Air-Fryer Egg Rolls: How Does It Work?

Egg rolls are typically fried, but they can also be cooked in an air fryer. This method is healthier, as it requires less oil, and it's also easier and less messy. You can cook homemade or frozen egg rolls in an air fryer, and you can even reheat them from frozen. If you're using a different air fryer to the one in the recipe, you may need to adjust the cooking time.

How to cook egg rolls in an air fryer

Yes, egg rolls can be cooked in an air fryer. Here's how:

First, make sure you have enough space between your egg rolls for the air to circulate. This will ensure they cook evenly. If you need to, cook them in batches and keep the cooked ones warm in the oven.

Halfway through cooking, flip your egg rolls and spray the other side with olive oil if you think they need it.

To prevent your egg roll wrappers from drying out, cover the ones you are not using with a damp paper towel.

If you are using frozen mini egg rolls, you may need to decrease the cooking time by 2-3 minutes.

The difference between egg rolls and spring rolls

Egg rolls can be cooked in an air fryer. They are delicious and easy to make, especially if you're just reheating them from frozen. You can also make them from scratch, customising the filling to your liking.

Egg rolls and spring rolls are similar in concept, but there are some key differences. The most significant distinction is visual: small bubbles cover an egg roll's surface, while a spring roll's surface is perfectly smooth. This is because egg rolls are wrapped in a thick flour or rice wrapper and then dipped into an egg and flour mixture before being fried, resulting in a crispier texture. Spring rolls, on the other hand, are wrapped in a thin wrapper made from wheat flour or rice flour and water, which shatters into thin flecks of light and crispy dough when bitten into.

Another difference lies in the filling. Egg rolls typically contain a combination of savoury meat and vegetables, such as cooked cabbage, other vegetables, and pork or shrimp. Spring rolls, on the other hand, usually contain only fresh vegetables, although there are several regional variations.

Finally, egg rolls are typically fried, resulting in their bubbly, crispy exteriors. Spring rolls may also be fried, but they can also be baked in the oven or left uncooked.

How to prevent egg rolls from drying out

Yes, egg rolls can be cooked in an air fryer. To prevent them from drying out, there are a few things you can do. Firstly, make sure there is space between the egg rolls in the air fryer so that air can circulate and cook them evenly. If you need to, cook them in batches and keep them warm in the oven. Secondly, when you flip your egg rolls halfway through, you can spray the other side with olive oil if you think they need it. Finally, to prevent the wrappers from drying out, cover the ones you are not using with a damp paper towel.

Egg rolls are typically wrapped in a thick flour or rice wrapper and then dipped into an egg and flour mixture before being fried. Spring rolls, on the other hand, are wrapped in a thinner wrapper and can be fried or baked in the oven. When cooking egg rolls in an air fryer, it is important not to overcrowd them so that they cook evenly. You can also reheat frozen egg rolls in an air fryer, skipping the deep frying and takeout.

Air fryer egg rolls are a healthier alternative to deep-fried egg rolls as they require much less oil. They are also easy to make and customise to your liking. You can use this recipe as a template and experiment with different fillings, as long as you work within the proportions of the original recipe. For example, you can skip the mushrooms, add more meat, swap in tofu, or even make it a crab rangoon filling.

If you are using a different air fryer to the one specified in a recipe, you may need to adjust your cooking time by a minute or two. If you are using frozen mini egg rolls, you may need to decrease the cooking time by 2-3 minutes.

How to make sure egg rolls are cooked evenly

Yes, egg rolls can be cooked in an air fryer. Here are some tips to make sure your egg rolls are cooked evenly:

Don't overcrowd the air fryer. Make sure there is space between the egg rolls so that the air can circulate around them. Cook them in batches if you need to and keep them warm in an oven.

Flip the egg rolls halfway through cooking. You can spray the other side with olive oil if you think it needs it.

Keep the egg roll wrappers damp. Cover the ones you are not using with a damp paper towel to prevent them from drying out.

How to make egg rolls without deep-frying

Yes, egg rolls can be cooked in an air fryer. This method is healthier than deep-frying as it uses much less oil, and it's also easier and less messy. You can make your own egg rolls from scratch and cook them in the air fryer, or you can cook frozen shop-bought egg rolls.

To make your own egg rolls, you can use a recipe and customise it to your liking. For example, you can skip the mushrooms, add more meat, swap in tofu, or make it a crab rangoon filling. Just make sure you work within the proportions of the original recipe.

When cooking egg rolls in an air fryer, make sure there is space between them so that the air can circulate and cook them evenly. You may need to cook them in batches to avoid overcrowding the air fryer. Halfway through, flip the egg rolls and spray the other side with olive oil if you think it needs it. Keep the cooked egg rolls warm in a 200-degree oven on a cookie sheet while you cook the rest.

If you're using frozen egg rolls, you may need to adjust the cooking time. For example, if you're using frozen mini egg rolls, decrease the cooking time by 2-3 minutes.

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