Imperial Rolls
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 8 ounces ground pork
- 8 ounces shrimp, peeled, deveined, and finely chopped
- 1 small carrot, grated
- ½ cup shredded taro or sweet potato
- ½ cup finely chopped yellow onion
- ½ cup wood ear mushrooms, soaked and finely chopped
- 1 ounce dried glass noodles, soaked, drained, and cut into short pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
For Rolling and Frying:
- 20-24 spring roll wrappers
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for sealing
- Neutral oil, for frying
For Serving:
- Butter lettuce or romaine
- Fresh mint, cilantro, and Thai basil
- Cucumber slices
- Pickled carrots and daikon
- Nuoc cham
- Lime wedges, optional
Instructions
Prepare the Filling: In a large bowl, combine the pork, shrimp, carrot, taro or sweet potato, onion, wood ear mushrooms, glass noodles, garlic, egg, fish sauce, sugar, salt, and pepper. Mix until evenly combined and slightly sticky.
Test the Seasoning: Cook a small spoonful of filling in a skillet or microwave until fully cooked. Taste and adjust with a little more fish sauce, salt, pepper, or sugar if needed.
Roll the Imperial Rolls: Place one wrapper on a clean surface with a corner facing you. Add a few tablespoons of filling near the lower third, fold the bottom corner over the filling, fold in the sides, then roll tightly. Seal the edge with the cornstarch slurry. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
Rest Before Frying: Place the rolls seam-side down on a tray and let them rest for 10-15 minutes while the oil heats. This helps the sealed edge set.
Fry: Heat 2-3 inches of neutral oil to 350°F. Fry the rolls in batches for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally, until deep golden brown and cooked through. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
Serve: Serve hot with lettuce, fresh herbs, cucumber, pickled carrots and daikon, nuoc cham, and lime wedges if using.
Crispy Vietnamese-Style Rolls
Imperial Rolls are all about contrast: a crisp wrapper, savory filling, cool lettuce, fresh herbs, and a bright dipping sauce. The filling should be finely chopped and well mixed so every bite has pork, shrimp, noodles, vegetables, and mushrooms without large pieces breaking through the wrapper.
Rolling tightly matters, but do not overfill. A roll that is too full can split in the oil, while a loosely rolled one can trap air pockets and fry unevenly. Think snug, compact, and sealed well at the edge.
Air Fryer Method
For a healthier alternative, preheat the air fryer to 375°F. Arrange the rolls in a single layer with space between them, seam-side down. Brush or spray generously with neutral oil; the oil is what helps the wrappers blister and turn golden.
Air fry for 10-14 minutes, turning halfway through and spraying again if any dry patches remain. The rolls should be crisp, browned, and cooked through in the center. If they need more color, raise the heat to 400°F for the last 2-3 minutes. Work in batches so the rolls crisp instead of steaming.
Air-fried imperial rolls will be lighter and a little less bubbly than deep-fried rolls, but they are still excellent with enough oil on the surface and enough space in the basket.
Serving Ideas
Serve the rolls the traditional way with lettuce leaves and herbs, letting people wrap each roll before dipping it in nuoc cham. The lettuce cools the hot roll, the herbs add freshness, and the sauce brings salt, sweetness, acid, and heat.
For a fuller meal, serve imperial rolls with vermicelli noodles, shredded lettuce, cucumber, pickled carrots and daikon, and extra nuoc cham as a noodle bowl. They also make a great appetizer alongside Vietnamese Shaking Beef or a simple cucumber salad.
Variations
Use all pork if you want a simpler filling, or add crab for a more celebratory version. Taro gives the filling a classic earthy sweetness, while sweet potato is an easy substitute that still helps bind the mixture.
If you like more vegetables, add finely chopped cabbage or bean sprouts, but keep the mixture dry. Excess moisture can soften the wrappers and make the rolls more likely to burst.
Make-Ahead Tips
You can roll the imperial rolls a few hours ahead and keep them covered in the refrigerator. Place parchment between layers so they do not stick together.
For longer storage, freeze the uncooked rolls in a single layer until firm, then transfer them to a freezer bag. Fry from frozen at a slightly lower temperature at first, then increase the heat near the end so the centers cook through before the wrappers get too dark.
