Weeknight Egg Roll Bowls

Egg roll bowls provide all the yummy, comforting flavors of your favorite egg rolls in a low carb, protein rich, veggie packed bowl. This easy dinner bowl recipe is a universal people pleaser!

egg roll bowls are fast, colorful, healthy, and fun!

Let’s face it, commercially produced egg rolls are a universal disappointment, am I right? I can’t remember the last time I had a really wonderful egg roll, even in my favorite Chinese restaurant ~ they’re pretty generic, no matter where you go. The filling is bland and limp. The crust is just meh, and don’t even get me started on that gloppy orange sauce. We’ve all been there. And to add insult to injury, WebMD names them one of the worst Chinese foods you can eat. I think we can agree the egg roll is due for a makeover, and this easy weeknight egg roll bowl is just the ticket. It’s fast, colorful, healthy, and fun to eat. And don’t worry, we’ll make crispy wontons so you won’t miss out on that satisfying deep fried crunch, either.

• ground meat ~ I used pork but you can use beef, chicken, or turkey. I patterned the spices in my pork after my favorite Dan Dan Noodles recipe.
• cabbage ~ I use Savoy and red cabbage.
• carrots ~ I shredded mine on a box grater, but if you have knife skills you can slice them into a julienne and they’ll stay crisper.
• celery ~ thinly sliced on the diagonal.
• onion
• green onions
• bean sprouts ~ if you are worried about the food safety of bean sprouts, they become safe to eat when cooked.
• pea pods or snap peas ~ or use frozen peas instead
• fresh ginger and garlic ~ If you have trouble keeping fresh garlic and ginger around, buy them in convenient paste form.
• neutral vegetable oil
• egg roll or wonton wrappers ~ these are optional, but when you slice them up and fry them for just a minute in some hot oil, they’re the perfect crunchy topper to these bowls.

a simple Asian inspired sauce

These are all must have pantry staples for anyone who loves Chinese food.

• soy sauce ~ I love tamari, but you can substitute your favorite soy sauce.
• sesame oil ~ this is a secret flavor weapon in my kitchen, it deep, toasty, and wonderful.
• rice wine vinegar ~ it’s mild and tangy.
• hoisin sauce ~ this sweet sauce counters the rich pork beautifully.
• chili paste (optional for spicy) ~ if you’re cooking for kids, leave it out (and add more hoisin!)

how to serve your egg roll bowls

Your egg roll bowls can be served as is, for a light healthy dinner option. But if you’ve got extra hungry peeps around your table, you might want to serve it over a layer of carbs…

• Asian style noodles are another great choice. I love to use rice noodles, or bean thread noodles, because they’re often an ingredient in egg rolls, and they’re a good option if you need to go gluten free.
• Rice makes a good base for these bowls. Brown is the healthiest choice because it’s a whole grain, full of vitamins and fiber. But jasmine or sushi rice would be delicious, too.
• To make a super low carb egg roll salad bowl, just serve over a bed of shredded lettuce.

egg roll bowl variations and faqs

chef’s tips for an egg roll bowl

This is a simple, homey dish, and doesn’t take any special skills to make, but there are some things to keep in mind for the best results.

1. The best tip I can give for a dish like this is not to over cook it. Everything is shredded or sliced very thinly, and barely needs any time at all to become perfectly crisp-tender. Cook this for less time than you think. (Over do it and you’ll have a limp colorless dish.)
2. High heat is key. Stir-frying is an art, with a delicate balance between high heat, movement, and time. Get your pan hot, toss everything vigorously, and you’re done.
3. I like to add my sauce at the last minute, and just heat long enough to get everything hot. This isn’t supposed to be super ‘saucy’, so don’t drown it. But you can make extra sauce and let people drizzle it on themselves.