Quick & Easy Lemongrass Beef Spring Rolls

These quick and easy lemongrass beef spring rolls make the most refreshing appetizer for any meal. Rice paper rolls are filled with addicting lemongrass steak, fresh herbs, and vermicelli noodles, all served with an easy-to-make Vietnamese dipping sauce. In this blog post, learn how to get the “grilled” look without the grill, how to properly hydrate rice paper, and how to customize your spring rolls to your tastes.

I forgot how much I love this lemongrass marinade with beef, so I knew I had to make some beef spring rolls! Out of the tons of Vietnamese appetizers out there, Vietnamese spring rolls are what I love to eat all year round but especially in the summer when it’s hot and dry. I don’t have spring rolls with beef that often, but when I do, I love them. They’re just as good and as easy to make as my chicken spring roll recipe, and they’re also always a crowd pleaser!

Some deets about key ingredients

Lemongrass Beef

• Ribeye steak – I used ribeye steak for my recipe because it is the best cut of steak in my opinion. I’ve used so many cuts of steak to make this recipe like filet mignon, sirloin, or NY strip, and ribeye is the best because it is juicy thanks to the fat and has the best flavor! You can use any kind of beef for this recipe however.
• Lemongrass – If you don’t have lemongrass, I would use a tablespoon of lime juice and the zest of 1 lime. The flavor won’t be the same as lemongrass, but it’s a good enough substitute. Check out my guide on how to use lemongrass for tips on how to cut this ingredient!
• Light brown sugar – Light brown sugar can be substituted with dark brown sugar. Note that dark brown sugar is sweeter, so that will make the dish sweeter. If you want to make this dish processed sugar free, use another tablespoon of honey.

Other Ingredients

The ingredients below are the ones I use in my steak spring rolls but you can use whatever vegetables you want. Great options not mentioned below are shredded carrots and green onions.

• Rice paper – Make sure to get high quality rice paper to reduce the likelihood of tearing the rice paper. In testing, I used some random brand I found at the store, and it tore every single time I used it. It was a nightmare! Personally, I like to use Three Ladies Brand rice paper. It’s the best brand, and doesn’t tear easily.
• Vermicelli noodles – Vermicelli are thin, rice noodles used in all Vietnamese spring rolls. Personally, I wouldn’t substitute this ingredient with anything because I don’t think there’s a great substitute for it. If you had to substitute with something, I would use thin rice noodles. For a complete guide on how to cook vermicelli noodles, check out my vermicelli cooking guide.
• Vietnamese dipping sauce – I used Vietnamese dipping sauce or nuoc cham because I think it pairs better with the intense flavor of the steak than Vietnamese peanut sauce. Peanut sauce tends to work better with proteins that are more neutral in flavor like the boiled pork and shrimp in traditional Vietnamese spring rolls. Additionally, the acidity of nuoc cham balances out the umami flavor of the chicken.

Making this easy beef spring roll recipe (with tips!)

1. Mix together 2 tbsp of lemongrass, 1 shallot, 2 cloves of garlic, 2 tbsp of fish sauce, 1 tbsp of soy sauce, 1 tbsp of oyster sauce, 2 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tbsp of honey, and 1 tbsp of light brown sugar. Add 1 lb of thinly sliced ribeye steak and coat with the marinade. Marinate for 30 minutes.
   • Tip #1: For better flavor, marinate overnight (up to 24 hours).
2. While the steak is marinating, prep the rest of your ingredients. Boil 10 oz of vermicelli noodles. Cut 4 cups of lettuce and ½ cup of cucumbers. Make 1 cup of Vietnamese dipping sauce. Set all of it aside.
3. Once done marinating, Heat a pan over high heat. Make sure your pan is hot before cooking your steak. That’s what gives it the “grilled look” without the grill. Cook the steak in batches for 1-2 minutes on each side. Remove from the heat and set aside.
   • Tip #2: In the summertime, I actually grill this lemongrass steak. It adds a lot more flavor to the steak.
4. Now it’s time to make your spring rolls! Hydrate 1 rice paper sheet. Add a few pieces of lettuce, cucumbers, mint, and a small handful of vermicelli noodles to the bottom third of the rice paper. Follow that with a few pieces of steak.
5. Starting from the bottom, roll upward. When you’re halfway up the rice paper, fold over the left and right sides of the spring roll and then complete the spring roll. Repeat until you run out of rice paper or filling.
6. Serve with a side of Vietnamese dipping sauce and enjoy!
   • Tip #3: If you have leftover beef, eat it in a vermicelli bowl (aka Bun Bo Xao) or with some rice and veggies.

How to properly hydrate rice paper

1. Fill a bowl with warm water.
   • Tip #1: There are some debates about warm vs cold water, but to be honest, cold water works just as well as warm water. At best, warm water is marginally more effective in my opinion.
   • Tip #2: You can also choose to run water down both sides of the rice paper using the kitchen faucet. This is what I do.
2. Dip the rice paper into the water. Make sure the water covers both sides of the rice paper.
3. Lie it flat on a plate.

Can these beef spring rolls be made ahead?

Yes, but they should be consumed the same day. I’ve stored spring rolls for a couple hours in the fridge, and by the time I eat them, they’re noticeably not as fresh as they were when I made them.

Did you make this dish?

If you made this dish, I would love to see!

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