What To Serve With Spring Rolls: 12 Delish Sides
If you want to get a little experimental with Asian food, you might be hunting for inspiration for what to serve with spring rolls.
Here, we’re going to take a culinary trip through 12 different sides to tempt your tastebuds and expand your repertoire.
What to serve with spring rolls
Some delicious ideas for what to serve with spring rolls include pineapple fried rice, tempura prawns, and zesty Asian chopped salad. If you’re serving this Chinese restaurant favourite as a starter, a sweet chilli dipping sauce is practically essential!
Read on to get the best quick and easy recipes…
1. Sweet chilli dip
If you’ve ever ordered spring rolls at your local Chinese restaurant, they’ll almost definitely have been served up with a sweet chilli dip.
The famous dipping sauce adds a mild chilli kick to tantalise your tastebuds, and just enough moisture to ensure each mouthful is perfectly balanced.
This homemade chilli dip recipe is free of any dubious or nasty additives, and it tastes way better than anything you can buy readymade in a jar!
2. Asian chopped salad
Sometimes, Chinese food that’s available in the US and UK can be unpleasantly gloopy.
This is often the result of a little too much cornflour or gelatine being used to thicken up sauces.
Avoid this kind of kitchen disaster by lightening things up with a bright Asian chopped salad.
Think chopped peppers, red onion, cabbage, cucumber, spring onion, and a dressing made with lime juice, lime zest, and white wine vinegar.
3. Pineapple fried rice
If you love sweet and savoury food pairings, serve your spring rolls with pineapple fried rice.
You don’t really need a recipe for this one, and you can just chuck in any ingredients that you might have that need using up in the next day or so.
Heat up a pan and add veggies like peppers, red onion, and chillis.
Throw in your pineapple, cooked rice, and cook until everything is piping hot.
Add some soy sauce for extra umami flavour, and you’re good to go.
(If you love takeaway inspired dishes, you might also enjoy what to serve with bang bang chicken!)
4. Chicken and sweetcorn soup
If you want to plate up a selection of appetisers, chicken and sweetcorn soup is a worthy contender for what to serve with spring rolls.
It’s a takeaway classic, and I like to serve it in small bowls so it doesn’t fill everyone up too much before the main course.
5. Wok fried noodles
Noodles are surely one of the tastiest and most versatile Chinese dishes out there.
Make them super impressive by adding the freshest, juiciest king prawns you can find, or create something worthy of a high end restaurant by adding scallops.
Alternatively, keep things basic with lots of colourful, crunchy vegetables.
A selection of spring rolls with a portion of the noodles of your choice is straightforward, but that doesn’t make it any less delicious.
6. Chinese broccoli with garlic sauce
This takeaway style Chinese broccoli with garlic sauce is tasty, healthy, and in my opinion, it’s essential to have on the table next time you’re creating an Asian feast.
If you want to keep things simple, serve with your spring rolls and a big bowl of egg fried rice. Perfectly suitable for vegetarian guests, no fuss, and the kind of meal you can have ready in no time for those evenings when you’re just too busy for any hassle.
7. Sweet and sour chicken
Sweet and sour chicken just had to get a mention for what to serve with spring rolls, because it’s my ultimate favourite order from the takeaway!
It’s loved by everyone, suitable for kids and picky eaters, and packed with lots of goodness in the form of onions, peppers, pineapple, and crunchy water chestnuts.
Serve it straight from the pan with rice and spring rolls, and you’ve got a delicious weekend dinner, without having to order in.
8. Asian coleslaw
Deep fried spring rolls often call for a fresh and healthy accompaniment, and Asian coleslaw ticks all the boxes.
The nutty sesame dressing is a welcome change from the thick mayos that are often involved with slaws, and you can make it in advance if you’re short on time.
9. Smacked cucumbers
Smacked cucumbers are made by literally smacking up your cucumbers and then tossing them with a mixture of garlic, sugar, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and chilli oil.
They’re fun to make, and they work so well when served with Chinese appetisers and starters like spring rolls.
10. Tempura prawns
If your meal needs a protein boost, try these tempura prawns!
The deep fried batter is wonderfully moreish, and though they only take 10 minutes to make, they always look really impressive on the plate.
Let everyone help themselves, with or without knives and forks, and create a delicious starter with these prawns and your spring rolls.
11. Crispy wontons
When I visit a Chinese restaurant, I can never decide between spring rolls and wontons. I’ll let you into a little secret though… There’s no reason why you can’t have both!
Best of all, they actually use the same basic egg noodle dough to make the wrappers, so it’ll take less time than you might initially think.
Add a salad garnish to the platter for a little colour, and you’ve got a tasty Chinese starter or side dish that’s just as good as any takeaway.
12. Chinese chicken wings
Chicken wings are surely top of many people’s lists when it comes to finger foods. Do yourself a solid favour and try these sticky Chinese chicken wings.
They’re absolutely divine, and the marinade is the perfect balance of spicy, salty, sweet, and tangy.
As you can see, there’s no shortage of tasty options for what to serve with spring rolls. From veggie noodle bowls, to sweet and sour chicken, to simple but moreish dipping sauces, there are so many ways to add a little extra pizazz to your plate.
