Air Fryer Egg Rolls

Published by Fork Around & Find Out Kitchen — presented in the Lila editorial voice. Editorial standards

Quick Answer

To make Air Fryer Egg Rolls, cook a savory pork and cabbage filling, cool it, wrap it tightly in egg roll wrappers, and air fry at 380°F until deep golden and crisp on the outside. The air fryer gets the shattering crunch of deep-frying with a fraction of the oil.

Jump to Recipe

An egg roll wrapper is a remarkably thin piece of dough being trusted with pork, cabbage, carrots, garlic, ginger, and your ability to show restraint. These air fryer egg rolls start by cooking the ground pork, then adding coleslaw mix, green onions, garlic, and fresh ginger until the vegetables soften and most of their liquid cooks away. Soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, and black pepper finish the filling. Then comes the step most people want to skip: let it cool. Hot, wet filling creates steam inside the wrapper and makes tearing, sogginess, and general egg-roll betrayal much more likely.

Once cool, about three tablespoons of filling go into each wrapper, which gets folded tightly and sealed with beaten egg. A light coat of oil helps the outside blister and brown in the 380°F air fryer, and flipping halfway through gives both sides a fair shot at becoming shatter-crisp. Cook the pork safely, give the finished rolls a couple of minutes to cool, and serve them with your preferred dipping sauce. They deliver the crunchy shell and savory filling people want from an egg roll without keeping a pot of hot oil on the stove like a small household threat.

Prep20 minutes

Cook10 minutes

Total30 minutes

Serves12 egg rolls

DifficultyMedium

Ingredients

Servings

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 pound ground pork
3 cups coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
12 egg roll wrappers
1 egg, beaten (for sealing)
Cooking spray or oil, for brushing

Instructions

1Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground pork and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
2Add the coleslaw mix, green onions, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring often, until the cabbage wilts and most of the liquid cooks off, 4 to 5 minutes.
3Stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, and pepper. Remove from heat and let the filling cool for about 10 minutes -- hot filling will tear the wrappers.
4Lay an egg roll wrapper on a clean surface in a diamond position. Spoon about 3 tablespoons of filling onto the bottom third. Fold the bottom corner over the filling, fold in the sides, then roll up tightly. Brush the top corner with beaten egg to seal. Repeat with remaining wrappers.
5Preheat the air fryer to 380°F. Lightly spray or brush both sides of each egg roll with oil and arrange in a single layer in the basket, leaving space between them; cook in batches if needed.
6Air fry for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway, until deep golden brown and crisp. Let cool for 2 minutes before serving with dipping sauce. Cook ground meat until it reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer.

Nutrition Information

Estimated per serving: 1 egg roll (recipe makes 12).

160Calories

11 gProtein

6 gCarbohydrates

11 gTotal Fat

3 gSaturated Fat

1 gFiber

3 gTotal Sugars

260 mgSodium

215 mgCholesterol

Estimated from the ingredients and quantities in this recipe using standard food-composition values. Brand choices, trimming, cooking loss, optional ingredients, and actual portion size can change the numbers. How we calculate nutrition estimates.

Pro Tips

Let the filling cool before wrapping -- hot filling steams the wrapper from the inside and makes it tear or turn soggy.
Don't overfill. Too much filling makes sealing difficult and the wrapper can burst open in the air fryer.
Give them breathing room in the basket. Crowded egg rolls steam each other instead of crisping.

Substitutions

ground pork → ground chicken, ground turkey, or crumbled extra-firm tofu Keep the same seasoning; tofu needs less cook time since there's no raw meat to fully cook through.

egg roll wrappers → spring roll wrappers Spring roll wrappers are thinner, so reduce the air fry time by 1 to 2 minutes since they crisp faster.

soy sauce → tamari or coconut aminos Use a 1:1 swap for a gluten-free version.

Storage Instructions

Store cooled egg rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 4 minutes to bring back the crunch -- the microwave will leave them soft.

Make Ahead

Assemble the egg rolls up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate uncooked, covered, until ready to air fry. You can also freeze uncooked egg rolls on a tray, then transfer to a bag; air fry from frozen, adding 3 to 4 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes. Assemble them up to 24 hours ahead and keep covered in the fridge, or freeze uncooked for up to 2 months. Air fry straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes.

How do I store the leftovers?

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 3 to 4 minutes to bring back the crunch.

Can I freeze it?

Yes, both before and after cooking. Freeze uncooked rolls on a tray until firm, then bag them; air fry from frozen at 380°F, adding 3 to 4 minutes to the cook time.

Can I substitute the ground pork?

Yes. Ground chicken, turkey, or crumbled extra-firm tofu all work with the same seasoning; tofu cooks faster since there's no raw meat to cook through.