Nime Chow are fresh Cambodian spring rolls stuffed with bright veggies, and wrapped in delicate rice paper. Served with a savory-sweet peanut sauce for dipping, these morsels are perfect healthy appetizers or snacks on their own or as part of a meal. They would be particularly fantastic for a spa day with friends!
Nime Chow is a personal favorite dish that I order regularly at local Asian restaurants. It's a raw spring roll, sometimes called a summer roll. It's a simple and fresh combination of fresh, raw vegetables and cellophane noodles.
You can also add small to medium sized fresh, cooked, peeled shrimp into these rolls, but for the purpose at hand I have created a veggie forward version. I love it with its slightly chewy exterior and fresh and crunchy filling of fresh vegetables. And the peanut sauce... it's just delicious.
How to assemble Nime Chow
First you'll need to soak the rice paper in water to soften it. The recipe uses 1 ½ sheets of rice paper per roll, but I have also made it with 2 sheets per roll, and that works too if you want a thicker wrapper. Be careful not to soak it too long, or the rice paper will be impossible to work with.
Next you'll top the rice paper with your filling ingredients. Wrap it like a burrito, and seal closed. Then cut each roll in half and serve with the peanut sauce. Easy as that! The peanut sauce traditionally contains fish sauce, but if you want a fully vegetarian and vegan dish, simply omit it.
Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (in a printable recipe card) including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
How to use leftover ingredients
- Bean thread (cellophane) noodles: Ants Climbing a Tree (Ma Yi Shang Shu)
- Bean sprouts: Shrimp Pad Thai
- Fresh basil: Spaghetti Sciuè Sciuè
- Carrots: Gajar Matar (Indian Carrots and Peas)
This recipe comes from a local restaurant in my home town that closed a few years back! How random is that? The good thing about this dish is that you can easily switch up some of the filling ingredients. Also, the dish doesn't require any actual cooking! Just soaking and assembling, so it would be really nice to prepare on a hot summer day.
The fun of these rolls is that you can make them to your liking. Just adjust the filling as you wish. And don't forget the deliciously sweet-and-sour peanut-laced sauce.
It's not your typical peanut sauce but it is the perfect dressing for these fresh and healthy rolls. I prefer to spoon the sauce over each bite rather than actually dipping into it. It's less messy, and this way you ensure bits of peanut make it into your roll.
Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also follow me on social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
Nime Chow (Cambodian Spring Rolls)
Ingredients
Rolls:
- 1 ½ ounces uncooked bean threads cellophane noodles
- 12 (8-inch round) sheets rice paper
- 2 cups thinly sliced curly leaf lettuce
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
- 24 medium basil leaves
Peanut Sauce:
- 1 cup hot water
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce (omit for vegetarian sauce)
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- ½ cup finely chopped unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
Instructions
- Combine bean threads and 2 cups hot water in a bowl; let stand 10 minutes. Drain; cut into 2-inch lengths with scissors.
- Add cold water to a large shallow dish to a depth of 1 inch. Cut 4 rice paper sheets in half, leaving remaining 8 sheets whole. Place 1 whole rice paper sheet and 1 half rice paper sheet in dish of water. Let stand 30 seconds or until soft (but don’t over soak because then it will tear easily and be harder to work with). Remove sheets from water.
- Place whole rice paper sheet on a flat surface; top with half sheet, lining up edges of both sheets. Place ¼ cup lettuce over half sheet, leaving a ½-inch border around outer edge of half sheet. Arrange 2 tablespoons grated carrot, 1 ½ tablespoons bean threads, 2 tablespoons bean sprouts, and 3 basil leaves over lettuce. Fold sides of rice paper sheets over filling; roll up tightly, jelly-roll fashion. Gently press seam to seal; place, seam side down, on a serving platter (cover to keep from drying). Repeat procedure with remaining rice paper sheets, lettuce, carrot, bean threads, bean sprouts, and basil.
- Cut each roll in half crosswise.
- To make the sauce, combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl; stir well. Cool completely. Stir in remaining ingredients and serve with the rolls.
Notes
Nutrition
*All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.*
Sarah
Tastes just like Jacky’s galaxie, my favorite Nime Chow, excellent and easy!!!
Amanda
Galaxie was my go to for years for nime chow, I was bummed when they closed. This was the first recipe I found and was so surprised to find it was from my old favorite restaurant. I made this for lunch and was so happy with the results. Thank you for bringing back a small piece of my childhood! I highly recommend serving with chili and garlic paste for those who like life on the spicy side!
Victoria
Hi Amanda,
I'm happy to find another old school Galaxie lover! Their nime chow truly was the best. I'm glad you enjoyed this recipe as much as the original 🙂
David
I knew you were talking about Jackie’s Galaxy! Loved that place! 4 Seasons is the spot you should go. Real deal!
Allan Lester
that's too bad about the galaxie. is the big fancy place across the street still open?
Camille
These are so delicious that while I was eating them, I actually forgot how healthy they are!! :o) Any they make a great snack!
Bunzy
Oh hey, me three! Small world esp when it’s our lil Rhode I just had nime chow from Pagoda Inn (I know, I didn’t expect much), and while it is good, they use mint instead of basil, which just isn’t the same. Jason’s in EG is my longtime go-to for good Asian food, in particular their Nime Chow is great.
Miguel
So funny... I came here searching for a Nime chow recipe (obv) and I saw your comment about it being from a random restaurant in your town... I never would have GUESSED you live in ri!! Small world. Love galaxie
Bonnie
Ha! I too am from RI! Loved Galaxy ....Like Hei Place and mai Thai too!
Lillie
I'm so thrilled that I found this recipe! I've been looking for it for years! I've never been able to find Nime Chow like Galaxie had!
Joe D
Hi…Joe D from Durham,NC here. RI transplant…got my nime chow at Hong Meas in East Providence…sadly, no longer there. Thanks for peanut recipe! Been the one thing missing in my at-home preparation of nime chow. I have mint and basil plants and use both in my rolls. Also, in addition to peanut sauce, I use a small bit of Sambal Oelek ground chili paste for a little kick to each bite! An ice cold skinny Heineken and I’m one happy camper!!