Have you tried egg roll in a bowl? The 20-minute dinner that’s taken the internet by storm – and for very good reason

If you’ve ever ordered a Chinese takeaway largely for the egg rolls and then eaten them before the main course arrived, this recipe is going to make you very happy.

Egg roll in a bowl is exactly what it sounds like – all the flavour of a classic deep-fried egg roll, deconstructed into a quick, satisfying stir-fry that takes about 20 minutes and uses one pan. No rolling, no deep-frying, no pastry. Just the good stuff: savoury ground pork, crunchy cabbage and carrot, fragrant ginger and garlic, soy sauce and a drizzle of sesame oil.

It has become one of the most searched recipes on the internet in recent years, and it’s not hard to understand why. The ingredients are inexpensive and easy to find, the method is genuinely simple and the result tastes far more impressive than the effort involved. It also reheats beautifully, making it ideal for batch cooking or next-day lunches.

Serve it on its own for a lighter meal, over steamed rice for something more substantial, or with a drizzle of chilli sauce if you like a little heat. However you have it, this is the kind of weeknight dinner that earns a permanent place in the rotation.

Egg Roll in a Bowl

Servings 4

Ingredients

500 grams ground pork (or beef or chicken mince)
1 tablespoons tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoons tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated (or 1 tsp ground ginger)
4 cups cups green cabbage, finely shredded (or a 400g bag of coleslaw mix)
2 medium carrots, coarsely grated or julienned
0.3 cups soy sauce (low sodium)
1 tablespoons tbsp hoisin sauce
0.5 teaspoons tsp sugar
2 teaspoons tsp sesame oil
2 eggs (optional but recommended)
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoons tbsp sesame seeds, to serve
1 teaspoons tsp sriracha or chilli sauce, to serve (optional)

Method

1 Prep everything first: If using fresh cabbage, shred finely. Grate or julienne 2 medium carrots, coarsely grated or julienned. Mince 3 garlic cloves, minced and grate 1 tablespoons tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated (or 1 tsp ground ginger). In a small bowl, mix together 0.3 cups soy sauce (low sodium), 1 tablespoons tbsp hoisin sauce and 0.5 teaspoons tsp sugar. Set aside. Having everything ready before you start makes this recipe move quickly.

2 Cook the aromatics: Heat 1 tablespoons tbsp vegetable oil in a large wok or deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 onion, finely diced and cook for 4 minutes until softened. Add 3 garlic cloves, minced and 1 tablespoons tbsp fresh ginger, finely grated (or 1 tsp ground ginger) and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.

3Brown the mince: Add 500 grams ground pork (or beef or chicken mince) and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, for 5–6 minutes until cooked through and beginning to brown. Drain off any excess fat if using fattier mince.

4 Add the vegetables and sauce: Add 4 cups cups green cabbage, finely shredded (or a 400g bag of coleslaw mix) and 2 medium carrots, coarsely grated or julienned to the pan. Pour over the sauce mixture. Toss everything together well and stir-fry for 4–5 minutes until the cabbage has wilted but still has some texture — you want it tender but not completely soft.

5 Add the eggs (optional): If using 2 eggs (optional but recommended), push the mixture to the sides of the pan to create a well in the centre. Crack the eggs into the well and scramble gently over low heat until just set, then stir through the rest of the mixture.

6 Finish and serve: Remove from heat and drizzle 2 teaspoons tsp sesame oil over the top. Taste and adjust seasoning with a little extra soy if needed. Divide between bowls and scatter with 4 spring onions, thinly sliced and 1 tablespoons tbsp sesame seeds, to serve. Add a drizzle of 1 teaspoons tsp sriracha or chilli sauce, to serve (optional) if you like heat. Serve as is or over steamed rice.

TIP: The single biggest time-saver in this recipe is using a bag of pre-shredded coleslaw mix from the supermarket instead of shredding your own cabbage and carrot – it works perfectly and cuts the prep to almost nothing. Ground pork is the most authentic choice and gives the best flavour, but chicken mince makes a lighter version and beef works well too. The scrambled egg stirred through at the end is optional but highly recommended – it adds richness and binds everything together beautifully. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for up to three days and reheat well in a pan or microwave.