A delicious blend of savory and umami flavors these inside out egg rolls are a 25-minute variation on the classic recipe. It’s lighter, faster, and made in just one skillet to make busy weeknights easier. You’ll fall in love with his unstuffed egg roll recipe in no time.
Looking for something as delicious as takeout but don’t want to spend the money?
This egg roll in a bowl is the perfect busy night solution. It’s high in protein, requires minimal effort, and tastes just like the real thing.
Re-create your favorite Asian-inspired dishes without the effort.
As a Certified Nutrition Coach, I love how easy and flavorful this inside out egg roll recipe is. It can be varied for different dietary restrictions and is super easy to whip up just like this gluten-free ground turkey pasta. Plus, it's an simple, protein-packed meal. Learn more about the benefits of a high protein diet and why you want to amp it up!
Definitely one that stays on our weeknight rotation!
What Is Egg Roll In A Bowl
Typically, egg rolls are a combination of ground beef or pork and shredded cabbage all wrapped in a flavor-packed, savory sauce.
Egg roll in a bowl (also known as inside out egg rolls or unstuffed egg rolls) are all the filling ingredients but without the wrapper.
This dish is made in one skillet and comes together far quicker than the traditional recipe- just like this gochujang chicken. Know that if you love this flavor, you'll also love egg roll soup which is made in about 35 minutes so perfect for weeknights too.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick to make and ready in just 25 minutes
- All the delicious flavor of classic takeout
- Dairy-free and gluten-free
- Busy weeknight dinner
- Cooked in one skillet so no fuss
Ingredients You Need
Ground beef: If possible, grab lean ground beef. Many people make unstuffed egg rolls with a blend of ground beef and ground pork, so that would work as well. If you have leftovers, make lazy cabbage rolls. The same goes for Korean beef and broccoli.
Fresh seasonings:using fresh garlic, ginger, and onions are what will bring out the flavors in this inside out egg roll. Slice everything finely.
Shredded cabbage: red cabbage or regular both work but make sure it’s very finely shredded. You don’t want large chunks. Splitting the cabbage with grated carrot works deliciously too just like in this shrimp and chicken fried rice.
Chili paste (also known as gochujang); each brand can be drastically different in terms of spiciness. Stick with a brand you know or opt to taste test as you make the recipe. Likewise, double-check that the one you have is gluten-free.
Fish sauce and sesame oil are what give a classic Asian-inspired flavor to the inside out egg roll. You only need a little so don’t skip it.
Lime juice: fresh is best and will maximize the flavor of the chili paste.
Soy sauce: another ingredient that you want to double-check is gluten-free. If you need to rock this recipe as paleo, you can use coconut aminos instead.
How To Make It
- Add the ground beef and onion to a large skillet and cook through. Do not drain.
- Mix together the garlic, ginger, pepper, chili paste, lime juice, fish sauce, sesame oil, and soy sauce.
- Add the coleslaw mix to ground meat then cook and stir over medium-high heat.
- Add Thai sauce mixture then stir well.
- Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking until cabbage is tender.
- Serve as-is topped with green onions or with a side dish.
Expert Tips
Double check that all your products (the soy sauce and gochujang) are gluten-free. This is the case for comfort food like shrimp and chicken fried rice too.
You’ll maximize your flavor by using toasted sesame oil instead of regular.
Make it paleo: use coconut aminos in place of soy sauce and use a paleo chili paste or make your own.
Fresh ingredients are what bring out the most delicious, classic flavors of this egg roll in a bowl. Powdered spices like ground ginger will work in a pinch but won’t be the same.
Hack: use a store-bought bag of coleslaw to save yourself from shredding the cabbage.
How To Serve Inside Out Egg Rolls
You can enjoy this unstuffed egg roll as-is. Serve it in your favorite bowl and top it with:
- Green onions
- Spicy kimchi
- Sesame seeds
If you want to stretch the meal further for a large family, serve it on top of a scoop of basmati rice or cauliflower rice.
Variations
It’s easy to switch up or add ingredients to the egg roll in a bowl to both stretch it further or to give it a pop of color.
Some of my favorite add-ins are:
- Mushrooms
- Bell peppers
- Chopped green onions
- Asparagus
- Scrambled egg (making it kind of like a funky, beef pad thai)
- Red pepper flakes if you LOVE the heat
Storing And Reheating
Store the inside out egg roll recipe in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To reheat it you can pop it into the microwave or reheat it in a skillet on medium to low. You may need to add a splash of water to the skillet to moisten it a bit.
