Crispy Air Fryer Spring Rolls (Fresh and Frozen)

Spring rolls have a particular kind of crunch when they're made right — thin, crispy skin that shatters when you bite through it, giving way to a hot, savory filling. Deep frying achieves that effect easily. The air fryer gets surprisingly close, without the oil bath.

This guide covers both routes: making spring rolls from scratch with a fresh filling, and cooking them straight from a frozen bag. The technique is slightly different for each, and we'll walk through both clearly.

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Fresh Homemade Spring Rolls

Ingredients (makes 10-12 spring rolls)

For the filling:

• 2 cups shredded cabbage (green or napa)
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 3-4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated (or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• Optional: 1 cup cooked vermicelli noodles, chopped roughly
• Optional: 1 cup cooked shrimp or ground pork

For assembly:

• 10-12 spring roll wrappers (square, found in the freezer section of Asian grocery stores)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (sealing paste)
• Cooking spray

Step 1: Cook the Filling

Heat a little oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add garlic and ginger, stir 30 seconds. Add cabbage and carrots, stir-fry 2-3 minutes until slightly softened but still with some texture. Add bean sprouts and green onions, stir another minute. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, and cornstarch, toss to combine. The cornstarch helps thicken any excess liquid and keeps the filling from making the wrappers soggy.

Critical step: Let the filling cool completely. Warm filling creates steam inside the wrapper, which can make the skin soft instead of crispy. Spread the cooked filling on a baking sheet and let it cool for at least 15-20 minutes before rolling.

Step 2: Roll the Spring Rolls

Thaw the spring roll wrappers according to the package directions. Work with one wrapper at a time and keep the rest covered with a damp towel to prevent drying out.

1. Place a wrapper on a clean surface, oriented as a diamond (corner pointing toward you)
2. Add 2-3 tablespoons of filling to the lower third of the wrapper, forming a log shape, leaving an inch of space from the sides
3. Fold the bottom corner up over the filling
4. Fold in both side corners tightly
5. Roll away from you, keeping the roll as tight as possible
6. Seal the top corner with a dab of the cornstarch-water paste

Tight rolling is the key to even cooking. Loose rolls have air pockets that create uneven browning and sometimes cause the skin to separate.

Step 3: Air Fry Fresh Spring Rolls

Preheat the air fryer to 390°F for 3-5 minutes.

Spray the basket with cooking spray. Place spring rolls seam-side-down in a single layer with space between each roll. Spray the tops generously with cooking spray.

Cook at 390°F for 8-10 minutes, flipping at the 5-minute mark and spraying the other side with cooking spray after flipping.

They're done when the skin is golden brown and crispy all the way around. You'll hear a crunch when you tap the surface.

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Cooking Frozen Spring Rolls

Frozen spring rolls from the store are a completely respectable shortcut, and the air fryer makes them significantly better than the oven or microwave.

Temperature: 390°F Time: 10-13 minutes Flip: Yes, at the 6-7 minute mark

Key differences from fresh:

• Cook directly from frozen — do not thaw first
• They need slightly longer than fresh because they need to heat all the way through
• Some frozen brands contain more moisture, which can extend cook time by 1-2 minutes
• Check the first batch carefully and note the time — frozen brands vary significantly

Brands and what to expect

Most frozen spring roll brands cook well in the air fryer. The ones with thinner wrappers get crispier. Restaurant-style spring rolls (with thicker skins) take longer but have more texture. Mini spring rolls (sometimes called "egg roll bites") cook in 6-8 minutes.

For frozen egg rolls, which are similar but larger and use a different wrapper style, see our Frozen Egg Rolls article.

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Getting the Crispiest Results

Tip 1: Don't Skip the Oil Spray

Spring roll wrappers are dry and thin — they need a coating of oil on the outside to brown properly. Without spray, the exterior stays pale and lacks that crunch. Spray both before cooking and after flipping.

