All the egg roll flavor, none of the fuss.
This deconstructed Egg Roll in a Bowl has been a go-to of mine for over 6 years and is THE most popular recipe on the site. It’s a low-carb and keto diet recipe the whole family will love!
Yup, even the littles will go crazy for these all-too-familiar egg roll flavors served up in a big bowl of veggies. I’ve served it to dozens of people of all ages. And every single time, the reaction is the same: I can’t believe it- this is incredible!
Love one-skillet, low-carb bowls? This Reuben in a Bowl and Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls are both easy dinners made with fresh cabbage!
Why You’ll Love This Egg Roll Bowl
- Ready in under 30 minutes.
- One skillet and minimal cleanup required!
- Made with easy-to-find ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.
- Packed with protein and veggies, this dish is keto, low-carb, and Whole30 friendly.
- Super customizable! Add extra veggies, swap in different proteins, or adjust the seasonings.
This has been on my rotation for years now. It never fails. It is deliciousness in a bowl. It checks the boxes for all kinds of diets depending on what you pair it with. Candida protocol, Whole30 and as someone with ALOT of food allergies it’s been a lifesaver.
At one point I even lost it. So I searched but none of the recipes had you making that cute little funny face when taking a bite…so I knew I didn’t have the right one!
Thanks for a great recipe!
– Sandee
Ingredients and Substitutions
For the exact measurements and detailed instructions, please see the recipe card below.
- Sesame Oil: Do not leave this very important ingredient out! It gives this dish a unique umami flavor.
- Ground Turkey: 93/7 ground turkey, ground pork, ground chicken, or even a leaner ground beef can be used.
- Cabbage: Thinly shredded cabbage is best. You’ll need about 1 medium head of cabbage. You can also do a mixture of purple and green cabbage to give it an extra pop of color. (Learn How to Shred Cabbage if you don’t already know!)
- Carrots: Thinly shredded whole carrots or matchstick carrots can be used.
- Ginger & garlic: Fresh ginger and garlic are both used to add a zippy punch of flavor. To make things easier you can buy the pre-peeled garlic and use ginger paste.
- Soy sauce: Traditional soy sauce works great, but has a little extra sodium. Tamari is my favorite to use and works if you’re gluten-free. Liquid coconut aminos also work if on a Whole30 diet. Opt for low-sodium soy sauce if you’re watching your sodium intake.
- Vinegar: Rice vinegar delivers the most authentic flavor. Apple cider vinegar and white wine vinegar will also work, if needed.
Pro Tip: Using coleslaw mix is actually a really easy shortcut you can use in place of the cabbage and carrots. My personal opinion though? It saves time, but you do have to sacrifice on taste a little bit!
Step-by-step Instructions
Please see the recipe card below for the full instructions, ingredient amounts, and a printable recipe.
Prep the veggies.
Thinly slice the cabbage (¼ to ½ inch thick) with a sharp knife. If using whole carrots, shred them with a food processor or cheese grater.
Cook the meat and veggies.
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground meat for 5-6 minutes, breaking it up as it browns. (A potato masher works great for this!)
Add the onion and 1 tablespoon oil. Cook, then stir in the carrots, garlic, and ginger. Deglaze with chicken broth, then add cabbage, soy sauce, vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Simmer and serve.
Cover and cook over medium-low for 12-15 minutes, until the cabbage is tender. Stir in sesame oil before serving. Garnish with green onions, sesame seeds, or red pepper flakes for extra flavor.
Recipe Changes to Try
There are SO many ways to make this dish your own! Experiment and find your favorite way to dig in.
- Make it spicy. Drizzle on some sriracha mayo, regular sriracha sauce, or Gochujang for a bit of heat.
- Add an egg. A fried or poached egg will take this dish over the top!
- Up the veggies. Load it up with even MORE vegetables like Chinese broccoli, zucchini, and squash.
- Make it vegetarian. Skip the meat and go with tofu, chickpeas, or another meat alternative.
- Even more umami. If you want to up-level the depth of flavor, try adding in a bit of fish sauce or oyster sauce. (Add 1 teaspoon at a time – a little goes a long way!)
- Give it a crunch. Just like in these P.F. Chang’s lettuce wraps, adding water chestnuts right at the end will add a delightfully crunchy texture.
FAQs
It’s all the savory, crispy-onion-y, gingery goodness of an egg roll… just without the wrapper. Everything cooks together in one skillet for a fast, flavorful meal.
Absolutely. Ground turkey, chicken, pork, or even a plant-based crumble all work great. Just adjust the seasoning to taste.
