Egg Roll in a bowl has all the deliciousness without the deep frying!
This is one of my family’s all-time favorite meals! It has all the flavor of an authentic Hmong egg roll, minus the meticulous wrapping and frying, and done in a fraction of the time. Toddlers, children, and husbands all give this dish two thumbs up 😊
Where it All Began
I was originally introduced to the idea of egg roll in a bowl in a cook book gifted to me by a friend, though in all honesty, the end result left me wanting more. I just couldn’t help comparing it to the delectable egg rolls I had come to know and love through my talented and generous Hmong friends. I had been spoiled. We not only were the delighted recipients of numerous batches of fresh egg rolls over the years, but I had been taught how to make them by my sister-at-heart, Xia, and so I started making them regularly for my own family. This imitation version just didn’t measure up.
Putting it in a Bowl
After much experimenting I realized that while yes, the style and texture were noticeably different, the problem lie mostly with the flavor. I’m not one to even attempt a recipe if I see an ingredients list a mile a long, but I thought if I just used some of the authentic seasonings and bottles that I already had on hand for making the traditional egg rolls, I would get much closer to my goal of a fast, healthy, egg roll alternative.
Man am I glad I persevered.
This meal requires only one pot and there’s no babysitting the stove or constant stirring. We are typically seated and eating as a family less than 45 minutes after I decide to make this for supper. Not only that, but the majority of the cook time I’m able to occupy myself with other cleaning, tidying, or just sitting down and finishing my coffee. That’s a win all around.
- Prep: 5 minutes
- Cooking: 30 minutes
- Total time: 35 minutes
Egg Roll in a Bowl Ingredients
- 1 lb of ground meat (I prefer pork but you can use beef, chicken, or turkey)
- 1 onion
- 1/2 head of medium or large cabbage (or 1 small cabbage)
For the following ingredients, I measure with my heart, and then taste test to see if I need to add anything, but it’s approximately:
- 1Tb Sesame oil
- 2-3 Tb Oyster sauce
- 1Tsp Ginger (fresh or dried)
- 2-3 Tb Soy sauce or liquid aminos
- Salt and pepper to taste (I usually omit this since the oyster sauce is very salty)
- optional sweet chili sauce for topping (make your own or purchase the bottled kind. I prefer to make my own using the Epicure sweet chili sauce packet, but my favorite bottle is this one: sweetened chili sauce )
Preparation
Brown the meat in a large wok or pan (you’ll see I use a lot of Epicure cookware items and utensils)
Drain the meat. Add a chopped onion and cook until translucent and soft.
Chop up the cabbage
It’ll look like too much. It probably isn’t!
Add the cabbage to the wok. It should be heaping.
Mix it in, the cabbage should start to cook down pretty quickly. You may even find you want to add more. Cover it and reduce the heat to medium low and allow the cabbage to soften slightly (10-15 minutes).
Here’s where you can take some liberties with the ingredients. I definitely recommend sesame oil and soy sauce / liquid aminos. I already have oyster sauce on hand for when I make traditional egg rolls, but you could skip it. A touch of ginger adds good flavor but could also be skipped. Feel free to add sriracha; I usually skip it because I measure with my heart and there’s a danger that I would put in too much (it’s happened before…).
Continue to cook on low medium heat, uncovered, so the excess liquid evaporates and the flavors soak in, typically another 10 minutes. (See how much the cabbage cooks down!)
I also prepare a sweet chili sauce on the side to be drizzled over individual portions. This mimics the dipping sauce for traditional egg rolls. I really like the taste and simple ingredients using The Epicure packet.
Alternatively, you can find recipes online, or simply purchase a bottle. My favorite bottle is this the Pantai sweetened chili sauce. You can find it in an Asian grocery store or sometimes in the international or Asian aisle of a large grocery store.
Egg Roll in a Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 Pound Ground meat (I prefer pork but you can use beef, chicken, or turkey)
- 1 Onion, chopped or diced
- ½ head Cabbage, medium or large or one small cabbage
Seasoning
- 1 Tb Sesame oil
- 2-3 Tb Oyster sauce
- 2-3 Tb Soy sauce or liquid aminos
- 1 Tsp Ginger Fresh or dried
- salt and pepper to taste I usually omit this because I find the oyster sauce is salty enough
Optional Dipping Sauce
- ½ Cup Sweet Chili Sauce (make your own or purchase the bottled kind. I prefer to make my own using the Epicure sweet chili sauce packet, but my favorite bottle is this one: sweetened chili sauce )
Instructions
- Brown the meat in a large wok or pan over medium high heat.
- Drain the meat.
- Chop the onion and add to the meat, cook until translucent. Turn the heat to medium low.
- Chop up the cabbage. (It’ll look like too much, it isn’t!)
- Add the cabbage to the wok, it should be heaping
- Mix in the cabbage, it should start to cook down pretty quickly. You may even find you want to add more. Cover it and reduce the heat to medium low and allow the cabbage to soften slightly (10-15 minutes).
- Add in the sesame oil, oyster sauce, soy sauce or liquid aminos, ginger, and any other seasonings you would like (you can add salt, pepper, sriracha, and other spices to your liking, you may also omit the ginger and oyster sauce if you do not have or want them)
- Continue to cook on low medium heat, uncovered, so the excess liquid evaporates and the flavors soak in, typically another 10 minutes.
- I also prepare a sweet chili sauce on the side to be drizzled over individual portions. This mimics the dipping sauce for traditional egg rolls. I really like the taste and simple ingredients using The Epicure packet. Alternatively, you can find recipes online, or simply purchase a bottle. My favorite bottle is the Pantai sweetened chili sauce. You can find it in an Asian grocery store or sometimes in the international or Asian aisle of a large grocery store.
Notes
- You can use less cabbage and sub in sliced or grated carrots
- For a less healthy, but more “true to the traditional egg roll” variation, you can use less cabbage and instead incorporate bean thread noodles (what you would typically find in an egg roll). I usually purchase these from a local Asian market. You do not need to cook them, simply soak them in warm water.
- As I mentioned in the step by step directions, the you can alter the seasonings to your specific taste preferences. Add, omit, or alter the amount of salt and pepper, sriracha, ginger, oyster sauce, and sweet chili sauce.
- For those who miss the crunch of a traditional egg roll, you can top your individual serving with crushed up chow mein or similar noodles/crackers.
Let me know in the comments what you thought! What variations did you like best? Did you try something not mentioned here?
Disclaimer: this article includes affiliate links; I receive a small commission from any items purchased through the the links at no additional cost to you. I am not a licensed medical professional. For concerns or questions regarding specific medical conditions please consult your primary physician.
