There are few things I love more than a meal that tastes like I put in significantly more effort than I actually did. 😂 And this Egg Roll in a Bowl is exactly that kind of recipe.
It has all those savory, garlicky, gingery flavors you love in an egg roll — ground pork, tender-crisp cabbage, green onions, sesame, and soy sauce—but everything comes together in one skillet in about 30 minutes.
And my favorite shortcut? Bagged coleslaw mix.
Yes, you could absolutely shred your own cabbage and carrots. But on a busy weeknight, I am very much in favor of letting someone else do that work for me. Open the bag, dump it into the skillet, and suddenly you’ve added a generous amount of veggies to dinner with approximately zero brainpower required.
Serve it over rice, add your favorite toppings, and dinner is done.
Why You’ll Love This Egg Roll in a Bowl
This is one of those recipes that checks pretty much every weeknight-dinner box for me:
- One pan: Minimal cooking and minimal cleanup.
- Ready in about 30 minutes: No elaborate prep required.
- Veggie-packed: A whole bag of cabbage and carrots goes right into the skillet.
- Protein-rich: Ground pork makes it satisfying, but chicken, turkey, beef, or tofu work just as well.
- Great for meal prep: Make a batch now, and you’ve got lunch waiting for you tomorrow.
- Easy to customize: Change the protein, add more vegetables, turn up the heat, or serve it with whatever grain you have on hand.
What Is Egg Roll in a Bowl?
Egg Roll in a Bowl is essentially a deconstructed egg roll filling served without the wrapper.
Traditional American-Chinese egg rolls typically contain cabbage and other vegetables along with meat or another filling, wrapped in dough and fried. This version isn’t meant to replicate an egg roll exactly. Instead, it draws on familiar flavors and turns them into an easy skillet meal you can make at home.
And because we’re skipping the whole individual wrapping-and-frying situation, it’s considerably easier to get on the table on a Tuesday night.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Ground pork: I love pork here because it gives the dish that classic savory flavor, but ground chicken, turkey, or beef will also work. For a meatless version, try crumbled extra-firm tofu.
Coleslaw mix: The ultimate shortcut! Look for a 10–12-ounce bag containing shredded cabbage and carrots. A mix with both green and purple cabbage makes this especially colorful.
Garlic + fresh ginger: These are worth using fresh. Together, they add so much flavor with very little effort.
Green onions: You’ll use the white and light-green portions while cooking, and save the darker green tops for a fresh finish.
Low-sodium soy sauce: Provides most of the salty, umami flavor in the dish. If you need the recipe to be gluten-free, use a gluten-free tamari instead.
Sesame oil: A little goes a long way and gives the finished dish that unmistakable toasted sesame flavor.
Maple syrup: Just a tablespoon balances the salty, savory flavors without making the dish noticeably sweet.
Sesame seeds: Completely optional, but they add a little crunch and make the finished skillet extra pretty.
How to Make Egg Roll in a Bowl
Start by heating the cooking oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork, season with black pepper, and cook until browned, breaking it into crumbles as it cooks.
Next, add the garlic, ginger, and the white and light-green parts of the green onions. Give everything another minute or two—the kitchen should start smelling very good right about now.
Add the entire bag of coleslaw mix and cook until the cabbage has softened but still has a little texture. I personally don’t want completely limp cabbage here; that slight crunch is part of what makes the dish so good.
Pour in the soy sauce and stir everything together. Cook for another minute or two, then remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the sesame oil and maple syrup.
Finish with the remaining green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and you’re ready to eat.
How to Make It a Complete Meal
While you absolutely can eat Egg Roll in a Bowl on its own, I love serving it over rice.
As a dietitian, I’m also not particularly interested in removing the rice just because the recipe already has the word “bowl” in its name. 😉 Pairing the protein and vegetables in the skillet with a carbohydrate source makes this a more complete, satisfying meal.
Try it with:
- White or brown rice
- Quinoa
- Noodles
- Cauliflower rice, if that’s what you enjoy
- A combination of regular rice and cauliflower rice
You can also add edamame for even more protein and fiber.
Easy Variations
Make it spicy: Add sriracha, chili crisp, crushed red pepper flakes, or chili garlic sauce.
Add more veggies: Mushrooms, bell peppers, snap peas, edamame, or additional shredded carrots would all work well.
Switch up the protein: Try ground chicken, turkey, or beef instead of pork.
Make it vegetarian: Crumble pressed extra-firm tofu into the skillet and cook until lightly browned before adding the aromatics and vegetables.
Make it gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free tamari instead of traditional soy sauce, and double-check the labels on your other packaged ingredients.
Meal Prep & Storage
Egg Roll in a Bowl is also a great option for meal prep. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3–4 days, then reheat in the microwave or in a skillet until hot.
If you’re prepping lunches, portion the egg roll mixture and cooked rice into individual containers so they’re ready to grab throughout the week.
A Dietitian’s Take
One reason I love recipes like this is that eating more vegetables doesn’t have to mean serving a sad pile of steamed broccoli next to dinner.
Here, the vegetables are part of the meal. They’re cooked right alongside the protein and coated in the same garlic, ginger, sesame, and soy flavors—which, in my opinion, is a much more enjoyable way to eat them.
Each serving also provides roughly 27–29 grams of protein and 3–4 grams of fiber before adding rice or other sides, depending on the exact ingredients and protein you use.
It’s simple, satisfying, and doesn’t require an hour in the kitchen. That’s my kind of weeknight dinner.
Easy Egg Roll in a Bowl
Serves 4 | Ready in about 30 minutes
A quick, one-pan deconstructed egg roll made with savory ground pork, tender-crisp cabbage, fresh ginger, and a lightly sweet sesame-soy sauce.
Easy Egg Roll in a Bowl
Ingredients
- 1/2 tbsp Oil
- 1 lb Ground pork Ground turkey, chicken, or beef also work
- Black pepper to taste
- 1/2 tbsp – ½ tablespoon cooking oil 7 mL
- – 3 cloves garlic minced (~9 g)
- 6 Green onions, slicedwhites/light greens and dark greens separated ~60 g total
- – 2 teaspoons fresh ginger grated or minced (~4 g)
- – 1 package coleslaw mix 10–12 oz / 285–340 g
- – ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce 60 mL
- or tamari or coconut aminos
- – 1 tablespoon sesame oil 15 mL
- – 1 tablespoon maple syrup 15 mL / ~20 g
- – Optional: sesame seeds for garnish
- For serving optional:
- – Cooked white or brown rice
Method
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet or wok.
- Add the ground meat, season with pepper, and cook—breaking it up with a spatula—until browned and mostly cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, white/light green parts of the green onions, and ginger. Cook for 1–2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Add the coleslaw mix and stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender but still slightly crunchy, about 5–7 minutes.
- Pour in the soy sauce, sesame oil, and maple syrup. Stir well and cook for 1–2 more minutes to let the flavors meld.
- Remove from heat and top with the dark green onion parts. Garnish with sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
– Calories: ~360–380 kcal
– Protein: ~27–29 g
– Fiber: ~3–4 g
Nutrition will vary slightly based on meat choice and exact coleslaw mix. Serve over rice if desired for additional carbohydrates and calories.
Equipment
- – Large skillet or wok (12-inch / ~30 cm works well)
- – Wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula
- – Knife and cutting board
- – Measuring spoons and cups
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