This Egg Roll in a Bowl recipe has all of the delicious flavors of your favorite Chinese appetizer, but without the deep-fried wrapper! Plus, all you’ll need is one skillet and less than 30 minutes to get this healthy dinner on the table.
Table of Contents
Making Asian stir-fries and takeout dishes at home is one of my favorite ways to get dinner on the table fast. And this deconstructed Egg Roll in a Bowl has been a go-to of mine for over 5 years.
I’ve served it to dozens of people of all ages. Every single time, the reaction is the same: This is incredible!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick & Easy: Ready in just 30 minutes, this recipe is perfect for busy weeknights when you need a delicious meal in a hurry.
- One Skillet: Minimal cleanup required! Everything comes together in just one skillet, making it as convenient as it is tasty.
- Simple Ingredients: Made with easy-to-find ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry, so there’s no need for a special trip to the store.
- Healthy & Flavorful: Packed with protein and veggies, this dish is a nutritious option that doesn’t skimp on flavor.
- Customizable: Tailor the recipe to your taste by adding extra veggies, swapping in different proteins, or adjusting the seasonings to make it your own!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Notes about the ingredients needed for this Egg Roll in a Bowl recipe are below. Jump to recipe for the exact measurements.
- Ground Turkey: A 93/7 ground turkey is my personal perference, but ground pork, ground chicken, or even a leaner ground beef can be used.
- Cabbage: Thinly shredded cabbage is best. You’ll need about 1 medium head of cabbage. You can also do a mixture of purple and green cabbage to give it an extra pop of color. (Learn How to Shred Cabbage if you don’t already know!)
- Carrots: Thinly shredded whole carrots or matchstick carrots can be used.
- Onion: A sweet onion is used but red or yellow may be substituted. Green onions also make a wonderful addition when serving.
- Ginger & garlic: Fresh ginger and garlic are both used to add a zippy punch of flavor. To make things easier you can buy the pre-peeled garlic and use ginger paste.
- Soy sauce: Traditional soy sauce works great if you are not avoiding soy or gluten. Tamari Sauce is my favorite soy sauce substitution if you are gluten-free; liquid coconut aminos also work well. Use low sodium soy sauce if you are watching your sodium intake.
- Vinegar: Rice vinegar delivers the most authentic flavor. Apple cider vinegar and white wine vinegar will also work, but the flavor will be different.
- Sesame Oil: Do not leave this very important ingredient out! It gives this dish a unique flavor.
How to Make Egg Roll in a Bowl
Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts. Jump to recipe for the printable instructions.
- Cut the veggies. It is best to slice the cabbage with a very sharp knife and cut it no thicker than ¼- to ½-inch thick. If you didn’t buy matchstick carrots, you’ll need to shred the carrots using either a large food processor or a cheese grater.
- Cook the ground meat. Cook the meat in a large skillet over medium or medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes, or until it is almost cooked through. Be sure to break up the meat as it is cooking so there are no big pieces. (I use a potato masher to do this!)
- Mix in the veggies and seasonings. Push the cooked meat to the side of the pan and add the onion and the other tablespoon of oil. Sauté for 3-4 minutes. Add shredded carrots, garlic, and ginger and sauté for 2 more minutes. Stir the vegetables and turkey together. Pour the chicken broth in the pan and scrape the bottom of it to deglaze it. Add the cabbage, soy sauce, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Stir the mixture well and cover with a lid.
- Cook the cabbage and serve. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until cabbage is to your desired tenderness. Just before serving add toasted sesame oil and stir to combine. Top with green onions and toasted sesame seeds for extra flavor. Or sprinkle on some red pepper flakes for a spicy kick. You can serve it over white rice, brown rice, or cauliflower rice or enjoy it by itself!
(Learn more about how to shred cabbage if you’re not sure where to start. Or quickly julienne cut the carrots!)
What to Serve with Egg Roll in a Bowl?
This recipe is already pretty filling on its own, but you can serve it with any of these simple sides.
Asian Cucumber Salad, Air Fryer Asparagus, Chinese Green Beans are all excellent greens.
If you don’t mind carbs, serve it with Instant Pot White Rice, White Rice, Basmati Rice, or Jasmine Rice.
Or top this dish with some Asian Ginger Dressing. Want to up-level the flavor even more? Try a drizzle of some Sriracha Mayo or even this easy Peanut Sauce recipe!
Recipe Variations
There are SO many ways to make this dish your own! Experiment and find your favorite way to dig in.
- Add egg. A fried or poached egg will take this dish over the top!
- Up the veggies. Load it up with even MORE vegetables. Chinese broccoli, zucchini, and squash would taste great in here, too. Use different varieties of cabbage—green or purple cabbage both taste great!
