Craving egg rolls?
I’m here to let you in on a little secret – they’re shockingly simple to make at home!
When I was just out of graduate school and started to get back into cooking for myself again, I decided it would be fun to make egg rolls for the first time.
I’ve always loved these, and making them at home sounded like a smart way to get my fix and learn a new recipe.
So I set aside an entire day for the task. I figured it would take forever to pull together the whole recipe from start to finish, you know?
But boy, was I wrong!
Those golden fried rolls that I knew and loved so much from my favorite Chinese takeout spot seemed so complicated, with their perfectly balanced filling to wrapper ratio, and a tasty sauce for dipping.
I was incredibly surprised to realize just how easy it is to make this appetizer, and you will be too.
Now, admittedly, it took a moment to wrap my mind around the rolling process when I was first getting started. Detailed instructions are key, and I’ve provided mine here to guide you so you won’t feel lost.
Don’t worry if you waste a few wrappers at first. Following the method I’ve outlined here, assembling these yourself shouldn’t be a struggle!
I feel as though I’ve learned the secrets to making these perfectly every time, and now I am overjoyed to share them with you. If you’ve never made egg rolls before, you can feel confident that the instructions I’ve shared below will set you on the right path.
Just be sure to read through the instructions before you get started (which is my advice for every single new recipe you try, by the way).
That way, you can get a feel for the process before you dive in, and ensure that you have all the ingredients and equipment you’ll need ready to go.
That means no last minute rushing to gather ingredients, or “oh, shoot!” moments when you are already up to your elbows in your cooking.
That type of stress isn’t fun for anyone! What we’re going for here is smooth sailing, with the delicious outcome that you were hoping for.
If you are hesitant about deep frying, trust me when I say that this doesn’t have to be as scary as you may have imagined. If you are careful and use the right equipment, it will be no problem at all.
First, make sure you have a cooking thermometer at the ready to check the temperature of your oil.
The biggest mistake I’ve encountered here is trying to fry in oil that is not the right temperature. Too hot, and it tends to spit all over the place and your food may burn before it’s cooked through. Too cold, and your wrappers will be soggy and soaked in oil. Eww!
Second, grab a spider strainer. This makes it so much easier to lower your egg rolls into the hot oil, and take them out as well.
I’ve tried using tongs or even two forks to do the job, but this tends to result in accidental burns, dropped utensils, or unwanted piercing of the wrappers as they cook.
When it comes to the dipping sauce, this recipe is soy sauce based, but you can use gluten-free tamari if you prefer, or a low-sodium version to cut down the salt content a bit. It’s a little different than the typical duck sauce you might get from your local Chinese restaurant, but it’s made with common staple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry, and I love the way it complements the filling in this homemade version.
Serve these as a fun starter to a takeout-inspired main course like Mongolian Beef or Kung Pao Chicken. Dinner will be an impressive spread of homemade triumphs. Those takeout menus will be long forgotten!
Print
Homemade Egg Rolls
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings (16 egg rolls) 1x
Description
You may think homemade egg rolls are difficult to prepare, but they are crazy easy to create with premade wrappers once you master the rolling process.
Ingredients
For the Dipping Sauce:
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
For the Egg Rolls:
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 cup finely chopped celery (about 2 stalks)
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (from a jar, or 1–2 cloves)
- 1 cup shredded napa cabbage
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots (about 2 medium)
- 1 cup finely chopped button or cremini mushroom caps
- 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
- 2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- 1 16-ounce package egg roll wrappers
- Canola oil, for frying
Instructions
To Make the Dipping Sauce:
- Whisk together all of the ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. When mixture reaches a boil, cook for another minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
To Make the Filling:
- Add the sesame oil for the egg rolls to a wok or large frying pan and place over medium-high heat. Once hot, saute the celery, onion, garlic, shredded cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, and green pepper for approximately 5 minutes, until vegetables are softened and onions are translucent.
