Air Fryer Egg Rolls (Homemade or Frozen)
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These easy Air Fryer Egg Rolls will satisfy your craving for takeout! Follow our recipe for homemade egg rolls or crisp up your frozen egg rolls in the air fryer for a delicious version of your favorite takeout food!
We make a lot of stir fry vegetables and pepper steak stir fry at home to satisfy our cravings for Chinese take-out without ever needing to leave the house and we use our air fryer to make egg rolls.
Our homemade air-fryer egg rolls taste just like the kind you would get at a restaurant and they are a lot lighter since we don’t have to deep fry them in oil! No time to make your own? No worries we have you covered with easy instructions on making frozen egg rolls in the air fryer!
Table of contents
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make these at home, you’ll need:
- Oils – You’ll need vegetable oil, toasted sesame oil., and peanut oil. I really like the peanut oil for crisping the outside of the egg rolls but you can use vegetable in place of vegetable oil or substitute canola oil for vegetable oil. You’ll want to keep the toasted sesame oil for the flavor.
- Cabbage – You will use very thinly sliced green cabbage for this recipe. Alternately you can purchase a bag of cabbage mix at the grocery store. If you do this you won’t need to add the extra carrots called for in the recipe.
- Shredded carrots – I buy the pre-shredded but you can also grate carrots with a box grater.
- Green onions – Green onions add a bit of flavor and garnish too.
- Soy sauce – You can use either regular or lower sodium versions.
- Sugar – Sugar adds a little sweetness to the egg roll filling.
- Five spice powder – You should be able to find this spice blend at your local grocery or speciality shop. If not, you can order online. Though they can vary, they often contain ground cinnamon, fennel seeds, star anise, Sichuan peppercorn, and cloves.
- Cooked shrimp – I like the tiny shrimp like they use at Chinese restaurants. You can find them in the aisle with canned tuna fish in similar cans. If can also use steamed, baked, or pre-cooked shrimp from the grocery store all can work. You just need to chop it into small pieces. You could also substitute small pieces of cooked chicken, pork, or tofu if you prefer.
- Egg roll wrappers – Egg roll wrappers are often sold in the Asian aisle of the grocery store or you can order them online if needed.
- Egg – You’ll need a large, beaten egg.
We use this Cosori Air Fryer to make our egg rolls.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1 – Cook the filling. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium high heat.
When it gets hot, add the cabbage and shredded carrots to the skillet. You’ll need to stir it frequently as it softens. It should take about 7-10 minutes for it to soften up.
Once the cabbage and carrots are tender, add the green onions, soy sauce, sugar, toasted sesame oil, five spice powder, and cooked shrimp to the skillet. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir everything together until it is well combined.
Step 2 – Roll the egg rolls. Once the filling has cooled enough to touch, you can get filling your egg rolls. Follow the steps in the section “How to Roll an Egg Roll”. Once they are all rolled, preheat your air fryer for 5 minutes at 390 degrees.
Step 3 – Cook. Once the rolls are ready lightly brush each roll with a very thin layer of peanut oil. If you have an oil sprayer you can fill it with peanut oil and spray the eggrolls. Make sure to use a very light layer of oil on each side.
Place the rolls in the pre-heated fryer basket so that there is a bit of room between each. Cook at 390 degrees F for 5 minutes then stop and flip over and continue to cook for 5 minutes more.
Serve immediately.
Frozen Egg Rolls in Air Fryer
Let’s face it. Sometimes you just want egg rolls and don’t want to make them yourself or order take out again. The good news is you can make crispy egg rolls in your air fryer, which is just one more reason you should get one if you don’t have one!
An air fryer can make even frozen egg rolls crispy and fresh tasting.
Here’s how to use your air fryer to make frozen egg rolls nice and crispy:
- Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees F for 3 minutes.
- Add the frozen egg rolls to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Make sure to leave a little room between each egg roll for the air to go. If you have a large number to make, you may need to do this in batches. You can keep them fresh by placing them on a cookie tray in a warm oven.
- Cook for 5 minutes and then turn them over. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
- When the timer goes off and the air fryer stops, leave the basket in the air fryer for an additional 5 minutes so that everything heats through. Serve hot and enjoy!
How to Roll an Egg Roll
Here’s how to roll an egg roll. Don’t worry if they are not perfect! You’ll get better each time you make them.
- Place an egg roll wrapper on a flat surface with a corner facing up so that it is in a diamond shape.
- Spoon about 3 ounces of the cabbage filling just below the centerline of the wrapper.
- Lift the bottom corner and fold it up and over the fling tucking it underneath the cabbage. Use your fingers to gently press down on each side of the filling. You want to make sure it is packed in and tightly sealed.
- Fold the side corners into the middle. It will look sort of like an envelope.
- Dip a brush in the beaten egg and lightly brush the egg over the top corner of the wrapper. The egg will make it stick when you roll the wrapper up and will help keep the filling in place.
- Roll the egg roll up so that the remaining corner wraps around the egg roll sealing it all together.
- Repeat the steps until all of the filling is used up. Once they are ready to go, you can follow the steps for cooking them in an air fryer.
Egg Roll Dipping Sauces
- Classic Sweet and Sour Sauce – This classic dipping sauce, with its vibrant red hue, is a staple for a reason. It wraps each bite of the egg roll in a sweet embrace, followed by a tangy kick that keeps you coming back for more.
