Picked With Passion

Egg Roll Bowls have all the flavors of your favorite Chinese dish but are made without the deep fried wrapper for a healthier, delicious twist on this classic recipe.

We have a weakness for Chinese food around here, especially the East Coast variety, which I am sad to report is almost impossible to find in California. But let’s be real, this is probably a good thing since I would likely be ordering in more often if I could find it out here. However this does mean that I am constantly trying to recreate healthier versions of my favorites at home and today we are taking on the traditional egg roll.

Now the first step and probably the most obvious was removing the deep fried shell since it’s the main obstacle in making a healthy egg roll. (Can’t live without it? Try this skinny baked version.) After that it was just a matter of recreating the filling, which is surprisingly easy. I decided to make mine with ground chicken but you could use ground turkey, lean sausage (delicious!), lean ground pork (traditional), or veggie crumbles for a meatless version. The meat is cooked with onions, garlic, and ginger and then tossed with lots of cabbage, carrots, and a simple soy and rice vinegar sauce. Since I love spicy, I toss in some Sriracha as well, but you can leave that out. Traditionally a touch of sugar is added to the sauce as well but I don’t think it needs it. If you like things on the sweet side, add some brown sugar or honey to your sauce. Then in about 15 minutes, dinner is ready.

When it comes to serving this, I usually serve it with a heaping pile of steamed rice or cauliflower rice. It’s also delicious wrapped up as a lettuce wrap or eaten directly out of the skillet, which often happens in our house. I have also had in stuffed in warmed tortillas and it makes a pretty amazing Asian inspired taco or burrito.

When you are making Egg Roll Bowls, keep these things in mind:

• Virtually any ground meat will work in this recipe so have fun experimenting. While I normally opt for chicken or turkey since I often have it in the house, one of my favorite things to use is lean ground turkey sausage. The seasoning from the sausage adds a ton of flavor. You can also reach for lean ground pork, which is the traditional filling and I have even used vegetarian crumbles when I want a meatless dish.
• Save money and time by purchasing a packaged coleslaw mix instead of shredding your own green cabbage, red cabbage, and carrots. I have found that by the time I purchase all three items, I have spent 3-4 times as much as the bag cost. You can also use broccoli slaw in this recipe if you want some extra added crunch.
• If part of the reason you love egg rolls is the dipping sauce, make some to drizzle on top before serving. For something quick and easy, you can use hoisin sauce or a sweet chili sauce. For a more traditional sauce, try this one.

Looking for more healthy Chinese dishes to make at home:

Here are some tools and products I used when making this recipe.

• Having a hand held grater is a huge help in the kitchen for faster prep. In this recipe I use mine for the ginger and to quickly grate the garlic since it is faster than taking the time to mince it.
• Nonstick pans: There are all kinds of nonstick pans on the market but I have been using these All Clad Nonstick Fry Pans for years and love them. The nonstick surface hasn’t deteriorated at all over tons of use and they still work like the first time I used them. Also just FYI, it’s best not to use aerosol on non-stick pans since it can damage the surface. Look for a non-aerosol cooking spray or use regular oil if you need anything.
• If you are looking for a gluten-free or healthier alternative to soy sauce, try coconut aminos. They are lower in sodium, more natural, and are Whole30 and Paleo friendly.