Quick Egg Roll in a Bowl

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Egg Roll in a Bowl is a healthy, kid-friendly, quick skillet meal recipe. It has the same Asian flavors as traditional egg rolls, but this is healthy Chinese food!

An egg roll bowl dinner with chop sticks beside it.

Why This Recipe is a Favorite

There are so many things to love about this recipe! It’s really quick and easy to make, it’s super budget-friendly, and it’s a healthy Chinese food option that my whole family loves.

But I think the best thing is that it’s made in just one skillet… because my least favorite chore is washing dishes!

It’s super fresh and bright in flavor, with tons of texture. It gets great reviews for a reason!

There’s a tiny bit of heat that warms the entire dish (but not too much), and the sweet mayo drizzle mellows and cools it, rounding out and balancing the flavors.

Happy Kitchen Secrets

Here are my important mom-tested cooking tips for making this recipe! I’ve made this countless times to save you from a failed attempt.

  1. Use the largest skillet with a lid that you have. The cabbage cooks down a ton, but it starts out taking up a lot of space.
  2. Use coconut aminos sparingly. Some brands of coconut aminos are very salty, so start with a small amount. You can always add more if you need to.
  3. To keep the egg roll bowl kid-friendly, keep the flavors mild. You can always add hot sauce or sriracha to your serving if you want to.
Close up side angle of a healthy egg roll in a bowl.
What Readers Are Saying

Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions

A package of organic ground turkey next to labeled packages of Chinese food ingredients on a counter top.
  • Ground turkey: Substitute any other protein, like ground pork, chicken, or beef.
  • Ginger: A fresh knob, ginger paste, or frozen minced ginger will work great!
  • Shallot: You can substitute with red onion
  • Sesame oil: This isn’t a very budget-friendly oil, but it’s key to the flavor of Chinese food. You can substitute with avocado oil if necessary.
  • Coconut aminos. This is a gluten-free and soy-free soy sauce substitute. Use soy sauce if you’d like.
  • Coleslaw mix: Shred your own cabbage in a food processor or with a mandoline, or buy a pre-shredded cabbage mix. If you’re doing keto or low carb, choose a mix without carrots.

Step by Step Instructions

A collage photos showing the step by step cooking instructions.
  1. Prep the veggies. All you need to do is chop the garlic, ginger, shallot, and spring onions. *Be sure to keep the green and white parts of the onions separate.
  1. Brown the meat. Break it up as it begins to cook, and do this over medium heat in a large skillet. Then add and sauté the garlic, ginger, white of the onion, and shallot.
  1. Add the cabbage and coconut aminos. The saltiness of coconut aminos depends on the brand you buy. Start with less, taste, and add more to taste. Cover and let it steam so the cabbage softens.
  1. Make the sweet sauce. Just whisk together the mayo, pineapple juice, and coconut aminos in a small dish.
  1. Garnish and serve. Sprinkle each egg roll bowl with sesame seeds, the green onion, and a drizzle of the sweet mayo sauce. Done!
Cooked ground turkey and shredded cabbage in a skillet, viewed from overhead.

Egg Roll Bowl Recipe FAQs

Do I have to use sesame oil to make Chinese food?

Sesame oil adds a lot of distinct Asian flavor to this dish, but it can be expensive. If necessary, substitute with avocado oil.

Can I make this recipe in the Instant Pot?

Sure, as long as your pressure cooker holds at least 6 quarts. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode and brown the turkey, breaking it apart as it cooks. Next, add the oil, garlic, ginger, and shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the cabbage and coconut aminos. Lock the lid in place and close the pressure valve. Set the IP to High Pressure for 0 minutes. By the time it gets up to pressure, the contents will be cooked enough! Do a quick pressure release, remove the lid, stir, and serve.

Storing Leftovers

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and use them within 4 days. Leftovers are great reheated for breakfast, especially with a jammy egg on top!

Did you make this recipe?

5 stars
I’d love to hear about your experience making this recipe! Please leave a comment and rating below!

Whole30 Egg Roll in a Bowl with Sweet Mayo

Egg Roll in a Bowl

Total Time 20 minutes
Egg Roll in a Bowl is a healthy, kid-friendly, quick skillet meal recipe. It has the same Asian flavors, but this is healthy Chinese food!
4.96 from 21 votes
Print Pin Leave Rating
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Author: Laura Miner

Equipment

  • skillet with a lid 12 inches or larger

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground turkey or ground meat of choice
  • 16 ounces coleslaw mix or 2 cups finely shredded cabbage
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds black or white
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 2 tablespoons minced ginger about a 1-inch knob
  • 1 shallot
  • 5 green onions (scallions)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut aminos or soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil for a spicy flavor, add a dash of hot sauce
  • salt and pepper to taste

Sweet Sauce (Optional)

  • ½ cup mayo
  • 3 tablespoons pineapple juice
  • 1 tablespoon coconut aminos

Video

Instructions

  • Mince the garlic and ginger. Chop the shallot and green onions, separating the white and green parts.
  • Whisk the sauce ingredients (mayo, pineapple juice, and coconut aminos) together in a small bowl, then set it aside. *You can make this in advance- just cover and keep it in the fridge until you're ready to use it.
  • Brown the turkey in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Cook for about 4 minutes, breaking it apart as it cooks. *If you're using a fattier meat like pork, you can drain the excess grease, if you'd like to.
  • Add the sesame oil, garlic, ginger, shallot, and the white parts of the green onion. Stir together and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the cabbage (or coleslaw mix) and coconut aminos and stir well to combine. Cover the pan and cook for another 5-8 minutes, uncovering and stirring a few times. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
  • Divide the mixture between four large bowls. Top each egg roll bowl with a big drizzle of the sweet mayo, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and the green sliced onions.

