Egg Rolls

Chinese takeout wouldn’t be the same without an order of egg rolls. The best are freshly wrapped, fried until crunchy, and served with a container of sweet-and-tangy sauce. The idea of making them at home may seem daunting at first, but it’s honestly pretty easy once you know what goes inside.

Egg roll filling typically contains shredded cabbage and carrots, plus bean sprouts, water chestnuts, and proteins like diced pork or shrimp. The one in this recipe from contributor Donna Frandsen of Cohasset, Minnesota, comes together easily thanks to quick-cooking ground pork and bagged coleslaw mix. But of course, one of the best things about making your own egg rolls is that you can put whatever you want into the filling—and we have lots of ideas below in the Variations section.

Make a batch to enjoy with takeout-inspired sweet-and-sour pork, vegetable stir-fry or other Chinese food recipes. Or, freeze the egg rolls and easily reheat them for a late-night snack.

What is an egg roll?

Egg rolls are a staple at Chinese restaurants across America, but they’re actually more of an American creation than a Chinese one. They’re widely believed to have been inspired by traditional Chinese spring rolls, tweaked to appeal to American palates as Chinese restaurants became more popular in the United States through the 20th century.

Though they look similar, there are several differences between egg rolls and spring rolls. Spring rolls are made with thin, delicate wheat wrappers (or rice paper wrappers in some Southeast Asian versions); they typically contain vegetables, and sometimes contain pork or shrimp. Spring rolls can be lightly fried until they’re golden brown, or they can be served fresh.

Egg rolls, on the other hand, have thicker wrappers made from wheat flour and eggs, and are filled with a mix of crunchy vegetables plus pork, sausage or other meats. They’re most likely called “egg rolls” because of the egg-based dough wrapper, not because they contain eggs in the filling. Egg rolls have more filling than spring rolls, so they’re usually larger in size. When fried, egg roll wrappers bubble and crisp up.

Egg Roll Ingredients

• Egg roll wrappers: Made from flour and egg, egg roll wrappers are packaged as thin, square sheets of dough. Look for them in refrigerated cases at the store; they’re often near fresh gourmet foods or the produce department. Some stores also sell them frozen.
• Sausage: Look for packages of bulk pork sausage in the meat department. You’ll brown and crumble the sausage before adding it to the egg rolls. If you can’t find bulk sausage, just buy your favorite links and remove the casings.
• Coleslaw mix: Using bagged shredded coleslaw with cabbage and carrot saves lots of time when preparing the egg roll filling.
• Water chestnuts: Canned water chestnuts add crunch to the egg roll filling. Pick up a few extra cans and try out some other water chestnut recipes, too.
• Spices: A blend of garlic powder, ground ginger, salt and black pepper complements the other filling ingredients.
• Green onion: A little chopped green onion adds fresh flavor to the egg rolls. Don’t throw out the rest of the bunch; you can store green onions in the fridge or regrow them in a glass of water!
• Soy sauce: The best soy sauce brands strike the ideal balance between salt and umami.
• Egg: Yes, I just told you that egg rolls have no eggs in the filling. That’s still true; this egg is lightly beaten and used to seal the wrapper shut.
• Oil for frying: Canola, peanut and safflower oils are some of the best oils for frying egg rolls.
• Sweet-and-sour sauce: This tangy dipping sauce is a traditional accompaniment for egg rolls. Pick up a bottle, or make a sweet-and-sour sauce from scratch.

How to Make Egg Rolls

Step 1: Make the filling

In a large nonstick skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat until it’s no longer pink. Drain it well. Stir in the coleslaw mix, water chestnuts, onions, soy sauce, garlic powder, ginger, salt and pepper.

Cook and stir until the cabbage is crisp-tender.

Editor’s Tip: Crumble the sausage as it cooks to get small pieces. Larger clumps will be too bulky for the filling.

Step 2: Fill and roll the egg rolls

Position an egg roll wrapper with one point toward you. Place about 1/4 cup of the sausage mixture in the center. Fold the bottom corner over the filling, then fold the sides toward the center over the filling. Roll it toward the remaining point.

Moisten the top corner with beaten egg and finish rolling, pressing to seal the egg roll. Repeat the process with the remaining wrappers and filling.

