I would recommend youtube. I make them all the time, but writing directions wouldn't be as good as a hands on lesson. This is pretty straight forward: Spring rolls

You have to scroll down quite a ways to find the video. There is a video at the top part of the page that says "Our Videos" which looks like it should be the right one, but it's just an ad. Scroll until you see WATCH HOW TO MAKE SPRING ROLLS. It's an annoying blog post with all the ads but once the video starts it's fine.

Yes to watching videos or step-by-step blog posts. I've been making them for 25+ years. Dipping into warm water for just a few seconds. One at a time. It should still be stiff when you pull it out and onto a damp clean towel or a cutting board of choice. By the the time you place ingredients before rolling, it will soften further and roll easy and tight.

If you pull out a wet damp sticky noodle, toss it and try again.

-sleeve

Oh, i should add that 'brands' differ. I have two packages in my pantry at the moment. One i marked with an 'X'. And labeled 'fussy'. That means it barely needs a second in luke-warm water before turning to mush. They are so cheap, especially the 24 pack. Expect a failure or two like that first pancake or waffle.

Andrew thank you for all the info. I have been experimenting with both fresh (unfried) and fried spring rolls. The fried ones were a sodden greasy mess. I tried them in the air fryer, maybe a little better but still not crisp like eggroll wrappers.

I would not dust a board where you'll be placing a damp wrapper with either flour or cornstarch. You'll end up with glue. It works best (as in that video) to place them on a linen or flour sack type kitchen towel. And no egg wash on fresh spring rolls. (You probably know that). When I was learning and they were less than beautiful, I sometimes would wet a 2nd wrapper and double wrap the rolls. It tastes fine and can really neaten up a messy roll.

Olychick that video looks fabulous. I'll have to try.

I make a distinction between spring rolls and summer rolls, but not everyone does. For me, spring rolls are fried and summer rolls are not. This is not a universally accepted distinction, but there are others who agree with this (in Sleeve's link), although they may be in the minority. Anyway, for me, it is a good way to keep the different methods separate.

I do not like to fry rolls made with rice paper - I make egg rolls instead:

using egg roll wrappers, and these can be called spring rolls (Sleeve's link).

I do like to make summer rolls with rice paper and serve them fresh; i.e., without frying, but I've never photographed them.

I think that the important information (already posted) is to put the rice paper on a smooth (not terrycloth) linen or cotton kitchen towel and never on a dusted surface. Soaking only requires a couple of seconds and the rice paper should be removed from the hot water as soon as it is no longer stiff.

You can put flour egg roll wrappers on a surface dusted with cornstarch, since they already have cornstarch dusted on them to keep them separate (although it is not necessary and I never do), but never with any wrapper that has been soaked. If the wrapper has been soaked, it needs to go onto a towel.

Thank you all! Success!!! Spring (summer) roll (rice paper) was made on a piece of parchment, not dusted. Submersion prior to assembling the roll was brief. Roll was carefully tightly rolled up. I think my previous errors were submersing too long and a careless impatient roll up. It is worth the time to do well. I do not think I will pursue frying attempts, I agree with Lars the egg roll wrappers are better for that.

Congrats for sticking with it. So many just give up---like my sister years ago after a family holiday. She watched, then called a dozen times from her home.

Fortunately we have access to good bloggers and y-tubers so much better than i could do.

My international market is huge and has a couple dozen different wrappers. (not Costco huge but close). Wrappers are everywhere---frozen, fresh, all sizes. Maybe 3 dozen+ just on the dried rice style isle. Small, large, round, square, etc. The Vietnamese are much thinner than what we know as Chinese egg roll wrappers. Card stock thin and crispier.

Flacky.

I don't fry so i only make 'fresh' spring rolls. I don't think the same ingredients in 'fresh' will 'fry'. I usually see other ingredients that fry better than fresh veg. ---chopped shrimp, mince pork.

+My family and friends prefer 'fresh'. Much healthier than fried.

-sleeve

Another method I have used for the rice paper is to spritz them with warm water on a plate or towel - I forget which. They rehydrate quickly enough this way and don't get soggy, as long as you do not spritz too much water.

You used to be able to find spring roll wrappers (rice paper) that were either all rice flour or mostly rice and some tapioca. Now, the Asian markets here only carry those with tapioca and sometimes it's the first ingredient, less rice flour. I get superior results from more rice flour in the rice papers, if you can find them. I don't go to Seattle much anymore and could probably find more selection there, but we have several Asian markets in Olympia and they are very well stocked, so I just try to find the ones with the most rice flour in the ingredients.

Here in France, we get rice wrappers that you can eat either raw as in a spring roll or fried as in a nem. It's vietnamese cooking. In England we get spring rolls from Chinese takeraways and they're egg wrappers so yes, it is confusing.