Notes

  1. Use the largest skillet you have with a lid. The cabbage cooks down a ton, but it starts out taking up a lot of space.
  2. The saltiness of coconut aminos varies by brand, so start with a small amount. You can add more to taste, but you can’t remove it after you’ve added it.
  3. For a vegetarian egg roll bowl, omit the turkey or substitute with tofu.
To store leftovers: Transfer cooled leftovers to an airtight container or bag. Store in the refrigerator and use within 4 days. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 385kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 599mg | Potassium: 636mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 308IU | Vitamin C: 47mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 2mg
Did you try this recipe? Share it with us on Instagram! @cookathomemom!

Other Healthy Chinese Food Options

A woman in a black dress smiles while holding a bowl of food with vegetables and ground meat in a kitchen.
Hey friend, I’m Madison!

I’m the mama behind Cook at Home Mom. Through simple, family-friendly recipes and practical meal prep tips, I show busy moms how to make healthy eating enjoyable and sustainable, even with packed schedules. So glad you are here!

4.96 from 21 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating





28 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is a great recipe. I used a half of a small red cabbage, sliced thin in a mandolin. I did not have any coconut aminos, and I’m not taking soy, but the ginger can carry the flavor on its own. Delicious and satisfying. Thank you!

    Mike

    1. Mike, thanks so much for the lovely feedback! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe so much! 🙂 -Laurra

    1. Hi Katy! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for letting us know! 🙂 -Laura

  2. 5 stars
    I have made this several times and shared with a friend and she loved it and shared with her friends!!
    This is so easy to do and the sauce is divine!!
    Thanks Laura 😄

    1. Hi Amy! I’m so thrilled to hear you and your friends love the recipe – the sauce is my favorite part, too! 🙂 -Laura

  3. 5 stars
    This was delish! We did not have hot sauce so I added a little ground cayenne pepper for the heat! Yum! This is a keeper!

    1. Hi Amy! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it, and using cayenne pepper is a genius idea! I love a little heat. -Laura

  4. It doesn’t say when to add the shallots, I figured I would throw them in there with the white parts of the green onions?

    1. Hi Ana! I’m so sorry about that – yes, definitely! I recently made changes to my website and I’m finding a few words here and there somehow got removed in the process! I’m fixing it now. 🙂 -Laura

  5. Just starting and sodium in coconut aminos is way too high for me. Any substitutes ? Do you think the dish would be ok without that?

    1. Hi Melinda! If you’re not avoiding soy, a low sodium soy sauce or tamari would work great. If you’re Paleo but not Whole30, there’s a molasses “soy sauce” recipe on Mel Joulwan’s website. If you’re doing Whole30, none of those options work, and there really isn’t a good substitute. I’d recommend either skipping it completely or just adding a tiny bit. Hope that’s helpful! -Laura

  6. 5 stars
    This dish comes together so quick and easy. Its also deliciously full of flavour it seems to good to be true. The leftovers worked perfect for lunches the next day. We will be putting this in our meal rotation whether we’re doing whole 30 or not.

    1. Hi Courtney, Thank you so much for your kind feedback! I’m thrilled that you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂 Laura

  7. 5 stars
    Glad I doubled the turkey in this recipe, because my son couldn’t get enough of this dish! I used some leftovers and added an egg to it for breakfast the next morning—along with more hot sauce. The sweet sauce, which I did not double, made more than we needed, but I’m sure I can find something else to enjoy it with!

    1. What a great idea to enjoy leftovers with eggs! I’m totally thrilled your family enjoyed it!! -Laura

  8. 5 stars
    Dear Cook at Home Mom:

    Thank you for all the wonderful, healthy, easy to make meals!

    Kathleen

    1. Hi Mary Jo,

      I’m so glad you liked it! It’s one of our family favorites.

      Laura

  9. 5 stars
    Really good mix of flavors! Satisfied my craving haha Chinese food 🙂 I did leave half of the cabbage mixture uncooked and topped it with the turkey – this left some crunch with the “egg roll”.

    1. Hi Emma! So glad you enjoyed it – and I love how you left some of the cabbage raw for extra crunch! Sounds really great!! – Laura

    1. Hi Eileen, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it! It’s one of my favorite weeknight recipes! -Laura

    1. Hi Hope,

      Absolutely! I think orange juice would be a fantastic substitution! 🙂

      -Laura

  10. 5 stars
    Thank you for including a vegetarian option! My daughter doesn’t eat meat so we try to do some veggie-only meals. Cant wait to make this for her!