Rainbow Spring Roll Bowls with Shrimp or Chicken and Peanut Sauce
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These Spring Roll Bowls with Peanut Sauce are boasting with bright and rich flavors and a beautiful array of colors. Then add shrimp or chicken to the mix to make them that much more filling. After one bite you’ll instantly fall in love with these bowls!
Colorful Spring Rolls in Bowl Form
I love to cook with the rainbow! When you’ve got this many colorful veggies you know it’s got to be packed with vitamins and nutrients.
Then add a creamy peanut sauce to that blend and you know it’s got to be good!
Spring Roll or is it a Summer Roll?
So I think technically these should maybe be called “Summer Roll Bowls” but spring or summer who will notice?
Spring rolls are generally served crispy and hot, usually deep fried and summer rolls include lots of fresh, raw veggies and are served cold.
But here we do have a bit of a blend, the noodles and protein are served hot and you get lots of crisp raw veggies. And I’m use to the name “spring rolls” because that’s what they call them at the local Thai restaurants near me – but that must be an Americanized Thai/Vietnamese food thing.
But honestly what do I know? I’m no expert so feel free to enlighten me if I’m wrong on the differences :).
The Best Peanut Sauce
I love when restaurants serve spring rolls with peanut sauce so that’s what I went with here, but some sort of sesame honey-lime dressing would also be delicious.
Then I also added the protein to make it more of filling main dish.
But if you are vegetarian you could definitely just omit the shrimp or chicken and fish sauce and still have a delicious Spring Roll Bowl.
Lots of Fresh Herbs
If you are wondering why all the herbs underneath the veggies I just did that so those pretty colors of the veggies would show through, but there are plenty of fresh herbs under there.
And I definitely recommend thinly slicing you your veggies, especially the red cabbage. Try and shave it (using a big sharp knife), it will make all the difference.
To save a step you can go for the pre-cut matchstick carrots at the store versus julienning them yourself.
For the rice noodles look for those that look like a haystack of noodles (they come in an authentic looking package, I used this brand), I think their medium thickness is best here.
Like this recipe, try these others (follow link below photo for recipe):
Follow Cooking Classy
Rainbow Spring Roll Bowls Shrimp or Chicken and Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined or 1 lb chicken, diced into 1-inch cubes
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh mint or basil
- 1/3 cup chopped green onions
- 1 red bell pepper, cored and julienned
- 1 large carrot, peeled and julienned
- 1 large avocado, sliced
- 1/3 english cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
- 1 cup very thinly sliced red cabbage
- 8 - 10 oz. medium thick white or brown rice noodles* cooked according to package instructions
Peanut sauce
- 1/2 cup creamy low-sodium peanut butter
- 2 tsp finely peeled and minced fresh ginger
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 1/2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 1/2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce (or regular)
- 2 tsp sriracha
- 1 1/2 Tbsp packed light-brown sugar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp honey
- 1 tsp fish sauce (optional)
- 4 - 6 Tbsp hot water
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl whisk together all of the peanut sauce ingredients while adding in enough water to create a runny sauce. Set aside.
- Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil to a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp, season lightly with salt and cook through, about 1 1/2 - 2 minutes per side.
- If using chicken cook on medium-high heat about 7 minutes, turning once halfway through, until 165 in center.
- Meanwhile bring lightly salted water to a boil in a large pot. Cook noodles according to package instructions after you've prepped all of the ingredients so noodles don't stick together. Drain and rinse.
- Divide noodles among 4 plates. Sprinkle with cilantro, mint and green onions.
- Top with bell pepper, carrot, avocado, cucumber, cabbage and shrimp.
- Drizzle each serving with peanut sauce.
- *Pictured in the ingredient photo are actually wide rice noodles but I actually preferred the medium ones here, which is what is pictured in the bowls.You want to have the noodles ready at the very end so they don't get sticky.
- Recipe source: inspired by Pinch of Yum