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These colorful spring roll bowls have everything you love about classic spring rolls, but without all the work! Rice noodles topped with crunchy, fresh veggies, shrimp, and an incredible peanut sauce.
Looking for another simplified takeout recipe? Try making egg roll in a bowl!
Bowl recipes are becoming a popular dinner around here. Usually I do rice bowls, these Greek chicken bowls are a personal favorite.
When I want to change things up I swap out the rice and make noodle bowls. I often use rice noodles when I make these Thai basil chicken bowls.
Rice noodles were also what I used to make a fresh and filling spring roll in a bowl. These rainbow bowls are perfect for spring and summer when you want a light, but balanced meal, and one that’s also great if you meal prep.
Ingredients For Spring Roll Bowls
Peanut butter – The star flavor in the peanut sauce. It adds a nutty flavor and creamy texture. Use creamy natural peanut butter if possible.
Lime juice – Gives the peanut sauce a fresh, tart, citrus flavor. Fresh squeezed lime juice is highly recommended.
Honey – The sweetener for the peanut sauce. It can be swapped maple syrup.
Soy sauce – Adds a salty umami flavor to the sauce. Use tamari to make this recipe gluten free and low sodium to control the amount of salt.
Sriracha – Adds a hint of spicy flavor to the sauce. Omit if you are sensitive to spicy food.
Fish sauce – This is a polarizing ingredient and optional if you are totally against it. Despite not smelling great, it actually adds amazing salty, umami, flavor to the sauce and you won’t taste any fishiness once it’s incorporated with the other ingredients.
Fresh ginger – Gives the sauce an amazing fresh, zesty flavor. Grate ginger with a microplane zester. Ground ginger can be used if you prefer. Substitute with 1/4 -1/2 teaspoon.
Garlic – Grate the garlic with a microplane zester so that you aren’t biting into any raw chunks of it. Grating will allow the garlic to basically “melt” into the sauce.
Rice Noodles – The base for these spring roll bowls. Be sure to rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking and rinse off the starch. You can use the thicker Pad Thai style noodles like I did, thin rice noodles, or vermicelli noodles.
Shrimp – Juicy, quick cooking, and a great source of protein. See below for substitutions if you don’t do shrimp.
Red Bell Peppers – Add crunch and sweetness to the noodle bowls.
Red Cabbage – Also called purple cabbage. It adds a nice pop of color and crunch to the bowls.
Cucumbers – Crunchy and fresh. I suggest using Persian or English cucumbers so you don’t have to peel them.
Carrots – I like to shred the carrots for the bowls using a box grater. You can also cut them into matchsticks if you prefer.
Avocado – Adds a nice creamy element to the bowls. Avocados are also a great source of healthy fat.
Jalapeño – If you love spicy food, add some thinly sliced jalapeños for heat.
Cilantro – Fresh flavor and used as a garnish for the bowls, not necessary, but if you love cilantro add it!
Tips For Making Spring Roll Bowls
- Save time and chop all of the vegetables a day or two in advance. You can store them all together in one container or keep them separate. Wait to slice the avocado until right before serving so it doesn’t get brown.
- The peanut sauce can also be made in advance. It will keep for 5-7 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator
- Cook the rice noodles then rinse them under cold water. This stops the cooking process and removes the excess starch that can cause them to stick together.
- Short on time? Buy fresh or frozen pre-cooked shrimp.
- Be careful not to overcook the shrimp or they’ll be chewy and rubbery. Shrimp only need a few minutes to cook. Once they turn opaque and start to curl into a loose “c” shape, they’re done.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use chicken instead of shrimp or make them vegetarian by leaving off the meat and adding shelled edamame or crispy tofu for protein. To make crispy tofu check out my recipe for sheet pan crispy teriyaki tofu and broccoli.
- If you have a peanut allergy, swap out the peanut butter for almond butter.
- Rice noodles can be replaced with traditional pasta. I recommend spaghetti.
- Change up the veggies. Use green onions, sugar snap peas, bean sprouts, edamame, or green cabbage.
Storage Tips
- I like to store the veggies, shrimp, rice noodles, and sauce in separate containers. This makes it easy for everyone to customize their bowls with the toppings they want.
- Rinse the rice noodles well and let them dry before storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They’re best the day you cook them, but will keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Tossing them in oil can also help keep them from sticking together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should Spring Roll Bowls Be Eaten Cold or Hot?
Spring roll bowls are best eaten cold or room temperature. The vegetables will lose their crisp crunchy texture if eaten hot.
Peanut Sauce is Too Thick?
Whisk in a tablespoon of water at a time until your desired consistency is reached. The sauce does tend to thicken once it’s been refrigerated.
How Can I Make the Bowl Low Carb
If you prefer that the spring roll bowl be low carb, replace the rice noodles with cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles or a low carb pasta.
How to Make Spring Rolls Bowls
Ingredients
Other Ingredients
- 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
- 8 ounces uncooked rice noodles
- 1 avocado peeled and sliced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 red bell pepper sliced
- 1 cup sliced cucumbers
- 1 cup thinly sliced red cabbage
- 1 jalapeño sliced thin
Instructions
- Prep and chop all of the vegetables.
- Cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions and rinse them under cold water.
- While the noodles cook, make the peanut sauce. Whisk together all of the ingredients until smooth and creamy. Taste if for seasoning and add salt if needed.
- Add a little olive oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels and season them with salt and pepper. Add the shrimp to the skillet and spread them into a single layer. Cook for about 1-2 minutes then flip them over and cook another minute or until they start to curl and are opaque. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- To assemble the bowls, divide the rice noodles into bowls. Top them with equal amounts of the vegetables and shrimp. Drizzle on your desired amount of the peanut sauce. Garnish with cilantro if desired and serve with a lime wedge.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Bowl Recipes
- Healthy Chicken Shawarma Bowls
- Chili Lime Chicken Burrito Bowls
- Berry Quinoa Breakfast Bowls
- Sesame Chicken Noodle Bowls
- Barbecue Chicken Quinoa Bowls
If you make these Spring Roll Bowls, please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you and do my best to respond to your comments. And if you’re on Instagram tag @reciperunner so I can see your beautiful creations!
I made this for dinner last night, I loved it!!! And would definitely made it again!
This looks amazing! What a fresh looking diner for a hot night.