Well Seth is out in the field again for a few days this week, and my two best friends are visiting from North Carolina this weekend, so I am using these Seth-less days to blog in advance so I can hang out with my friends while they are here. It has been a crazy few days in the kitchen! Three recipes in two days – cooked, photographed, and blogged – whew! And my man isn’t here to eat everything, so the fridge is packed! Not that I’m complaining. Usually Seth eats 9-people’s-worth of food at dinner and we have no left overs the next day. It was nice to get home from work today and have some egg rolls in the fridge :).
Speaking of egg rolls…
I just want to start out by saying how skeptical I was of a “baked” egg roll…I was thinking there’s no way an oven could get an egg roll nice and crispy like a deep fryer could, but I decided to go for it anyway because if it did work, I would the happiest person in the world. I was incredibly pleased as I pulled my egg rolls out of the oven to find a nice golden brown, crispy exterior!
Egg rolls are so yummy, but they are so bad for you when they are fried. These Baked Egg Rolls, however, are just as delicious as any fried egg roll you will find. I will say that the texture is a little different, but they still turn out crispy and amazing. It’s a different type of crispy, but it is still crispy nonetheless!
The filling in these Baked Egg Rolls is so flavorful and perfect. You start by browning ground pork, which of course tastes awesome, and then in the same pan you saute your veggies – a delicious combo of garlic, ginger, green onions, carrots, and Napa cabbage. Yum. Throw in a tablespoon of rice vinegar and soy sauce and you have the most mouthwatering egg roll filling ever.
These are also shockingly easy to make. I was expecting a more tedious process like dumplings, but it was SO much quicker and easier than that. You basically just roll them up like little burritos. They are actually really fun to make and assemble!
If you are an egg roll fan and have never had baked egg rolls before, you should really try them! It lightens this classic dish up so much and really does taste just as good.
Yay for light food cheats!
Here is the recipe:
PrintBaked Egg Rolls
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 50 mins
- Yield: 12 egg rolls 1x
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork
- 2 cups shredded Napa cabbage
- 3 carrots, grated
- 4 green onions
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 12 egg roll wrappers
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees
- Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat and add your ground pork along with some salt and pepper
- While the pork is cooking, prep your veggies
- Shred the cabbage, grate the carrots, thinly slice the green onions, mince the garlic, and grate the ginger
- When the pork is browned and cooked through, remove it from the pan and set aside
- Add the vegetables and a little salt and pepper. Saute for 2-3 minutes
- Stir in the vinegar and soy sauce
- Add the pork back in and stir so everything is combined
- Taste your filling and season with any extra salt and pepper
- Set your pan aside and let the filling cool for a few minutes so it doesn’t burn you as you are assembling your egg rolls
- Lay out your egg roll wrappers and fill a small bowl with water
- Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set it next to where you will be assembling the egg rolls
- To assemble, lay the egg roll sheet in front of you so it is a diamond
- Add 1/4 cup of filling into the egg roll wrapper, a little lower than half way down the diamond
- Fold the bottom corner upwards over the filling – you don’t need to tuck it under
- Using your fingers, spread a little bit of water over the remaining edges of the egg roll, especially the corners
- Fold the side corners over one at a time so they meet in the middle, and then roll the egg roll up snugly
- Place the egg roll on the baking sheet seam side down
- Assemble the remaining egg rolls
- Spray the egg rolls with the cooking spray so they are completely coated on all exposed surfaces
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, take the egg rolls out, turn them over, and bake for another 10 minutes
- Keep an eye on them for the last 5 minutes or so to make sure they aren’t burning
- Let the egg rolls cool on a cooling rack if you have one
If you make this or any of my other recipes, make sure to Instagram them and hashtag #thegarlicdiaries!
Your local asian grocer is the best place to go. They have rice paper wraps also as an alternative.
Can you make these egg rolls ahead of time and if so, how long?
Hey Mary! I think you could make them the day before and then just bake them when you are ready!
I’ll try to prepare your egg rolls tomorrow, fingers crossed!
Lily Lau recently posted…World’s Most Expensive Red Wines
★★★★★
I hope they turn out well, Lily!
These egg rolls look beyond amazing! I will admit that I have a soft spot for the fried version of egg rolls, but you’ve got me incensed now to try them oven-baked. These look so crispy and perfect!
Sarah@ Whole and Heavenly Oven recently posted…Double-Chocolate Banana Pancakes
I absolutely have a soft spot for fried egg rolls too, Sarah. I was so skeptical that these would work. I really think you would love them!!
Your egg rolls look incredible, Annie! Love that they’re baked too :)
Thanks, Kelly!
I love that you bake these! I love to bake everything I can. It is cleaner and less likely to clog your arteries!
Shelby @ Go Eat and Repeat recently posted…Slowcooker Corn Chowder
Agreed, Shelby. Baking is SO much better! Fried food always makes me feel greasy and weighed down. Baking is such an easy way to lighten things up!
Ok, I really need to find some gluten-free egg roll wrappers. I miss egg rolls SO much. And dumplings and won ton soup. Ahhh I’m so hungry for all of this stuff! I love that you baked these – they look amazing and crunchy!
Keri @ Fashionable Foods recently posted…Shrimp Skewers with Arugula Pesto Aioli
Haha yes you do, Keri! Yum…won ton soup. I bet you could find gluten-free egg roll wrappers at a fancier health food grocery store! Maybe? They did turn out surprisingly crunchy!
Mm this is making me hungry. I love egg rolls, never tried baking them! I will have to try it out! Enjoy your bestie time! It’s the best of times.
Karen @ The Food Charlatan recently posted…Thin Mint Marshmallow Brownies
You should definitely try it, Karen! It’s such an easy way to lighten things up, and they still taste just as good! I will definitely enjoy my bestie time :). Thanks!
These egg rolls look delicious! Loving that filling in the middle. So perfect for a Friday night!
Gayle @ Pumpkin ‘N Spice recently posted…Chocolate Covered Potato Chips
Thanks, Gayle! The filling is yummy :).