National Dish Vietnam: Goi Cuon (Recipe)
In this article
Discover Goi Cuon, the fresh and fragrant pride of Vietnamese cooking! These delicate summer rolls wrap crisp vegetables, fragrant herbs and tender meat in translucent rice paper, making for a light bite that is as pretty as it is delicious. Easy to put together and endlessly customisable, they are perfect for a relaxed supper or a wholesome snack. Bring a taste of a Vietnamese street market straight into your own kitchen.
About Goi Cuon
Goi Cuon is a much-loved dish from Vietnam, built from fresh vegetables, aromatic herbs and a little meat. Everything is rolled snugly into a sheet of rice paper, then served on its own or as part of a generous spread. Light, fresh and genuinely good for you, these summer rolls taste wonderful and look beautiful on the plate. They come together quickly at home and make a brilliant, wholesome alternative to ordinary fast food.
Ingredients (serves 1–2)
- 8 sheets of rice paper
- 2 carrots, grated
- 1 small kohlrabi, grated
- 1 handful of fresh mint leaves
- 2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, chopped
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 200g grilled chicken, thinly sliced
Shopping for the ingredients
When shopping for the ingredients, aim for the freshest produce you can find, as freshness is what makes summer rolls sing. If fresh herbs are hard to come by, dried herbs will do the job, and frozen vegetables work too. Grilled chicken is the easiest choice for the filling, but you can just as happily use beef or pork instead. Above all, look for good-quality rice paper — for goi cuon you want a thin, pliable sheet that rolls without tearing.
Preparing the dish
Before you start rolling, get all of your ingredients ready so the assembly goes smoothly. Wash the vegetables and cut them into small, neat pieces, roughly chop the peanuts, and slice the chicken thinly. In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar and rice vinegar to make a quick marinade, then toss the chicken through it so every slice picks up flavour.
Step-by-step instructions
- Fill a shallow bowl with warm water and dip in a sheet of rice paper, waiting until it has softened completely.
- Lay the softened rice paper on a clean tea towel and place the filling for the roll in the centre of the sheet.
- Add the grated carrot, the kohlrabi, the mint leaves and the chopped peanuts.
- Roll the rice paper up carefully, tucking and pressing the sides firmly so the summer roll holds together.
- Repeat steps one to four until all of the rolls are made — then serve and enjoy.
Gluten-free / lactose-free version
Goi Cuon is naturally well suited to a gluten-free and lactose-free diet. The wrappers are made from rice, so they contain no gluten — just double-check that your soy sauce is a gluten-free tamari, as some standard soy sauces include wheat. There is no dairy in the recipe at all, which means the rolls are lactose-free as they stand. With those small tweaks, everyone at the table can tuck in without a second thought.
Tips for vegans and vegetarians
Vegans can adapt summer rolls with just a couple of swaps. In place of the chicken, reach for tofu, seitan or tempeh, all of which soak up the marinade beautifully. Replace the soy sauce with a vegan-friendly alternative if you prefer, and lean on plenty of fresh vegetables and herbs for that bright, garden-fresh flavour. These rolls take to a plant-based filling effortlessly, much like a hearty Dau Sot Xa Ot.
More tips and tricks
For the best results, keep your work surface tidy and have a damp tea towel to hand so the finished rolls don’t dry out. Don’t overfill the rice paper, or it will split as you roll — a modest amount of filling rolls far more neatly. Soften the sheets one at a time rather than in a stack, and serve the rolls soon after making them, while the wrappers are still supple and the herbs are at their freshest.
Adapting the recipe to your taste
Goi Cuon is wonderfully flexible and easy to make your own. Add a few cooked rice vermicelli noodles for a more filling roll, or slip in some sliced prawns alongside the meat for a classic combination, as you would in Goi Cuon Tom Thit. Swap the kohlrabi for cucumber, lettuce or beansprouts, and vary the herbs between mint, coriander and Thai basil to suit your palate.
Ingredient substitutions
If certain ingredients aren’t to hand, there are plenty of easy stand-ins. Use cucumber or crisp lettuce in place of the kohlrabi, and beansprouts if you fancy more crunch. Coriander or Thai basil can step in for the mint, while cashews work nicely instead of peanuts. The grilled chicken can give way to beef, pork, prawns or tofu — whatever you have to hand or prefer.
Drink pairing ideas
Summer rolls are at their best with a cool, refreshing drink alongside. A homemade lemonade or a glass of fresh fruit juice both work beautifully, as does a fruity smoothie or a chilled iced tea. For something more traditional, a light jasmine or green tea cuts through the richness of the dipping sauce and keeps the meal feeling light.
Serving and presentation ideas
Presentation is half the joy of goi cuon. Arrange the rolls on a platter and slice a few in half on the diagonal to show off the colourful filling inside. Serve with small bowls of peanut dipping sauce or a tangy nuoc cham for dipping, and scatter a few extra herbs and chopped peanuts over the top. A bright, generous platter makes the rolls look every bit as inviting as they taste.
A bit of history
Summer rolls have been part of Vietnamese cooking for more than two thousand years. They remain a hugely popular dish to this day, served everywhere from family kitchens to busy restaurants and street markets across the country. Their lasting appeal — fresh, light and beautifully balanced — makes them a perfect ambassador for Vietnamese cuisine.
More recipe ideas
Summary: Goi Cuon
Goi Cuon is a fresh, healthy dish from Vietnam, made from crisp vegetables, fragrant herbs and a little meat wrapped in delicate rice paper. It works perfectly as a light supper or a wholesome snack at any time of day. With the right ingredients, a few simple shopping and preparation tips and an easy step-by-step method, you can roll up your own delicious summer rolls at home in no time. Give them a try — they bring colour, freshness and a real taste of Vietnam to the table.
