These vegetarian spring rolls are filled with cabbage, carrots, celery and shiitake mushrooms. They are super crunchy and full of flavor. We dare you to have only one!
In this recipe
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Tips for preparing spring rolls
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How to fry spring rolls
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Egg roll variations
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How to store and reheat spring rolls
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Because fried food tastes amazing
Classic egg rolls are fried, savory buns wrapped in a wheat flour casing. They are filled with cabbage, carrots, onions and sometimes chopped roast pork. The fried skin of a spring roll has small crispy vesicles that are crispy and fun to eat. The name is misleading as spring rolls do not contain eggs!
These are the veggie egg rolls I grew up with. They’re like those big, stuffed egg rolls you often find at your friendly neighborhood Chinese joint. These are not the small spring rolls that you get as a side dish, but the hearty ones that are served as a starter.
Tips for preparing spring rolls
It’s pretty easy to make spring rolls. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll be filling and rolling in no time. Here are a few tips to help you do that.
- To make prep easier and faster, use store-bought shredded cabbage.
- Squeeze or strain excess moisture from the filling before wrapping your spring rolls. Moisture in the filling can crack and sizzle in the oil, which can be dangerous. Also, a drier filling keeps the fried casing nice and crispy. For this recipe, I drain the cooked vegetables in a colander over a bowl.
- Be careful not to overstuff the spring rolls and seal the edges tightly with a little water. I use water to seal the rolls, but you can use an egg wash instead. It gives you a stickier seal.
- Don’t worry if the spring rolls aren’t the same size. They will still taste great.
- A Chinese bamboo strainer or spider is a great tool for moving the spring rolls around in the hot oil, but long bamboo chopsticks work just as well.
How to fry spring rolls
You want to keep the temperature of the oil at 325°F. The pot should be deep enough to completely submerge the buns for even cooking. Fry them until golden brown, about 5 minutes. The trick is to keep them moving in the oil. I use long wooden sticks to gently move them while frying.
I make and fry an spring roll to taste the filling and adjust the seasoning. The filling may taste a little salty if you eat it plain, but it may not be flavorful enough if you fried it.
When I’m happy with the filling, I finish wrapping the remaining spring rolls. Then I always fry an spring roll or two to test if the oil is at the right temperature. Remember that the temperature of the oil will drop each time you add a new batch. The subsequent spring rolls will therefore take a little longer to cook. Just make sure the oil is reheated to 325°F before frying the next batch of spring rolls.
Egg roll variations
Spring rolls are super versatile and can be filled with any number of your favorite ingredients. Once you get the hang of it, you can let your creativity run wild.
- This is a vegetarian version, but you can add half a pound of ground beef, ground beef, chopped shrimp, or even crumbled tofu to the filling.
- Shredded zucchini, cooked glass noodles, shredded onions, or dried shiitake mushrooms are great additions. If using dried shiitake mushrooms, soak them in warm water and squeeze out the excess liquid before adding them to the filling
- Five Spice is a blend of five ground spices: star anise, cloves, cinnamon, Sichuan peppercorns and fennel seeds. It is used in regional Chinese and Taiwanese cuisine. If you don’t have any, add one of the individual spices or just leave them out.
- Black pepper can be used instead of white pepper.
- Use garlic powder or ground ginger if you don’t have fresh.
How to store and reheat spring rolls
How to Freeze Uncooked Spring Rolls: Dust the uncooked spring rolls with some flour or cornstarch. Place them on a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and freeze for about an hour. They are partially frozen. Transfer them to a freezer-friendly ziplock bag and squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing. Freeze for up to six months.
How to Freeze Leftover Spring Rolls: Make sure they are completely cool. Place them in a ziplock bag and freeze them for up to six months.
Warm up egg rolls: Place them in a 350°F oven or air fryer set at 325°F until warmed through and crispy. I don’t recommend putting them in the microwave as they will lose their crispiness.
