Burrito Bowls Are Out, Egg Roll Bowls Are In
Step aside, Chipotle — there's a new type of bowl in town. Inspired by the crispy appetizer that's a Chinese takeout must-order, the egg roll bowl is stealing the spotlight from burrito bowls. Popular on social media as a quick hunger fix or low-carb meal prep option, this deconstructed egg roll dish is cheap and easy to make at home. Simple yet filling, it features most standard ingredients of egg rolls (not to be confused with spring rolls) besides the crunchy wrapper. Leftovers hold up for around four days or so in the fridge when stored in an airtight container, meaning you can enjoy this meal for lunch or dinner throughout much of the week.
@jasmnekim Egg roll in a bowl 🤯 A ton of veggies, flavorful, and toddler approved! I love it over rice, but have also enjoyed it in lettuce wraps and rice wraps! Sauce measurements: • 1/4 cup soy sauce • 1 tbsp rice vinegar • 1 tbsp sweetener (agave, honey, or sugar) • 1 tbsp sesame oil • 1 tbsp minced garlic Anything that is going to get an entire bag of veggies mixed right in is a win for me! Recipe IB: @Kat Chao 💛 #easymeal #easyrecipes #easyrecipe #healthyfood #quickrecipes #mealideas #cookwithme #letseat
While many different versions of the egg-roll-in-a-bowl are circulating social media, like the one above made by TikTok creator jasmnekim, the dish is simple yet super customizable. It's standardly made with seasoned ground meat sauteed with onions and tri-color coleslaw. The mixture is cooked in an assortment of spices and sauces typically used to prepare a stir fry. The result is a hearty, savory meal with hints of umami, sweetness, and acidity. Best served over rice or noodles (or in a lettuce wrap), add a final touch with garnish and hot sauce or chili oil to grace your tastebuds with some spice. Aspiring for the best possible rendition of the dish? There's plenty of room to play around with ingredients and give the viral egg roll bowl your own special touch.
Tips for making the egg roll bowl of your dreams
Bowl meals are all the craze these days, so it's safe to say food content creators have tried and tasted tons of variations. As one of the latest to make it big on social media, the egg roll bowl is no exception. The dish is based on egg roll filling, which typically consists of ground pork, shredded cabbage, julienned carrot, and assorted seasonings, such as garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. Not keen on pork? Ground beef, turkey, or chicken are great alternatives.
For simplicity's sake, home chefs can save time in the kitchen by recreating this recipe with bagged coleslaw mix instead of hand-chopped cabbage. If you want to add extra veggies, chopped red cabbage and shitake mushrooms are classic additions, too. Broccoli and peppers might be more common in stir-fry dishes than egg rolls, but feel free to get creative with other ingredients that pair well with your protein of choice.
Despite its name, you won't usually find any eggs in the handheld appetizer or the bowl it has inspired, raising the question: Why are egg rolls called egg rolls? Turns out, the "egg" in question is related to the wrapper, which is notably absent from this dish. However, that doesn't mean you can't add any. For an egg roll bowl that's somewhat reminiscent of eggy fried rice, scramble one or two into the other ingredients as they finish cooking.
The secret's in the sauce
Egg rolls are best dipped in sauce, so it's only natural that the spices and seasonings used to prepare and garnish an egg roll bowl are make or break. There are two times to sauce up the dish for the best eating experience: while cooking and before serving.
Seasoning the meat and vegetables is a no-brainer — how it's done is what's important. Salt and pepper are par for the course, but take cues from stir-fries and add sauce to the ingredients as they're sauteed. Stir together sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and a sweetener (say, agave syrup or honey) along with minced garlic and ginger, then pour it over the mixture. While it cooks, the flavor-packed liquid will soak into and coat the ingredients, resulting in a better dish, especially when served on a simple bed of steamed brown rice or lo mein noodles.
When it's time to plate — or bowl — the deconstructed egg roll dish, the final touches will make it truly mouthwatering. Standard egg roll sauces range from sweet and sour to spicy peanut. Other staples in Cantonese cuisine include plum sauce, which is sweet and tangy, while hoisin is a savory alternative. For some spice, Sriracha and similar hot sauces bring sheat to the table. Drizzle one of your choosing over the dish based on the flavors you're looking to highlight. For the finale, add toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions to the egg roll bowl, then dig in.