These pan-fried vegetarian egg rolls with cabbage, carrot, and tempeh filling are inspired by Chinese takeout. Great for dinner or as a snack.
If there is one silver lining to this whole spending-all-our-time-at-home thing, it’s that we’re cooking more of our meals than ever before. We’re getting reconnected with our food, trying out new ingredients and recipes, and taking advantage of all the extra time we have for preparing meals.
For me, this has meant joyfully diving into kitchen projects I’ve historically avoided due to lack of time. Some recipes I’ve tackled so far are focaccia, varenyky, sourdough bread, and nachos with homemade refried beans and vegan queso, to name a few. (A journey I collectively refer to as “Tour de Beige Food”). These vegetarian egg rolls are the latest to join the rankings.
The thing about these egg rolls is they’re actually very simple to make: the filling is super basic and the wrappers are store-bought. But, the recipe feels special since egg rolls are typically something we only eat at restaurants (hah, remember those?). And the process of filling and folding the egg rolls is quite relaxing and meditative – something we could all use more of right now.
Vegetarian Egg Roll Filling
The Chinese takeout egg rolls I grew up eating are stuffed with cabbage studded with little bits of ground pork. For my vegan version, I use crumbled tempeh instead, whose meaty, chewy texture makes the perfect substitute.
Tempeh is one of my favorite superfoods since it’s packed with protein, fiber, and essential minerals like potassium, magnesium, iron, and calcium.
Frying vs. Baking Egg Rolls
When I was first testing this recipe, I was keen on baking them because I assumed it would require less oil and thus be healthier. However, I found that in order to get them crispy in the oven, I had to brush them with a lot of oil anyway, and the texture of the skins ended up a bit gummy and chewy.
Pan-frying these egg rolls doesn’t actually require that much oil and the skins turn out crispy and crackly – the way egg rolls should be. So, I recommend pan-frying.
Vegetarian Egg Rolls
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: About 16 egg rolls 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These pan-fried vegetarian egg rolls with cabbage, carrot, and tempeh filling are inspired by Chinese takeout. Great for dinner or as a snack.
Ingredients
- One 8-ounce package soy tempeh, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari, divided
- 2 tablespoons avocado or organic canola oil (or other neutral-tasting oil), divided, plus more for frying
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 4 cups finely chopped green cabbage (about 1/3 head)
- 1 cup grated carrots (about 2 medium)
- 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 16 egg roll wrappers (thawed, if purchased frozen) (See Note)
- Oyster sauce, duck sauce, or hoisin sauce, for dipping
Instructions
- Place the tempeh in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer and cook until all the liquid is evaporated, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon avocado oil to the skillet and continue cooking the tempeh until it’s lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
- Add sesame oil and the remaining tablespoon of avocado oil to the skillet over medium-low heat. Add the cabbage and carrots, and cook until softened, 8-10 minutes (if the vegetables are browning, reduce the heat). Add the garlic, ginger, and lots of pepper, and cook for another minute. Then stir in the remaining tablespoon of soy sauce and the cooked tempeh, and turn the heat off.
- Arrange the filling, egg roll wrappers, a small bowl of water, and a tray near your work surface.
- Start rolling: Place 1 egg roll wrapper on your work surface, with one of the corners pointing to you. Scoop about 2 heaping tablespoons of the filling on the wrapper about an inch away from the bottom corner. Fold the bottom corner over the filling and tuck the filling tightly. Then fold the right and left corners over the filling and roll tightly. Wet the top corner of the wrapper with a bit of water and finish rolling (the water will seal the roll). Place the egg roll seam-side down on the prepared tray and repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- Wipe out the skillet in which you cooked the filling and place over medium heat. Add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom. Add the egg rolls in a single layer seam-side down (cook them in 2-3 batches) and cook for a few minutes on each side until golden brown. Place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Serve hot, with a dipping sauce of your choice.
Notes
Egg roll wrappers can be found in most supermarkets these days. Look for them in the freezer section near the dumplings, or in the refrigerated section near kimchi/miso. Some wrappers are egg-based while others are vegan.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 egg rolls
- Calories: 280
- Carbohydrates: 45.1 g
- Fiber: 5.6 g
- Protein: 12.7 g
Keywords: egg rolls, cabbage, tempeh, chinese, takeout
