These are fried spring rolls with a ground pork, cabbage, carrot, and glass noodle filling, sealed in a crispy wrapper and served with sweet chili sauce. They take about 45 minutes start to finish and make a solid appetizer or a hands-on dinner that feeds six without much fuss. The filling is seasoned with oyster, soy, and fish sauce, so the flavor is already built in — no complicated prep required.
What makes this version work
Two things matter most here. First, the filling must be fully cooled before you roll. A warm filling creates steam inside the wrapper during frying, which softens the pastry from the inside and gives you a greasy, limp result instead of a crisp one — 10 to 15 minutes on the counter is the minimum, and spreading the filling in a wide bowl speeds that up. Second, tight rolling is not optional. The egg wash seals the seam, but if the roll is loose, the wrapper separates from the filling in the oil and the whole thing unravels. Press firmly as you roll, tuck the sides in snugly, and use enough egg wash on the final flap to get a proper seal. Get those two steps right and the frying is straightforward.
Mistakes to avoid
- Skipping the noodle cut: Glass noodles straight from the pot are long and tangled. If you don’t cut them into shorter lengths before adding them to the wok, they bunch up in the filling and make rolling nearly impossible. A few passes with kitchen scissors does the job.
- Overcrowding the oil: Adding more than two rolls at a time drops the oil temperature sharply. The wrappers absorb oil instead of crisping, and you end up with soggy rolls. Work in small batches and let the oil come back up to heat between each one.
- Using wet vegetables: Cabbage and carrot hold a lot of moisture. If you don’t cook them until genuinely soft and let the excess liquid cook off in the wok, the filling will be watery and the wrappers will go soggy during frying. Don’t rush the vegetable stage.
- Leaving the rolls touching while they cool: Hot spring rolls placed against each other trap steam and the wrappers soften where they touch. Set them in a single layer with space between each one.
- Forgetting to check the pork is cooked through: Ground pork needs to reach 160°F (71°C) internally — no pink remaining. The filling cooks in the wok before rolling, so by the time the outside is golden, the pork is well past safe temperature, but don’t rush the wok stage or pull the pork too early.
Keeping and reheating
Cooked spring rolls keep in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container. Skip the garnish — not worth the extra dish. To reheat, use an oven at 375°F (190°C) for 8 to 10 minutes or an air fryer at the same temperature for 5 to 6 minutes; both methods bring the wrapper back to a decent crisp. Microwaving works in a pinch but the wrapper goes soft, so only do it if you genuinely don’t care about texture. For longer storage, freeze uncooked rolled spring rolls on a tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag — they keep for up to two months. Fry straight from frozen on medium-high heat, adding a couple of extra minutes to the cook time, and check that the filling is piping hot all the way through before serving.
Crispy Thai Spring Rolls with Pork & Glass Noodles
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 package spring roll wrappers - approximately 20 sheets, 8.5-inch / 22cm square
10 oz ground pork - 285g, also called minced pork
½ medium cabbage - finely shredded
3 medium carrots - finely shredded
½ teaspoon ground black pepper- 1 pack glass noodles - 50g / 1.75oz, also called bean thread or cellophane noodles
4 tablespoons vegetable oil - 60ml, for stir-frying
3 tablespoons oyster sauce - 45ml
3 tablespoons soy sauce - 45ml
1 tablespoon fish sauce - 15ml
3 cloves garlic - finely chopped
1 medium egg - whisked, for sealing- 2 cups vegetable oil - 480ml, for deep frying
½ cup sweet chili sauce (sweet chilli sauce in British English) - or plum sauce ; for serving
Instructions
- Finely chop or shred the cabbage, carrots, and garlic.1/2 medium cabbage, 3 medium carrots, 3 cloves garlic
- Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the glass noodles and cook for 3 minutes until soft and translucent.1 pack glass noodles
- Drain the noodles, pouring cold water over them to cool quicker, then cut the noodles and leave to one side.1 pack glass noodles
- Heat 4 tablespoons (60ml) of vegetable oil in a wok over high heat until shimmering, about 1-2 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds until fragrant — do not let it brown.4 tablespoons vegetable oil, 3 cloves garlic
- Add the ground pork to the wok and break it up with a spatula, cooking for 3-4 minutes until browned and no pink remains (internal temperature of 160°F / 71°C).10 oz ground pork
- When the minced pork turns brown, throw in the chopped cabbage and carrot.1/2 medium cabbage, 3 medium carrots
- Once the vegetables are nice and soft, add the oyster sauce, soy sauce, and fish sauce and stir to combine.3 tablespoons oyster sauce, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- Add the noodles to the wok and stir to combine all the flavours. Sprinkle the black pepper over the filling and mix through.1 pack glass noodles, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Transfer the filling to a large bowl and spread it out. Leave to cool for 10 to 15 minutes — the filling must be completely cool before rolling.
- Place a spring roll wrapper on a clean surface in a diamond shape (one corner pointing toward you). Spoon 2 tablespoons of the cooled filling in a line just above the bottom corner.1 package spring roll wrappers
- Roll the bottom corner over the top of the filling, keeping it as tight as possible. If it is not tight enough, the spring rolls will break up when frying.1 package spring roll wrappers
- Fold the two side corners inward over the roll, then continue rolling tightly. Use the whisked egg to brush the final corner and seal the spring roll shut.1 package spring roll wrappers, 1 medium egg
- Add 2 cups (480ml) of vegetable oil to a clean wok or deep saucepan and heat over medium-high heat to 350°F / 175°C — use a thermometer to check. Carefully lower 2-3 spring rolls into the oil at a time. Fry for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally, until evenly golden brown all over. Remove with a spider strainer and drain on a wire rack or plate lined with kitchen paper.2 cups vegetable oil
- Repeat with the remaining spring rolls, allowing the oil to return to 350°F / 175°C between batches. Let the spring rolls rest for 2 minutes before serving with Thai sweet chilli sauce or plum sauce.1/2 cup sweet chili sauce (sweet chilli sauce in British English)
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently asked questions
Can I make the filling ahead of time?
Yes — the filling can be made up to 24 hours ahead and stored in the fridge. Cold filling is actually easier to roll than warm, and it eliminates the cooling wait on the day you’re frying.
Can I swap the ground pork for another protein?
Ground chicken works well as a direct swap, but make sure it reaches 165°F (74°C) in the wok before you pull it. Ground turkey is another option; both have a milder flavor than pork, so you may want to add a small extra splash of fish sauce to compensate.
How do I stop the wrappers from tearing when I roll?
Spring roll wrappers dry out fast once the package is open. Keep the unused wrappers covered with a barely damp kitchen towel while you work through the batch, and don’t overfill — two tablespoons of filling per roll is enough.
What oil temperature should I be frying at?
Aim for around 350°F (175°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, drop a small piece of wrapper into the oil — it should sizzle and rise to the surface within a couple of seconds. Too cool and the rolls absorb oil; too hot and the outside browns before the filling heats through.
More mince recipes to try
- Savory Pork Noodle Stir-Fry
- Crispy Pork Dumpling Delight
- Japanese Pork Lettuce Cups
- Authentic Szechuan Dan Dan
