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 8 years and is THE most popular recipe on the site. It’s a low-carb and keto diet recipe the whole family will love!
You might’ve also seen it called a naked egg roll or just a cabbage bowl, but it’s all the same cozy, veggie-packed idea.
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 it:
- 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.
- Just 293 calories and 32g of protein per serving, with 7g of fiber.
This has been a staple in my house for YEARS! Quick, easy, and reheats well as a leftover!! 11/10 recipe 🙂
– Jody K.
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.
A bag of coleslaw mix is the ultimate shortcut here, standing in for both the cabbage and carrots with zero shredding. Fresh-shredded is still my pick for the best texture (imo, always!), but on a busy night the bag absolutely gets the job done.
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.
Pro Tip: Once again, a bag of coleslaw mix works great here for a HUGE timesaver!
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, Gochujang or even Gochujan mayo 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.
- Add a touch of sweetness. For a more takeout-style flavor, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons of honey or a keto-friendly sweetener at the end. It balances out the soy and vinegar.
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.
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. You usually don’t need to drain it, but if the pan gets watery, just simmer a few extra minutes to cook off the liquid.
How to store and reheat
Let it cool, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. It’s great for meal prep.
To reheat, warm it in a skillet over medium-low for the best texture, or use the microwave if you’re in a hurry (it’ll be a little softer).
A splash of soy sauce or broth brings it right back if it seems dry.
I don’t recommend freezing this one. The cabbage releases a lot of water as it thaws and turns mushy.
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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 fresh ginger finely minced
- 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.1 pound ground turkey
- 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.1 small sweet onion, 1 cup shredded carrots, 3 garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, ¼ cup chicken broth
- 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.1 small head cabbage, 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon 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.Cooked white rice, Green onions, Toasted sesame seeds, Sriracha Mayo
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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.
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.
More Easy Keto Dinner Recipes
If you are looking for other delicious meals that are low in carbs, try one of these next:
I found that a bag of pre-cut slaw mix is the perfect amount of cabbage and already includes some carrots.
That’s great to know, Christie!! Thanks for the comment and rating 🙂
I figured after almost three years of making this dish no less than once a month for dinner I should probably leave a comment. Our family of 5 loves this recipe! Even our pick two year old loves it. It was a low carb option for me when I first started making it, but since my family loves it so much we just double and sometimes triple the recipe and add brown or white rice to the bottom of our bowls.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I suspect our 3 boys will look back when they are older and remember this as a favorite dish growing up.
Aw that’s so awesome to hear! And super impressed that even your 2-year-old gobbles it up. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment and a rating, Rebekah!
Hi, my daughter and I just cooked this dish, it was So Good! We did double the spices (we like a lot of flavor), used low sodium soy sauce and added the green onion at the end, delish! Thanks for the recipe!
Yay! So happy to hear you both enjoyed the recipe, Jami. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment and rating!
This was so delicious! I used green onion instead of sweet onion, rice wine vinegar, and a little more chicken broth! We served this over brown rice! Will definitely make again! Very good!
Oh that sounds delicious, Crissy! Thanks so much for your comment and rating 🙂
This was so yummy. . The flavors we just perfect. I did add some bell peppers and broccoli. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
I bet the peppers and broccoli tasted delicious in there! Thanks so much for your comment and rating, Laura 🙂
I just made this today and it is delicious!!! I followed the recipe to the t.
Yay! So happy you enjoyed the recipe, Jo! Thanks for the comment and rating! 🙂
This is really a good recipe! It actually tastes like something you’d get in a very nice Asian restaurant! I made it last night and my husband has requested a re peat! I’m doing it! BUt I’m going to add some rice this time. YUM!
Yay! So happy you and the hubby enjoyed the recipe, Ginger! Thanks for the comment! 🙂
This was great! I added two eggs just to have some extra protein and coat the vegetables. Everything was so delicious. Can’t wait to have it all week. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Yay! So happy to hear that. Thanks for the comment and rating!
This recipe is our house favorite. Question why is it called egg roll when it doesn’t have egg included??
Lol, great question! Typically the egg roll wrapped is made from eggs, but the inside has no eggs at all. You can always add some if you’d like though!
Tried this tonight. YUM! Followed exactly except I used ground chicken. Definitely will be making this again. Thanks for an awesome recipe to keep one of my favorite Chinese takeouts more “friendly”!!
Yay! So happy to hear that, Estelle. Thanks for the comment and rating!