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My Egg Roll In A Bowl Recipe Is Faster And Lighter Than Your Favorite Takeout
This egg roll in a bowl is just about the simplest healthy dinner you can make. It checks all the boxes for me, from flavor and texture to simplicity and speed. There are so many reasons I turn to it when I don’t know what’s for dinner — and why I think it’s better than takeout:
- Totally irresistible – That’s why this dish is sometimes called “crack slaw”! My secret is the garlicky, savory sauce with a hint of sweetness, combined with the cabbage that caramelizes as it cooks.
- Tastes like (lighter, faster) takeout right at home – I developed this egg roll in a bowl recipe to taste like my favorite Asian takeout egg rolls, minus the wrapper! It’s got savory ground pork, crisp and caramelized veggies, and the perfect balance of seasonings. The contrast of flavors and textures hits all those takeout cravings. Except now you don’t have to wait for my pickup or delivery order — or deal with a whole roll-making situation.
- Clean, simple ingredients – No specialty or artificial ingredients, only common staples from your local grocery store! And I stay true to my 10-ingredients-or-less motto, of course.
- One-pan weeknight dinner – Just 15 minutes, 4 simple steps, and one pan! It’s a lifesaver of a meal on busy weeknights.
- Light, feel good meal – Egg roll in a bowl is naturally low carb and gluten-free, and packed with protein and veggies. It’ll make you feel great!
- Wholesome Yum reader favorite – This dish has been so popular with many of you that I even included it in my first cookbook, which is filled with some of my best easy low carb meals.
One pan stir-fry-style dishes like this one are some of the first types of foods I learned to prepare decades ago, and their speed keeps them firmly on my favorites list. (My chicken stir fry and vegetable stir fry are the other two I make most often.) If you’re a fan of quick bowl meals and egg rolls, don’t miss this one. Make it with me!
“What have you done?!?! I’m INHALING this like I haven’t eaten in years. It’s such a perfect balance of flavors AND gives me that takeout fix at a fraction of the cost and with none of the hassle. I read the reviews and tried to temper my excitement… it’s totally worth the hype.”
-Ebony
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my egg roll bowl recipe, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Ground Pork – Older versions of my egg roll in a bowl used ground beef, but now I usually use ground pork, because it’s a more classic choice for egg rolls. Feel free to use ground beef if you prefer, or even other ground meat, like ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Garlic & Ginger – This dish tastes best when I use fresh minced garlic cloves and grated fresh ginger. But, I’ve tried 2 teaspoons of jarred garlic (or you can also use 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder) and 3/4 teaspoon of ground ginger before when I was in a hurry. It’s still amazing this way!
- Coleslaw Mix – Making my egg roll in a bowl with coleslaw mix is my not-so-secret shortcut for making this dish super fast! (I use the same shortcut for taco slaw, cabbage and sausage, cabbage soup, and cabbage salad, too.) Of course, you can totally chop a head of cabbage yourself and toss in some shredded carrots. This recipe also works great with broccoli slaw or cauliflower rice.
- Coconut Aminos – This is a gluten-free soy sauce substitute, and I actually prefer it for this dish because it adds subtle sweetness. Feel free to use low-sodium soy sauce or tamari, though. If you opt for soy sauce and still want it a little sweet, you can add a few teaspoons of my natural sugar-free honey.
- Avocado Oil – For high-heat frying. Olive oil is great, too.
- Toasted Sesame Oil – For flavor. Since it’s not heat-safe, I only add this at the end after removing from heat.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – You can also add a dash of crushed red pepper flakes if you like extra heat, but my kids won’t accept that… yet. 😉
- Garnishes – Sesame seeds and green onions are my favorite finishing touches.
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How To Make An Egg Roll Bowl
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Saute the aromatics. Heat the avocado oil in large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger, and saute until fragrant.
- Brown the meat. Add the ground pork, and season it with sea salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until browned.
- Add the coleslaw mix and coconut aminos. Stir to coat. Cook until the cabbage is tender. (Sometimes I cook it longer to let it caramelize, kind of like sauteed cabbage.)
- Add garnishes. Remove from heat. Stir in the toasted sesame oil, green onions, and sesame seeds (if using). Naturally, you’ll want to serve your “egg roll in a bowl” in… well, bowls! I always add extra garnishes on top, as shown below.
My Recipe Tips
- Drain the meat if you like. I find that most of the excess oil cooks away at the high temperature, but you can drain it if it seems greasy.
- Add the cabbage in batches if needed. Depending on the size of your pan, it might seem like it’s about to overflow when you add the cabbage. Don’t worry, it cooks down a lot! If it doesn’t all fit at first, you can add half and let it cook down a bit, then add the rest.
- Feel free to add a little extra coconut aminos. I prefer the taste of this egg roll in a bowl with 1/4 cup, but my husband likes it better when I add 2 extra tablespoons. You can experiment and see what you like best.
- Don’t overcook the cabbage. Aim for a texture that’s tender, yet still slightly crisp. Overcooking can make your egg roll bowl kind of soggy!
- Turn off the heat before adding toasted sesame oil. It burns fast if you add it when the heat is on, leading to a bitter taste that can overpower the dish.