I find that those rice wrappers are like eating a piece of rubber and are so sticky and difficult to work with.

I have , though, gotten interested in making Asian style dumplings that use wheat flour. They are tricky but I absolutely love them.

I have come to a conclusion about things that require stuffing or rolling. I weigh the final outcome against the ease of doing it, or the desire for it. Sometimes it is more about presentation than it is for anything else and it can often be served up as a delightful presentation without the construction of being rolled up.

I will still struggle with making these dumpling because I just like them and I will still roll up things into a tortilla because that is easy. But for some things, there is just not enough return to be worth it. So, I pick and choose what I want to do with that.

Those transparent rice wrappers make for some great photo shoots. But rice flour gets so sticky and rubbery that it puts me off. Also dont care for rice noodles or cold rice although I do love rice, in general.

Interesting taht we call them "egg rolls" when there is no association with eggs, at all. I have read that this is a Chinese American thing.

My image of an egg roll is one that is fried.

Egg roll wrappers contain wheat flour and egg. Thicker and sturdier that most other wrappers. They hold up to a full amount of ingredients and frying.

Vietnamese 'spring roll' wrappers sometimes has the word 'pastry' on the label. Wheat flour and whatever else for preservation.(no egg) Much thinner/smaller and usually pork or shrimp and not stuffed with a cabbage filler. Offered with a shared pile of lettuce leaves, mint, Thai basil, cilantro. Using the lettuce like a taco with all the herbs piled on and a dipping sauce.

They both need to be fried or shallow pan fried or rolled in oil or brushed for an air fryer. Otherwise it is raw dough.

Empanada wrappers, (hand meat pies) come in baked, fried, and corn for frying. The baked wrappers are nice and flaky like an un-sweetened pastry. (probably contains lard)

I've made spanakopita for my sister than does not consume wheat using the rice spring roll wrappers. They do get crisp and flaky if brushed with oil or butter.

-sleeve

I think everyone is different in their taste preferences. I love fried egg rolls, and also like uncooked rice paper rolls, which I an now make with much better results than when I first tried, thanks to this thread.

We only get rice wrappers. I wish we could get a more chinese wrapper. The vietnamese ones are all we have.

So, egg roll wrappers have egg in them? I did not realize that.

I have been making stuffed dumplings and I make a dough of flour and maybe a little oil. They get steamed or cooked in a broth. I searched across several forum to learn how to make them and I am still working on making them pretty.

So I guess egg roll wrappers have to be kept as fresh food or frozen?

With the flour and teh egg in a wrapper, it seems that is more like a pasta.

They're crispy. At least the ones we get in Britain are!

I'm not a baker, sweet or savory. Just a few breads and crackers. I'm guessing the egg gives that rough crispy texture when fried.

Most of the soft wrappers in my market are with the cold goods like the tube biscuit dough, eggs, cheeses, etc. Or in the freezer section. Not shelf stable. If a bread or dough is shelf stable it must be loaded with preservatives.

I keep getting spring roll feeds on y-tube. rice wrapper spring rolls

I'm making shrimp spring/summer rolls this weekend. Forgot to mention that the correct rice noodle is important as well. Not mung bean noodles. (too chewy)

I love that Uncle Roger video! (Those would have to be the worst Vietnamese spring rolls I have ever seen <rolls eyes>.)

I used to be the go-to person in a sports stadium where I worked in the kitchen when a function we were catering ordered Viet spring rolls :-) I made hundreds and hundreds of them over the years.

Omigosh, you have to wonder if she's ever even had a summer roll! This video looks like a parody, but I fear it's not.

I have made the summer rolls (Thai or Vietnamese rolls with rice paper rounds, and filled with a little bit of: soft cooked noodles, shrimp, finally shredded carrot, finally shredded greens, scallion sticking out of the end, spearmint and or Thai basil or cilantro; sometimes sprouts.

It can take practice and you don’t want the rice round too wet nor too dry. I usually put the rice round into warm water. Remove the water from it and either put it on a cotton key towel or on a marble or Corian countertop. I have all the ingredients prepared and ready.

These rolls are really best if eating and fresh because the rice paper round dries out and gets very chewy if you wait very long. It’s always a challenge for me to remember not to add too much ingredient.

For anyone not wanting to bother rolling up a rice paper ground, you can make a simple salad out of the same ingredients and add a few noodles of your liking. You can have a simple dressing of the chili dipping sauce for peanut sauce.

I have never made an eggroll, but I have made potstickers from scratch. They were delicious, but it’s a lot of work.

Spanikopita triangles are very easy.

The Uncle Roger Nigella video is side splitting. Thanks, sleeve!

“ Destroy Asian food together! Fun family activity!”

“ Don’t serve to husband; serve to trashcan“

Hot tip- if making Viet spring rolls in advance, keep them from drying out by covering with a damp tea towel.