Spring Roll Bowls are a delightful mix of basil, mint, rice noodles, fish sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, and your choice of protein and veggies. They’re super easy to whip up and can be made without meat too!
Sweet Garlic Lime Sauce:
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1/4 cup agave or brown sugar
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 1/3 cup lime juice
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
For the Bowls:
- 7-8 ounces of rice noodles
- 1/4 cup each of basil, mint, and cilantro (try to use all three, they complement each other well!)
- 1 serrano pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
- 2 avocados
- 2 carrots
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 cucumber
- 1 lb of shrimp, tofu, or chicken (optional)
Instructions:
- Sauce Prep: Blend all the sauce ingredients until smooth.
- Noodle Prep: Soak the rice noodles in cold water for about 30 minutes until they soften. Then, boil them briefly for a minute or two and drain quickly to avoid stickiness.
- Veg Prep: Chop the herbs, slice the serrano pepper, and either peel or julienne the vegetables.
- Protein Prep: If you’re adding protein, cook your choice of shrimp, tofu, or chicken.
- Bowl Prep: Mix the noodles (hot or cold, as you prefer) with the sweet garlic lime sauce and all the prepared ingredients.
Notes:
- If you’re avoiding sugar, remember that fish sauce has trace amounts of sugar. You can also use distilled white vinegar instead of rice vinegar to go completely sugar-free.
- Don’t be put off by the smell of fish sauce; it blends wonderfully with the other ingredients and is essential for that authentic flavor. There’s no perfect substitute, but you can try making a vegan fish sauce if needed.
This recipe serves four and is perfect when you’re craving something fresh and flavorful. Enjoy your homemade Spring Roll Bowl!
