Looking for a spring roll dipping sauce to serve with your favorite spring roll recipe? Look no further! We have several options here—three of our favorites, as well as five alternative recipes so you can make the one that sounds tastiest to you!
Dipping Sauce for Spring Rolls?
Chinese fried spring rolls are not to be confused with egg rolls, which use a thicker wrapper, or summer rolls, which are usually wrapped with rice paper and feature uncooked ingredients. Chinese spring rolls are made with a thin wrapper, cooked filling, and are deep-fried until golden brown.
You’ll see them most often either as a dim sum item, or as an appetizer during Chinese New Year, because they resemble gold bars and represent wealth!
Spring rolls aren’t always served with a dipping sauce, but many of you have asked for dipping sauce options. Similarly, we did a post on scallion pancake dipping sauce, where we acknowledged that while it’s not traditional, some of you just want sauce!
Today, we are presenting three great dipping sauce options for you, as well as some existing sauce recipes on the site that could be good candidates.
Check Out Our Spring Roll Recipes!
Spring Roll Dipping Sauce Recipes
OPTION 1: Shanghai Rice Vinegar or Chinese Black Vinegar
This is our personal favorite dipping sauce option. This comes from my mom’s side of the family, from Shanghai. While it’s not mandatory, my mom will sometimes put out a dish of Shanghai rice vinegar to dip her Shanghai-style spring rolls into.
The tangy vinegar contrasts with the richness and deep-fried-ness of the spring rolls, and it’s just perfect. Both Shanghai Rice Vinegar and Chinese Black Vinegar are both great options.
Serve spring rolls with vinegar straight-up or with a pinch of sugar.
OPTION 2: Worcestershire Dipping Sauce
If there were ever a dipping sauce served with spring rolls at dim sum, it would be this old-school Cantonese Worcestershire-based sauce. It’s super easy to make, and has a satisfyingly contrasting tang, much like the vinegar option, but with a bit of sweetness and complexity as well!
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon hot water
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Dissolve the sugar in the hot water. Add the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and rice vinegar. Stir.
OPTION 3: Sweet chili sauce
Some form of sweet chili sauce is commonly served with Thai-style spring rolls, so this is a common request. Our version makes just enough for one serving of spring rolls, and doesn’t involve any cooking. Mix it up in a couple minutes!
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey
- 1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sambal oelek or chili garlic sauce (depending on desired spice level)
- 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Combine the agave nectar (or honey), rice vinegar, samba oelek, soy sauce, and minced garlic. Stir well.
Other alternatives:
None of those sauces did it for you? Check out these other sauce recipes below, which may also be good candidates!
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Recipe
Spring Roll Dipping Sauces
Ingredients
Option 1: Vinegar Dipping Sauce
- Shanghai Rice Vinegar or Chinese Black Vinegar
Option 2: Worcestershire Dipping Sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon hot water
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
Option 3: Sweet Chili Sauce
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar or honey
- 1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon sambal oelek or chili garlic sauce (depending on desired spice level)
- 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
Instructions
Option 1:
- Serve spring rolls with vinegar straight-up or with a pinch of sugar.
Option 2:
- Dissolve the sugar in the hot water. Add the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and rice vinegar. Stir.
Option 3:
- Combine the agave nectar (or honey), rice vinegar, samba oelek, soy sauce, and minced garlic. Stir well.
