Crispy Baked Egg Rolls

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Crispy Baked Egg Rolls have the trademark crunch and bold flavors of the traditional rolls, with a fraction of the fat and calories. Baked to golden perfection, these freezer-friendly rolls are the perfect appetizer or snack

This post and recipe card updated August 8, 2019

No matter what I get as an entree at Asian restaurants, I always get an egg roll or spring roll on the side. But as much as I love egg rolls, I don’t like the deep frying. Spring rolls are still fried, but they’re smaller and the skin is thinner so I feel a little better about myself.

Egg Roll Stir Fry is one of my favorite lunches to make. It has all the delicious flavors of an egg roll, without the wrapper. But sometimes I still crave that crunch, so I solved it with Crispy Baked Egg Rolls

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• They’re easy to make and ready in about 45 minutes
• You can choose your favorite meat, or make the rolls vegetarian
• They’re freezer-friendly, and you can bake them from frozen

INGREDIENT TIPS FOR CRISPY BAKED EGG ROLLS

I use ground pork and recommend 85% lean. Many grocery stores now sell ground pork, or you can ask your butcher to grind it for you. You could use 90% lean, but I wouldn’t go any leaner than that.

I use store-bought Egg Roll Wrappers, found in the produce section of the grocery, along with the other packaged vegetables. Maybe one day I’ll take on the challenge of homemade wrappers…but that’s doubtful.

ADDING LOADS OF FLAVOR TO CRISPY BAKED EGG ROLLS

Sesame oil is a staple in most Asian cuisine. It is powerful and a little goes a long way.

Garlic and ginger are a must. Fresh ginger adds a warm, spicy bite, and I add garlic to everything.

Cilantro is such a great herb in egg rolls. But people either love it or hate it, and there’s no in-between.

Lemongrass is found in a lot of Asian cooking. It’s a fragrant, tropical grass that you can find in the produce section of the grocery store, alongside other packaged herbs. 

BEST VEGETABLES FOR CRISPY BAKED EGG ROLLS

• Shredded cabbage and carrots are a must. I use green cabbage, but you could mix in red cabbage or substitute Napa cabbage
• I love fresh bean sprouts, so when I have them I add them.
• Shallots add a mild flavor that works really well in the egg rolls. If you don’t have shallots, use onion instead
• Fresh jalapeno adds a big kick, so remember to remove the ribs and seeds to tone down the heat

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR CRISPY BAKED EGG ROLLS

Heat sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add vegetables and aromatics, and lightly saute for a few minutes, until cabbage begins to soften.

Add pork and cook until no longer pink.

Transfer mixture to a bowl to cool for about 5 minutes. This is very important, or the wrappers will get holes.

Place egg roll wrapper on a flat surface, turned at a 45° angle so one corner faces down.

Scoop 1/4 cup of filling onto the bottom 1/4 of the wrapper. Flip bottom corner up, until just covering the filling.

Fold right and left edges in, so pouch looks like an envelope. Fold upper edges in again.

Lightly spray the top corner, to help seal the roll. Roll up from the bottom to form egg roll.

Place the egg rolls seam side down on a baking sheet lined with Parchment Paper.

Rolling Crispy Baked Egg Rolls takes practice! Mine looked so sad the first couple of times. They’re much better now, but still not perfect. And you know what? That’s okay.

GETTING THE GOLDEN BROWN COLOR ON YOUR CRISPY BAKED EGG ROLLS

• Sesame oil – made the rolls too greasy for my tastes
• Melted butter – very delicious, but a little too heavy
• Avocado Oil Spray or Cooking Spray – this was my favorite. It does the job while keeping the egg rolls light and crispy

CRISPY BAKED EGG ROLLS ARE FREEZER FRIENDLY!

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place egg rolls on the sheet, being sure they don’t touch or they will stick together

Cover egg rolls with Saran Wrap so the wrappers don’t crack, and put them in the freezer until they get hard

Wrap rolls individually in parchment paper, and store in freezer-safe Ziploc bags

Do not thaw egg rolls before baking! Preheat oven to 400° and bake for about 20 minutes, spraying the tops with cooking spray about halfway through.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What if I don’t like pork? You can substitute ground beef or ground chicken. If you do, I recommend 90% lean for either one.

How about making these vegetarian? Simply omit the meat and double the vegetables.

What if I don’t like sesame oil? You can do half sesame and half canola oil to start. But I highly recommend using it, because the egg rolls won’t taste the same without it.

MORE DELICIOUS APPETIZERS

• Bacon Wrapped Chicken Meatballs
• Asparagus Prosciutto Puff Pastry
• Pigs in an Everything Blanket
• Baked Green Bean Fries
• Marinated Steak Vegetable Roll Ups
• Easy Pan Fried Mushrooms

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