Egg Rolls are the PERFECT crispy appetizers, made with chicken and assorted veggies – ready in 30 minutes!
Everyone loves these Chinese Egg Rolls because they’re just as good as any Takeout Recipe, but you can make them at home. Pair them with Spring Rolls, Crab Rangoon, and Potstickers for a full dim sum dinner and dip them in our homemade Sweet and Sour Sauce!
Egg Rolls are definitely a favorite appetizer in Asian cuisine, made with ground chicken, spices, and vegetables in special wrappers and fried until they’re golden brown and crispy. You can use ground pork or beef for these, too. This recipe takes a total time of 30 minutes to make. You can easily make extra and freeze them for a faster option next time you’re craving something quick and crispy. It’s a yummy Chinese restaurant classic.
You can make this yummy recipe using pre-shredded cabbage (or packaged slaw mix) if you want to cut some of the prep time down. We like to dip these in homemade sweet and sour sauce, extra soy sauce, or with a little bit of sriracha for heat. This homemade Egg Roll recipe is a definite must when cooking Chinese food, and beats take-out any day of the week! Plus, you can make these ahead and serve them up when you make Panda Express Orange Chicken and Classic Fried Rice.
How to Make Homemade Egg Rolls
Making this recipe is so easy. This recipe can be completed in 30 minutes tops! And it’s so good, your family will want them time and time again! Once you have a clean work surface, you’re good to go! Check out how to make classic Egg Rolls in four easy steps!
- Step One: On medium-high heat, cook your meat in the aromatics until done. Remove.
- Step Two: In the same pan, stir fry the veggies for a couple of minutes, then add in the cooked meat.
- Step Three: Stuff the wrapper with the Egg Roll filling and roll closed. It will be about a quarter cup filling in each roll.
- Step Four: Deep fry the batch of Egg Rolls in about 2 inches of oil in a single layer. Place the cooked Egg Rolls on a cooling rack and let them drain on paper towels. Top with fresh ginger and green onions for decoration before serving.
More Takeout Dishes
Frequently Asked Questions
Egg rolls and spring rolls can use a similar filling depending on the recipe, but the main difference is that spring rolls use a thinner rice flour wrapper, while egg rolls use a wheat flour wrapper that is thicker. Spring roll wrappers are usually translucent while egg roll wrappers cook to a crispy brown.
Egg rolls are also fried, while spring rolls can be steamed or fried. Spring rolls often have lighter ingredients, like vegetables or seafood, too.
They may get their name from the wrapper, which is sometimes (but not always) made from a mixture of eggs and wheat flour. But the actual origin of the name is still up for debate.
Nobody likes a soggy Egg Roll. Putting them directly onto the paper towels may cause the bottoms to steam and get soggy. Draining on a rack with paper towels under it to catch any oil that drips off helps keep them crispy!
Create a free account to Save Recipes
Key Ingredients in Egg Rolls
This recipe uses simple ingredients. We are not using any kosher salt since the soy sauce already lends a lot of sodium to the dish; so there is no need to season with salt. If you’d like, you can optionally season the filling with black or white pepper.
- Cabbage: You can use red or green cabbage for this recipe, or a mix of both, if that’s what you have. Many stores offer preshredded cabbage that has shredded carrot in it already. If not, you can use one medium carrot.
- Meat: We are using regular ground chicken which you can easily get from the grocery store. If you have regular chicken breast, just make sure it’s broken up.
- Oil: You can use your favorite cooking oil for this recipe.We are using regular vegetable oil. You can use canola oil or peanut oil as well.
- Wrapper: The wheat based egg roll wrappers are usually 7×7 inches. All you need is one package egg roll wrappers which can be found in the refrigerated section at the grocery store. It will get nice and crispy once fried versus the rice flour based spring roll wrappers.
Alternative Cooking Methods for Egg Rolls
- Deep Fryer Egg Rolls: This recipe is using a stove top Dutch oven pan to heat the oil to the correct temperature and cook the rolls. If you have a dedicated deep fryer, that will be perfect to use as well. Just make sure to follow the instructions that came with it as deep frying doesn’t take much time at all.
- Air Fryer Egg Rolls: This way is awesome and uses less oil. You’ll cook the filling per the recipe card here and wrap them up. Line the uncooked egg rolls in the air fryer basket in a single layer ensuring they are not touching. If you have spray oil, put a light coating on top. If you don’t hav spray oil, use a baster and spread a light coating of cooking oil on the top of each roll. Cook at 360 degrees F for 7 minutes, then flip them over, spray with oil again and cook for an additional 7 minutes.
- Oven Egg Rolls: Make these lighter by placing on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and covering them with a light layer of cooking spray. Then bake at 400 degrees F for 10-15 minutes, turn over and bake an additional 10-15 minutes. For extra crispiness, turn on the broiler for the last minute or two until golden brown.
Variations on Egg Rolls
- Veggie Rolls: If you want a vegetarian version, omit the meat and add more vegetables to the filling. You can use vegetables like scallions, bell pepper, bean sprouts, celery, onion, jicama, and/or crispy water chestnuts! Add a teaspoon garlic powder to the mix to give the veggies extra flavor.
- Soy Sauce: For more flavor you can optionally add 1 tablespoon of either low sodium soy sauce, low sodium tamari (fermented soy sauce) or coconut aminos, which taste the same as soy sauce. Add a tablespoon of sesame oil while stir frying for a deeper flavor.
