Homemade Egg Rolls
We love Chinese cuisine, but we don’t love eating out. These homemade egg rolls stuffed with vegetables, lean ground turkey, and a healthier sauce satisfy our Chinese cravings without all of the additives. They are rolled up and fried in avocado oil to golden crispy perfection. You will surely fall in love at first crunchy, juicy bite!
Tngredients For Homemade Egg Rolls:
Ground turkey is full of flavor and protein. I use it as an alternative to other ground meats in so many dishes. Alternatively, you could use ground pork or chicken if you prefer a more traditional egg roll.
Shredded cabbage and carrots add a wonderful texture to the egg rolls. You can use green or purple cabbage or a mix of the two. For quicker, easier prep, you could also use a prepared bag of coleslaw mix.
I love the flavor that a little bit of celery adds. My recipe only calls for a half cup. If you are using bagged coleslaw mix and don’t have much time for chopping, you could leave the celery out. They will be just as delicious!
I love garlic and ginger in Asian dishes and almost always add it.
Maple syrup and coconut aminos are healthier alternatives to brown sugar and soy sauce, which are typically used in making sauces, and sesame oil finishes the sauce off perfectly.
Egg roll wrappers can typically be found in the produce department of your grocery store.
I used to make my egg rolls without sealing them with flour paste, and that worked out pretty well. However, the flour paste makes the cooking process much easier.
I love using avocado oil as an alternative to some of the other cooking oils that aren’t as good for you. It is a little more expensive but totally worth it, in my opinion!
The Process of Making Homemade Egg Rolls:
The process of making egg rolls may seem a little intimidating. It did to me before I did it for the first time. There are really only three steps involved- Preparing the filling mixture, rolling the egg rolls, and frying them. Once you do it a couple of times, you will realize that it is so easy, and the end result is totally worth it!
Leftovers:
I wrap up each leftover egg roll individually in a half sheet paper towel and store them in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I reheat them in the air fryer or convection oven on 350° for about 12 minutes.
Homemade Egg Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 lb. lean ground turkey
- 2 cups cabbage, grated or rinely chopped
- 1 cup carrots, grated or finely chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed through a garlic press
- 1/3 cup good quality maple syrup
- 2 1/2 Tbs. coconut aminos
- 1 tsp. 100% pure sesame seed oil
- 1 tsp. ground ginger
- 16 egg roll wrappers
- 2 Tbs. unbleached all- purpose flour
- 2 Tbs. water
- Avocado oil or cooking oil of your choice
Instructions
- Grate or chop the cabbage and carrots. Chop the celery. Using a food processor makes this step so much easier. Mince or press the garlic.
- Heat a medium or large size skillet on medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add the ground turkey and break it up into small crumbles. Cook the turkey for about 4 minutes.
- Next, add the cabbage, carrots, and celery to the skillet with the turkey. Mix everything together and cook for another 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, coconut aminos, sesame oil, and ground ginger.
- Next, add the garlic and sauce mixture. Stir everything together. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare your work surface. A clean counter or large cutting board works for the next step. Prepare a few damp paper towels and set them on your work surface. Open the egg roll wraps, remove them from the package, and set them on your work surface. Cover them with one of the damp paper towels (keep them covered while you are assembling the egg rolls so they won't dry out). Mix the flour and water together in a small bowl to form a paste.
- Turn the mixture off and allow it to cool a bit.
- After the mixture is cooled enough to work with, begin assembling the egg rolls one at a time. Lay one of the wraps flat on your work surface. Spoon about three tablespoons of the meat and veggie mixture into the center of the wrap. Spread the mixture out in a diagonal line between two corners of the wrap. I find that using clean hands is the easiest way to do this. However, it does get messy. Wipe your fingers with the damp paper towels as needed. Once the mixture is spread out, fold in the two corners that the mixture is pointing to. Fold one of the unfolded corners up so you get something that looks like an opened envelope. Brush a little of the flour paste on the edges and corner that are still laying flat on the cutting board. Now roll and gently press to seal with the flour paste. Think of the process like rolling a burrito. Continue until the meat and veggie mixture is gone.
- Heat about 1-2 inches of avocado oil in a skillet (I like to use a cast iron skillet) to 350°. When the oil is hot, begin adding the egg rolls one at a time to the oil. Use a pair of tongs to gently place the exposed corner side down in the skillet. Fry for about 3 minutes or so until golden brown on one side. Gently turn each egg roll over and cook for the same time on the other side. After the rolls have cooked on both sides, transfer to a wire rack or paper towel to drain off any excess oil. Continue cooking the remaining egg rolls in batches.
- Serve with your favorite sides and dipping sauces and enjoy.