- Add the bean sprouts and cooked chicken, then turn off the heat. If making ahead, transfer the mixture to a bowl, cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate.
To Assemble:
- Lay an egg roll wrapper flat on a clean work surface, with a corner pointing towards you, like a diamond. Place 4 tablespoons of filling near the corner closest to you.
- Moisten each edge of the square with a finger dipped in water. Lift the bottom corner up and begin to roll away from yourself, making sure to tuck the corner under the filling as you roll.
- Once you have rolled up the wrapper about halfway, fold in the left side, and then the right side, towards the center. Continue rolling away from you until the final corner is rolled up.
- Dip your finger in water and brush it over the final corner, pressing the seam to ensure it is sealed.
- Proceed with the remaining egg roll wrappers and filling.
To Fry:
- In a large frying pan over medium-high heat or in a deep fryer, heat oil to 350˚F.
- Add egg rolls in batches of 3 to 4 at a time, to avoid overcrowding. Fry until golden and crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Serve immediately, with dipping sauce.
Notes
You can make these up to 4 hours ahead of time and keep them warm in a 175˚F oven for several hours before serving, if desired.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Chinese
Keywords: egg roll, Chinese, appetizer, cabbage, chicken
Cooking By the Numbers…
Step 1 – Prep Vegetables and Measure Remaining Ingredients
Finely chop enough celery (about 2 stalks) until you have 1 cup in total.
Peel and finely chop one small yellow onion. You should have about 1 cup in total.
Shred enough napa cabbage until you have 1 cup total. I used about 1/4 of a head of cabbage to achieve this. You can also use store-bought shredded cabbage if desired.
Shred enough peeled carrots (about 2 carrots) until you have 1/2 cup total.
Finely chop the mushroom caps until you have 1 cup total. I like to use white button mushrooms for this recipe.
Remove the stem and seeds and finely chop 1 green bell pepper. You will have about 1/2 cup total chopped.
Measure out all remaining ingredients as listed in the ingredients list.
Step 2 – Make Dipping Sauce
Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dipping sauce in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.
Once it’s boiling, continue to cook for another minute before removing from the heat. Set aside.
Step 3 – Cook Filling
Heat sesame oil for the egg rolls in a wok or frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add celery, onion, garlic, cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, and green pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.
Stir in sprouts and remove from heat. Stir in cooked chicken.
If you are making this mixture ahead of time, transfer it to a bowl and allow it to cool completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you’re ready to assemble the egg rolls.
Step 4 – Assemble
Place one egg roll wrapper on a clean flat surface, with a corner pointing towards you so it looks like a diamond. Add 4 tablespoons of the filling to the corner closest to you, then dip your finger in water and rub it around the edges of the wrapper.
Lift the bottom corner up and over the filling, rolling away from you and tucking the corner under as you roll it up.
When you’ve rolled it up halfway, fold in the left and right sides towards the center. Roll it the rest of the way and wet your finger again to brush it over the final corner. Be sure to press the seam to make sure it is sealed.
Repeat this process with the remaining wrappers and filling.
Step 5 – Fry
Add enough oil to a large frying pan so it is about 3 inches deep and place over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 350˚F. You could also fry these in your deep fryer, according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Working in batches of about 3 to 4, fry the egg rolls until they are golden brown and crispy, for about 3 to 4 minutes.
Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off any excess oil. Serve immediately with dipping sauce.
How Do I Reheat Leftovers?
All homemade appetizers that are fried to golden-brown perfection are best devoured right away. But if you happen to be left with some extras, you can still enjoy them.
The worst thing you could do is reheat them in the microwave, so please avoid that. Instead, preheat your oven to 350˚F. Place the egg rolls on a baking sheet lined with foil or a silicone mat and bake them for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are crispy on the outside again and heated through.
