Spring rolls are a favourite when enjoying Chinese food but they can be a real faff to make yourself. If you’ve been brave and made your own, then how do you go about batch preparing them and storing them for the long term?
Can You Freeze Spring Rolls?
Yes, you can freeze spring rolls for up to 3 months. You should only freeze cooked spring rolls as they’ll freeze better than uncooked rolls. Once cool, bag them up and then place them into the freezer.
Do Spring Rolls Freeze Well? Yes
Can You Refreeze Spring Rolls? No
How to Freeze Spring Rolls
If you want to have light, crispy spring rolls stored successfully in the freezer then make sure you stick to this simple method:
- Cool
If you have made the spring rolls yourself, then make sure they have cooled to room temperature. You should never put hot or warm food into the freezer. You can also freeze store-bought or Chinese takeaway spring rolls. - Spread Out on a Lined Baking Tray
Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and lay out the cool spring rolls onto the tray ensuring none of them are touching. Optionally wrap the tray in a sheet of clingfilm. - Freeze Initially
Place the tray into the freezer and allow the spring rolls to go solid. This will take a few hours. - Bag Up
Once solid, tip the frozen spring rolls into a freezer bag and seal it up, removing as much air from the bag as possible. Avoid overfilling the bags, instead, split them between two bags. - Return to the Freezer
Finally, label the bags with the contents and return them to the freezer before you need them.
3 Tips for Freezing Spring Rolls
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing spring rolls to have the best results:
Include the Filling on Labels
If you have frozen multiple types of spring roll (vegetable, duck, chicken etc) then make sure you label the bag with the filling too. You’ll never know which is which when you come to reheat them otherwise.
Consider the Contents
Although spring rolls will freeze well, you do need to consider the contents. If the interior is particularly saucing or if they have been made with ingredients that don’t freeze well (such as prawns) then it might be best to avoid freezing them at all.
Cook From Frozen
When you decide you want to eat a few spring rolls from the freezer, don’t defrost them. Instead, cook them from frozen to avoid soggy, slimy and sloppy pastry. They will take about 20 minutes to reheat in a hot oven.
How Long Can You Freeze Spring Rolls?
We would advise keeping spring rolls in the freezer for up to 3 months. Beyond this, there is a risk that the crispy pastry will degrade. Then, when you go to eat them, you’ll be left with soggy, slimy pastry – the last thing you want from a spring roll!
You Can Freeze Spring Rolls for up to 3 Months
How Do You Defrost Spring Rolls?
You don’t! Defrosting spring rolls is where it can all go horribly wrong. If you defrost them, the pastry will soften as it absorbs the moisture from the freezing process.
Instead, when you want to enjoy the spring rolls, take them directly from the freezer and place them onto a preheated oven tray. Warm through in a hot oven for around 20 minutes until piping hot. If you’re not sure they’re warmed through then simply cut one in half.
Can You Refreeze Spring Rolls?
Refreezing spring rolls is not a good idea, unfortunately. As we’ve mentioned already, the pastry of spring rolls is prone to turning soggy when defrosted. Refreezing spring rolls will only make this worse!
Instead, freeze the rolls on a baking tray first so that they don’t clump together. This way, you can grab a portion at a time and will never have to refreeze any.
Do Spring Rolls Freeze Well?
As long as you keep them stored in a good-quality, thick freezer bag then spring rolls freeze really well. In fact, freezing spring rolls isn’t really the issue.
The problem is when you thaw them. Thawing will turn the once crispy pastry soggy. This is why we actually suggest not thawing them at all and, instead, reheating them frozen. Reheating from frozen will crisp up the outside before it has time to turn soggy.
Related FAQs
If you’ve still got questions about freezing spring rolls or spring rolls in general, then these may help:
Yes, you can freeze them but it’s worth noting that they will be incredibly delicate and there is a risk that they will become damaged even if you’re careful when handling them.
Yes, you can freeze duck spring rolls. The only thing you need to remember is that the filling must be piping hot through when you reheat them.
