Capture your favorite take-out flavors with this easy Egg Roll In A Bowl recipe. In only 20 minutes you can have a delicious dinner without having to leave your house or tip a delivery driver!

White bowl containing white rice, meat, and vegetables with fork placed next to it, from Shelf Cooking.

You know those nights where Chinese take-out just hits the spot? There's a good reason we have a drawer full of take-out menus, and maybe we even have the phone numbers memorized, ok? But…as tasty as all of that deep-fried deliciousness is, there's definitely a downside in how it impacts both our waistlines and our wallets!

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Here at Shelf Cooking, we are all about dishes that are practical, budget-friendly, and packed with flavor! This Egg Roll In A Bowl recipe really hits the jackpot. You can get all the delicious flavors of an egg roll without a spendy price tag of a restaurant. We promise that it is so easy to make, you can get the whole thing done before a delivery guy could even make it to your door. Go ahead and save that tip money and put it towards a savings goal!

Jump To Recipe

What To Serve With Egg Roll In A Bowl

Overhead image of white bowl containing cooked ground turkey, cabbage, carrots, and rice, with silver fork set to the right, from Shelf Cooking.

One of the best things about this recipe is that it is a complete meal on its own. Protein? Check. Grains? Check. Veggies? Check! Healthy and delicious! Boom!

However, if you do want to add just a little bit more to this meal, here are some sides or add-ins we suggest:

  • Sauces – Moment of truth: sometimes we choose what we eat just because of the sauce we can pair it with! Feel free to drizzle your Egg Roll In A Bowl with whatever favorite sauce strikes your fancy. Some ideas might be a creamy chipotle, teriyaki, hoisin, or sweet Thai chili sauce. Yum!
  • Eggs – While traditional egg rolls don't typically have eggs in them, a fried or scrambled egg or two would be a delicious addition to this bowl! Plus, it's a great way to increase the protein content if you're looking for more. Throw them right on top of everything and enjoy!
  • Fried wonton strips – If you're missing the crunch of a traditional egg roll wrapper, throw in some crispy fried wonton strips! Grab a pre-packaged bag at the store or make some yourself to satisfy that crunchy craving.

Options For Ingredient Substitutions

One of the reasons we love this recipe is because it is super flexible. Consider some of these swaps if you're interested in Egg Roll In A Bowl variations:

  • Switch up the meat – This recipe calls for ground turkey, but you could easily substitute ground beef, pork, breakfast sausage, or chicken if that's what you have on hand. Shelf cooking, baby!
  • Go meatless – If meat isn't your thing at all, no problem! Fry up some diced tofu instead.
  • Swap out the rice – Trying to conserve your carbs for another meal? Cauliflower rice is a great substitute, and you'll hardly notice the difference. We've even compiled a whole list of rice alternatives if you need more ideas!
  • Get creative with the veggies – Our recipe calls for traditional coleslaw mix, but if that is hard to come by, don't sweat! Broccoli slaw is a great substitute if that's more readily available. You can also slice up a head of cabbage and grate some carrots. Neither of those working for you? Feel free to add whatever veggies you have on hand!

How To Prep Ahead

Close up image of meat and vegetable mixture on a bed of rice in a ceramic white bowl, from Shelf Cooking.

This Egg Roll In A Bowl recipe comes together in a flash, but that doesn't mean we can't make things even more simple for you!

Prepping things in advance will make it so you can pull items from your freezer and throw them directly in the skillet, drastically reducing both the prep and the cooking time. Here are a couple ideas:

  • Cook and freeze your meat – Any time you have a recipe that calls for ground meat (beef, turkey, pork, etc.) cook up an extra pound or two. Once you have drained the meat and allowed it to cool, portion it into resealable zipper bags, label and date, and then pop in the freezer. The meat will stay good for up to 3 months. Use the thawed meat in future soups, casseroles, bowls, etc! Check out this post for even more ideas on how to prep your ground beef in advance.
  • Chop and freeze onions – Chopping onions is never high on the list of favorite tasks while cooking. It just makes sense to do a big batch of them at once if you're already going to the trouble! Roughly dice your onions. (If you do a super fine dice in a food processor the onions may become more of a mush when they thaw, so we recommend keeping it as a larger dice). Then, place onions in a freezer bag. We suggest spreading the onions in a flat layer inside the bag, either on a cookie sheet or plate, before placing in the freezer. That way you can easily break off a section to thaw without having to use up the whole bag later on!
  • Repurpose leftovers – Do you have leftover veggies taking up space in the refrigerator? Now is there time to shine! The Egg Roll In A Bowl is a great way to use up carrots, bell pepper, roasted broccoli or cauliflower, edamame, mushrooms, zucchini, or virtually anything else you have on hand. Don't doom those leftovers to rot in a container when they can easily enhance this dish!

How To Make Egg Roll In A Bowl

Ok, enough chit-chat! It's time for us to deliver on this delicious recipe so you can get cooking!

Table setting featuring a white bowl with ground meat, rice, veggies and a fork next to it.

Quick And Easy Egg Roll In A Bowl

Capture your favorite take-out flavors with this easy Egg Roll In A Bowl recipe.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs ground turkey or any ground meat will do!
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 2 Tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 Tbsp vinegar
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 2 16 oz bag coleslaw mix
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • minced green onions optional

Optional Add-Ins

  • extra shredded carrots
  • snap peas
  • other veggies

Instructions
 

  • In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook ground meat until cooked through. Drain excess liquid, and return meat to skillet.
  • Add onion, sesame oil, and vinegar to the skillet and cook until onions are tender.
  • Add remaining ingredients and continue cooking for about 5 minutes, or until cabbage is soft and wilted.
  • Remove skillet from the heat, and enjoy with white rice.

Notes

Prep Ahead!

Cook an extra pound of ground meat in Step 1 (3 lbs total) and set aside to use in future recipes – pastas, soups, zucchini boats, you name it! Place cooled meat in a zipper freezer bag, label and date, and freeze until ready to use. You'll thank yourself on a busy weeknight for doing the prep ahead of time!

We think this recipe will be a real winner for family dinners, prep-ahead lunches, or a casual meal with some friends. Keep it simple or dress it up, you're sure to find a method that works for you!

What's your favorite way to enjoy this meal? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Egg roll in a bowl, from Shelf Cooking.

Need more prep-ahead inspiration? We got you, boo!

Fun to say and fun to eat—we hope you enjoy your Egg Roll In A Bowl!