This might be our all-time favorite Asian appetizer and spring roll recipe ever. Crispy, crunchy shrimp spring rolls are crazy delicious and probably the easiest appetizer you’ll ever make. If you’re a fan of chili oil, shrimp, or spring rolls you’ll love making these restaurant-quality these at home without the hefty price tag!
Watch the how-to-make Firecracker Shrimp Spring Rolls video below to see just how easy this appetizer is to make!
Instead of searching for ‘spring rolls near me’ and ordering takeout or delivery, you easily can make spring rolls at home! So easy. They cost a fraction of what you’ll pay at your favorite restaurant and they’ll never lose their crunch from being stuffed into a to-go container.
Plus, a typical spring roll order usually comes with just 2 to 3 spring rolls in it — which is a total bummer if you love them as much as we do. Everyone wants more than just one measly crispy spring roll and restaurants know it which is why they charge a premium for them.
What Are Firecracker Shrimp Spring Rolls (aka Thai Shrimp in a Blanket)?
This shrimp spring rolls recipe goes by many names — Firecracker Shrimp, Thai Firecracker Shrimp, Thai Shrimp in a Blanket (Goong Hom Pha,) Thai Spring Rolls, or just plain Shrimp Spring Rolls.
No matter what you call them, you’ll know them as that super crispy crackly fried shrimp appetizer with a single shrimp wrapped inside a paper-thin spring roll wrapper with the tail poking out and is served with a spring roll dipping sauce.
Often this type of spring roll is made using just 2 ingredients (the spring roll wrapper and shrimp) because it’s economical for restaurants. But my favorite restaurants will first season the shrimp with aromatics and ingredients like lemongrass, ginger, sesame, or other Thai or Chinese seasonings.
For this take on a Thai spring roll recipe, I’ve added a ‘Chinese New Year twist’ by first seasoning the shrimp with a simple sauce featuring homemade chili oil. This sauce is so good on its own that we use it to make quick chili oil noodles and sometimes as a dumpling dipping sauce.
Why We Love This Firecracker Shrimp Spring Roll Recipe
- It’s a really easy spring rolls recipe
- Uses fresh or frozen shrimp
- Homemade spring rolls cost a fraction of restaurant spring rolls
- Making a batch of 25 spring rolls takes just 45 minutes!
- It’s a kid friendly spring roll recipe
- Easy make-ahead and freeze spring rolls
- You can make them super spicy or not spicy at all
- A quick baking soda brine means better shrimp texture
- You know exactly what’s in this spring roll recipe (no subpar ingredients, msg, or fillers)
Best Shrimp to Use for Spring Rolls
You can use any kind of fresh or frozen shrimp for spring rolls, but the higher the quality of your shrimp, the better your homemade spring rolls will be. I like to use local wild-caught sustainable shrimp wherever I happen to be in the world when I’m in the mood to make them.
Shrimp varieties like Gulf Coast Royal Reds, Argentinian Red shrimp, Wild Blue Shrimp, Tiger Prawns, and local Italian Mazzancolle which I’ve used for this post, all make excellent shrimp spring rolls!
Overview: Firecracker Shrimp Spring Roll Ingredients
Making spring rolls at home means you know exactly what goes into them (and also what kind of oil they’re fried in). If you have a well-stocked Asian pantry you’ll have everything you need to get started. But you can easily find these ingredients at your local Asian grocery store, or online.
Below is a quick look at the spring roll ingredients but you’ll find the full list of measurements in the recipe card including ingredient substitutions:
- Spring Roll Wrappers: The best spring roll wraps for this style of spring roll is Spring Home TYJ Spring Roll Pastry. When making spring rolls that contain whole shrimp, the smaller 5-inch (125mm) wrappers that come with 50 sheets are the perfect size. But you’ll also find instructions below for how to substitute large spring roll wraps.
- Medium to Large Sustainable Shrimp: Buy the best shrimp you can afford, whether frozen or fresh. On occasion, I’ve used smaller shrimp as well and they taste great.
- Baking Soda: Soaking shrimp in a baking soda-water solution for 30 minutes is a tip I learned from Chinese chefs to improve the texture of cooked shrimp. It changes the pH level of the meat and makes the shrimp “crunchy” and “springy” which makes the best shrimp spring rolls.
- Spring Roll Seasoning: Light Soy Sauce, Oyster Sauce, Shaoxing Wine (aka Chinese Wine), Toasted Sesame Oil, Ginger, Salt, Sugar, White Pepper, Chives (or Scallions), and Homemade Chili Oil.
- Cornstarch Slurry: Equal parts of cornstarch and water create the “glue” used to seal spring rolls.
Overview: How to Make Spring Rolls (Chili OIl Firecracker Shrimp Spring Rolls)
Homemade spring rolls are easy to make. You’ll mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl, add the cleaned shrimp, then wrap them each in a spring roll wrapper and fry them to golden brown perfection. Here’s an overview of how to make them, but you’ll find the full instructions in the recipe card along with step-by-step photos of the process below.
