Spring Roll Bowl With Peanut Sauce Meal Prep
Spring roll bowl with peanut sauce takes everything you like about fresh spring rolls and reshapes it into stackable meal prep lunches—cool rice noodles, crisp vegetables, herbs, and a rich salty-sweet peanut sauce, with no rolling required.
Equipment
- Medium pot
- Colander
- Medium Bowl
- Whisk
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Airtight meal prep containers
- Small lidded containers (for sauce)
Ingredients
For the bowls
- 180 g thin rice vermicelli noodles about 6 oz; about 4 small bundles
- 1 tbsp neutral oil such as canola or grapeseed
- 1 small romaine heart or 1/2 small butter lettuce, shredded (about 120 g / 4 oz)
- 1 medium carrot cut into matchsticks or shredded (about 120 g / 4 oz)
- 1/2 English cucumber seeded if very watery; cut into thin batons
- 1 small red bell pepper thinly sliced (about 120 g / 4 oz)
- 120 g mung bean sprouts rinsed and drained
- 15–20 fresh mint leaves roughly torn
- 15–20 fresh cilantro sprigs leaves and tender stems
- 2 scallions thinly sliced
- 150 g cooked shrimp peeled and halved lengthwise, or firm tofu, cubed
- 30 g roasted peanuts roughly chopped (about 1 oz / about 1/4 cup)
- 1 small lime cut into wedges, for serving (optional)
For the peanut sauce
- 90 g creamy peanut butter smooth, not heavily separating natural peanut butter (about 1/3 cup)
- 45 ml hoisin sauce 3 tbsp
- 30 ml soy sauce regular or low-sodium (2 tbsp)
- 30 ml fresh lime juice 2 tbsp (about 1 lime)
- 15 ml rice vinegar 1 tbsp
- 15 ml honey or maple syrup 1 tbsp
- 1 small garlic clove finely minced or grated
- 1–2 tsp chili-garlic sauce or sriracha to taste
- 60–90 ml warm water as needed to thin (1/4–1/3 cup)
Instructions
- Cook and cool the rice noodles: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the rice vermicelli, stir to separate, and cook according to package directions (usually 3–5 minutes) until tender but still springy. Drain in a colander and rinse under cool water until no longer warm. Shake off excess water and toss with neutral oil to prevent sticking.
- Season the noodles lightly: Taste a noodle. If it seems bland, sprinkle very lightly with soy sauce or a pinch of salt and toss again.
- Prep the vegetables: Shred the lettuce, cut the carrot and cucumber into matchsticks, slice the bell pepper, and rinse and drain the bean sprouts. Pat extra moisture off the cucumber and sprouts with a clean towel so they don’t water down your bowls.
- Prep the herbs and scallions: Rinse the mint and cilantro and dry well. Roughly tear the mint leaves, keep cilantro leaves and tender stems, and slice the scallions.
- Prepare your protein: If using cooked shrimp, pat dry and slice larger shrimp in half lengthwise. If using tofu, press briefly to remove excess moisture, then cube (optional: quickly sear in a nonstick skillet with a splash of soy sauce until lightly golden).
- Whisk the peanut sauce: In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter, hoisin, soy sauce, lime juice, rice vinegar, honey or maple syrup, garlic, and chili-garlic sauce. Whisk until smooth, then gradually whisk in warm water (start with 60 ml / 1/4 cup) until pourable but still clings to a spoon.
- Taste and adjust the sauce: Add more warm water if too thick, more chili-garlic sauce for heat, or extra lime juice for brightness.
- Set up for assembly: Line up 3–4 airtight meal prep containers. Divide cooled noodles evenly among them, forming a loose nest.
- Layer the vegetables: Add shredded lettuce, then carrot, cucumber, bell pepper, and bean sprouts. Keep watery items like cucumber toward the top or side.
- Add herbs, scallions, and protein: Sprinkle mint, cilantro, and scallions over each bowl and arrange shrimp or tofu on top.
- Top with peanuts and lime wedges: Divide chopped peanuts among containers and tuck in a lime wedge if using.
- Portion the peanut sauce separately: Transfer sauce into 3–4 small lidded containers and store separately so the bowls stay crisp.
- Chill and store: Seal and refrigerate up to 3 days (shrimp bowls best within 2–3 days; tofu bowls within 3–4 days).
- Serve: Drizzle peanut sauce over the bowl, squeeze lime over the top, toss gently, and eat chilled or at cool room temperature (no reheating required).
Nutrition
Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 25gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 980mgPotassium: 650mgFiber: 6gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 6500IUVitamin C: 75mgCalcium: 130mgIron: 3.5mg
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