Thai restaurants · UKnearme

Thai Spring Rolls in the UK: what it is, how to order it, where to find it

Quick answer

Thai spring rolls (por pia tod) are crisp fried rolls of thin pastry around a glass-noodle and vegetable filling, a light and crunchy starter. Smaller and more delicate than the Chinese kind, they are usually vegetable-based and served with a sweet chilli dip. The fresh, unfried version wrapped in rice paper is a separate dish.

Calories and nutrition

Calories
240

180–320 kcal

Protein
6 g
Carbs
28 g
Fat
12 g
Salt
1.0 g

Portion: Two spring rolls, about 100 g.

Lighter than Chinese meat spring rolls; a vegetable filling is leanest.

Estimates for a typical portion, based on standard UK and USDA food composition data. Actual values depend on the recipe and the restaurant.

What they are

A filling of glass (mung bean) noodles, shredded cabbage, carrot, bean sprouts and sometimes minced pork or prawn, seasoned with soy, white pepper and coriander, is wrapped in thin spring-roll pastry and deep-fried until golden and crisp. Thai spring rolls tend to be slimmer and lighter than the Chinese version, with glass noodles giving a soft interior against the crisp shell. They come with a sweet chilli dipping sauce. The fresh spring roll (por pia sod), wrapped in rice paper and not fried, is a different, salad-like dish.

How to judge them

The pastry should shatter, the filling be hot and well seasoned, and they should arrive crisp, not soft from sitting. Thin, blistered wrappers are the sign of a good one. Freshly fried beats reheated. Vegetable rolls are the classic; meat versions exist.

Fried versus fresh

Fried spring rolls (por pia tod) are crisp and hot; fresh spring rolls (por pia sod) are soft rice-paper rolls with herbs, prawn or tofu and a peanut or sweet dip, eaten cold. Both appear on UK Thai menus; know which you are ordering.

Where it is done well in the UK

Thai restaurants and street-food places. The list below shows areas with the most Thai restaurants.

How to order it

Eat fried Thai spring rolls straight away while crisp. Thin, blistered pastry is the sign of a good one. For a lighter, cold option ask for fresh spring rolls (por pia sod). Dip in the sweet chilli sauce.

Where it's done well

UK councils with the most thai spring rolls specialists, by restaurant name, in our directory.

Restaurants near you

Search by postcode or use your location to find restaurants likely to serve thai spring rolls near you.

Make it at home

Serves 4 · 45 min

Ingredients

  • 8 spring-roll wrappers
  • 50 g glass (mung bean) noodles, soaked and cut
  • 150 g shredded cabbage, 1 carrot grated, 50 g bean sprouts
  • 100 g minced pork or prawn, optional
  • 2 spring onions, coriander, 1 tbsp soy, white pepper
  • oil, cornflour paste to seal

Method

  1. Stir-fry the vegetables (and pork if using) with soy and pepper until just wilted; mix in the soaked glass noodles and cool.
  2. Put filling on each wrapper, fold in the sides and roll tightly, sealing with cornflour paste.
  3. Deep-fry at 180°C until golden and crisp; drain and serve with sweet chilli sauce.

Drain the filling and use soaked glass noodles for a light interior. Fry hot so they crisp without absorbing oil.