Want even more fun appetizers to try out at home? Check out these recipes from Foodal next:
- Grilled Chicken Yakitori
- Classic Sweet and Tangy Meatballs
- Black Bean and Poblano Pepper Baked Taquitos
What’s your favorite dipping sauce for egg rolls? Have you ever made them at home before? Tell us in the comments below. And be sure to come back and rate the recipe once you try it yourself!
Photos by Meghan Yager, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Originally published on September 3, 2014. Last updated on February 13, 2021.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Meghan Yager
Meghan Yager is a food addict turned food and travel writer with a love for creating uncomplicated, gourmet recipes and devouring anything the world serves up. As the author of the food and travel blog Cake 'n Knife, Meghan focuses on unique foodie experiences from around the world to right at home in your own kitchen.
I love eating egg rolls as a snack and can easily eat a plate by myself. I had never thought of making them myself as the fillings looked difficult to keep in, but the idea of mashing beans helps gel everything together. The shop bought ones lack fillings, so a good idea and one that can be adapted with lots of fillings.
Another recipe that I did not know how to make, this is why I love dropping in here every day. You update frequently with all kinds of recipes. I hope I get time over the weekend to give this one a try. Thanks.
Sometimes I order takeout Chinese just so I can get eggrolls. I crave them very often! I was always intimidated to make them, but this makes it look pretty easy!
I definitely agree with you, Lynne! Its delicious yet the budget friendly. This is actually the first dish I learned on my own, but with your recipe, I learned to add mushrooms! I am planning to make this on my upcoming baby shower, its hassle free as I am going to prepare it a night before!
Looks yummy and i ‘m definitely sure it is…my that picture makes my mouth water…before i share the recipe…am indulging first…then present to my buddies obviously nudges will follow and that’s when the recipe will be shared :).
Lynn I am stealing this one and making it my own LOL. I love egg rolls and have never even tried to make my own. I always figured the process was a little beyond my talents, but this recipe seems very straight forward and simple. I will have to play with this one a bit to get the whole family to eat them. I didn’t realize they were this easy to make. I love spring rolls and Tex Mex types of rolls so I imagine I will have to make a hybrid of the two to get my little guys happy enough to try them.
Same here, Askanison. I don’t know why, but I just figured that these would be difficult to make. This recipe makes them sound very do-able, not to mention yummy. I think I will be giving these a try.
My husband would be very happy if I added to the list of “restaurant” foods that I can make (not many real restaurants nearby). Besides, I really like egg rolls too!
I might have to play around with it a little too. I think my crew would prefer it without the soy beans.
These don’t sound too hard to make. I might venture and give them a try. I’d have to substitute something else for the soy, but they sound absolutely delicious.
These look soooo delicious! I must admit I’ve never thought about making my own eggrolls at home. I’ll have to try it. They would be much healthier than the ones I get from take out, I’m sure! I’ll definitely need to make sure I’m not home alone when I make these because I do believe I could eat them all for a meal 😉
Well typically the things that you can make at home do turn out healthier, and I think that this one is really the case. The egg rolls that you get at places are often very very greasy, and you can cut that down quite a bit if you make your own.
Wow, that looks amazing! Anything with bean sprouts is a winner in my opinion. Do you think this would last in the freezer? If so, then how would you recommend reheating? I would love to have these on hand already made for some dinners.
I’m not certain that beansprouts can be frozen. Of course, they are perfectly safe to eat once defrosted, I think that they just go a little soggy and lose their “crunch”, due to their high water content. I’m sure someone will be along soon with a way around this though!
Thank you so much for this! What a good take on egg rolls. Been bored with omelets (been eating the same old egg recipes like forever). This dish is truly a breath of fresh air and easy to prepare too.
Thank you! My family and I do tend to order a lot of egg rolls and other delicious Chinese takeout and so for a long time I’ve been wanting to learn to make them on my own. They’re actually my dad’s all time favorite food!
I’m going to try to surprise him for his birthday next month by making these. The picture used in the article is just absolutely stunning by the way, wonderful choice.