- Score and brine the shrimp.
- Season the shrimp.
- Wrap the spring rolls.
- Fry the spring rolls.
How to Make Firecracker Shrimp Spring Rolls Video
Watch this quick video to see how to make chili oil shrimp spring rolls.
How to Make Firecracker Shrimp Spring Rolls Step-by-Step Photos
How to Fold a Spring Roll (Using Small Spring Roll Wrappers)
Rolling spring rolls is easy. If you’re a visual person like me, use these step-by-step photos to learn how to fold fried shrimp rolls. Spring roll paper is thin but really easy to work with. Just be sure to keep a damp paper towel on top of the stack of wrappers to keep them moist at all times so they don’t dry out.
How to Roll Spring Rolls (Using Large Spring Roll Wrappers)
Wrapping spring rolls is easy even if you don’t have the small spring roll wrappers I suggest using for this recipe. You can use the large spring roll wrappers as shown below by cutting the spring roll paper wrappers in half to make 2 triangles, then use 1 triangle to wrap one shrimp.
Shrimp Spring Rolls Best Tips
Use these tips to make the best shrimp spring roll recipe at home.
- Pre-treat the shrimp: Ever wondered why the texture of shrimp from your favorite Asian restaurant is so much better than at home? It’s because they brine the shrimp first in a solution of ice-cold water and baking soda (and sometimes a little sugar is added). In Chinese cooking, shrimp are first pre-treated with this Alkaline solution for 30 minutes or up to an hour which alters the pH of the shrimp making them “crunchy” and “bouncy”. When shrimp are brined first it also makes them resistant to over-cooking.
- Use a cornstarch slurry to seal the spring rolls: To make perfectly golden brown spring rolls without “burn marks” (the darker spots many home cooks have on their fried spring rolls), mix 1 tablespoon of water and 1 tablespoon of corn starch to use as the “glue” to seal spring rolls. Using a beaten egg (or beaten egg whites) to seal spring rolls works, but creates dark spots when the spring rolls are fried.
- Season the shrimp with a little salt just before you roll up the spring roll wrapper: When using whole shrimp for spring rolls it’s a good idea to season the shrimp with a hint of salt just before rolling it up in the spring roll wrapper.
Spring Roll Sauce
This type of Thai shrimp spring roll is most often served with plum sauce which you can easily buy at the store, or make your own. I prefer to dip them in Vietnamese nuoc cham (fish sauce dipping sauce) or extra homemade chili oil with crispy peanuts for extra spice and texture.
If you’re specifically looking for a spring roll recipe without peanut dipping sauce, I suggest using hoisin, plum sauce, regular chili oil, or a vinegar-based dumpling dipping sauce.
How To Store Spring Rolls
If you’re not frying homemade spring rolls right away, it’s best to freeze them. Place them onto a parchment-lined tray leaving a little room in between each one and freeze them for 30 to 45 minutes or until completely frozen. Transfer frozen spring rolls to a freezer-safe bag or another airtight container and store for 1 month or up to 3 months.
How To Cook Frozen Spring Rolls
Do not thaw spring rolls before frying them. Preheat about 1 to 2 inches of oil to 350°F/176°C in a deep cast iron skillet, wok, or other heavy-bottomed pot. Add frozen spring rolls to the oil about 3 to 4 at a time (or more depending much oil you’re using) and fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Using tongs or a spider strainer, move the spring rolls around as they fry to ensure even cooking. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate or to a wire rack inserted into a baking pan to cool for a minute or two and serve!
How to Cook Spring Rolls Pro-tip: Don’t be tempted to add too many spring rolls to the hot oil at one time because it will bring down the oil temperature too much if you do. Instead, fry a few at a time adding 1 or 2 more spring rolls to the oil just as the other spring rolls are finishing to fry.
Looking For More Shrimp Recipes?
If you’re looking for a few new shrimp recipes to add to your meal rotation, or a few dim sum or yum cha recipes to celebrate the Chinese New Year, we have plenty to get you inspired. Everything from shrimp dumplings to pasta with shrimp to our favorite shrimp stir fry, rice and noodles recipes.