Dinner doesn’t have to be chaotic—this eBook gives you 20+ protein-packed meals ready in 30 minutes or less (even when the day’s already gone sideways)
Frequently Asked Questions About Egg Roll In A Bowl
Yes! You can store inside out egg rolls in the freezer for up to three months. Store them in a sealed plastic baggie or freezer-safe airtight container. Before reheating the egg roll in a bowl, let it thaw in the fridge overnight.
Typically ground beef is used when making egg roll in a bowl. However, many people also use ground pork or even a mixture of the two.
More Easy Healthy Dinner Recipes
Gluten-Free Inside Out Egg Roll Skillet
Video
Equipment
- 1 Large skillet
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs. ground beef
- 1 large onion diced
- 1 bag of cabbage coleslaw mix
- 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp. minced ginger
- 1 Tbsp. Chili paste
- 2 Tbsp. Lime juice
- 1 Tbsp. fish sauce
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- Fresh basil or cilantro as garnish
Instructions
- In a large skillet or wok, add the ground beef and onion, and cook until crumbled and cooked through approximately 5-6 min.
- Do not drain.
- In a small bowl add the garlic, ginger, pepper, chili paste, lime juice, fish sauce, sesame oil, and soy sauce, and stir to combine.
- Add the coleslaw mix to ground meat then cook and stir over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes.
- Add Thai sauce mixture then stir well.
- Reduce heat to medium and continue cooking for 5-10 minutes or until cabbage is tender.
- Serve it with rice if needed and garnish with fresh basil, chopped green onions, or cilantro
Notes
Disclaimer:
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data"
Noune says
Thank you for sharing this recipe, it was really good!
fitasamamabear says
Happy to hear it!
Sage says
My family loved this!
fitasamamabear says
Total win when the family likes it!
Julianne says
One of my favorite quick and easy dinners, it was delish!
fitasamamabear says
Always a win when it's simple!
Katy says
This worked exactly as written, thanks!
Kate Hahnel says
This recipe received a rave review from our family.
fitasamamabear says
Amazing!
Julia T. says
Made this inside-out egg rolls for dinner last night and everyone was so impressed! They were super easy to make because I had all the ingredients in my kitchen. We used coconut aminos instead of soy sauce and it was perfection! This recipe will now become our go-to dinner for when we want something delicious.
fitasamamabear says
I love that you loved it, it's a great one for simple nights.
Freddi says
I didn't have coleslaw mix so I sliced up my own. It took a bit longer but worked just fine. I have made a similar recipe before, but it didn't include fish sauce. It really made this dish go from good to great! Definitely don't omit.
fitasamamabear says
Nice job on putting in the effort!
Soleil says
Love this! So so tasty but very easy to make. I will try your variations and will add in more veggies next time. Thanks for sharing!
fitasamamabear says
Happy to hear you loved it!
Emily says
Made this egg roll skillet, and it's now a family favorite. I didn't want to overcook the cabbage because I'd like to still taste a little crunch to it so I only cooked it for 2-3 mins and it's just perfect. I paired this dish with quinoa rice and it's a perfect match. thanks for sharing! *
fitasamamabear says
Ah love the tip on the cabbage, good texture that way!
Darlene says
This recipe was really good. I love that it has all of the flavors of eggrolls (a favorite in our house) without all of the work. Don't get me wrong, fried eggrolls are still near and dear to my heart, but this is a great weeknight alternative. Thanks for the great recipe. We will definitely be making it again soon.
fitasamamabear says
Egg rolls are totally delicious haha but it's nice to have this to whip up in a pinch for sure.
Kerri says
I made this and it was delicious! My family liked it too. I appreciated the store-bought coleslaw hack because I hate shredding cabbage, lol! I will definitely make this again.
fitasamamabear says
Always a win when the family loves it!
Elaine says
This recipe is delicious and so easy to make. I literally make the whole pan just for myself. HA! It is definitely going into my weekly dinner rotation (with the addition of sriracha sauce).
fitasamamabear says
Haha I love it!
Cara says
This was so delicious! I made it for dinner and the kids devoured it. I'll definitely make it again. Thanks!
fitasamamabear says
Happy to hear you loved it!
Cynthia says
I never thought about making an inside-out egg roll, but it's such a clever idea. I made this for breakfast today but I half-cooked the cabbage because I like mine with a little veggie crunch and it was so delicious! Thanks for this recipe!
fitasamamabear says
It's so yummy and so so much easier.
Sharon says
This recipe is my weeknight savior! Ready in just 25 minutes, it's a savory, umami-packed dinner that beats takeout any day. Busy weeknights just got better.
fitasamamabear says
Quick dinners are a total hit!