This deconstructed Spring Roll in a Bowl with Peanut Sauce is a healthy recipe perfect for when you're craving the flavors of fresh spring rolls! Crunchy veggies like romaine lettuce and cabbage, edamame, and rice vermicelli noodles are all topped with a creamy peanut sauce for ultimate flavor combo!
As a dietitian, anytime I can make a recipe that is a good balance of carbs, protein, and healthy fats that gets most it's flavor from fresh ingredients, I'll take it! This spring roll bowl recipe is just that.
It's essentially all the ingredients you would find in a fresh spring roll, but instead of rolling them in rice paper you'll chop everything and throw it in a bowl! The peanut lime dressing has the flavor of the peanut sauce you would typically dip spring rolls in (SO good!).
If you like this recipe, you may enjoy my Egg Roll Bowls, Asian Crunch Salad, or Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Sauce!
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Key Ingredient Notes and Substitution Ideas
These spring roll bowls are made with simple ingredients. Below are ingredient notes. Measurements can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Base Ingredients
- Noodles - I use vermicelli rice noodles for this recipe. These are thin rice noodles and are commonly used in Vietnamese or Thai spring rolls. You can use any noodle you prefer. Brown rice or sushi rice works too.
- Romaine Lettuce - used as a base for the veggies in this recipe, romaine is crisp and absorbs the dressing really well. It also provides important nutrients like vitamins C, K, and A.
- Cabbage - I use purple cabbage, but you could use green cabbage or a combination of green cabbage and red cabbage. Cabbage adds crunch, flavor, and nutrients including dietary fiber and antioxidants. Feel free to use a slaw mix if you want to save some time.
- Carrot - you can either grate or shred a whole carrot or grab a bag of matchstick carrots to save some time.
- Cucumbers - fresh cucumbers add crunch to this bowl. I like to use Persian cucumbers or English cucumbers because they have smaller seeds and thinner skin than regular cucumbers and have a more crisp texture.
- Green Onion - green onions have a mild flavor. If you prefer a stronger onion flavor and more of a bite, use red onion.
- Fresh Herbs - I use a combination of mint, cilantro, and Thai basil for that authentic fresh spring roll flavor.
- Edamame - to add some plant-based protein. You can use chicken, tofu, salmon, or shrimp if you prefer.
- Chopped Peanuts - these are optional to add a bit of crunch.
For Peanut Lime Dressing
You can use a store-bought peanut sauce for this Spring Roll in a Bowl. But if you want to make a homemade dressing, here are the ingredients you will need.
- Peanut Butter - to mimic the peanut dipping sauce normally served with spring rolls, the dressing uses peanut butter as a base. You can substitute with almond butter, cashew butter, or a seed butter like sunflower seed butter for a nut-free option.
- Lime Juice - fresh lime juice adds brightness, acidity and a bit of tang. You could sub with lemon juice if you prefer.
- Garlic - you’ll be using peeled raw fresh garlic so a little bit adds lots of flavor. If you don't like the taste of garlic, feel free to leave it out. You can also substitute using ⅓ teaspoon garlic powder.
- Ginger - freshly grated ginger root is an easy way to add more flavor and a bit of spice. If you prefer, you can use ground ginger instead. Ginger helps support a healthy gut.
- Low Sodium Soy Sauce - to add a salty component. If you want a gluten-free option, I suggest using coconut aminos.
- Rice Vinegar - also known simply as rice vinegar. It's a bit sweeter than other vinegars, but you can substitute with white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar if you want.
- Toasted Sesame Oil - using toasted sesame oil takes this dressing up a level but is optional.
- Honey - add a bit of sweetness to balance the other ingredients. I prefer honey for this recipe but you could use maple syrup, agave syrup, or your own favorite sweetener instead.
- Red Pepper Flakes - optional to add some spice.
How to Make a Spring Roll in a Bowl
Below are the directions for how to make this recipe with photos that I hope are helpful! Don't forget to check out the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
- Step 1 - Cook noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water right when they're done cooking. While they cool, make the dressing by whisking all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or blending them in a food processor or blender.
- Step 2 - Combine the noodles, vegetables, herbs, edamame, and peanuts in a large bowl.
- Step 3 - drizzle the dressing on top and toss everything until well combined and coated in the dressing.
Hint: if you prefer a saucier bowl, double up on the peanut lime dressing!
Video of How to Make Spring Roll in a Bowl
Here's a video of how to make this recipe that I hope is helpful!
Variations
One of the best parts about a Spring Roll in a Bowl is that you can easily customize it with different flavor combinations to your taste. Below are a few ideas for variations, but feel free to get creative!
- Spicy - some of the easiest ways to kick up the spice level in this dish are to double the crushed red pepper chili flakes in the dressing, add sriracha or hot sauce, or add serrano pepper.