- Lower the sodium. If you’re not on a Paleo, keto, or Whole30 diet you can use regular gluten-free soy sauce or Tamari instead.
- Save time. Opt for a coleslaw mix from the store.
- Switch up the meat. Ground beef, turkey, or pork all are fantastic in the recipe.
- Make it vegetarian. Skip the meat and go with tofu, chickpeas, or another meat alternative.
- Kick up the heat. Whip up some Sriracha Mayo.
- Give it a good garnish. Cilantro, peanuts, peanut sauce, cilantro, and lime juice are all excellent toppers.
Storage and Meal Prep
- Prep-Ahead: Chop the veggies and make any sauce you plan to use (like the sriracha mayo!)
- Storage: Store refrigerated for 3-4 days. I would not recommend freezing this recipe. Excess water will accumulate after thawing, which will cause the cabbage to become mushy.
- Reheating: Warm up leftovers in a skillet over medium-low heat for the best taste and texture. You can also warm it up in the microwave, but it will be soggier.
More Simple Dinner Recipes
If you are looking for other delicious meals that are low in carbs, try one of these next:
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Egg Roll in a Bowl Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 small sweet onion finely diced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 3 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 1 small head cabbage about 8 cups shredded
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
For Serving (Optional):
- Cooked white rice
- Green onions green parts only, thinly sliced
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Sriracha Mayo optional
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the turkey and cook until almost cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.
- Push the turkey to one side of the pan and add onion and remaining tablespoon of oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add shredded carrots, garlic, and ginger and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the cabbage, tamari or soy sauce, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Stir well and cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until cabbage has reached your desired tenderness. Remove from the heat and add toasted sesame oil.
- Serve egg roll in a bowl over white rice, if using, and top with green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and sriracha mayo, if desired.
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Video
Notes
- Prep-Ahead. This is the perfect make-ahead dish, the flavor marries as it sits, so you can prepare it a couple of days in advance. Or, simply shred the carrots and cabbage the day before to have them ready.
- Storage. Store refrigerated for 3-4 days. I would not recommend freezing this recipe. Excess water will accumulate after thawing, which will cause the cabbage to become mushy. Warm up leftovers in a skillet over medium-low heat for the best taste and texture. You can also warm it up in the microwave, but it will be soggier.
- Cabbage. Freshly shredded cabbage is best.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I found that a bag of pre-cut slaw mix is the perfect amount of cabbage and already includes some carrots.
That’s great to know, Christie!! Thanks for the comment and rating 🙂
I figured after almost three years of making this dish no less than once a month for dinner I should probably leave a comment. Our family of 5 loves this recipe! Even our pick two year old loves it. It was a low carb option for me when I first started making it, but since my family loves it so much we just double and sometimes triple the recipe and add brown or white rice to the bottom of our bowls.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I suspect our 3 boys will look back when they are older and remember this as a favorite dish growing up.
Aw that’s so awesome to hear! And super impressed that even your 2-year-old gobbles it up. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating, Rebekah!
Hi, my daughter and I just cooked this dish, it was So Good! We did double the spices (we like a lot of flavor), used low sodium soy sauce and added the green onion at the end, delish! Thanks for the recipe!
Yay! So happy to hear you both enjoyed the recipe, Jami. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
This was so delicious! I used green onion instead of sweet onion, rice wine vinegar, and a little more chicken broth! We served this over brown rice! Will definitely make again! Very good!
Oh that sounds delicious, Crissy! Thanks so much for your comment and rating 🙂
This was so yummy. . The flavors we just perfect. I did add some bell peppers and broccoli. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
I bet the peppers and broccoli tasted delicious in there! Thanks so much for your comment and rating, Laura 🙂
I just made this today and it is delicious!!! I followed the recipe to the t.
Yay! So happy you enjoyed the recipe, Jo! Thanks for the comment and rating! 🙂
This is really a good recipe! It actually tastes like something you’d get in a very nice Asian restaurant! I made it last night and my husband has requested a re peat! I’m doing it! BUt I’m going to add some rice this time. YUM!
Yay! So happy you and the hubby enjoyed the recipe, Ginger! Thanks for the comment! 🙂
This was great! I added two eggs just to have some extra protein and coat the vegetables. Everything was so delicious. Can’t wait to have it all week. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Yay! So happy to hear that. Thanks for the comment and rating!
This recipe is our house favorite. Question why is it called egg roll when it doesn’t have egg included??
Lol, great question! Typically the egg roll wrapped is made from eggs, but the inside has no eggs at all. You can always add some if you’d like though!
Tried this tonight. YUM! Followed exactly except I used ground chicken. Definitely will be making this again. Thanks for an awesome recipe to keep one of my favorite Chinese takeouts more “friendly”!!
Yay! So happy to hear that, Estelle. Thanks for the comment and rating!