Egg Roll in a Bowl

Published January 4, 2020. Updated January 6, 2020

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Egg Roll in a Bowl – all the tasty flavors of an egg roll without all the extra work deep frying mess, and added fat! An easy, nutritious dinner that makes great leftovers for lunch the next day.

Craving the real thing? Also try my classic Egg Rolls recipe. Perfect for weekends!

Egg Roll in a Bowl with chopsticks on the side. Bowl is set over a blue cloth with a second bowl in the background.

Egg Roll in a Bowl Recipe – a Healthier Option

This simple egg roll style recipe is basically a simple stir-fry. Loaded with vegetables, lean protein and a flavorful sauce. And it’s a healthy version of those take-out style egg rolls we all crave.

You can have this ready in about 30 minutes (you can prep veggies while turkey cooks) and it pairs perfectly with tender rice (but if you want to keep it lower carb then just serve sans rice).

It’s a simple dish you’ll fall in love with after one bite!

Overhead image of egg roll in a bowl in a skillet shown after completed cooking. In it you see cabbage, ground turkey, red bell pepper, and carrots.

Ingredients for Egg Roll in a Bowl

  • Soy sauce – to reduce sodium if needed you can use low-sodium soy sauce.
  • Low-sodium chicken broth – water works fine too if you don’t want to open a can of broth just for 3 tablespoons.
  • Cornstarch – this helps thicken up the sauce a little. As always you’ll want to stir with liquid before adding to the hot skillet or it will just clump and doesn’t thicken properly.
  • Sesame oil – you can find this toasted sesame oil in the Asian food section of the grocery store. A little of this goes a long way and it adds great flavor so don’t skip it.
  • Brown sugar – honey will work great too for a slightly healthier option.
  • Sriracha – a must if you like heat, if not feel free to omit.
  • Olive oil – not typical to Asian cuisine but a healthier option vs. vegetable oil. This is used for sautéing.
  • Ground turkey – ground chicken or pork will work well too. I prefer the flavor of the ground turkey though.
  • Salt – add to taste. Remember the soy sauce is salty too.
  • Green cabbage, yellow onion, matchstick carrots, bell pepper, green onions, ginger, garlic – this dish is packed with veggies, much more than you’d find in just one or two traditional egg rolls which again makes it a healthier option.

Image of ingredients that go into Egg Roll in a Bowl recipe.

How to Make This Easy Egg Roll in a Bowl

  • Make sauce: In a small mixing bowl whisk together 1 Tbsp of the soy sauce with cornstarch until well blended. Mix in remaining 2 Tbsp soy sauce, chicken broth, sesame oil, brown sugar and sriracha, set aside.
  • Sauté half of the ginger and garlic: Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a 12-inch (deep) non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the ginger and half of the garlic and sauté 20 seconds.
  • Add and cook ground turkey, transfer: Add turkey and season with just a pinch of salt. Cook, while breaking up turkey and tossing occasionally, until turkey has cooked through. Drain and transfer turkey to a sheet of foil, wrap to keep warm.
  • Sauté onions: Heat remaining 1 Tbsp oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until they have nearly softened, about 4 minutes.
  • Sauté bell pepper with remaining ginger and garlic: Add in bell pepper and remaining half of the ginger and garlic and sauté 1 minute longer.
  • Add cabbage and carrots, sauté with sauce: Toss in cabbage and carrots then whisk soy sauce mixture once more and pour over cabbage. Allow to cook, tossing frequently until cabbage is tender, about 4 – 5 minutes.
  • Return turkey: Toss in cooked turkey. Taste and add in a little more soy sauce if needed. Serve warm topped with green onions and more sriracha if desired.

8 steps showing how to make egg roll in a bowl sauce and mixture in a skillet.

How to Store and Reheat

Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container, keep separate from rice if served together.

Reheat in the microwave in a microwave safe bowl on 50% power until heated through. Or alternately you can reheat in a skillet over medium heat on the stove tossing frequently.

Close up image of egg roll in a bowl in a skillet.

How to Make it Keto Friendly

  • If you are wanting to make this keto friendly then omit the sugar or replace with a keto friendly sweetener like stevia or monk fruit.
  • Omit the sriracha. Replace with red pepper flakes to taste if desired (start with a pinch or two).
  • Replace cornstarch with arrowroot flour. Use 1 tsp.
  • Skip the rice.

Showing possible variation of egg roll in a bowl served over white rice.

Tips for the Best Egg Roll in a Bowl

  • Use a big pan. The cabbage takes up a lot of volume in the beginning before being sautéed and needs a lot of space. Use a deep skillet, sauté pan or a wok.
  • Stick with green cabbage for a tender crisp texture. Napa cabbage would end up more flimsy.
  • Use lean turkey for a non-greasy stir-fry.
  • Slice vegetables into strips to make it easier to eat with chopsticks.
  • Adjust sriracha to taste. I love it spicy but my kids don’t so I just drizzle it over the top of mine.

More Asian Favorites to Try

16 Quick & Easy 30 Minute Recipes! (plus weekly recipe updates)

Egg Roll in a Bowl

A quick and easy cabbage and ground turkey stir fry that's perfectly hearty and deliciously flavorful! A healthier alternative to egg rolls without the deep fried wonton wrappers yet it's still just as tasty!
Servings: 4
Prep15 minutes
Cook20 minutes
Ready in: 30 minutes

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a small mixing bowl whisk together 1 Tbsp of the soy sauce with cornstarch until well blended. Mix in remaining 2 Tbsp soy sauce, chicken broth, sesame oil, brown sugar and sriracha, set aside.
  • Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a 12-inch (deep) non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. 
  • Add half of the ginger and half of the garlic and saute 20 seconds. Add turkey and season with just a pinch of salt. 
  • Cook, while breaking up turkey and tossing occasionally, until turkey has cooked through. Drain and transfer turkey to a sheet of foil, wrap to keep warm.
  • Heat remaining 1 Tbsp oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until they have nearly softened, about 4 minutes. 
  • Add in bell pepper and remaining half of the ginger and garlic and saute 1 minute longer. 
  • Toss in cabbage and carrots then whisk soy sauce mixture once more and pour over cabbage. Allow to cook, tossing frequently until cabbage is tender, about 4 - 5 minutes. 
  • Toss in cooked turkey. Taste and add in a little more soy sauce if needed. Serve warm topped with green onions and more sriracha if desired.

Notes

  • *Instead of chopping the cabbage yourself you could replace the shredded cabbage and matchstick carrots with equal amounts of coleslaw mix.

Possible Variations

  • You can also add 1/2 tsp Chinese five spice for extra flavor.
  • Try it with other protein such as ground pork or chicken, or medium shrimp or chopped tofu.
  • You can also try this with other vegetables such as mushrooms, snow or snap peas, broccoli, water chestnuts, bean spouts, etc.
  • Double the sauce and toss with rice noodles.
  • Serve over white or brown rice.
Nutrition Facts
Egg Roll in a Bowl
Amount Per Serving
Calories 359 Calories from Fat 180
% Daily Value*
Fat 20g31%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 84mg28%
Sodium 947mg41%
Potassium 744mg21%
Carbohydrates 21g7%
Fiber 5g21%
Sugar 11g12%
Protein 26g52%
Vitamin A 9207IU184%
Vitamin C 87mg105%
Calcium 102mg10%
Iron 3mg17%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.
Recipe originally published August 24, 2016 and labeled as “Egg Roll Skillet {AKA Turkey and Cabbage Stir-Fry}”, recipe title and notes have been updated recipe remains the same.