- Deluxe - add snow peas or bok choy to the veggie mix and top with a drizzle of sweet chili sauce or spicy mayo and sesame seeds.
- Vegan Spring Roll - replace honey with maple syrup or agave to turn these into a vegan option.
- Ground Meat - if you want to go for more of the fried spring roll flavors, use cooked ground meat like ground chicken or ground pork for the protein.
Meal Prep & Storage for Spring Roll in a Bowl
- Meal Prep - shred the vegetables and make the dressing in advance. Store them in separate containers until ready to assemble for up to 1-2 days.
- Refrigerator - store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. If you're planning to meal prep these, I suggest portioning into containers and waiting to add the dressing until you're ready to eat.
Expert Advice
- I like to shred the vegetables pretty finely for this recipe. It helps to ensure everything gets coated with the dressing!
- For the dressing, use a citrus zester to grate your ginger.
- For a shortcut, use packaged pre-chopped vegetables.
- If you prefer more sauce, double up on the peanut dressing.
Dietitian tip
One of the best ways to ensure you'll actually eat (and enjoy!) your vegetables is to make sure they taste great by choosing combinations that pair well together. And adding a great sauce or dressing like the peanut lime dressing here makes a huge difference! 😊
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, this is a nutrient-rich option. It contains vitamins A, C and B6 from the fresh veggies, antioxidants from the vegetables and herbs, plant-protein from the edamame, and heart-healthy fats that support brain health and hormone health from the nut butter and oil in the dressing.
Nope! I do prefer it for this recipe, but if you don't have time you can grab a store-bought peanut sauce or dressing.
Rinse them under cold water as soon as they are done cooking. You can also drizzle on a bit of oil to help separate them.
I have found them in the Asian section of the grocery store. Other stores will have them by the other pasta and noodles. You can grab them here on Amazon.
In general, yes. Rice noodles are made from rice and are gluten-free. However, check the package of the brand you are using to make sure they do not contain gluten. Be mindful that this recipe also uses soy sauce, which contains gluten. If you want to make this recipe gluten-free, I suggest replacing soy sauce with coconut aminos.
Related
Looking for more dietitian recipes like this? Here are some you may enjoy:
Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Spring Roll in a Bowl:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Fresh Spring Roll in a Bowl with Peanut Dressing
Equipment
Ingredients
For Bowl
- 4 oz vermicelli rice noodles, dry
- 3 cup romaine lettuce, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, shredded (1-2 large carrots)
- 2 cups purple cabbage, shredded (or green cabbage)
- 1 cup cucumbers, diced (~½ an English cucumber)
- 3 stalks green onion, finely chopped
- ¼ cup fresh mint, finely chopped
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- ¼ cup thai basil, finely chopped
- 1 cup edamame, cooked
- ¼ cup peanuts, chopped
For Dressing
- ¼ cup natural peanut butter
- 1 lime, juiced (about 2 tablespoon of juice)
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon ginger root, finely grated (or 1 teaspoon ground ginger)
- 2 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon honey (or maple syrup)
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 2-4 tablespoon water, as needed to thin it out
Instructions
- Cook noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water right when they're done cooking. While they cool, make the dressing by whisking all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or blending them in a food processor or blender.
- Combine the noodles, vegetables, herbs, edamame, and peanuts in a large bowl.
- Drizzle the dressing on top and toss everything until well combined and coated in the dressing.
- Hint: if you prefer a saucier bowl, double up on the peanut lime dressing!
Video
Notes
- I like to shred the vegetables pretty finely for this recipe. It helps to ensure everything gets coated with the dressing!
- For the dressing, use a citrus zester to grate your ginger.
- For a shortcut, use packaged pre-chopped vegetables.
- If you prefer more sauce, double up on the peanut dressing.
- Meal Prep - shred the vegetables and make the dressing in advance. Store them in separate containers until ready to assemble for up to 1-2 days.
- Refrigerator - store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. If you're planning to meal prep these, I suggest portioning into containers and waiting to add the dressing until you're ready to eat.
Heather
I'm not gonna lie, I was a little skeptical ab all the ingredients, especially for the peanut sauce. BUT this turned out SO good. Def new favorite in my house.
Mallory
Hi Heather,
Thank you for taking time to leave a review, it means so much to me! So happy to hear you enjoyed the bowl, it's one of my favorites! 😊 Please let me know if there are any recipes/recipe ideas you want me to share, I love getting ideas from my readers. Have a great day!
-Mallory
jess
It says this makes 1 serving? Is that accurate?
Mallory
Hi jess! Thank you so much for pointing that out. I changed it so it now reflects an accurate 5 servings!