- This cast iron skillet is my favorite pan for this egg roll in a bowl recipe… and in general. , It’s pictured in this post, and goes from stovetop to table (or even to the oven when needed) beautifully. Any large pan you’ve got would work fine, but cast iron gets me the best browning, caramelization, and faster cooking.
- For something different, try adding other veggies. When I want to change up my bowl, I throw in other vegetables, such as diced onions, bell peppers, or bean sprouts. A stir fry is flexible that way!
Egg Roll In A Bowl (Easy 15-Minute Dinner)
By
My egg roll in a bowl recipe has simple basics like pork, cabbage, garlic, and ginger. An easy, 15-minute low carb dinner with takeout vibes!
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Heat avocado oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ginger. Saute for about a minute, until fragrant.
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Add the ground pork (or beef). Season with sea salt and black pepper, and use a spatula to break up the meat. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until browned, about 7-10 minutes. (Most of the excess oil cooks away at this temperature, but you can drain it if you like.)
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Reduce heat to medium. Add the coleslaw mix and coconut aminos. Stir to coat. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender.
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Remove from heat. Stir in the toasted sesame oil and green onions. If desired, sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Did you make it? Leave a review or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you make this dish perfectly.
- Storage: If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Meal prep: My egg roll in a bowl keeps and reheats well, so I often find myself preparing it ahead. I portion it into meal prep containers for easy lunches! You can also brown the ground pork and shred the cabbage (if not using coleslaw mix) in advance, then stir fry right before serving.
- Reheat: I usually just warm up leftovers in the microwave for 1-2 minutes depending on the portion size, and add a little extra oil if it gets dry. If you have time, give it a refresh on the stovetop over medium heat for a better texture.
- Freeze: This meal freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating if you can, but I’ve totally just popped a frozen block into the microwave and it was still pretty good.
- Note on nutrition info: I didn’t include the sesame seeds in the calculations, since they are optional, but they don’t make a big difference anyway.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Easy Keto Cookbook here.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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Egg Roll In A Bowl
Serving Ideas
This egg roll in a bowl recipe can be a main course all on its own, which is kind of the point for me! You don’t have to cook anything else with it. But if you want to make it more hearty, here are some of my popular healthy side dishes to go with it:
- Rice – My family’s go-tos with this dish are fried rice or cauliflower fried rice, but you can also opt for plain white rice, brown rice, fresh cauliflower rice, or frozen cauli rice.
- Noodles – Serve this over a bed of shirataki noodles, my simple roasted spaghetti squash, or your favorite pasta if that’s your thing.
- Sauce – When I have it on hand, I love to drizzle spicy mayo (or just sriracha) over my egg roll in a bowl for a flavor-packed finish. Give it a try!
More One-Pan Dinner Recipes
If you can’t tell yet, I’m passionate about my simple stir fry recipes! They were the beginning of my healthy cooking journey, and so they are near and dear to my heart. Here are more of my best ones for you to try:
306 Comments
Dottie Bacon
1Oh my GOSH! This is so good, and easy to make. Literally bursting with flavor! This has become a favorite at our house. I think I’ll add some cilantro next time…? Thank you for all your delicious recipes! Haven’t had a “fail” yet! 😉
Sandy B
1This was very very good! Just as good reheated for lunch the next day!! I think I will add a little more cabbage next time I make it. We like cabbage.
Laura
1We liked this and would rate it very good/excellent, but to me it didn’t taste like an egg roll. Maybe it just needed the hot mustard sauce, lol! Next time I will try it in a lettuce leaf wrap as another review mentioned. And maybe I’ll make a hot mustard sauce. Only served 3!
Mel
0My family of 5 loved this. I didn’t use any oil. I used jarred garlic, ground ginger and low sodium soy sauce because that’s what I had on hand. I also didn’t have seasame oil but I had sesame seeds to garnish. Made some organic rice to go underneath. It was so good. Doubling the recipe next time! Thank you!!
Wholesome Yum D
0I love hearing that the whole family enjoyed it, Mel. Serving it over rice sounds delicious, and if there were no leftovers, doubling it next time is probably a good idea.
Katie
1This is great! I omitted the sugar, and used a sesame chili oil for some extra kick. My husband loves celery so I added that to the mix. I also used all of the green onions as garnish. Between the cabbage, celery and spice my picky eater husband loved it, so I’ll make it again so sure. Thanks!
Lori Collins
1Followed recipe exactly but used low sodium soy instead of coconut aminos. Served it in lettuce leaves as a wrap. Really good and tasty.
Kimberly Newman
1I love the recipes I find here!! My husband is diabetic so I make all his food plus I have another diet I need to follow for health reasons. So, needless to say I spend a lot of time in the kitchen preparing food. The recipes save me! This recipe like so many on this website. Is easy to repair and absolutely delicious! My husband loved it! Thank you for all your great recipes!!
Ebony Robinson
1What have you done?!?! I’m INHALING this like I haven’t eaten in years. It’s such a perfect balance of flavors AND gives me that takeout fix at a fraction of the cost and with none of the hassle. I read the reviews and tried to temper my excitement…it’s totally worth the hype. I’ll make this my special occasion treat rather than a meal in the rotation. I refrigerated a meal and froze a meal. Can’t wait to see how they turn out reheated!