- Spicy Mustard Sauce – For those who like to add a bit of heat to their meal, a spicy mustard sauce is the way to go. Its sharp, pungent flavor with just the right amount of spice cuts through the richness of the egg roll.
- Hoisin Sauce – This sauce is a complex blend of sweet, salty, and umami flavors. Its thick, rich texture clings to the egg roll, enveloping it in a layer of savory sweetness that’s hard to resist.
- Soy Ginger Sauce – This sauce offers a lighter dipping option, with grated ginger providing a spicy kick that complements the crispy exterior of the egg roll perfectly.
- Sweet Chili Sauce – Sweet chili sauce offers a beautiful harmony of flavors, combining sweetness with a gentle heat that doesn’t overpower.
- Peanut Sauce – For a nutty twist, peanut sauce brings a creamy richness that’s both satisfying and indulgent.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ah, the age-old question of preheating. Yes, even in the world of air frying, this step holds its ground. Preheating your air fryer for about 3-5 minutes at 390°F ensures that your egg rolls start cooking at the right temperature from the get-go, giving them that irresistible crunch. It’s like warming up before a workout; it just leads to better performance.
Nobody likes a sticky situation, especially when it involves food. To avoid a sticky disaster, lightly brush your egg rolls with oil or use an oil spray. This not only prevents them from sticking to the basket but also gives them that golden glow and crunch we all crave. Plus, it’s a much healthier alternative to deep frying!
The sweet spot for air frying egg rolls is usually at 390°F, and the cooking time ranges from 10 to 12 minutes. However, the real secret is in the flip! Halfway through cooking, give those rolls a gentle flip or shake to ensure they brown evenly. This little dance ensures every bite is as good as the last.
Absolutely, and it’s a game-changer! No need to thaw; just extend the cooking time by a few minutes. Start checking around the 10-minute mark and adjust as necessary. This makes frozen egg rolls an ace up your sleeve for those last-minute snack attacks or unexpected guests.
Soggy egg rolls? We don’t know them. To keep your egg rolls crispy, avoid overcrowding the basket. Air circulation is key in an air fryer, allowing for that all-around crisp. Also, consider resting the cooked egg rolls on a wire rack instead of a plate; this keeps the bottom from getting steamy and soft.
Looking for More Air Fryer Recipes?
- Air Fryer Salmon
- Air Fryer Steak
- Air Fryer Nachos
- Air Fryer Meatballs
- Crispy Air Fryer Potatoes
- Air Fryer Baked Potato
- Air Fryer Fried Chicken
- Air Fryer Zucchini
- More Air Fryer Recipes…
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Air Fryer Egg Rolls
Ingredients
Homemade Egg Rolls
- 2 tablespoon Vegetable oil
- 4 cups Green cabbage, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup Shredded carrots
- 1 tablespoon Green onion, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon Soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Toasted sesame oil
- ⅛ teaspoon Five spice powder, this is just a pinch!
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 6 ounces Tiny shrimp, alternatively you can use cooked shrimp chopped into small pieces
- 12 Egg roll wrappers
- 1 large Egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons Peanut oil
Frozen Egg Rolls
- 1 package Your favorite brand of frozen egg rolls
Instructions
Homemade Egg Rolls
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
- When hot add the cabbage and shredded carrots to the skillet and cook, stirring often, until the cabbage and carrots soften, 7-10 minutes.
- Add the green onions, soy sauce, sugar, toasted sesame oil, five spice powder, salt, and shrimp to the cabbage mix. Remove from the heat and stir everything together.
- Place an egg roll wrapper on a flat surface with a corner facing up so that it is in a diamond shape.
- Place approximately 3 ounces of the cabbage filling just below the centerline of the wrapper.
- Lift the bottom corner and fold it up and over the fling tucking it underneath. Use your fingers to gently press down on each side of the filling to make sure it is packed in and tightly sealed.
- Fold the side corners into the middle. Now it makes a sort of envelope shape.
- Dip a brush in the beaten egg and lightly brush the egg over the top corner of the wrapper. This will make it stick when you roll the wrapper up.
- Roll the egg roll up so that the remaining corner wraps around the egg roll sealing it all together.
- Repeat steps until all of the filling is used.
- Preheat the air fryer to 390 ℉ for 3 minutes.
- Once the rolls are ready lightly brush each roll with a very thin layer of peanut oil. If you have an oil sprayer you can fill it with peanut oil and spray the eggrolls. Make sure to use a very light layer of oil on each side.
- Place the rolls in the pre-heated fryer basket so that there is a bit of room between each.
- Cook at 390 ℉ for 5 minutes then stop and flip over and continue to cook for 5 minutes more.
- Serve immediately.
Frozen Egg Rolls
- Preheat the air fryer to 390 degrees F for 3 minutes.
- Add the frozen egg rolls to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Make sure to leave a little room between each egg roll for the air to go. If you have a large number to make, you may need to do this in batches. You can keep them fresh by placing them on a cookie tray in a warm oven.
- Cook for 5 minutes and then turn them over. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
- When the timer goes off and the air fryer stops, leave the basket in the air fryer for an additional 5 minutes so that everything heats through. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Super tasty fried egg rolls. Beautiful presentation. Thanks for sharing.