Easy Egg Roll in a Bowl Recipe (Our Secret!)

All the savory, crunchy goodness of a classic egg roll, piled into one steaming bowl and ready in under 30 minutes, no frying, no wrappers, no fuss.

This egg roll in a bowl has become my go to when I am craving takeout flavors but need a quick, low carb skillet recipe that the whole table devours.

You will get a foolproof one pan method, the secrets to big, authentic egg roll flavor, and plenty of ways to tweak it for keto, meal prep, or whatever you are craving this week.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Deep Umami Flavor: Finely chopped shiitake mushrooms cook right in with the ground meat, melting into it and adding the kind of savory richness you usually only get from real egg roll filling.

Toasted Sesame Finish: A drizzle of high quality toasted sesame oil right at the end, plus a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds, gives that nutty aroma you smell in your favorite Chinese restaurant.

Weeknight Friendly: This is a true one pan meal that is ready in under 30 minutes, so it fits perfectly into busy weeknights when you still want a satisfying Asian cuisine inspired dinner.

Low Carb Bowl Power: The mix of ground pork or chicken with cole slaw mix makes this naturally low carb and keto friendly, and if you love this concept, our popular Burger Bowl recipe is another weeknight favorite.

Cook Tested Secrets: I discovered the mushroom and toasted sesame oil combo after testing countless deconstructed egg roll versions, and it is the one tweak that finally made the flavor pop like a real egg roll.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Everything here is pantry friendly and quick to prep, but each ingredient has a job, from building umami in the meat to creating a balanced, glossy sauce that clings to the cabbage.

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)

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

Ground Meat: Ground pork tastes the closest to classic egg roll filling, but ground chicken, turkey, or beef all work, with leaner meats soaking up flavor from the sauce and mushrooms.

Shiitake Mushrooms: Very finely chopped shiitakes can be cooked right along with the meat to boost savory umami and stretch the protein without anyone really spotting the mushrooms.

Cole Slaw Mix: Bagged coleslaw mix is the fastest option for that shredded cabbage base, and it usually includes a little carrot for color and sweetness, which works perfectly here.

Fresh Cabbage: If you are slicing it yourself, Napa cabbage gives a tender, silky bite that still has some crunch, while green cabbage stays a bit firmer and extra crunchy in your egg roll in a bowl.

Soy Sauce: For a gluten free version, swap soy sauce with tamari or coconut aminos, which still give salty depth to the sauce without the wheat.

Hoisin Sauce: Hoisin adds that sweet, tangy, almost barbecue like flavor that makes the sauce taste like real egg roll filling rather than just stir fried cabbage.

Sesame Oil: Toasted sesame oil is what you want here, and it should be added at the very end so its delicate, nutty aroma stays bright instead of cooking off.

Optional Toppings: Sesame seeds and wonton chips on top bring back the crunch of the fried wrapper, and you can mix in extras like chopped peanuts or crispy chow mein noodles if you love texture.

How to Make egg roll in a bowl

Brown the Meat

1. Heat a wok or large, deep skillet over high heat until it is just starting to smoke, then add the oil, using about 2 tablespoons for ground pork or beef and 3 tablespoons for leaner ground chicken, and immediately add the ground meat. Break the meat into small crumbles as it cooks, letting it sit long enough between stirs to get browned and golden around the edges, which is the Maillard reaction that builds deep flavor, then cook until there is no pink left. Transfer the cooked meat to a dish, drain off any excess grease if you used higher fat meat, and leave a thin layer of residual oil in the pan.

Cook the Aromatics and Cabbage

2. Add the garlic and the white parts of the scallions to the hot pan and stir fry for 20 to 30 seconds until very fragrant and just starting to turn golden, taking care not to let the garlic burn. Add the cole slaw mix and toss constantly so it picks up the flavorful oil, cooking until the cabbage is wilted but still crisp with bright color and a bit of squeak when you bite it, adding ¼ cup of the water if the pan starts to look dry so the vegetables can steam slightly and soften.

Mix the Sauce

3. While the vegetables cook, combine the brown sugar, salt, five spice powder, white pepper, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and the remaining ¼ cup water in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup. Stir until the sugar and seasonings dissolve and you have a smooth, pourable sauce that tastes sweet, salty, and aromatic.

Combine Everything

4. Return the cooked meat to the pan with the cabbage, then add the green parts of the scallions, holding back a generous pinch for garnish. Pour in the sauce and toss everything together over high heat until the meat and vegetables are evenly coated, the sauce is glossy, and it thickens slightly to cling to the shreds of cabbage rather than pooling at the bottom.

