the sides in towards the middle, then continue rolling forward while tucking in the front to prevent air pockets. No additional sealing is needed—the wet rice paper will stick to itself.
- Place the spring rolls onto the baking sheet with cornstarch. Lightly roll them in the cornstarch to prevent sticking and tearing.
- Repeat the wrapping steps until you have enough spring rolls to fry.
Fry and Double Fry the Spring Rolls.
- Fill your frying vessel with vegetable oil to a depth of at least 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat to about 350°F.
- Depending on the size of your frying vessel, avoid overcrowding it. For reference, I can fry 6 spring rolls at a time. Fry the spring rolls for about 5 minutes on each side or until they turn light golden brown.
- Place the cooked spring rolls on a rack or paper towel to drain. When you're ready to serve, refry the spring rolls for 1-2 minutes to ensure they’re extra crispy.
Mak Nuoc Cham
- Chop the garlic cloves and chilies, then set them aside.
- In a bowl, combine sugar, white vinegar, salt, and hot boiling water. Stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved, then add the chopped garlic and chilies.
Serve
- Serve the fried spring rolls with dipping sauce, lettuce, cucumbers, mint, cilantro, and any other vegetables you like for making lettuce wraps. Alternatively, you can simply serve the fried spring rolls with dipping sauce on the side. Enjoy!
Video
@stickyricethaikitchen Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls: (Cha Gio) Ingredients ⬇️ For the Filling 1 cup wood ear mushrooms (optional -see the link) (or rehyrated Shitake) 1 bundle bean thread (optional -see the link) 1 lb ground pork 2 tbsp minced garlic 1 tbsp chicken bouillon 2 tbsp fish sauce 1 tsp sugar 1 tsp ground pepper (black or white) 1 tbsp cornstarch 1 cup cabbage (shredded) 1 cup carrot (shredded) ½ cup green onion (chopped) For Wrapping and Frying 24-30 rice paper 1 cup water 1 tbsp sugar (optional for extra crispy and browning) ½ cup cornstarch (optional to prevent the rolls from sticking together and extra crispy) oil for frying (depends on your wok or frying pan) For the Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham) ¼ cup white vinegar ¼ cup sugar (or granulated monk fruit) ¼ cup hot boiling water 1 tsp sea salt 1 tbsp garlic (minced) 1-2 Thai chili pepper (chopped) Full recipe and tips on my website (link in my bio) #vietnamesespringrolls#springrolls#ricepaper#dinneridea#homemadefood#appetizer#potluck#partyfood#tiktokfood#diy#chagio#ปอเปี๊ยะ#ปอเปี๊ยะทอด#อร่อยเด็ดต้องลอง#crispy#cocinar
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