Linda
0I have made this twice. Perfect both times. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
MK
0Have you made this with ground chicken? If so, any additions or subtractions to the seasonings?
Can’t wait to try out this recipe!
Thanks!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
1Yes, ground chicken works great! Hope you love it!
J.S.
0Very yummy and quick recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Re: “U.S.” measures – these are in fact Imperial measures which the U.S. adopted from Britain in the 1800’s. The U.S., Liberia and Myanmar are the countries that still use the Imperial system. The rest of world uses the metric system.
Wholesome Yum D
0You’re so welcome! I’m happy you enjoyed the recipe and found it quick and easy to make.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m glad you liked it! You are correct regarding the Imperial and Metric system. I put U.S. on my recipe card because that is where most of my readers are located and it better fits in the space I have there on a small phone screen.
Eleanor
0Delicious! This tastes so great and is easy to make.
Wholesome Yum D
0Easy and delicious is always a great combination, Eleanor! I’m happy you enjoyed this recipe and appreciate you taking the time to share.
SueskiNH
0I make this with 92% ground chicken breast, and use a bag of veggie slaw (4 cups) plus 2 cups of chopped red pepper and tiny broccoli florets. I also double the coconut aminos. It is delicious cold and wonderful for meal prep.
Wholesome Yum D
0I love hearing how you’ve made it your own! The veggie slaw, red pepper, and broccoli sound like a great combination. I’m so glad it’s been such a winner for meal prep.
Peg
0I made this with italian sausage style turkey sausage and it was fantastic! No leftovers and it’s on my grocery list for next week!
Wholesome Yum D
0Sounds like a great swap, Peg. Glad it’s already on next week’s menu!
Cinthia
0Egg roll in a bowl is a delicious recipe. Easy to make and tasty.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Cinthia, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Easy and tasty is a great combo! 😊
KIMBERLY
0This was so easy to make and everyone loved it. There were no leftovers, so next time I’m going to double it so we can have some for lunches the next day!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Kimberly, so glad everyone loved it! Doubling it next time definitely sounds like a good idea. 🙂
Carla
0Love this recipe. I add additional veggies zucchini, yellow squash, shiitakes, and bokchoy.
Wholesome Yum D
0Carla, those additions sound amazing! Love how you packed in even more veggies!
Karen L Quealy
0It was very good. My husband and I both liked it. We don’t do keto so I served it on cilantro lime rice.
Wholesome Yum D
0Karen, so glad you both enjoyed it! Serving it over cilantro lime rice sounds so good, such a fresh, flavorful pairing.
Christopher Ahrendt
0I love this recipe. Its so thoughtless and easy. I use ground turkey. I have tried draining the meat and not draining the meat and I have found that some major flavor is lost if you do. It can be adjusted to work with any lifestyle!
Wholesome Yum D
0Christopher, love hearing that! Using ground turkey is a great option, and that’s such a helpful tip about not draining the meat. So glad it’s become an easy go-to for you!
Sueski
0I have made this numerous times, and it is delicious with a vegetable slaw from my Hannaford supermarket (similar to Giant or Food Lion, I think) and some extra coconut aminos. I typically use ground chicken/turkey, or diced chicken breast, instead of ground pork or beef. I also use fresh ginger root and add more diced veggies with the meat; like red peppers, zucchini, and/or summer squash – depending on what I have available (about 1 cup).
Wholesome Yum D
0Love how you’ve made it your own, Sueski! So glad this has become a regular in your rotation. Thanks for sharing!
Jessica
0We love this recipe! I used ground turkey instead of pork & it was delicious!
Question – If making this for a large group, is it something that could be baked? Any advice on that would be greatly appreciated. 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so happy you love it, Jessica! It’s great with ground turkey, too.
I have only made this on the stovetop and am not sure how it would fare baked. If you want to make it for a large group, I would either make the whole thing in a Dutch oven instead of a skillet, or use a Crock Pot. For the slow cooker method, I’d still brown the meat on the stove, but can combine everything else in the slow cooker afterward. Let me know how it goes if you try!
Laura
0Solid recipe! This has been a family favorite. It’s so good!
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m really glad to hear that, Laura! Love that it’s become a favorite for your family, that means a lot!
Angela Foley
0This was a delicious dinner! Our tweens enjoyed it as well. We used soy sauce instead of coconut aminos. Thank you!
Wholesome Yum D
0I’m so glad your whole family enjoyed it, Angela! Great to know soy sauce worked well for you too. Thanks for giving it a try!
Pam Owens
0Saved this recipe about 2 years ago and forgot about it. Saw you mention it last week in your email newsletter and finally made it 😋🥣🥢. Made it twice this week already. Spooned over rice 🍚 🫣
Sprinkled crispy onions and tortilla strips on top. Yum! Thank you! 😊
Pam Owens
1Forgot to mention I used ground turkey instead of pork. Still delicious!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I’m so happy you liked it, Pam! What a perfect meal over rice with crispy onions and tortilla strips. Enjoy!