Finish and Serve

5. Spoon the mixture into bowls and top with the reserved scallions, sesame seeds, and wonton chips for a final pop of freshness and crunch. Serve right away as is, or pair with duck sauce and hot mustard on the side, or over a bed of grains like rice or quinoa if you want a heartier base.

The Secret to an Authentic Egg Roll Sauce

Hoisin: The Sweet & Savory Foundation

Hoisin sauce brings a thick, glossy texture along with a sweet and tangy profile that tastes instantly recognizable from many Chinese American dishes.

In this egg roll in a bowl, it mimics the seasoned filling used in restaurant egg rolls, so the cabbage and meat taste like the inside of your favorite appetizer.

Soy Sauce: The Salty Umami Backbone

Soy sauce layers in saltiness and deep umami, tying the browned meat, garlic, and cabbage together into one cohesive bite.

It also helps the sauce penetrate the shredded cabbage, so every forkful tastes seasoned instead of bland or flat.

Five-Spice Powder: The Authentic Aroma

Chinese five spice powder adds warm, aromatic notes that you can smell the moment it hits the pan, often with hints of star anise, clove, and cinnamon.

That tiny ¼ teaspoon is what makes the dish smell and taste like a true deconstructed egg roll rather than just a basic stir fry.

Balancing the Flavors

The brown sugar rounds out the salt and spice, giving a subtle sweetness that feels very egg roll like instead of sugary.

White pepper provides a gentle, earthy heat that is more traditional than black pepper, and the sesame oil adds a final nutty richness, especially when drizzled at the end for maximum aroma.

Pro Tips & Troubleshooting

Pro Tips

• Do not crowd the pan: Use a large wok or wide skillet so the meat and cole slaw mix can sear and stir fry over high heat instead of steaming in their own juices.
• Drain excess fat: If you cook with higher fat ground pork or beef, drain off extra grease after browning so the final bowl is rich but not greasy.
• Scramble an egg in the center: After the cabbage has wilted, push everything to the sides, crack in an egg, scramble it until just set, then stir it through for extra protein and classic egg roll texture.
• Keep the cabbage crisp: Cook the coleslaw mix just until it softens slightly and looks glossy but still has some crunch, which keeps the dish from turning mushy.
• Use pre made mix: A bag of coleslaw mix saves a lot of knife work, which is one reason this one pan meal is fast enough for a weeknight.
• Add extra crunch: Toss in finely chopped water chestnuts or celery with the cabbage if you want bursts of extra crispness in every bite.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Watery bowl: Overcrowding the pan or cooking on low heat can cause the meat and cabbage to steam and release water, so keep the heat high and cook only until the cabbage is tender crisp.
• Bland flavor: Skipping a good browning step on the meat means you lose that flavorful crust, which is the Maillard reaction, and using too little sauce will also leave things tasting flat.
• Burnt sauce: If you add the sauce too early before the cabbage is mostly cooked, the sugars in the brown sugar and hoisin can burn at the bottom of the pan, so wait until the vegetables are wilted first.
• Overcooked cabbage: Letting the cole slaw mix cook until totally soft and pale makes it watery and limp, so pull it off the heat when it is still vibrant with a bit of crunch.

Serving & Storage

Serving Ideas

• Choose a base: Serve your egg roll in a bowl over white rice, brown rice, quinoa, ramen noodles, or cauliflower rice for a low carb option, and serving this over a fluffy bed of rice is a classic choice that opens the door to another fantastic rice bowl idea like our Street Corn Chicken Bowl.
• Load up toppings: Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, fresh cilantro, crushed peanuts, or crispy chow mein noodles for extra texture and color.
• Add sauces on the side: Offer duck sauce, sweet chili sauce, sriracha, or Chinese hot mustard so everyone can customize their bowl to taste.

Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions

Leftovers keep beautifully, which makes this a great meal prep recipe for busy weeks.

Once cooled, store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator, and reheat in a skillet over medium heat or in the microwave until hot, adding a splash of water if it seems dry.

For meal prep, divide the cooked mixture into individual containers and keep any crunchy toppings such as wonton chips or chow mein noodles in a separate small container or bag so they stay crisp until serving.

You can freeze this dish for up to 2 months, though the cabbage will soften more once thawed, so cool completely, pack into freezer safe containers, then thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently in a skillet, tasting and adding a bit more soy sauce or sesame oil if needed.

Conclusion

This egg roll in a bowl gives you all the savory, crunchy satisfaction of a takeout egg roll in a fast, one pan dinner, and the combo of umami rich shiitake mushrooms and a final drizzle of toasted sesame oil really sets it apart.

It is simple enough for a Wednesday night but special enough to crave again and again, so save this recipe, play with toppings and spice, and if you are looking for another quick and comforting weeknight meal, give our Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup a try.

When you make it, leave a comment and let me know how you served your bowl.

FAQ