Egg Roll in a Bowl

Take the filling from your favorite egg roll recipe, saute it all together in a skillet, and you’re left with an Egg Roll in a Bowl.  This recipe skips the wrappers and deep frying, leaving you with a much healthier, 30-minute meal.

This low-carb recipe is packed with flavor and prepared all in one skillet. Pair it with an easy Asian cucumber salad or this mandarin orange salad.

Egg Roll in a Bowl: A great low-carb meal

Probably the number one request I received through emails last year was for more low-carb recipes. And Egg Roll in a Bowl fits the ticket perfectly. With a few tweaks, this recipe can also work for a Keto or Whole30 diet (I’ll share what it takes to be compliant later on in this post).

And if you’re not on a low-carb diet (hi carb lovers!) this is still a recipe you’re going to want to add to your arsenal! I’m obsessed with this meal, and that’s coming from a total carb-a-holic. It’s got such a great and full flavor plus it’s easy to make. I mean, one skillet and less than thirty minutes from start to finish? Count me in!

Below I’ll share info about the ingredients and the sauce along with all my tips on how to make the recipe prep as quick as possible.

Egg Roll in a Bowl ingredients:

• Red onion: I like the flavor of red onions best in this dish, but yellow onion or shallots would also work. For even quicker prep, you can buy frozen diced onions or fresh diced onions at most grocery stores.
• Garlic: Try finely minced cloves or use jarred, minced garlic for quicker prep.
• Ginger: Again, finely minced or ginger paste make for quicker prep. If you have neither on hand, try adding 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger.
• Ground pork: We like ground pork best for the flavor, but ground beef, ground chicken, or ground turkey would all work for this recipe. 
• Red bell pepper: Any sweet pepper works or use a different veggie entirely, such as mushrooms, water chestnuts, or bean sprouts.
• Green cabbage: If you’re looking for super-quick prep, I recommend grabbing a bag of coleslaw mix instead of chopping up the cabbage yourself. The coleslaw mix I’ve tested in this recipe has chopped green cabbage, red cabbage, and matchstick carrots. I’ve included a picture below.
• Matchstick carrots: If you’re cutting your own cabbage, add matchstick carrots; otherwise, the coleslaw mix already has carrots in it.

• Soy sauce: Use reduced or low-sodium so this dish isn’t too salty. You can always add some salt at the end, but you can’t take it away.
• Chicken broth or stock: Again, I recommend low-sodium so you can control the salt.
• Cornstarch: This helps thicken the sauce. Here is a list of substitutes, if needed.
• Sesame oil: For a great authentic flavor, sesame oil really delivers. If you can find toasted sesame oil, that’s even better! This oil is typically found with Asian ingredients, not near the other oils in the grocery store.
• Rice vinegar: This balances the sauce and adds a subtle tang. BTW, rice wine vinegar and rice vinegar are two ways to say the same thing. There’s no difference, and don’t let the word ‘wine’ fool you; there’s no alcohol in it.
• Brown sugar: Here’s another balancing ingredient. Light or dark brown sugar will work; honey will also do the trick.
• Sriracha sauce: Use this to add heat and flavor. You can, of course, reduce (or even omit entirely) if you’re not a fan of heat. Alternatively, add more or drizzle extra on your bowl if you love the heat!

[quiktip] Shortcut: Coleslaw mix

I mentioned earlier that you can use a packaged coleslaw mix instead of chopping the cabbage; this truly makes the prep for Egg Roll in a Bowl a cinch. If you opt for using a bag of coleslaw, get one that is 12-16 ounces with carrots in the mix! [/quicktip]

How to make easy Egg Roll in a Bowl

(The step-by-step photos below correlate to the numbered descriptions.)

1. Sauté the thinly sliced onions in a skillet for a few minutes. 
2. Add in the garlic and ginger.
3. Brown the ground pork (or other ground meat).
4. Integrate the crumbled, browned ground pork with the onion, garlic, and ginger.
5. Mix in the bell pepper, chopped cabbage, and matchstick carrots (or coleslaw mix). Cook down for a couple of minutes.
6. Drizzle in the sauce and continue to cook until sauce is distributed well and veggies are tender. 

Can you freeze the egg roll filling?

Yes! To freeze, place leftovers in an airtight/freezer-safe container, label, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently on the stovetop. Thawed egg roll filling isn’t quite as crisp as when it was originally made, so you may want to add in a bit of fresh cabbage when reheating.

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. This is a great recipe for meal prep; if you are meal prepping, divide leftovers and store them in separate meal prep containers in the fridge. (Reheat leftovers in the microwave or in a skillet.)

Dietary concerns

• Egg Roll in a Bowl, Whole30: If you’re on Whole30, use canola oil instead of vegetable oil. Make sure the Sriracha sauce you use is compliant. If making the Sriracha mayo, be sure the mayo is also compliant. Use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, leave out the cornstarch, and omit the brown sugar in the sauce. Use your best judgment for leaving in the sesame oil (some say it’s okay while others say to limit it). You will also want to confirm the ground pork you use is compliant (make sure no sugar has been added) or substitute a different type of ground meat. Don’t serve this dish over white rice; use cauliflower rice instead! More recommendations on the Whole30 diet here. 
• Making it Keto friendly: Make sure the Sriracha is compliant, or use Frank’s Red Hot® sauce instead. Use lite tamari or Bragg’s Aminos® instead of soy sauce, and leave out the brown sugar in the sauce. Skip the red onion.
• Quick note: I’m not an expert at Whole30 or Keto diet, so please, use your best judgment or do some research regarding this recipe and your dietary restrictions.

