If you love egg rolls but don’t want to deal with wrapping and frying, this high protein egg roll in a bowl is the way to go. All the same flavors, none of the hassle.
It’s basically everything you’d find inside an egg roll – savory pork, cabbage, carrots, and a simple sauce – all tossed together in one skillet.
The whole thing comes together in about 20 minutes, which makes it perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.
It’s packed with protein, tastes incredible, and you’ll probably want to make it again the next day. It’s that good.
What Makes This Recipe So Good
All the Egg Roll Flavor Without the Wrapper – You get that classic egg roll taste without deep frying or wrapping anything.
Packed With Protein – With 1.5 pounds of ground pork this bowl delivers serious protein to keep you full for hours.
Ready in About 15 Minutes – From start to finish this entire meal is done in one pan faster than ordering takeout.
Low Carb Friendly – Cabbage and carrots replace the traditional wrapper so it fits perfectly into a low carb lifestyle.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb Ground Pork
- 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 4 cups Green Cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup Shredded Carrots
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Fresh Ginger, grated
- 3 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 1 tsp Sriracha
- 3 Green Onions, sliced
- 1 tbsp Sesame Seeds
Directions
Step 1
Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, breaking it apart as it cooks, until browned and no pink remains. Drain any excess fat.
Step 2
Push the pork to the side and add the minced garlic and grated ginger. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, then stir everything together.
Step 3
Add the shredded cabbage and shredded carrots to the skillet. Stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes until the cabbage is wilted but still has a bit of crunch.
Step 4
Pour the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sriracha over everything. Toss to combine and cook for another 2 minutes so the sauce coats all the ingredients and the flavors meld together.
Step 5
Remove from heat and serve in bowls. Top with sliced green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Pro Tips
Get the Pan Really Hot Before Adding the Pork
You want the skillet or wok screaming hot before the pork goes in. If the pan isn’t hot enough, the meat will release its moisture and start steaming instead of browning.
Steamed pork turns gray and soft with no flavor on the outside. Properly browned pork has those crispy little bits that give this whole dish a ton of flavor.
Let the oil shimmer and just barely start to smoke, then add the pork and let it sit without touching it for about a minute before you start breaking it apart. That first sear makes a big difference.
Break the Pork Into Small Pieces
When you’re cooking the ground pork, use a wooden spoon or a meat chopper tool to break it into really small crumbles. Big chunks of pork don’t mix well with the shredded cabbage and carrots.
You want the pork pieces to be roughly the same size as the shredded veggies so every bite has a good balance of meat and cabbage. Think small, almost like the size of pork you’d find inside an actual egg roll.
Drain the Pork Fat Before Adding Veggies
Ground pork releases a lot of fat while cooking. If you skip draining it, the cabbage and carrots will end up sitting in a pool of grease instead of stir-frying properly.
Tilt the pan to one side and use a spoon to scoop out the excess fat, or carefully pour it into a bowl. You don’t need to get every last drop – just remove the bulk of it.
Leaving too much fat in the pan also dilutes the sauce later on, so it won’t coat the ingredients as well.
Related Recipes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use ground chicken or ground turkey instead of pork?
Absolutely. Ground chicken or ground turkey both work well here, though the flavor will be a bit lighter since pork has more fat and richness. If you go with a leaner meat, you might want to add an extra splash of sesame oil or soy sauce to make up for it.
Ground beef is another option, but it changes the vibe quite a bit since it has a stronger taste that doesn’t match the Asian-inspired flavors as closely as pork, chicken, or turkey.
High Protein Egg Roll in a Bowl
Equipment
- wok
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb Ground Pork
- 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 4 cups Green Cabbage, shredded
- 1 cup Shredded Carrots
- 4 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp Fresh Ginger, grated
- 3 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 1 tsp Sriracha
- 3 Green Onions, sliced
- 1 tbsp Sesame Seeds
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, breaking it apart as it cooks, until browned and no pink remains. Drain any excess fat.
- Push the pork to the side and add the minced garlic and grated ginger. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, then stir everything together.
- Add the shredded cabbage and shredded carrots to the skillet. Stir-fry for 4 to 5 minutes until the cabbage is wilted but still has a bit of crunch.
- Pour the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and sriracha over everything. Toss to combine and cook for another 2 minutes so the sauce coats all the ingredients and the flavors meld together.
- Remove from heat and serve in bowls. Top with sliced green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.