- Spicy Rolls: Add some heat to these yummy rolls with some chopped spicy chili pepper, a dash of cayenne pepper, course ground black pepper, or red pepper flakes.
- Meat: You can also make these rolls with some ground beef, a pound ground pork, shrimp, or tofu, depending on your preference.
- Dipping Sauce: Enjoy your savory rolls with a sweet chili sauce or duck sauce which is a fruity based sauce made with plums or other tropical fruits. These can be found in any Asian market. Also, hot mustard is not a popular option, but many people still really like it with these! Give it a try!
More Chinese Food Favorites
How to Store Egg Rolls
- Serve: Egg Rolls are always best when served right away.
- Store: You can store leftover Egg Rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. You can easily reheat them in the air fryer or oven.
- Freeze: These are freezer safe! Freeze any extras for another day by wrapping them tightly in an ziplock bag and aluminum foil. This recipe will last in the freezer for 3-4 months. Reheat in the oven at 400 degrees F until warmed through before eating, or fry them again for a few minutes
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 cups cabbage , sliced thinly
- 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms , chopped (or crimini)
- 1/2 cup carrot , grated
- 16 egg roll wrappers (7 inch squares)
- water
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Add the chicken, ginger and garlic to a large skillet on medium heat and cook until fully cooked through, about 4-5 minutes.
- Remove the chicken and add in the vegetable oil, cabbage, mushrooms and carrots and cook for 3-4 minutes until wilted, turn the heat off, add the chicken back in and mix well then let cool for 10 minutes before adding to the wrappers.
- To each wrapper add ¼ cup of the cooled filling, with a wet finger wipe water along the edges, fold in the sides and roll the egg roll closed.
- When ready to fry, add 3 inches of vegetable oil to a large dutch oven and heat to 375 degrees, then fry until golden brown (the inside is cooked, you only need to brown the outsides) then cool on a cooling rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Want to save this recipe? Create a free account to easily save your favorite recipes
Photos used in a previous version of this post:
Hi! Do you think it’s possible to make these and wrap them and then freeze them? I’d like to make a couple in the oil but then freeze the rest and air fry them for an easy, quick meal/snack. I’d even be ok with defrost them some before hand, any thoughts?
Freeze: These are freezer safe! Freeze any extras for another day by wrapping them tightly in an ziplock bag and aluminum foil. This recipe will last in the freezer for 3-4 months. Reheat in the oven at 400 degrees F until warmed through before eating, or fry them again for a few minutes
Awesome recipe! the addition of mushroom is brilliant. — to save time and work, you can use a couple bags of cole slaw mix, from the salad isle. Which is just green cabbage, red cabbage, and carrot. No knife skills required. 🙂
Great suggestion!
Can these be microwaved instead of being fried ?
No, they won’t be crispy.
How do you think the egg rolls would turn out if I used an air fryer?
I haven’t tested it but I’ve seen others use it with no issue. If you decide to try, I’d love to know how it turns out. Thanks!
Have you ever tried these or your crab rangoon or sesame chicken recipes in an Air Fryer? We are trying all 3 tonight but just got one and would love to cut out some of the fried oil if possible, but wasnt sure how to adjust times or anything.
I haven’t tested it but I’ve seen other commenters state they’ve used one with success.
Family doesn’t like mushrooms.. any suggestions for a substitute or to omits them? Thanks!
You can just leave them out. Enjoy!
Hi! I’m making these right now. You mentioned using Soy Sauce or Tamari, but it’s not in the ingredient list or the recipe. When do you add that in? How much????
Thanks for bringing this to our attention Roxanne. Soy Sauce or Tamari are optional to add flavor if you wish. We’ve reworded the post to alleviate the confusion. Thanks so much for reaching out!
If you reworded the post to alleviate confusion by adding soy sauce or tamari to the list of ingredients, it’s not there. ???
Soy Sauce is listed in the blog as a variation to enjoy as desired.
Soy Sauce: For more flavor you can optionally add 1 tablespoon of either low sodium soy sauce, low sodium tamari (fermented soy sauce) or coconut aminos, which taste the same as soy sauce. Add a tablespoon of sesame oil while stir frying for a deeper flavor.
Is that what you were referring to?
Hope you enjoy the recipe!
I love Egg Rolls but shun anything fried. Have you ever made these in ther oven?
I have, I put some instructions to bake them in the post, second to last bullet under “Tips for Making This Egg Roll Recipe” 🙂 Let me know how they turn out!
I’m looking for the best eggrolls “wraps” the ones that I used I didn’t like them but I heard they have several eggrolls wraps that can be used. Can you tell me the name of the wraps you use? The filling was so good but not the wraps itself
I love Dynasty Egg Roll Wrappers. 🙂
You were right, Sabrina. Soooo.…..never fry rice paper! LOL
The filling was delicious! My crew even liked experimenting with eating them “fresh” with the rice paper wraps (since that is what I had to use.) They came back for seconds. Thanks!
So glad they loved it!
Oh yum!!! You make it look so easy to make egg rolls at home.
It really is easy, Becky!
Thank you so much for this recipe. We love making our own takeout at home and egg rolls are one food we needed to add!
You’re welcome, Alli!
So delicious! Love all the tips to make them perfect!
So glad you enjoyed them, Courtney!
I had never thought about making these at home, until now! Holy smokes… amazing!
Thanks, Jessica!
I’m a huge egg roll fan and these did not disappoint! Will make again.
Yay!! Thanks for coming back to let me know how much you enjoyed them.