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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
Tasha
0Best meal ever so convenient and delicious. I prepare this once a week.
Rose
0Really liked this recipe. I added some thin sliced mushroom, julienned water chestnut, bean sprouts and shredded book chop to the recipe. I also added about 1/4 chicken broth to add moisture. I cooked it much less than 6 min with the lid on so veggies were still a little al dente. After removing lid I added less than 1/2 pkg sweet potato glass noodles that had been cooked and tossed with sesame oil. The dish was delish but did gain Some carbs with the noodles. Will make this again, it’s very versatile.
Deborah D
0Can I use brocolli slaw as a replacement.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Deborah, You will get a different final texture, but the recipe will still work.
Venessa
0Loved it! Was craving egg rolls so bad. Thank you.
Nancy Cooper
0This recipe is the AWESOME! Me and hubby loved it. Full of flavour. It is so good and is destined to be a family fave! Thanks, Maya!
Tracy
0This is in our rotation every week! Simple and so good!
Colleen
0This is a fantastic recipe! New to Keto and recipes like this make it easy. Thank you for sharing.
Lori M.
0Thank you for this recipe. I found the dish “blah” until I realized I had left the sesame oil and green onions on the counter. They make quite a difference. I added cabbage at two intervals, the second went in halfway through the cooking time of the first. The technique was mentioned on another site so the cabbage both be tender and crisp. Unfortunately, I didn’t love the dish until I added duck sauce which is unsurprising since that is my reaction to standard egg/spring rolls. I took my cue from the spice lovers with earlier posts using sugar free (SF) sweet chili sauce. I found that Polaner’s SF apricot jam with fiber (2 net carbs per tbsp) makes for a very decent duck sauce when whisked together with 1 1/2 tsp of vinegar, 1tsp powdered erythritol, a dash of Chinese 5 spice and a 1/4 tsp of SF sweet chili sauce (to taste) . Hope these two pointers can enrich someone else’s experience.
Matt
0GOOD!
Pam Kirsch
0This was absolutely delicious!!! My teenagers, who can be kind of picky when it comes to dishes with the vegetables cooked in it instead of separately, LOVED it!! I doubled the recipe and used ground turkey instead of ground beef, added onions and bell peppers to the cabbages, and put a cup and a half of beef broth to make it “juicier”. My kids and hubby had it over rice with a drizzle of Thai chili glaze, while I had mine over cauliflower rice. It was absolutely fabulous!! Thanks for another great recipe. 🙂
Ketta
0Just made this and so happy I tried it. SO GOOD and easy to make! I don’t like to cook but can already see myself making this very often. Only thing I added is mushroom; pretty sure not much flavor from that but it’s pretty and makes me feel good. This will be perfect on top of cauliflower rice or lettuce wraps also. Wish I’d read the comments (like you suggested) but next time I’ll add red pepper flakes.
Shea
0Made this today as I’ve been making almost once a week. I love it and so does the family. Thanks
Carrie Miller
0The carbs listed under recipe info say 7 carbs for 1.5 cups and 4 for 1 cup. But Further down under nutrition facts it says 0 net carbs. Unsure how to log this.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Carrie, Thank you for catching this! The nutrition has been corrected.
Patti Walsdorf
0Trying to figure out what the difference this is from the regular Egg Roll in a a Bowl. Am I missing something?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Patti, This recipe is my version of egg roll in a bowl. Enjoy!
Laura
0Ummm How much of the coleslaw mixture not in the ingredient list.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Laura, You need 4 cups of coleslaw mix. It’s in the recipe, just not highlighted in pink. Enjoy!
Chelsea Santos
0Absolutely delicious, and also, very easy! You can whip this up in under 20 mins, maybe even less. It was so good, thank you!
Cathy
0Love your recipes. Thank you so much.
Steve Reichert
0I have seen many recipes that use coconut aminos, coconut oil and such. I’m allergic to coconut. What can I use as a substitute?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Steve, Soy sauce or Tamari (gluten-free soy sauce) can be used in place of coconut aminos. Coconut oil is more difficult to replace because several recipes rely on its ability to harden at room temperature. If coconut oil is used in cooking, it can be replaced with avocado oil, but recipes like the fudge require coconut oil.
Victoria
0I loved this dish!- I have also made it with stir fry beef or chicken chunks!- the sesame oil at the end with sesame seeds is fantastic- thanks
Tina
0I love this recipe. I substitute pork for beef.