Tiffany Haney
Air fryers are a great way to make homemade egg rolls. They are healthier, faster, and easier than deep-frying, and they produce a crispy, crunchy texture without the extra fat. You can use various fillings for your egg rolls, such as cooked ground pork, chicken, beef, or tofu, and vegetables like cabbage, carrots, and mushrooms. The filling can be made in advance and stored in the fridge, making it a convenient option for a quick and delicious snack or appetizer. The egg rolls are then brushed with oil and cooked in the air fryer for a tasty treat that's hard to stop eating!
Characteristics and Values Table for Homemade Egg Rolls in an Air Fryer
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Type of Cooking | Air frying |
| Health Benefits | Healthier than deep frying |
| Time Taken | A fraction of the time it would take to call for delivery |
| Oil Usage | Light coating of oil |
| Filling | Pork, chicken, beef, tofu, shrimp, vegetables, mushrooms, sauces, spices |
| Filling Preparation | Cook filling ingredients, cool down, assemble egg rolls, store in fridge |
| Wrappers | Egg roll wrappers, preferably square-shaped |
| Wrapper Preparation | Place wrapper like a diamond, add filling, seal with water or egg, roll tightly |
| Cooking Time | Around 10 minutes, until golden brown |
| Cooking Temperature | 360-400˚F |
| Reheating | Air fry at 370˚F for 2 minutes |
| Storing | Refrigerate covered leftovers for 2-3 days |
| Freezing | Freeze cooled egg rolls for 2 hours, then transfer to freezer storage |
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What You'll Learn
How to make the filling
To make the filling for your homemade egg rolls, you can use a variety of ingredients, depending on your preferences. A basic filling typically includes cooked protein and vegetables, seasoned with sauces and spices. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to make a filling with a variety of options:
Ingredients and Preparation:
First, decide on your protein. You can use ground pork, chicken, turkey, beef, shrimp, or tofu. Ensure that the meat is cooked before adding it to the egg roll wrapper. If using tofu, opt for extra-firm tofu, and press it dry. For a vegetarian option, you can use crumbled tofu instead of meat.
Next, prepare your vegetables. You can use pre-made coleslaw mix, which usually includes shredded cabbage and carrots, or shred/chop them yourself. Other vegetables you can add include celery, mushrooms, ginger, garlic, green onions, and scallions.
Cooking Instructions:
Heat some oil in a pan, and stir-fry your choice of garlic, ginger, and celery until fragrant. If you're using mushrooms, add them now and cook until softened. Then, add your protein of choice and cook until it's no longer pink or raw.
After your protein is cooked, add the coleslaw mix and cook until the cabbage is wilted. You can also add shredded carrots at this stage if you haven't used the coleslaw mix.
Finally, add your seasonings and sauces. You can use soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, black pepper, salt, red pepper flakes, sesame oil, oyster sauce, and sriracha. Stir everything together, and your filling is ready!
Remember to let the filling cool down before assembling your egg rolls. You can even make the filling a day or two in advance and store it in the fridge. This filling will be enough for about six egg rolls, but you can adjust the quantities as needed.
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Wrapping the egg rolls
To wrap the egg rolls, place the egg roll wrapper so that one corner is facing you. The wrapper should be diamond-shaped, with the bottom corner pointing towards you. Place about 1/3 cup of the filling in the bottom third of the wrapper.
Dip your fingers in water and dampen the edges of the wrapper. Then, fold the left and right corners of the wrapper towards the centre. Next, fold the bottom corner over the centre and roll it towards the remaining point to form a tight cylinder. Press the edges to seal. Repeat this process until all your wrappers and filling are used up.
Some recipes suggest sealing the edges with a beaten egg instead of water. You can also brush the tops of the egg rolls with olive oil before placing them in the air fryer.
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Cooking in the air fryer
Air-fried egg rolls are a healthier alternative to deep-fried egg rolls, and they are also faster to cook. The air fryer's convection oven technology uses circulating hot air to cook the food, resulting in a crispy exterior and tender, perfectly cooked interior.
To cook homemade egg rolls in an air fryer, first prepare your filling. You can use cooked ground pork, chicken, beef, or tofu, along with vegetables such as cabbage, carrots, and green onions. Season the filling with soy sauce, vinegar, salt, pepper, and spices like ginger and garlic. You can make the filling in advance and store it in the refrigerator for a day or two.