Tip 2: Preheat the Basket

A cold basket means the bottom of the spring roll sits in ambient temperature for the first minute or two, which can cause it to steam instead of crisp. Preheat the air fryer with the basket inside.

Tip 3: Leave Space Between Rolls

Overlapping spring rolls trap steam between them. They'll cook, but the sides that touch each other will be soft while the exposed sides are crispy. Single layer, no touching.

Tip 4: Cool the Filling Completely (Fresh Only)

Can't stress this enough. Hot filling creates steam from inside the wrapper, which softens the skin before it has a chance to crisp. Cool the filling fully before rolling.

Tip 5: The Sizzle Test

When spring rolls are properly crispy, you'll hear a faint sizzling sound when they come out of the air fryer — the residual moisture in the wrapper evaporating. If they come out silent and look pale, they need more time.

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Dipping Sauces

Spring rolls are flexible on the sauce front:

Classic sweet chili sauce — The standard partner for most spring rolls; sweet, spicy, and slightly sticky. Buy a bottle or make a quick version with chili flakes, rice vinegar, sugar, and a pinch of cornstarch.

Soy-ginger dipping sauce — Mix 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, and a drizzle of honey. Clean and simple.

Peanut sauce — Peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, a little chili garlic sauce, and enough warm water to thin. Thicker than the other options but excellent.

Plum sauce — A store-bought classic that pairs especially well with pork-filled spring rolls.

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Filling Variations

The vegetable filling above is the classic, but the filling is highly adaptable:

Pork and cabbage: Add 1/2 lb cooked ground pork to the vegetable base. Season with a dash of oyster sauce.

Shrimp: Add 1 cup of cooked, chopped shrimp. Keep the shrimp pieces small for easier rolling.

Vermicelli noodle: Add 1 cup of cooked, chopped glass noodles to bulk up the filling. Great for making rolls more filling as a light meal.

Spicy tofu: Add 1/2 cup of crumbled, pressed extra-firm tofu stir-fried with chili garlic sauce.

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Make-Ahead and Storage

Fresh rolls, uncooked: Roll and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Keep covered with a slightly damp cloth to prevent the wrappers from drying out. Cook directly from the refrigerator.

Freezing fresh rolls: Place rolled springs rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, freeze until solid (about 2 hours), then transfer to a freezer bag. They keep for up to 2 months. Cook from frozen at 390°F for 12-14 minutes.

Reheating cooked rolls: Air fry at 375°F for 3-4 minutes until recrisped and warmed through.

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Related Recipes

• Air Fryer Frozen Egg Rolls — The larger, heartier cousin of the spring roll
• Air Fryer Appetizers — Full party spread guide
• Air Fryer Snacks Complete Guide — Comprehensive snack tips and temps
• Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks (Homemade) — Another from-scratch party snack

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between spring rolls and egg rolls? Spring rolls use a thin, rice-paper-like wheat wrapper that becomes very crispy when air fried. Egg rolls use a thicker, chewier wrapper (made with egg) that crisps differently — more substantial and slightly bubbly in texture. Spring rolls are lighter and crunchier; egg rolls are heartier.

Can I use rice paper wrappers instead of spring roll wrappers? Rice paper wrappers (the kind used for fresh Vietnamese-style rolls) don't behave the same way — they need moisture to become pliable, and they don't crisp up well in the air fryer. For crispy air fryer results, use spring roll pastry wrappers (also called spring roll skins), which are dry and thin and available in the freezer section.

Why are my spring rolls opening up during cooking? The seam wasn't sealed well enough. Make sure to use enough cornstarch-water paste at the final fold, and place the rolls seam-side-down in the basket so the heat helps seal the edge. Roll tightly — loose rolls are much more prone to unrolling.

Can I air fry spring rolls without any oil? You can, but the results are noticeably less crispy. The oil helps conduct heat to the surface, which is what creates the browning and crunch. Even a minimal spray (just 2-3 seconds) makes a significant difference.

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