Step 3: Fry the egg rolls

In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat the oil to 375°F. Carefully place a few egg rolls in the hot oil. Fry them, turning them occasionally with tongs or a slotted spoon, until they’re golden brown, about one to two minutes per side. Move the egg rolls to a paper towel–lined plate to drain, and continue frying the rest of the egg rolls. Serve the warm egg rolls with a side of sweet-and-sour dipping sauce.

Egg Roll Variations

• Use up leftover pork: Egg rolls are a great vessel for leftovers! Instead of sausage, finely chop boneless pork chops, pulled pork, roast pork loin or Puerto Rican pernil.
• Add fresh ginger: For a brighter, more intense flavor, substitute chopped or grated fresh gingerroot for the ground ginger in the filling.
• Try other kinds of sausage: Instead of bulk pork sausage, make the egg rolls with spicy Italian sausage, chicken sausage or chorizo.
• Make them with other meats: The egg rolls are delicious when made with cooked, chopped chicken, steak or leftover roast turkey.
• Vary the vegetables: Replace some of the coleslaw mix with broccoli slaw, chopped bok choy, chopped broccoli, or bean sprouts.
• Serve it with another dipping sauce: Sweet and tangy plum sauce is a favorite with egg rolls, as are sweet-hot Asian sauce, hot horseradish mustard, bottled hoisin sauce and teriyaki sauce.

How to Store Egg Rolls

Once the egg rolls have cooled, transfer them to an airtight food storage container. Store the egg rolls in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Can you freeze egg rolls?

Yes, it’s easy (and a great idea) to freeze extra egg rolls. Allow the egg rolls to cool completely, then place them on a tray and freeze them until they’re solid. Transfer them to a freezer-proof container or resealable bag, and store them in the freezer for up to three months.

How do you reheat egg rolls?

To heat cold egg rolls through while keeping them crunchy on the outside, it’s best to use the oven. Place the egg rolls on a greased baking sheet and bake them at 350° for 10 to 15 minutes or until they’re hot and crispy. You can also reheat them in an air fryer or toaster oven. If you’re reheating them from frozen, there’s no need to thaw them first.

Egg Roll Tips

What can I substitute for egg roll wrappers?

If you can’t find egg roll wrappers at the store, you can substitute other products like spring roll wrappers or rice paper. You can even use sheets of fresh pasta dough. Another option is to make the egg rolls with frozen (and thawed) phyllo dough—though when they’re made this way, they need to be baked.

How do you make sure the egg rolls won’t burst open when frying them?

There’s nothing quite so frustrating as watching your egg rolls fall apart once they hit the hot oil! To prevent this, don’t overfill them. Place about 1/4 cup of filling in each egg roll wrapper. If you’re struggling to fold the wrapper over the filling, you may need to remove some. Also, be sure the filling is completely enclosed; the wrappers should be sealed with lightly beaten egg. Finally, be gentle when moving the egg rolls into the hot oil. Use tongs, a slotted spoon or a metal spider to slide them in so you don’t disturb the wrappers.

What’s the secret to crispy egg rolls?

The secret to perfectly browned and crisp egg rolls is to heat the oil to the right temperature—and to keep it there. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the egg roll wrappers will absorb it and turn soggy. Clip a deep-frying thermometer or digital thermometer (like our favorite, the Thermapen One) in the pan to confirm that the oil stays at 375°. Continue checking the temperature between batches, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the oil at this temperature.

Can you bake egg rolls instead of frying them?

Yes, you can bake these homemade egg rolls. To do this, place the assembled egg rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the tops with a light coating of vegetable oil, or spray them with cooking spray. Bake the egg rolls in a 425° oven for 10 to 15 minutes until they’re heated through, lightly browned and crisp.

What can you serve with egg rolls?

Along with the dipping sauces suggested above, egg rolls are delicious served with hot, cooked white or brown rice. Or, make one of our fried rice recipes to serve on the side, like pork fried rice or ginger steak fried rice. Egg rolls are perfect to serve alongside other favorite Chinese restaurant favorites, like Mandarin pork stir-fry, scallion pancakes and slow-cooked short ribs.