When you're ready to cook, set up your air fryer by spraying the basket with cooking spray or brushing it with oil. Place the assembled egg rolls in the basket, ensuring they don't touch each other, and brush or spray the tops with oil. Preheat the air fryer to 360°F if needed, and cook the egg rolls for 7 minutes. Then, flip the egg rolls, brush them with more oil, and cook for an additional 2 minutes. The total cooking time may vary depending on the size of your egg rolls, the type of air fryer, and the number of egg rolls in the basket.
If you're cooking frozen egg rolls, brush them with oil and cook at 360°F for 10-12 minutes, without thawing them first. Freshly cooked egg rolls can be served with a dipping sauce of your choice.
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Storing and reheating
To reheat your egg rolls and get them crispy again, the best option is to use an air fryer. Preheat your air fryer to 350–370 °F. Place the egg rolls in a single layer in the air fryer basket and reheat for one to three minutes, depending on their size. You can reheat them in batches if your air fryer basket is too small.
You can also reheat egg rolls in the oven. Preheat your oven to 350 °F and place the egg rolls in an oven-safe dish. Reheat for six to seven minutes, or until they are warmed through and crispy.
Another option is to use a combination of the microwave and the oven. First, microwave the egg rolls on a plate or in a dish at a low level for one to two minutes to warm the filling. Then, transfer them to a hot oven to crisp up the wrapper.
If you want to store your egg rolls for longer, you can freeze them. Allow them to cool completely, then place them on a baking sheet or plate lined with parchment paper and freeze for two hours. After that, transfer them to freezer storage. Frozen egg rolls can be stored for up to three months. To reheat frozen egg rolls, do not thaw them first. Brush them with olive oil and cook in the air fryer at 360 °F for 10 to 12 minutes.
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Gluten-free alternatives
To make gluten-free egg rolls in an air fryer, you can use gluten-free wonton wrappers. You can make these yourself by preparing wonton wrapper dough according to a recipe and rolling it out very thinly. You can also buy gluten-free egg roll and wonton wrappers, such as Mom's Place Gluten-Free Egg Rolls & Wonton Wraps Mix.
To make the egg rolls, prepare your filling. Traditional Chinese-style egg rolls include cooked ground pork, ginger, garlic, scallion, carrot, and cabbage. You can also add cooked rice, steak, onions, or any cooked protein and vegetables. Season with soy sauce and rice wine vinegar.
Once your filling is ready, roll scoops of about 1/4 cup of the mixture into each gluten-free wrapper. Brush the egg rolls with olive oil and place them in the air fryer basket, seam-side down, without letting them touch each other. Bake at 360˚F for 7 minutes, then flip and bake for an additional 2 minutes.
You can also make gluten-free egg rolls using Paleo-friendly coconut wrappers. Place the filling in the coconut wrappers and fry in the air fryer at 300ºF for 3 minutes.
You can also buy frozen, prepared gluten-free egg rolls and cook them in the air fryer. Place the frozen egg rolls in the air fryer basket and cook for 12 to 14 minutes at 400 F. There is no need to add extra oil or thaw them before cooking, but make sure to cook them in a single layer to ensure maximum crunch.
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Frequently asked questions
It depends on the size of your egg rolls, the type of air fryer you have, and how many egg rolls are in the basket. Typically, it takes around 9 minutes to cook egg rolls in an air fryer.
Preheat your air fryer to 360°F. Then, cook your egg rolls for 7 minutes. Flip the egg rolls over, brush with more oil, and cook for an additional 2 minutes at the same temperature.
You can put almost anything in egg rolls. If you're looking for a Chinese takeout-style filling, start with a pork filling with ginger, garlic, scallion, carrot, and cabbage. First, cook the ground pork in a large skillet until it's cooked through. Then, add the veggies and cook until they are wilted. Season the filling with soy sauce and rice wine vinegar.
Place an egg roll wrapper on a dry work surface with one corner facing you. Place about 1/3 cup of filling in the bottom half of the wrapper. Dip your fingers in water and dampen the edges of the wrapper. Fold the left and right points of the wrapper towards the center. Finally, roll the wrapper towards the remaining point to form a tight cylinder and press the edges to seal.
Allow the egg rolls to cool and store them covered in the fridge for 2-3 days. To reheat, air fry at 370°F for 2 minutes.
