Egg Roll in a Bowl

Chinese food offers a staggeringly diverse array of dishes that make it one of the most popular cuisines in the world. Unfortunately, with rising food costs driving takeout far out of the range of most people, it’s harder than ever to justify. That’s tough for busy people who not only need to work but also prep food for themselves and their families. However, it’s getting easier and easier to make Chinese food at home and save money and time hand over hand!

This recipe is easy to make and way more delicious than anything you could order from your favorite restaurant. More importantly, it’s healthy and perfect for satisfying any cravings you might have for Chinese food. The way all these ingredients combine in a dense, firm, and creamy dish offers diners an amazingly diverse and unbelievably tasty main or side dish. It simply blends flawlessly with just about anything you can imagine.

More importantly, it’s simple to make and store, giving you over a week’s worth of meals! That’s a great way to save money if you live alone. Crucially for families, the ingredients are typically pleasing to children and adults alike, with an easy-to-adjust blend that you can tweak however you want. In this way, it’s a stress-free recipe that brings your family together on even the busiest weekdays by combining mouthwatering flavors and aromas.

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Why You’ll Love Egg Roll in a Bowl

You’ll love this dish because it’s a quick and easy way to enjoy all the flavors of an egg roll without all the guilt. It’s an inexpensive blend of sausage, cabbage, carrots, onions, and other veggies that creates a complete meal that is low in calories and affordable for just about anybody. The best part is that it cooks up in just minutes – perfect for busy weeknights!

And no matter how you make it, this dish will always be delicious and satisfying, especially since you can adjust it in so many different ways. The ways that all these ingredients blend in this perfect meal make it unforgettable. You’ll particularly love the tender meat and vegetables and the ways they contrast with some of the firmer ingredients in this delicious dish.

Ingredients:

• Minced ginger
• Coleslaw mix
• Soy sauce
• Ground sausage or chicken
• Sesame oil
• Minced garlic
• Green onions

Ingredient Deep Dive

Chinese food is renowned for combining very simple ingredients into coherent and complex dishes. This tasty egg roll bowl is no different! There aren’t a ton of things to throw together here, but the ways that they interact bring out their flavors and aromas almost flawlessly. Thankfully, they’re also easy to adjust with alternatives, if you prefer.

Ground Sausage: An Always Tasty Ingredient

Ground sausage simply doesn’t get enough credit! Its sharp flavor creates a tasty blend that chicken or beef lacks. With a sweet aftertaste and a firmer texture, it works perfectly for this egg roll bowl. Even better, ground sausage absorbs sauces beautifully while retaining its own firmness, producing a truly unique texture for your Chinese meals.

Note that ground chicken or even beef can work in this dish due to their milder flavors. They also absorb juices and flavors almost flawlessly. That said, chicken probably works a little better than beef because it lacks that gritty texture that some people dislike in ground beef.

Minced Garlic: Adds a Touch of Spice

Garlic brings a lot of flavor to dozens of Chinese meals thanks to its piquant flavor, pleasing texture, and slight spice. While garlic isn’t exactly pepper, it has just enough kick to it to give your egg roll bowl a bit more fire. Just as importantly, garlic’s aromatic scents blend easily with sausage’s more milder smells, creating a pleasant and appetizing mix.

What if your family isn’t into minced garlic? You can mimic the flavor with garlic oil, garlic powder, or even granulated garlic. If garlic is too piquant for you, try lemon zest or shallots, as they produce a milder and more appealing flavor for many people.

Green Onions: A Mild and Unforgettable Flavor

People who don’t traditionally like onions often like green varieties because they’re far milder than their cousins. When cooked, they tenderize very well and bleed their flavors into your egg roll mix. How does it mix with garlic? Well, the fact that they’re used in so many recipes together showcases just how great they blend. We promise that you’ll love how they work.

If you don’t like green onions, chives, shallots, leeks, and ramps may also work. They’re often milder and sweeter, making this egg roll easier to handle. Some people may cut them out entirely, though it does lose quite a bit of flavor if you take this route.