I love that you used shredded cabbage from a bag. I am the queen of incorporating shortcuts when and where I can to save time. That is one I hadn’t considered, Thank you! The recipe looks delicious.
I love how easy and simple this recipe is. This will go great for an early lunch tomorrow when my friends come over to hang out before we go out. Thank you so much for the upload.
Simple enough to convince me to actually attempt this at home! Thank you! I often make spring rolls, and get the whole family involved rolling and filling them with me, but they always take so much time. Do you think I could make a batch of these ahead of time and freeze them? It seems like they could handle it better than spring rolls (though the point of spring rolls is that freshness anyway).
Eggrolls are the best! My favorite are shrimp eggrolls and I’m sure that you can modify your recipe a little to add some tiny shrimp inside. I have never had dried soy beans before and I’m not sure what they taste like, so I might put some diced carrots in place of those. This will be perfect for the upcoming holiday get-togethers.
We make homemade egg rolls all of the time, but I have never thought of using the packaged cole slaw mix for them. I will definitely be trying that trick next time we make them! Looks like you have a great recipe here for egg rolls so we will be trying that too.
I’ve never tried making them, but it was the idea of the mix that made me think I could do them. Since I don’t have a food processor, I thought it would be an issue. If I can use that package mix, I’m golden. It’s another one of those “why didn’t I think of that?” moments that I often come across on here, ha ha.
How do you make yours? Do you use a food processor or some other type of chopper?
My mother and I tried out this recipe. Unfortunately, we couldn’t find any egg roll wrappers, so we used Indian roti instead. I must say it’s one of the most delicious lunches I’ve had. The outside was flaky, and the inside was fresh. I’m thinking I should’ve bought some plum sauce to dip them in.
These egg rolls look delicious and easy to make. I wish I had some of them to eat right now, I really do. I haven’t made egg rolls in a while, and I have not yet made any with this particular recipe. I really like the use of the water chestnuts in this recipe, because I like certain things that I eat to have “texture.” Definitely plan on making these in the not-too-distant future.
Interesting. I love making homemade egg rolls (I make them using some awesome recipe on the web, “Mom’s Famous Egg Rolls or something”), but they usually take such a long while to make hahhaha.Yours look like they’re bigger than mine, so that would take less time to manage. Also, the ingredients are vastly different — but that’s cool because now I’ve got some inspiration about possible tweaks. Looking forward to try it with mushrooms and possibly soy beans! (Why do they need to be dried though? Fresh soybeans could be cool as well!)
Mmm, these look delicious and really easy to make. I’ve never tried making my own before because I’ve never seen egg roll wrappers for sale anywhere. Maybe I’d need to visit a store in an ethnic neighborhood.
I’ve only recently visited this blog. But it’s truly the pictures that first caught my attention. Looking at the pictures make my mouth water. Awesome pictures you have here. You’ve probably gotten a lot of compliments already, but I just have to say it.
Anyway, my apologies first. I’m not much of a cook yet, so pardon if I’m asking silly questions. Are egg roll wrappers the same one used in making spring rolls? Egg rolls aren’t really familiar to me. Stupid question aside, what I love about this recipe is that it combines all three of my favorites: coleslaw, bean sprouts, and mushroom! I don’t normally see these three used together in one dish.
Soy beans are an interesting touch. I like the idea. A good childhood friend of mine is Vietnamese & I always sit in the kitchen with her & her mother during the holiday seasons & make egg rolls. It’s a great way to keep the family together with tradition.
Another great recipe! I’ve always had a weakness for Chinese food, especially dimsum. These spring rolls of yours look to be the traditional kind, for the most part. I used to cook spring rolls for my family for breakfast. They compliment other traditional breakfast items very well, and my family seems to like them well enough. I think I might continue the practice using your recipe.
