Easy Egg Roll Recipe

There is a sound a good egg roll makes when you bite into it, a light shatter that tells you the wrapper fried up exactly right. This recipe gets you that sound at home, with a savory pork and cabbage filling and a wrapper that stays crisp long after it leaves the oil.

I make these whenever I want takeout flavor without the wait. The filling comes together in one skillet, and the whole batch is on the table in about 30 minutes.

The filling is the classic one: ground pork, shredded cabbage, carrots, green onions, garlic and ginger, seasoned with soy sauce and a little sesame oil.

You do not need any special equipment. A deep skillet or pot and a clean counter for rolling are enough. If you can roll a burrito, you can roll an egg roll.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The crunch is the whole point. Fried at the right temperature, the wrapper turns golden and blistered, and it stays crisp while you eat. No soggy middles, no greasy shells.

The filling is flexible. Pork is the classic, but the same method works with ground chicken, shrimp, or a vegetables-only mix.

They are party food that disappears fast. A batch of 12 sounds like a lot until you put the plate down, so make a double batch for a crowd.

They freeze beautifully. Roll a batch, freeze them uncooked, and fry straight from frozen on a busy night.

And the dipping sauce is up to you. Sweet chili is my go-to, but a simple soy and rice vinegar dip or duck sauce works just as well.

Ingredients

For 12 egg rolls:

• 12 egg roll wrappers
• 1/2 lb (225 g) ground pork
• 2 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
• 1 large egg, beaten (for sealing)
• Vegetable oil, for frying (about 3 cups)
• Sweet chili sauce, for serving

How to Make It

1. Cook the pork: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until no pink remains.
2. Add the vegetables: Stir in the cabbage, carrots, garlic and ginger. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the cabbage wilts and the pan looks mostly dry. Drain off any liquid.
3. Season the filling: Stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, black pepper and green onions. Cook 1 minute more, then transfer the filling to a bowl and let it cool for 10 minutes.
4. Set up a rolling station: Lay a wrapper on the counter with one corner pointing toward you, like a diamond. Keep the remaining wrappers covered with a damp towel so they do not dry out.
5. Fill and roll: Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling just below the center. Fold the bottom corner up over the filling, fold in both side corners, then roll away from you, keeping it snug. Brush the top corner with beaten egg and press to seal.
6. Heat the oil: Pour oil into a deep skillet or pot to a depth of about 2 inches and heat to 350°F (175°C).
7. Fry in batches: Fry 3 or 4 egg rolls at a time for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and crisp. Do not crowd the pan or the oil temperature drops and the rolls turn greasy.
8. Drain and serve: Lift the rolls out with tongs and drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Serve hot with sweet chili sauce.

Cooking Tips / Variations

Do not overfill the wrappers. Two tablespoons of filling is the right amount. More than that and the wrapper tears, or the roll will not seal and the filling leaks into the oil.

Keep the filling dry. If the skillet still has liquid when you take the filling off the heat, drain it. Wet filling is the main reason egg rolls turn soggy from the inside.

Oil temperature matters more than anything else. Too cool and the rolls absorb oil; too hot and the wrapper browns before the inside heats through. Aim for 350°F and let the oil come back up between batches.

Swap the filling however you like. Ground chicken or chopped shrimp work in the same amounts, and a vegetarian version with extra cabbage, mushrooms and bean sprouts is just as satisfying. For a full takeout-style dinner, our stir fry rice noodles recipe makes the perfect plate to serve alongside these.

Serving or Storage Tips

Serve the egg rolls hot, straight from the rack, with sweet chili sauce and a small dish of soy sauce mixed with rice vinegar. They are at their crispiest in the first 15 minutes.

Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container. Reheat them in a 400°F oven or an air fryer for 5 to 6 minutes to bring the crunch back. The microwave will soften them, so skip it.

To freeze, lay the uncooked rolls on a tray until firm, then move them to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Fry straight from frozen, adding about 2 extra minutes. If you are building a snack spread, our conch fritters recipe brings the same golden crunch in a completely different flavor.

Conclusion

An easy egg roll is mostly about two things: a filling that is seasoned well and cooked dry, and oil that is hot enough to crisp the wrapper fast.

Roll them snug, seal them with egg, fry in small batches, and serve them hot with your favorite dipping sauce.

Easy Egg Roll

Golden, crispy egg rolls filled with savory pork, cabbage, carrots and green onions, served hot with sweet chili sauce.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 12 egg rolls

Cuisine: Chinese-American

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 12 egg roll wrappers
• 1/2 lb (225 g) ground pork
• 2 cups shredded green cabbage
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 3 green onions thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large egg beaten
• Vegetable oil for frying
• Sweet chili sauce for serving

Method

 

1. Cook the pork in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 4 to 5 minutes, breaking it into small crumbles, until no pink remains.
2. Add the cabbage, carrots, garlic and ginger. Cook 3 to 4 minutes until the cabbage wilts and the pan is mostly dry. Drain off any liquid.
3. Stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, black pepper and green onions. Cook 1 minute more, then cool the filling for 10 minutes.
4. Lay a wrapper on the counter like a diamond, with one corner toward you. Keep the rest covered with a damp towel.
5. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling just below the center. Fold the bottom corner up, fold in both sides, roll away from you snugly, and seal the top corner with beaten egg. Repeat.
6. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a deep skillet or pot to 350°F (175°C).
7. Fry 3 or 4 egg rolls at a time for 3 to 4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and crisp.
8. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels and serve hot with sweet chili sauce.

Notes

Keep the filling dry; drain any liquid so the rolls stay crisp inside. Do not overfill the wrappers or they will tear and leak. Fry in small batches so the oil stays at 350°F. Air fryer option: brush with oil and cook at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway. Freeze uncooked rolls for up to 2 months and fry straight from frozen, adding about 2 minutes.