How to make Egg Roll in a Bowl:

Step 1: Open your ground sausage and carefully pour it into a skillet (wear gloves!) and brown it evenly over medium-high heat.

Use a spoon to very carefully mix it, breaking it up into smaller bits as you go. Smell the air as it cooks and remove the pan if you notice any burning. Similarly, watch the browning of the meat as it cooks to ensure it goes all the way through properly.

Step 2: Take your coleslaw mix and stir it into the meat, reducing the heat to medium to prevent burning the coleslaw.

Blend carefully and slowly, giving the slaw time to really blend perfectly with the ground sausage. The slaw should only brown slightly as you mix. Be careful not to overcook it because scorched cabbage can ruin your dish. The smell will become quite sharp at this point thanks to the cooking cabbage.

Step 3: As your cabbage softens, add your ginger, garlic, and soy sauce.

Keep the heat at medium and stir slowly to fully blend all your ingredients. By this point, you’ll notice the cabbage softening just a little. Pay close attention to the mix’s color as you blend everything. It should take on a slightly darker color thanks to the soy sauce, which darkens the lighter ingredients. By this point, the smell of ginger and garlic will be drifting around your kitchen.

Step 4: Now, reduce the heat until the surface lightly simmers and bubbles.

As it cooks, you’ll definitely feel your stomach rumble as the smell gets more and more intense (in a good way!). That aroma of the garlic and ginger and everything else is just mouth-watering. Don’t go away from the stove during this time because there’s a real risk of burning. Your cabbage might also become too soft, so stir everything regularly and taste-test for firmness. 

Step 5: Once your cabbage is soft and the mix rich and gooey, remove from the heat and let it sit for a few minutes.

During this time, it will settle a little and cool down enough to serve. While you wait, drizzle some sesame oil and other garnishes on top! These ingredients blend with the dish so well that it’s basically flawless. You can eat it as-is or serve it on a bed of rice or noodles.

THANKS FOR PINING!

Pro-Tips & Technique

When cooking this dish, it’s best to use lean ground meat for the protein because it lacks the heavy fat that produces greasy dishes. Always strain the meat before cooking it, as well, to ensure you remove as much grease as possible. Just as importantly, you need to add plenty of fresh vegetables – cabbage, carrots, onions, bell peppers, and more – to add satisfying crunch.

For extra flavor, add your favorite Asian-inspired sauces or spices, giving them plenty of time to saute in the sauce to really imbue the flavors into each ingredient. Simmering is critical here, so give your dish time to really soak in all the juices. Finally, serve with rice or noodles for an extra-filling meal. This bed helps make this a far denser and more satisfying dish.

Serving & Pairing

Typically, you don’t want highly complex sides or garnishes with this meal because it’s such a dense dish on its own. A little serving of steamed rice or stir-fried veggies should be more than enough. For your garnishes, green onions and sesame seeds work well, as does sriracha. Don’t go too crazy with drinks; iced tea and sparkling water are good enough. Finally, a fortune cookie or even a bit of vanilla ice cream works great as a little cap to your big meal. Try some fried rice or egg rolls alongside.

FAQs & Troubleshooting

How do I store leftovers? 

If you have any extra of this dish after you’re done eating, wrap it up in a bowl and store it in the fridge for up to five days. 

Can I freeze egg roll in a bowl? 

Honestly, it doesn’t chill that well, though you can freeze it for a month before it starts losing too much of its texture to enjoy. Be very careful.

Why didn’t my cabbage soften up? 

It’s one of the toughest things to test and easy to get wrong. Honestly, if you take a bite and it’s too firm, just put it back in the pan. I’d try it out before garnishing to ensure you get the best blend of tastes and textures.

Other Easy Chinese-inspired Dinner Recipes That You Might Enjoy:

Instant Pot Cashew Chicken – Bright, colorful, and loaded with tasty ingredients.

Orange Chicken – Tangy and will keep your taste buds super happy!

Pork Potstickers – These go well with egg roll in a bowl too!

Instant Pot Honey Chicken Recipe – Popular because it’s so good!