I love egg rolls but never thought to try and make them myself! I’d be afraid they would just unroll though… Fall apart in the fryer. I’m also a fan of meat, so I’d definitely consider adding some ground meat of some kind to this recipe when I make it. Now that my mind is going I’m imaging all the different ingredients one could stuff into an egg roll. The possibilities seem endless!
I always figured egg rolls would be difficult to make, but this recipe sounds doable for me. I need to figure out where the wrappers are kept in my local stores. I like that your recipe calls for bagged slaw mix, because that simplifies things, and would speed up my preparation time.
Mmmm, I love a good egg roll. And they appear to be quite a bit simpler to make than I always thought they would be. I might also have to substitute something else for the soy, like a few of those who have commented previously, but it seems like a recipe ripe for experimentation. Good stuff!
My mom is always begging me to make egg rolls. I am going to try them. I love Chinese/Asian food. i been making home made crab ragoons, sushi, and saint Paul sandwiches. I need a new sushi mat but I have been looking for a good egg roll recipe. There are so many but I like mine smooth and filled with meat. i was thinking of trying one where you bake them because I do not like frying, its just so greasy.
Oh my! These look amazing, and so easy to make! I just know they will be scrumptious! I would really like to try adding meat to this recipe, like shredded pork or chicken. Quick question, I’m allergic to all kinds of nuts, will it really make much of a difference in the recipe if I leave out the chestnuts? Thanks for the recipe.
These look delicious! I’ve always wanted to make my own spring rolls but never actually made an attempt to look up a halfway decent recipe. This makes it seem pretty simple to make. I also love the addition of beans for a little protein boost! I never would have thought of that, though I might add a little bit of pulled pork or something instead, since my husband is a meat eater. 😉
I had a friend who used to make homemade eggrolls and they were simply delicious. She always said they were really easy to make and after viewing your post, she was right.
I make fried rice every now and then, these would be great to include with dinner. Thanks for sharing this delicious inexpensive recipe.
Hope you are well! I’m writing to thank you for this awesome recipe. I had read your article last year, but it was only until this year that I gave the recipe a try. My co-workers and I organized Chinese themed party in which we dressed up and every one had to bring a dish we considered Chinese. I brought the homemade eggrolls to the table and they were DELISH! I did do 2 variations to the recipe. I left out the soybeans (because I do not like them) and the water chestnuts (because I’m allergic). It’s needless to say that they were a total hit at the party, and they were quickly gobbled up. Everybody loved them! Thanks again!
I love Egg Rolls! Normally, I just get the pre-made ones at the grocery. But looking through the recipe, I think I can do this. I’ll probably skip the soybean though. For some reason, my taste bud just don’t like it. What I love about this most especially is that it has NO meat. I’m not strictly vegetarian, but I appreciate dishes that don’t contain much meat. Sometimes, when I eat out and order egg rolls, some include meat in it. It’s still delicious, but I kind of prefer the recipe used here.
Who can resist a deep fried snack! These look delicious. I want to try these out with minced pork in the filling as well. I think it would go great with a slightly sweet chilli garlic sauce. I’m probably going to try making the egg roll wrappers myself as well (ambitious, but I’ll probably set aside the entire weekend and get my room-mate involved!). Can’t wait to give these a shot!
Well traditionally I am not the biggest egg roll lover out there, but I have to say that these really differ from the ones that I am used to in two particular ways, and ways that just might be able to turn me around on my thoughts about egg rolls. The first is the whole homemade aspect and the fact that these seem less greasy than the ones you get elsewhere, so that is a plus. The second is the addition of mushrooms. I cannot recall ever seeing those in egg rolls that I have had, so I think those will add a nice texture. Thanks for sharing.
When we order chinese food, we generally order tons of egg rolls, as they are our favorite. Last night, my fiance got a craving for some egg rolls, though it was 11pm and they were already closed. I did end up promising him that I was going to find a recipe and attempt to make them at home and hopefully they turn out good, so we can save money by not ordering take out. This recipe will be my very first attempt at making egg rolls! Thanks!