Egg Roll in a Bowl is a high fiber, high protein recipe that couldn’t be easier to whip up. In our version, we use ground meat and bags of cole slaw mix like everyone else, but the key difference is the sauce mixture. It’s straight from my dad’s perfected and beloved egg roll recipe, and tastes much closer to real egg roll filling!
Truth be told, this is a concept that we’ve been fighting for a while. But you can’t deny it’s popularity! The Egg Roll in a Bowl is a great way to get lots of fiber and protein—and quickly too!
What makes an egg roll an egg roll?
Many egg roll in a bowl recipes out there use just soy sauce and sesame oil for the seasoning. We’re also seeing ingredients that don’t typically show up in your typical egg roll, like ginger, cilantro, and Sriracha. The result is more of a meat stir-fry with shredded cabbage that is somewhat texturally similar to egg roll filling, but that isn’t as close in taste.
To get the key flavors of a crunchy, delicious egg roll distilled into a decidedly non-egg-roll format, we have to acknowledge that egg roll filling at minimum has cabbage, carrot, and Chinese roast pork. The former are covered by the cole slaw mix (we used a version with red cabbage to up the antioxidant/health factor). It’s the latter that we have to get a bit crafty with.
Some of the key ingredients in a proper Chinese roast pork (or char siu) marinade include hoisin sauce, soy sauce, honey or maltose, garlic, and sesame oil. All those ingredients are represented here (we subbed brown sugar for the honey/maltose), and the result is Egg Roll in a Bowl that tastes that much closer to the real thing!
The Ultimate Meal Prep Recipe?
There have been a few folks over the years who have requested meal prep recipes. This one is a meal prep king. It’s easy to make a lot of it, and you really only need to chop garlic and scallions for it to come together. It could not be simpler—or more filling and good for you!
Tip!
Another traditional egg roll filling ingredient is celery. So if you don’t mind doing some extra chopping and you want to get the extra mile, throw in 1-1½ cups of thinly sliced celery. And if you really want to up the protein, add some chopped cooked shrimp!
When you serve it with some wonton chips, maybe some duck sauce and hot mustard on the side—sure it gets a little bit less “healthy” but it is tasty! All the flavors of an egg roll without the deep frying—and in the form of an easy and manageable lunch.
Egg Roll in a Bowl Recipe Instructions
Heat a wok or large, deep skillet over high heat. When it just starts smoking, add the oil and the ground meat. (Use 2 tablespoons for fattier meat like ground pork and beef or 3 tablespoons oil for leaner meat like ground chicken.)
Break the meat up and don’t disturb it too much so it has a chance to brown. Cook until there’s no pink left, and it’s a little golden around the edges. Transfer to a dish and set aside, leaving behind any residual oil in the pan.
Add the garlic and white parts of the scallions, and fry for 20-30 seconds.
Add the cole slaw mix. Cook until the slaw wilts down. Add ¼ cup of water if the pan starts to dry out. This will also help steam the vegetables. I found the cole slaw mix to be super dry. It’s been a long time since it was washed and cut, so some extra water helps it along.
While that’s happening, mix your sauce: brown sugar, salt, five spice powder, white pepper, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and another ¼ cup water.
Add the meat back in, along with the green parts of the scallions, reserving a generous pinch for garnish later. Add the sauce, and toss until well-combined.
To serve, top with scallions, sesame seeds, and wonton chips for an aromatic crunch. You can also serve it with duck sauce and hot mustard on the side! If you like, you may also choose to serve it over a bed of grains, like, rice, quinoa, or perhaps even quin\oa rice!
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Recipe
Egg Roll in a Bowl
Ingredients
- 2-3 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 pound ground chicken, pork, or beef
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 24 ounces cole slaw mix
- 2 scallions (thinly sliced with the green and white parts separated)
- ½ cup water (divided)
- 1½ tablespoons brown sugar
- 1¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon five spice powder
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Sesame seeds and wonton chips for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Heat a wok or large, deep skillet over high heat. When it just starts smoking, add the oil (2 tbsp for ground pork/beef, or 3 tbsp for leaner ground chicken) and the ground meat. Break up the meat, cooking until there’s no pink left, and it’s golden around the edges. Transfer to a dish and set aside, leaving behind any residual oil in the pan.
- Add the garlic and white parts of the scallions, and fry for 20-30 seconds. Add the cole slaw mix, and cook until wilted. Add ¼ cup of water if the pan starts to dry out. This will also help steam the vegetables.
- While that’s happening, mix your sauce: brown sugar, salt, five spice powder, white pepper, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and another ¼ cup water. Add the meat back in to the pan, along with the green parts of the scallions, reserving a generous pinch for garnish later. Add the sauce, and toss until well-combined.
- To serve, top with scallions, sesame seeds, and wonton chips for an aromatic crunch. You can also serve it with duck sauce and hot mustard on the side, or over a bed of grains (rice, quinoa, etc.).
