Chả giò
Vietnamese deep-fried rolls filled with seasoned meat and vegetables
Chả giò is a Vietnamese dish of seasoned ground meat, usually pork, mixed with mushrooms, noodles, and vegetables, wrapped in rice paper and deep-fried until crisp. It is often served as an appetizer or snack, both in Vietnam and in Vietnamese communities abroad, and can be eaten alone or with fresh herbs, lettuce, and dipping sauce.
- Chả giò is deep-fried and wrapped in rice paper
- Fillings include pork, mushrooms, noodles, and diced vegetables
- Often served with fresh herbs and dipping sauce
- Vegetarian and seafood versions are common
- Known as nem rán in northern Vietnam
What is Chả giò?
Chả giò are small, crisp rolls from Vietnam, made by wrapping a mixture of seasoned ground meat—most often pork—mushrooms, cellophane noodles, and diced vegetables like carrots, kohlrabi, or jicama in rice paper. The rolls are deep-fried until the outside is golden and crunchy. The filling can include other meats such as crab, shrimp, or chicken, and sometimes tofu for a vegetarian version. The taste is savory, with a mix of textures from the soft filling and the crisp shell.
Where does Chả giò come from?
Chả giò comes from Vietnam, with its roots in the southern region once known as Nam Kỳ. It is a staple of Vietnamese cuisine and has become popular in countries with Vietnamese communities. The dish is known by different names in different parts of Vietnam, such as nem rán in the north. Its ingredients and preparation reflect local produce and preferences, and its popularity has spread internationally, especially as an appetizer.
How is Chả giò made?
To make chả giò, ground meat is mixed with chopped mushrooms, cellophane noodles, and diced vegetables like carrots, kohlrabi, or jicama. The mixture is seasoned, sometimes with eggs and spices, and then rolled in a sheet of moistened rice paper. Each roll is deep-fried until the wrapper becomes crisp and golden. Some versions use mashed sweet potato or mung beans to help keep the rolls crunchy if they need to be stored. There are also rare versions that use woven rice vermicelli sheets instead of rice paper.
How and when is Chả giò eaten?
Chả giò is usually eaten hot, often as a snack, appetizer, or part of a meal. It can be served on its own, dipped in nước chấm, a tangy fish sauce with lime, sugar, garlic, and chili. Sometimes, it is served with rice vermicelli and fresh herbs, or wrapped in lettuce with raw vegetables before eating. This dish is common at gatherings and in restaurants, and is also enjoyed as street food.
Kinds of Chả giò
While pork is the most common filling, chả giò can also be made with crab, shrimp, chicken, or even snails in some regions. Vegetarian versions use tofu and vegetables. In northern Vietnam, a rare type called chả giò rế uses woven rice vermicelli sheets instead of rice paper, making smaller, more delicate rolls. Crab spring rolls, or nem cua bể, are a specialty of Hai Phong.
What Chả giò means
Chả giò is a familiar part of Vietnamese daily life and cuisine, found at family meals, parties, and street stalls. It is also a symbol of Vietnamese food abroad, often served at Vietnamese restaurants as an appetizer. The dish is sometimes confused with other types of rolls, such as salad rolls or Chinese egg rolls, especially outside Vietnam, where wheat wrappers may be used instead of rice paper.
Questions people ask about Chả giò
What is chả giò made of?
Chả giò is made from ground meat, usually pork, mixed with mushrooms, cellophane noodles, and diced vegetables such as carrots, kohlrabi, or jicama, all wrapped in rice paper and deep-fried.
Where does chả giò come from?
Chả giò originates from Vietnam, especially the southern region, and is a popular part of Vietnamese cuisine.
Are there vegetarian or seafood versions?
Yes, chả giò can be made with tofu for a vegetarian version, or with crab, shrimp, or chicken as alternatives to pork.
How is chả giò usually served?
It is often served hot, either alone, with a dipping sauce called nước chấm, or with rice vermicelli and fresh herbs. Sometimes it is wrapped in lettuce before eating.
What is the difference between chả giò and other spring rolls?
Chả giò is deep-fried with a rice paper wrapper, while other rolls like salad rolls may be fresh and use different fillings or wrappers. Outside Vietnam, wheat wrappers are sometimes used, which can make them similar to Chinese egg rolls.
Good reading and sources
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Chả giò", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). EveryThali rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes, and it is not dietary or allergy advice: recipes differ from cook to cook. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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