Egg Roll in a Bowl (No Wrapper, All the Flavor)

That’s really the whole pitch. Egg roll in a bowl takes everything you love about the filling — the garlicky ground meat, the soft-crisp cabbage, that salty-sweet soy glaze — and skips the part where you’re standing over hot oil trying not to tear paper-thin wrappers. Same craving, less cleanup, and it comes together in one pan.

Why This Works

Browning the chicken first and then adding the aromatics matters more than it sounds like it should. Cook the meat alone first, let it get some color, and the garlic and ginger only need those last 2-3 minutes to bloom without scorching.

The other thing that trips people up: adding the coleslaw mix too early or drowning it in sauce before it’s had a chance to cook down. Cabbage releases water as it softens. Add the soy sauce and rice vinegar at the start and you end up with a soupy skillet instead of a coated one. Let the cabbage cook down first, then hit it with sauce right at the end so it clings instead of pooling.

Ingredients

• 1 lb (450g) ground chicken
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 1 14-oz (400g) bag coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage + carrots)
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (optional, for heat)
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
• 3 green onions, sliced
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the sesame oil.
2. Add the ground chicken and cook 6-7 minutes, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until browned and no longer pink.
3. Stir in the onion, garlic, and ginger. Cook 2-3 minutes, until the onion softens and the kitchen starts smelling like ginger instead of raw meat.
4. Add the coleslaw mix. Toss it through the chicken so everything’s coated.
5. Cook 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage softens and loses its raw crunch — it’ll still have some bite, that’s fine.
6. Pour in the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chili garlic sauce if you’re using it.
7. Mix well and cook another 2-3 minutes so the sauce reduces slightly and coats everything instead of sitting at the bottom of the pan.
8. Pull the skillet off the heat.
9. Stir in the green onions and sesame seeds.
10. Taste. Adjust salt, pepper, or a splash more soy sauce if it needs it.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes Servings: 6

Tips

• Don’t skip browning the chicken alone first.
• Drain excess fat if your chicken is on the fattier side, otherwise the sauce won’t cling to the cabbage the way it should.
• A wok or the widest skillet you own works better than a narrow pot — you want surface area so the cabbage cooks down instead of steaming in a pile.
• Add the sesame seeds at the very end, off heat. On the pan they just burn instead of toasting further.

Variations

Ground turkey works fine here and I’d use it without thinking twice — the texture’s close enough that most people won’t notice. Ground pork is the one I’d actually skip for this dish; it’s heavier than the recipe wants and fights with the sesame-ginger flavor instead of supporting it. If you want it spicier, sriracha does the job, but chili garlic sauce keeps some texture instead of thinning the sauce out.

Make-Ahead Notes

The cooked filling keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days and reheats well in a skillet or the microwave. What doesn’t work: prepping the raw coleslaw mix and chicken together ahead of time. The cabbage releases liquid as it sits, and you’ll end up braising the chicken in cabbage water instead of browning it. Keep raw components separate until you’re ready to cook.

FAQ

Is egg roll in a bowl keto-friendly? Yes — without the wrapper, this is naturally low-carb. Most of the carbs come from the coleslaw mix and a bit from the sauce, so it fits keto and low-carb diets without any swaps needed.

Can I use ground beef instead of chicken? You can, though I wouldn’t recommend it here. Ground beef brings a heavier, fattier flavor that overpowers the ginger and sesame instead of letting them come through — chicken or turkey stays lighter and lets the sauce do the talking.

What can I serve with egg roll in a bowl? [PLACEHOLDER: I usually just eat it straight out of the skillet, but] steamed rice or cauliflower rice underneath turns it into a full meal instead of a side dish.

Can I freeze the leftovers? Freezing works, but the cabbage texture suffers — it goes from soft-crisp to noticeably mushy once thawed. If you’re planning to freeze, it’s fine, just know the texture won’t be exactly like day one.

Why is my egg roll in a bowl watery? This usually means the sauce went in too early or the cabbage wasn’t given enough time to cook down before the liquid was added. Let the cabbage soften fully first, then add the soy sauce and vinegar right at the end.

Closing Thoughts

This is one of those recipes I keep a bag of coleslaw mix in the fridge specifically for — it’s become the thing I make when I don’t want to think about dinner but still want it to taste like something. Leftover filling also makes a solid lettuce-wrap lunch the next day if you want to switch up the format without cooking anything new.

About the Author

I’m Kima, and I test recipes in my own kitchen before they make it onto this blog — weeknight dinners that hold up on a Tuesday, not just for photos.

Kima

Egg Roll in a Bowl

This Egg Roll in a Bowl is a quick, flavorful, and low-carb dinner made with ground chicken, tender cabbage, carrots, garlic, ginger, and a savory soy-sesame sauce. It delivers all the delicious flavors of an egg roll without the wrapper and is ready in just 35 minutes.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Asian-Inspired

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Chicken and Vegetables

• 1 lb ground chicken about 450 g
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 medium onion finely diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
• 1 14-oz bag coleslaw mix about 400 g; shredded cabbage and carrots

Sauce and Seasoning

• 3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce optional, for heat
• salt to taste
• black pepper to taste

For Finishing

• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 3 green onions sliced

Equipment

• 1 Large skillet
• 1 Wooden spoon
• 1 Cutting board
• 1 Chef’s knife
• 1 Grater For the fresh ginger

Method

 

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add the sesame oil and ground chicken. Cook for 6–7 minutes, breaking the chicken into small crumbles with a wooden spoon, until browned and no longer pink.
3. Add the diced onion, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion begins to soften and the mixture is fragrant.
4. Add the coleslaw mix to the skillet and toss until evenly combined with the chicken.
5. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage and carrots are tender but still retain a little texture.
6. Pour in the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and chili garlic sauce, if using. Stir well to coat the chicken and vegetables.
7. Cook for another 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is absorbed slightly and the flavors are well combined.
8. Remove the skillet from the heat. Stir in most of the sliced green onions and toasted sesame seeds.
9. Taste and adjust with additional salt, black pepper, or soy sauce as needed.
10. Garnish with the remaining green onions and serve warm.

Notes

Ground meat: Ground turkey may be used instead of ground chicken.

Soy sauce alternative: Use tamari for a gluten-free option, checking that all other packaged ingredients are also certified gluten-free.

Heat level: Chili garlic sauce is optional. Leave it out for a mild dish or add more for extra heat.

Cabbage texture: Avoid overcooking the coleslaw mix. It should become tender while retaining a slight bite.

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Reheating: Reheat in a skillet over medium heat or microwave until hot throughout.