Usually no—cabbage cooks down quickly. But if your skillet gets watery, just let it simmer a few extra minutes to evaporate the liquid.
Yes! Bell peppers, mushrooms, zucchini, or shredded carrots are all delicious and cook right along with the cabbage.
Use a large skillet so everything sautés instead of steaming, and don’t overcook the cabbage. You want it tender but still a little crisp.
Let it cool, then refrigerate it in an airtight container for 3–4 days. It reheats really well—just warm it in a skillet or microwave until hot. Pro Tip: Add a splash of soy sauce or broth if it seems dry. You can also freeze it for up to 2 months; just thaw in the fridge before reheating.
What to serve with it?
This recipe is already pretty filling on its own, but you can serve it with any of these simple sides.
Asian Cucumber Salad, Air Fryer Asparagus, Chinese Green Beans are all excellent greens.
If you don’t mind carbs, serve it with Instant Pot White Rice, White Rice, Basmati Rice, or Jasmine Rice. I love serving with cauliflower rice to keep it low-carb, too!
Or top this dish with some Asian Ginger Dressing or this easy Peanut Sauce recipe.
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Egg Roll in a Bowl Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1 small sweet onion finely diced
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 3 garlic cloves finely minced
- 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh ginger
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- 1 small head cabbage about 8 cups shredded (see note)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
For Serving (Optional):
- Cooked white rice
- Green onions green parts only, thinly sliced
- Toasted sesame seeds
- Sriracha Mayo optional
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the turkey and cook until almost cooked through, about 5-6 minutes.
- Push the turkey to one side of the pan and add onion and remaining tablespoon of oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add shredded carrots, garlic, and ginger and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour in the chicken broth and scrape any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the cabbage, tamari or soy sauce, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Stir well and cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until cabbage has reached your desired tenderness. Remove from the heat and add toasted sesame oil.
- Serve egg roll in a bowl over white rice, if using, and top with green onions, toasted sesame seeds, and sriracha mayo, if desired.
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Video
Notes
- Nutrition: Facts were calculated without any of the additional serving options.
- Storage: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. I would not recommend freezing this recipe since excess water will accumulate after thawing, causing the cabbage to become mushy.
- Reheating: Warm up leftovers in a skillet over medium-low heat for the best taste and texture. You can also warm it up in the microwave, but it will be soggier.
- Cabbage. Freshly shredded cabbage is best, but you can also use 2 bags of coleslaw mix or pre-shredded cabbage.
- Soy sauce: Regular soy sauce works great, but can be a tad bit too salty. I prefer to use Tamari when making this recipe so you get all of the flavor without the extra sodium. Plus, it’s naturally gluten-free, too! Use coconut liquid aminos if on a Whole30 diet.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Easy Keto Dinner Recipes
If you are looking for other delicious meals that are low in carbs, try one of these next:
Do you know how many net carbs this recipe is per serving?
Hi Mackenzie! Prepared to the recipe amounts, there should be 14 grams of net carbs. Hope this helps!
This has been on my rotation for years now. It never fails. It is deliciousness in a bowl. It checks the boxes for all kinds of diets depending on what you pair it with. Candida protocol, Whole30 and as someone with ALOT of food allergies it’s been a lifesaver.
At one point I even lost it. So I searched but none of the recipes had you making that cute little funny face when taking a bite…so I knew I didn’t have the right one!
Thanks for a great recipe!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Sandee! It’s on rotation regularly here, too. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
I love this recipe. many people whom I served have asked for the recipe, too!
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
Where does the trans fat come from? I’m trying to eat healthy, so wondering if I need to eliminate an ingredient. Thanks
The most likely source of trans fats in this recipe is the meat, soy sauce, or the oil. Use a lean meat, and look for higher-quality soy sauce and oils (both sesame and olive) that are naturally free of hydrogenated and trans fats. Hope this helps!
So easy and delicious! I had to use ground ginger because that’s all I had, and it was still very tasty.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Myrna! I’m glad you could make it work and it tasted good. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
This egg roll bowl is sooooo good! Definitely will make it again.
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Meg! It’s made regularly here, too. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
I really liked this recipe! It came together easily.
I used ground pork. I didn’t have fresh ginger so I used the powdered ginger. I used coconut aminos in place of the soy sauce.
My husband added sriracha sauce for a little heat.
I liked the crunch of the cabbage. I thought it would be good with edamame or snow peas
Yay! So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Dorothy! Thank you for letting me know what you did! And thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!