Quick tips

• Make sure to use a really large skillet or wok. There is a lot of volume in this recipe, so you’ll have a hard time mixing everything together if you’re working in a small skillet. I recommend a 12-inch skillet or larger. 
• Prep ahead: The cooking goes really quickly, so you’ll want to have all the veggies and sauce prepared before starting to cook. Just pretend you’re on a TV cooking show!

Serving suggestions

• Rice: If you want Egg Roll in a Bowl to be low carb, stick with cauliflower rice. Otherwise, white or brown rice makes a great base.
• In a lettuce wrap: This filling would be incredible rolled up in a few butter lettuce leaves.
• With Sriracha mayo: To add in a creamy element, I recommend a scoop of Sriracha mayo. Whisk together 1/2 cup mayo, 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon lime zest, and 1 tablespoon Sriracha sauce.

More easy dinner recipes:

• Chicken Ramen in less than 30 minutes
• Chicken Gnocchi Soup Olive Garden copycat
• Stuffed Peppers
• Chow Mein
• Chicken Burrito Bowls one pot

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Egg Roll in a Bowl

5 from 20 votes

- Review this recipe

Take the filling from your favorite egg roll recipe, saute it all together in a skillet, and you're left with Egg Roll in a Bowl! This recipe skips the wrappers and deep frying, leaving you with a much healthier, 30-minute meal.

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

Egg Roll in a Bowl

5 from 20 votes

- Review this recipe

SAVE TO RECIPE BOX

Print Recipe

Take the filling from your favorite egg roll recipe, saute it all together in a skillet, and you're left with Egg Roll in a Bowl! This recipe skips the wrappers and deep frying, leaving you with a much healthier, 30-minute meal.

Course Dinner

Cuisine Chinese

Keyword Egg Roll in a Bowl

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Calories 403kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $9.13

Ingredients

Sauce

• ▢ 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
• ▢ 3 tablespoons lite soy sauce
• ▢ 3 tablespoons chicken broth (or stock)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• ▢ 1/2 tablespoon sriracha sauce
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon white pepper (or black)

"Egg Roll"

• ▢ 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• ▢ 1 cup thinly sliced red onion (~1/2 large onion)
• ▢ 1 tablespoon finely minced ginger
• ▢ 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
• ▢ 1 pound ground pork (or ground turkey or ground chicken or ground beef)
• ▢ 1 cup thinly sliced red bell pepper (~1 pepper)
• ▢ 1 package (16 ounces) coleslaw mix or 16 ounces chopped cabbage plus 1 and 1/2 cups matchstick carrots See Note 1
• ▢ 2-3 green onions, for garnish
• ▢ Serve over: white rice, and with Sriracha mayo optional. See Note 2

US - Metric

USMetric

Instructions

• SAUCE: Start by whisking together the sauce. In a small bowl,use a fork to whisk together the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Once smooth, add in the remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoons chicken broth, 2 teaspoons sesame oil, 1 tablespoon light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1/2 tablespoon Sriracha sauce, and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper. Whisk until smooth and set aside.
• VEGGIE PREP: Prep the rest of your veggies, because the cooking goes quickly! Cut a red onion in half and thinly slice one of the halves. Finely mince the ginger and the garlic. Open the coleslaw mix or chop the cabbage (Note 1). Remove the stem and seeds from the red pepper and slice very thinly slice the red pepper and then halve the slices horizontally. Thinly slice the green onions.
• COOK PORK: Heat a wok or large, deep saute pan (12 inches minimum) over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and swirl to coat. Once the oil is shimmering, reduce heat to medium and add in the onion. Cook for 3-4 minutes and then reduce the heat to medium high. Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds to a minute (or until fragrant). Return the heat to high, push the onions to the edges of the pan and add the ground pork to the center of the pan. Let it cook without stirring for 30 seconds. Then, use a wooden spoon to break apart the meat into crumbles and cook until it's no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes. Integrate the onions, garlic, and ginger into the pork.
• COOK VEGGIES: Reduce the heat to medium high. Add the red pepper and the entire bag of coleslaw (or the chopped cabbage and matchstick carrots). It will seem like a lot, but it cooks down quickly. Stir-fry for 2 minutes and then pour in the sauce. Continue to cook, stirring and mixing the ingredients, for about 2-4 more minutes or until sauce is absorbed into the mixture and the veggies are all crisp tender.
• FINISHING: Taste and add additional soy sauce, Sriracha sauce, and pepper and/or salt as needed. Top with green onions. Serve as is or over rice if desired. You can also add some sriracha mayo if you like a creamy element. See Note 2

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Cole slaw mix: If you opt to use a coleslaw mix, look for a 12 to 16 ounce one with matchstick carrots added in. Alternatively use a green cabbage (cut to get 6 packed cups) and 1 and 1/2 cups matchstick carrots.

Note 2: Sriracha mayo: To make Sriracha mayo, whisk together 1/2 cup mayo, 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon lime zest, and 1 tablespoon Sriracha until smooth.

Rice: I serve this Egg Roll in a Bowl on top of basmati rice. Here's how I cook it: Place rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse in cold water for 2-3 minutes or until water (coming from the strainer) runs clear. Place uncooked rice in a bowl and soak in cold water while you bring a very large pot of water to boil over high heat. Once water is boiling, salt the water (a teaspoon or so). Drain the rice through the fine-mesh sieve and add to the boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, for exactly 5 minutes (do not reduce temperature; it should be boiling). Drain the rice and set aside.

 

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings | Calories: 403kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 906mg | Potassium: 522mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1178IU | Vitamin C: 54mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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