- Dim Sum Har Gow Shrimp Dumplings (虾饺) (The Ultimate Guide)
- 20-Minute Singapore Mei Fun Noodles (Shrimp Mei Fun)
- Easy Chinese Special Fried Rice 扬州炒饭 (Yangzhou Fried Rice)
- Easy Chinese Takeout Chicken & Vegetable Stir-Fry w/Glass Noodles
- Vivian’s Spicy Sichuan Chili Oil Wontons (Hóng Yoú Chāo Shǒu 红油抄手)
- Easy Shrimp & Vegetable Stir Fry (w/Cantonese Style White Sauce)
- BBQ Chicken & Pork Bao Buns (Bāozi 包子 Chinese Steamed Pork Buns)
- Steamed Pork & Chive Money Bag Dumplings (Beggar’s Purse Dumplings)
- Easy Pork Potsticker Recipe (Cantonese Style Jiaozi)
- Paccheri Pasta (With Shrimp and Zucchini Sugo)
- 10-Minute Easy Italian Shrimp Au Gratin (Gamberi Gratinati)
- 4-Minute Perfect Pan-Seared Shrimp
- Spicy Tomato-Alfredo and Shrimp Pasta (Anniversary Pasta)
- Shrimp Fettuccini Alfredo Pasta Recipe (w/Parmigiano Cream)
Looking For More Spring Roll Recipes?
If you love spring rolls with glass noodles take a look at our favorite pork spring roll recipe here.
Let’s get started!
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Firecracker Shrimp Spring Rolls With Chili Oil (+Video)
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 25 Shrimp Spring Rolls 1x
Description
This might be our all-time favorite Asian appetizer and spring roll recipe ever. Crispy, crunchy shrimp spring rolls are crazy delicious and probably the easiest appetizer you’ll ever make. If you’re a fan of chili oil, shrimp, or spring rolls you’ll love making these restaurant-quality spring rolls at home without the hefty price tag!
Ingredients
To Brine the Shrimp
- 25 medium fresh or frozen shrimp, deveined with tails on (1/2 pound) (225g)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (3g)
- ice-cold water, enough to cover shrimp
For the Spring Roll Seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine) (8g) *sub mirin or dry sherry in a pinch
- 2 teaspoons homemade chili oil (8g) *sub store-bought or omit if desired
- 2 teaspoons light oyster sauce (8g)
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce (4g) *sub regular soy sauce in a pinch
- 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil (2.5g)
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, smeared into a paste (2g) *see notes for instructions
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (1g)
- 1/8 white pepper (0.5g)
- 1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped (4g) *sub scallions, green parts only)
For Assembling the Spring Rolls
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (10g)
- 1 tablespoon water (15g)
- 25 (5-inch) spring roll wrappers (Spring Home TYJ Spring Roll Pastry Brand) *see notes for substitution
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Score and brine the shrimp. Using a paring knife, score the cleaned shrimp in 2 to 3 places on the underside of the shrimp so the shrimp lies straight and is no longer curved. Soak the shrimp in a baking soda and ice-cold water mixture for 30 minutes in the fridge. Rinse the shrimp to remove the solution and pat them dry.
- Season the shrimp. In a medium-sized bowl mix together the spring roll seasoning, add the shrimp, and stir to coat them well. *see notes for how to easily turn fresh ginger into a paste.
- Wrap the spring rolls. Working with 1 spring roll wrapper at a time, fold one corner down about 2/3s of the way toward the middle of the wrapper. Place a single shrimp on the left side of the wrapper leaving the tail poking out and sprinkle with a little salt. Starting from the left side, begin folding the wrapper over the shrimp. Fold the corner (at the bottom of the shrimp) down over the shrimp towards you and continue rolling the shrimp up. Use the cornstarch slurry to seal the end of the spring roll wrapper closed. Repeat with remaining shrimp.
- Fry the spring rolls. Preheat 1 to 2 inches of oil to 350°F/176°C in a deep fryer, cast iron skillet, wok, or other heavy-bottomed pot. Add spring rolls to the oil about 3 to 4 at a time (or more depending on how much oil you’re using and how big your pot is) and fry for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden brown. Use tongs or chopsticks to move the spring rolls around as they fry to ensure even cooking. Remove them to a paper-towel-lined plate or a wire rack to cool for a couple of minutes before serving, Enjoy!
Notes
You may double the spring roll filling recipe if you want to use the whole package of spring roll wrappers. Simply freeze uncooked shrimp spring rolls to fry anytime you’re in the mood.
If you don’t have Shaoxing wine (aka Chinese wine) you may substitute mirin or dry sherry in a pinch.
If you don’t have time to make homemade chili oil (it’s almost as easy as boiling an egg though), you can use your favorite store-bought chili oil, or omit it from the spring roll filling. These spring rolls will still be tasty.
If you can only find the larger spring roll wrappers, just cut them in half to form 2 triangles and use one half to wrap one shrimp. *See the main post for step-by-step photos
To make ginger paste, place the slice of ginger on a cutting board and sprinkle with a little bit of the salt called for in the seasoning. Use a chef’s knife blade to press and scrape the ginger on the cutting board until it becomes a paste. Add the paste to the remaining spring roll seasoning and stir to combine.
Find step-by-step photos for how to roll spring rolls in the main post.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Rolling Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Nibbles + Bits
- Method: Shallow-Fried
- Cuisine: Asian inspired
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 Shrimp Spring Rolls
