Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls Vs. Salad Rolls Vs. Summer Rolls

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One of the most famous Vietnamese foods is the Vietnamese fresh spring rolls. There is a lot of confusion about the names of these fresh spring rolls as some people call them to spring rolls, others salad rolls and summer rolls.

Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls, Salad Rolls, and Summer Rolls are all the same spring rolls; they may use different English names, but they are essentially the same Vietnamese fresh spring roll. Calling the same spring roll these different English names can confuse many people, especially when they are the same spring roll.

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The Vietnamese word for the Vietnamese Fresh Spring rolls is not even the same in the Vietnamese language. North, Central, and South Vietnam all call the Vietnamese fresh spring rolls by a different names.

Vietnamese Fresh Spring Roll Recipes

Check out our Vietnamese Fresh Spring Roll Recipes. We have Vietnamese Shrimp Fresh Spring Rolls, Vietnamese Chicken Fresh Spring Rolls, Vegetarian Fresh Spring Rolls, and Vegan Fresh Spring Rolls. You can find our recipes by clicking on the link below:

Spring Rolls Vs. Summer Rolls Vs. Salad Rolls Explained

In the United States and other parts of the world, these Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls can also be referred to as Summer Rolls or Salad Rolls. Even though different names refer to these rolls, they are essentially the same: fresh Vietnamese spring rolls.

Here is why these fresh Vietnamese spring rolls have so many different names:

  • Spring Roll – The name spring roll comes from China; the Chinese eat spring rolls during the Chinese New Year, Lunar New Year Celebration, or what is also known as the Spring Festival. These rolls were famous during this time and were named spring rolls. The term egg roll is a variety of the Chinese Spring Roll as it uses eggs in the wrapper ingredients.
  • Salad Rolls – In South Vietnam, these Fresh Spring Rolls are called gỏi cuốn, which, translated in English, means Salad Rolls; it is through these translations that the Vietnamese fresh spring rolls got the name salad rolls.
  • Summer Rolls – The term summer roll was used by some Vietnamesse-American restaurants to be able to market these rolls by making a seasonal play on the words “spring rolls” into “summer rolls.”

Even though they are called by different names, the Vietnamese fresh spring rolls, salad rolls, and summer rolls are essentially the same kind of roll. This is why when you enter a restaurant, you may find these rolls referred to as spring rolls, salad rolls, and even summer rolls.

Most historians agree that the original spring roll came to Vietnam from China. The Chinese have long had spring rolls on their menu.

The Chinese spring roll is not the same as the Vietnamese spring rolls because the Vietnamese adapted the Chinese spring rolls to suit the Vietnamese tastes. Vietnamese fresh spring rolls use vegetables, herbs, and spices that they can easily find in Vietnam.

Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls – Rated World’s Best Food

The Vietnamese Fresh Spring rolls are a trendy Vietnamese dish. CNN has rated Gỏi Cuốn, or Fresh Vietnamese Spring rolls, as one of the world’s most delicious and popular foods. This is a great honor for the Vietnamese fresh spring roll.

The Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls shares this food popularity list with other popular foods such as fish and chips, buttered popcorn, hummus, donuts, ice cream, pizza, chocolate, croissants, curry, and potato chips name a few.

In speaking of the Vietnamese Spring Roll or the gỏi cuốn and its popularity, CNN Travel said this:

“This snack made from pork, shrimp, herbs, rice vermicelli and other ingredients wrapped in rice paper is served at room temperature. It’s “meat light,” with the flavors of refreshing herbs erupting in your mouth. Dipped in a slightly sweet Vietnamese sauce laced with ground peanuts, it’s wholesome, easy and the very definition of “moreish.”

CNN Travel

In South Vietnam, the gỏi cuốn is served with peanut sauce; in the north, the spring roll is eaten with a special Vietnamese dipping sauce.

This popular Vietnamese dish, once only known to Vietnam, has now made its way onto the pages of some of the world’s most popular and best-liked foods. We can safely say that the Vietnamese Spring Roll, once an obscure food, is now on the world stage.

About Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Several things make the Vietnamese fresh spring rolls so great, but one reason is that they are fresh and not fried; this makes them a healthier alternative to the fried spring rolls you find on many Asian restaurant menus.

Fresh spring rolls are trendy in Vietnam; I have been to some picnics in Vietnam where fresh spring rolls were brought out as the main dish for everyone to eat. You can also find them as appetizers on many Vietnamese menus; many Vietnamese families eat them home for a snack or meal.

In Vietnam, Vietnamese fresh spring rolls are a prevalent dish. But even in Vietnam, these Vietnamese fresh spring rolls do not have the same Vietnamese name:

Here are the different ways that Fresh Spring rolls are said in the Vietnamese language or names you may find on a Vietnamese menu:

Vietnam Location Vietnamese Word
South Vietnamgỏi cuốn
Central Vietnambánh cuốn
North Vietnamnem cuốn
Vietnamese Fresh Spring Roll Names

Even though these are all different Vietnamese words and different local varieties put different local ingredients into their fresh spring rolls, they all mean the same thing – Vietnamese-style fresh spring rolls.

In Vietnam, a primary fresh spring roll is made from rice paper, rice vermicelli noodles, raw vegetables, fresh fruits, and Vietnamese fresh herbs with some protein such as roast pork and prawns., chicken, or for a vegetarian version, some fried tofu. The Vietnamese fresh spring roll is always served with a Vietnamese dipping sauce.

These Vietnamese spring rolls make an excellent summer dish or an appetizer. Below are some of our recipes and videos for these Vietnamese spring rolls. These videos are all made locally in Hanoi, Vietnam.

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What Is The Philosophy of Vietnamese Cuisine?

Vietnamese food uses the five elements of philosophy: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. These 5 elements touch our senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. They also take into account the color and flavor combinations of Vietnamese food.

You can discover more by reading our blog, The Philosophy of Vietnamese Cuisine, by clicking here.

Why is Thai Food So Spicy?

Thai food is spicy as it combines a few cuisines, such as Indian, Chinese, and Portuguese. The Indians brought curry to Thailand. The Chinese taught the Thais how to cook using a wok, and the Portuguese traded many fruits and vegetables, including red chili.

You can discover more by reading our blog Why is Thai Food So Spicy? A Bit of History by clicking here.

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