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–+ servings
Side shot of Chinese egg rolls thumbnail.
4.8 from 6 votes

Egg Rolls (Chinese Take-out Copycat)

These egg rolls are Chinese-takeout copycats that can be easily made at home! They store and freeze super well, so you can pop one into the air fryer or oven whenever you'd like a couple with your sesame chicken, chicken with mixed vegetables, or Mongolian beef!
Prep Time55 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Salting Time30 minutes
Total Time1 minute
Yield: 16 egg rolls

Ingredients
 

For the egg rolls:

  • 4 pound Taiwanese cabbage or green cabbage
  • 2 ribs celery washed and trimmed (optional)
  • 2½ tablespoons Kosher salt divided
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon white pepper
  • 1 tablespoon oil any neutral oil (plus more for cooking and frying)
  • 16 sheets egg roll wrapper

For the ground meat:

  • 8 ounces ground pork or your preferred ground meat
  • ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 2 slices ginger (optional)

Instructions

  • Salt the cabbage:
    Cut the cabbage and celery into thin slices and discard the cabbage core. Place both the cabbage and celery into a large mixing bowl and season with 2 tablespoons of salt. Toss to distribute the salt. Allow the cabbage and celery to salt for about 30 minutes to 1 hour to extract moisture.
    *If you have a large colander, transfer the vegetables to a colander and place weights on top of the vegetables to help expedite the salting process. Refer to the post for more details and photo reference!*
  • Cook the ground pork:
    While the vegetables are salting, cook the ground pork. In a pan over medium high heat, add a very small amount of oil. When the pan is hot, add the ground pork and ginger. Cook until the ginger is fragrant and the pork is cooked through and no longer pink. Make sure to break up the ground pork while cooking.
  • Season the cooked pork with the ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of sugar. Stir and toss well. Discard the ginger and set the ground pork aside to cool.
  • Make the filling:
    After 30 minutes to 1 hour of salting, the cabbage and celery mixture should have wilted to half of the amount and released a lot of moisture. Take a handful of the vegetables and squeeze firmly with both hands to remove any excess moisture. Transfer the squeezed cabbage mixture to a large mixing bowl and repeat with remaining vegetable.
  • Unclump the cabbage mixture by fluffy it up. To the cabbage mixture, add the cooled ground pork and season with sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, white pepper, and the remaining ½ tablespoon of salt. Toss until everything is well combined and evenly seasoned. Finish by drizzling in 1 tablespoon of oil. Mix well to combine.
  • Make the egg rolls:
    Prepare the egg roll making station with a sheet pan, a small bowl of water, the egg roll wrappers, and egg roll filling.
  • On a sheet of egg roll wrapper, place about 4 tablespoons of egg roll fillings onto the lower center of the wrapper. Compact the filling gently to form into a 2½ to 3 inch log.
  • Fold the bottom wrapper flap over the filling. Then fold the left and right flaps towards the center. Dip your fingers into the bowl of water and wet the entire top flap of the wrapper. Roll the egg roll upwards to make a cylinder shape roll. Place the finished egg roll, seam side down, onto the prepared sheet pan and repeat with remaining egg roll wrappers and filling.
  • Fry the egg rolls:
    In a pot, heat up 2 to 3 inches of oil to 350°F. You can also do this in a fryer.
  • Gently place the egg rolls into the hot oil and fry for about 5 minutes or until the outside is golden brown and crispy. Fry in small batches if necessary. Remove the egg rolls and allow them to drain o some paper towels or a cooling rack.
  • Enjoy the egg rolls while they are hot and crispy, either by itself or with some sweet and sour sauce, duck sauce, or sweet chili sauce.
    *Egg rolls refrigerate and freeze really well, so make sure to check out the post above for storage and reheating details!*

Notes

Please refer to the post above for step by step photo references, tips, storage, and FAQs!
  • Ground meat - Classic egg rolls are made with ground pork (best 80% lean and 20% fat). However, you can use your preferred ground meat, such as chicken, turkey, or even beef. And depending on how lean your choice of protein is, you may want to use a little more cooking oil.

Nutrition

Calories: 113.9kcal | Carbohydrates: 14.8g | Protein: 5.2g | Fat: 4.2g | Saturated Fat: 1.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.9g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Cholesterol: 11.4mg | Sodium: 1265.7mg | Potassium: 249.7mg | Fiber: 3.1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 114.3IU | Vitamin C: 41.7mg | Calcium: 55.2mg | Iron: 1.1mg
Keywords: chinese take-out
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