Eggrolls Recipe

Prepare vegetables

Finely shred the cabbage and carrots (use a knife or box grater) until you have the measured amounts. Finely dice the yellow onion to equal about 1/2 cup. Place shredded vegetables in a bowl and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt, toss, and let sit 10 minutes. Then squeeze out excess moisture using a clean kitchen towel or paper towels; set aside.

Cook pork

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground pork and cook, breaking up with a spatula, until just browned and no pink remains, about 5–7 minutes.

Aromatics and sauces

Push pork to one side of the pan (or remove briefly) and add minced garlic and grated ginger to the hot pan; cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir into the pork. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch; stir well to combine.

Combine with vegetables

Add the squeezed shredded cabbage, carrots, and diced onion to the pork mixture. Cook, stirring, 2–3 minutes until vegetables are softened and liquid mostly evaporated. Taste and adjust seasoning with up to 1/4 teaspoon more salt if needed. Remove filling from heat and let cool to near room temperature (about 15–20 minutes).

Optional chilling (recommended)

For easier handling and crisper wrappers, transfer filling to a bowl and refrigerate 20–30 minutes or until cool and slightly firmer.

Prepare seal slurry

Whisk together 1 tablespoon flour and 2 tablespoons water in a small bowl to make a paste; this will act as the glue to seal the wrappers.

Assemble eggrolls

Place one eggroll wrapper on a clean work surface with a corner pointed toward you (diamond shape). Put about 2–3 tablespoons of filling near the corner closest to you, forming a small log about 1"–1.5" thick. Fold the bottom corner up over the filling, then fold the two side corners in toward the center. Brush the top corner edge lightly with the flour slurry and roll tightly away from you to enclose the filling. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. Keep assembled eggrolls seam-side down on a tray; cover loosely with a damp towel to prevent drying if not frying immediately.

Heat oil

Pour about 3–4 cups vegetable oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to a depth of about 2–3 inches. Heat oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small piece of wrapper in—if it sizzles and browns in about 30–40 seconds, the oil is ready.

Fry eggrolls

Working in batches to avoid crowding (3–4 at a time depending on pot size), carefully lower eggrolls seam-side down into the hot oil. Fry, turning occasionally, until evenly golden brown, about 3–5 minutes per batch. Use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or to paper towels to drain briefly.

Keep warm

If frying in multiple batches, keep finished eggrolls warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven on a rack while you finish frying remaining batches so they stay crisp.

Serve eggrolls hot with sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, or hoisin for dipping. Let rest a few minutes after frying to avoid burning when biting. Leftover eggrolls can be reheated in a 375°F (190°C) oven for 8–10 minutes to restore crispness.