Fry Frozen Spring Rolls: Do not thaw the spring rolls before frying. You’ll get mushy. You can put them directly into the hot oil. Fry for about 3 to 5 minutes, then increase the heat to get the crispy brown exterior. Be sure to use a splatter guard to minimize oil splatters from the ice crystals that may have formed around the spring rolls in the freezer.
Because fried food tastes amazing
- Fried Green Tomatoes
- Fried catfish
- onion rings
- Vegetable samosas with mint coriander chutney
- Shrimp Po Boy Sandwich
egg roll
Feel free to use store-bought cabbage and carrots. You can also use a food processor chopper attachment to chop cabbage, carrots, and celery.
ingredients
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1 tablespoon rapeseed oilplus more for frying
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2 1/2 lb Kaleshredded
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4 Middle carrotsshredded
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6 stems celeryshredded
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1 Cup fresh shiitake MushroomsStems removed and finely diced
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1 teaspoon fresh gingerchopped
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1 teaspoon garlicchopped
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3 green onionschopped
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1 tablespoon sesame oil
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2 teaspoon Salt
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1/4 teaspoon Five spice powder (Optional)
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1/4 teaspoon white or black pepper
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all purpose flourto dust the tray
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1 package egg roll wrappers (Above 24 packagings)
For diving
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Chinese hot mustard
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duck sauce
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chili sauce
method
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Cook Vegetables:
In a large wok or skillet over high heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add the cabbage, carrots, celery, mushrooms, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are limp and tender, about 5 minutes.
Depending on the size of your wok or pan, you may need to do this in two batches.
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Season the filling:
Turn off the heat and add the scallions, sesame oil, salt, five spice powder (if using), and white pepper. Throw to combine.
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Drain the filling:
Place a large strainer over a large bowl. Put the filling in the colander and let it drain and cool completely.
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Setting up the changing station:
Lightly sprinkle flour on a large baking sheet or baking sheet. This will ensure that the spring rolls don’t stick to the sheet. Fill a small bowl with water to seal the spring rolls and set next to the tray.
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Fill spring rolls:
Lay a wrap flat on a cutting board or kitchen counter with one of the corners toward you so it looks like a diamond. Keep the remaining leaves covered with a kitchen towel to keep them from drying out.
Place a loosely packed 1/2 cup of filling off-center near the corner closest to you.
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Roll the egg rolls:
Fold the corner closest to you over the filling. Fold the two side corners inward so it looks like an envelope.
Dip your finger in the prepared water and wet the top corner. Roll the spring roll from the filling side up. Place the spring roll, seam-side down, on the prepared baking sheet.
Repeat with the remaining wrappers, lining up the spring rolls on the tray in a single layer.
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Heat frying oil:
Set a wire rack over a baking sheet. You place the fried egg rolls on the grid. This allows the spring rolls to cool without becoming steamy and soggy.
In a medium-sized saucepan, add enough oil to come up the sides of the saucepan about 2 inches. Heat oil until a frying thermometer reads 325°F. If you don’t have a frying thermometer, you can test the temperature.
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Fry egg rolls:
To test the oil temperature, carefully place an egg roll or two in the oil. The oil should rise up around the egg rolls. If it doesn’t, increase the heat. Fry for about 5 minutes until golden brown. Use long wooden sticks or tongs to keep them moving in the oil to ensure they cook evenly.
Place the fried spring rolls on the prepared rack to drain, leaving space between them to avoid steaming and getting soggy.
Repeat with the remaining spring rolls, frying about 5 at a time depending on the size of your pot. You want enough space between the spring rolls so they can swim around freely without touching to cook evenly.
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Surcharge:
Serve the spring rolls warm, but not too hot, with spicy Chinese mustard, duck sauce, or chili sauce.
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| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 256 | calories |
| 12g | Fat |
| 30g | carbohydrates |
| 8g | protein |
