Avocado Shrimp Spring Rolls

Substitutions & Swaps

🍤 Shrimp

• Cooked lobster tail - FANCY. Sliced thin, lobster brings a sweet brininess that plays beautifully against the hoisin peanut sauce and makes these feel seriously elevated.
• Poached chicken breast - Thinly sliced poached chicken is mild enough to let the herbs and avocado shine while keeping the rolls hearty and satisfying.
• Extra-firm tofu - Press it well, then slice into thin matchsticks. It absorbs the sauce flavors on the side and gives a clean, plant-forward bite without competing with the other fillings.
• Cooked lump crab meat - The delicate sweetness of crab is a natural pairing with avocado, and the texture stays tender enough to roll without tearing the rice paper.

🥑 Avocado

• Mango slices - Ripe Ataulfo mango adds a tropical sweetness and a similar buttery texture that keeps the rolls feeling lush and creamy.
• Cucumber spears - English cucumber cut into thin spears adds a cool, refreshing crunch that keeps every bite light and bright, especially on a hot day.
• Steamed edamame - Shelled edamame tucked into the roll adds a subtle creaminess and a pop of color while bumping up the protein content noticeably.

🌿 Fresh Herbs

• Fresh Thai basil - Thai basil has an anise-forward, slightly spicy flavor that is more complex than regular basil and feels completely at home in a Southeast Asian-style roll.
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley - If cilantro is a dealbreaker for guests, flat-leaf parsley brings a clean, grassy freshness without the polarizing soapy note some people get from cilantro.
• Shiso leaves - A single shiso leaf per roll adds a herbal, slightly minty and citrusy note that layers beautifully with the peanut hoisin sauce.
• Fresh dill - Dill is a surprisingly classic pairing with shrimp and its feathery texture adds a delicate, anise-adjacent brightness that works wonderfully here.

🥜 Peanut Dipping Sauce

• Sunflower seed butter - For a nut-free household, sunflower butter blends into the hoisin and soy with a mild, toasty flavor that holds the sauce together just as well.
• Tahini - Tahini creates a more savory, slightly bitter sauce that leans into the sesame oil already in the recipe and pairs surprisingly well with the chili garlic sauce.
• Cashew butter - Cashew butter is naturally creamier and slightly sweeter than peanut butter, giving the dipping sauce a velvety consistency that clings to each roll nicely.

🍜 Rice Noodles and Wrappers

• Kelp noodles - Kelp noodles are nearly transparent, have a satisfying light crunch, and are naturally low carb. They rinse and go straight into the roll with no cooking required.
• Vermicelli bean thread noodles - Also called glass noodles, these cook up slightly silkier than rice noodles and absorb the surrounding flavors of the herbs and sauce more readily.
• Butter lettuce leaves (as wrapper substitute) - Skip the soaking step entirely and just use big butter lettuce cups as your wrapper for a gluten-free, lower-carb option with a satisfying crunch.

🍤🥑🌿 Tips & Tricks for the Best Avocado Shrimp Spring Rolls

Fresh, light, and packed with the good stuff, these spring rolls are basically summer in every bite.

• Soak rice paper for no longer than 30 to 45 seconds. Over-soaking makes the wrapper too soft and it will tear when you try to roll it. It should still feel slightly stiff when you lift it out of the water because it continues to soften on the cutting board.
• Use warm water, not cold, for soaking the rice paper. Warm water activates the starch in the rice paper faster and more evenly, giving you a pliable wrapper without the wait. Cold water leads to uneven softening and cracking.
• Work on a damp cutting board or a clean damp kitchen towel. A slightly damp surface prevents the softened rice paper from sticking and tearing while you assemble. A dry surface grips the wrapper too aggressively.
• Keep your fillings dry before rolling. Excess moisture from wet herbs, noodles, or shrimp will make the rice paper soggy and cause it to break. Pat the shrimp dry and shake off excess water from the noodles before assembling.
• Place fillings in the bottom third of the wrapper, not the center. Starting low gives you enough wrapper above and on the sides to fold and seal properly. Placing fillings in the center leaves too little paper to create a tight, secure roll.
• Slice the shrimp in half lengthwise before rolling. Halved shrimp lie flat and distribute evenly across the roll, making it easier to roll tightly. Whole shrimp create a lump that pushes through the wrapper.
• Add avocado slices last, right on top of the other fillings before rolling. Avocado is delicate and browns quickly once cut. Placing it last minimizes air exposure during prep and keeps the slices intact rather than mashed into the other ingredients.
• Drape finished Avocado Shrimp Spring Rolls with a damp paper towel while you assemble the rest. Rice paper dries out and hardens within minutes of being rolled. A damp towel keeps the surface hydrated and prevents the rolls from sticking to each other.
• Make the dipping sauce before you start rolling, not after. The peanut butter needs a few minutes to fully incorporate with the hoisin and soy sauce. Mixing ahead gives you a smoother, more cohesive sauce by the time you are ready to serve.
• Thin the peanut sauce with warm water if it feels too thick. Peanut butter tightens up when combined with acidic and salty ingredients. Add warm water one teaspoon at a time until you reach a consistency that coats a spoon but still flows freely.
• Julienne the carrots as thin as possible. Thick carrot cuts create hard lumps inside the roll that make it difficult to roll tightly and uncomfortable to eat in one bite. Thin matchstick cuts stay flexible and blend with the other fillings.
• Serve Avocado Shrimp Spring Rolls whole, not sliced, if making them ahead. Cutting the rolls exposes the avocado and noodles to air, accelerating browning and drying. If you need to slice for presentation, do it immediately before serving.