Let Me Tell You About This Lazy Genius Egg Roll in a Bowl

So, there I was staring at the fridge at 7:30pm, wondering what on earth to do with a half-cabbage and some ground pork that had definitely passed its prime (but not in a dangerous way, I promise). My youngest comes in and goes, "Can we have those fun egg rolls again?"—as if I ever want to deep-fry anything on a weeknight. So, this dish was born like most of my dinner hacks: from desperation, a dash of laziness, and a flash of brilliance that only comes when you're already in pajamas. And honestly, it’s become a sort of go-to. If this sounds familiar to you, you're in the right place.

Why You'll Love This Mess (No, Really)

I make this when my brain’s fried and my family’s hungry (sometimes myself included). My kids devour it—even the cabbage, which is a small miracle in itself. There’s something magical about that saucy, savory thing happening with the ground meat and veggies. It gives you all the flavor of an egg roll, but without all that oil or fiddly rolling. Plus, if you’re like me and always forget to thaw meat, you can even start with frozen ground meat if you’re feeling bold. (Don’t ask how I know, but it works.) Oh, and if you’re watching carbs, this is basically a freebie.

What You'll Need (Plus a Few Shortcuts)

450g (1 lb) ground pork (I’ve also done this with ground turkey, and it’s totally fine. My grandmother swore by ground chicken, but honestly, use what you’ve got.)
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced (or a tablespoon of the stuff form a jar if you can’t be bothered. I won’t judge.)
1 small head green cabbage, shredded (Bagged coleslaw mix saves time—sometimes I’ll grab that when I can’t face the mandoline.)
2 carrots, julienned or grated (Or, you can skip them entirely if you’re out.)
3 tablespoons soy sauce (Coconut aminos if you’re feeling fancy or gluten-free. Tamari also works.)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated (or ½ teaspoon ground—actually, I find it works better if I toss in a smidge extra.)
Pinch of red pepper flakes (Totally optional, but it wakes things up!)
2 green onions, sliced (I sometimes skip these if I can’t find them, but they do make it look pretty.)
Salt and pepper, to taste

How I Throw It Together (In No Particular Order)

Brown the meat. Get a big ol' skillet or wok on medium-high. Toss in your pork (or whatever ground meat you found in the freezer). Break it up as it cooks; don't stress the clumps. Once it’s no longer pink, you can drain some fat if you want—sometimes I do, sometimes not. Depends how I’m feeling about my arteries that day.
Add aromatics. Stir in the diced onion and garlic. This is where the kitchen starts to smell like you know what you’re doing. Cook a few minutes, till the onion’s soft. If you’re feeling wild, toss in the ginger now too.
Veggie time! Throw in the shredded cabbage and carrots. There’ll be a moment where it looks like way too much cabbage. Don’t worry—it shrinks faster than my willpower at a bakery. Stir it all up and let it cook down for around 5-8 minutes, stirring now and then.
Make it saucy. Splash in soy sauce, a drizzle of sesame oil, and the red pepper flakes. Stir everything together, make sure the cabbage gets coated. Give it another 2-3 minutes. This is where I usually sneak a taste (just to be sure, right?).
Finishing touches. Scatter the green onions on top, season with salt and pepper. If it looks a little dry, you can always add a splash more soy sauce or even a bit of chicken broth (I sometimes do when I’ve been overzealous with the cabbage).

Random Notes (Learned the Hard Way)

If you chop the cabbage too chunky, it takes forever to cook down. But too fine and it gets mushy. Somewhere in the middle is your sweet spot.
Once I forgot the sesame oil and it tasted a bit flat—not the end of the world, but don’t skip it unless you have to.
This is amazing with a squirt of sriracha or chili crisp on top. Or maybe that's just me?
Don’t panic if it looks a bit soupy; it thickens as it sits.
I tried adding water chestnuts once because I saw it on a food blog, but honestly, it was just weirdly crunchy in a way I did not love.

If You Want to Experiment (Or Just Ran Out of Something)

Protein swap: Turkey, chicken, or even beef will work. Tofu is possible, but it gets a bit crumbly (tastes good though).
Vegetarian-ish: I tried it with mushrooms and tofu one rainy Tuesday, and it was alright but needed more seasoning.
Make it spicy: Add more red pepper flakes, or go wild and try a bit of gochujang.
Peanut sauce: I once stirred in a spoon of peanut butter (don’t tell my spouse) and it was lovely—sort of like satay egg roll vibes.

Gear I Use (But You Can Improvise)

Large skillet or wok (If you only have a big pot, that works too; you’ll just have to stir a bit more. My friend made this in a Dutch oven once and said it was fine, so there’s that.)
Sharp knife for the cabbage—or just buy the bagged stuff and save your wrists.
Wooden spoon (or whatever you’ve got handy; I sometimes use tongs if everything else is in the dishwasher)

Easy Egg Roll in a Bowl (Low-Carb Recipe)

How I Store It (When It Lasts Long Enough)

Pop leftovers into an airtight container; it’ll keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave or a skillet. Honestly though, in my house it never lasts more than a day—I've literally seen my partner eat it cold, standing at the fridge. (No judgment.)

How We Eat It (And a Little Digression)

I like to serve this in a bowl with a sprinkle of sesame seeds (if I remembered to buy them). Sometimes I’ll add a soft-fried egg on top, because why not? My cousin swears by a squirt of hoisin, but I say live and let live. On colder nights, I’ll spoon it over some cauliflower rice for a bit more bulk. Or, if I’m being honest, sometimes just straight from the skillet while watching reruns—there, I said it.

Oh, and sometimes we’ll have this as a filling for lettuce wraps when we’re feeling extra virtuous. There was one time I tried wrapping it in actual egg roll wrappers and baking them, but that wound up as a weird, sad mess. Live and learn.

Pro Tips (From My Own Mishaps)

Don’t rush the cabbage; if you turn up the heat too high it can scorch, and then you’ll have sad, singed bits (I definitely learned that the hard way).
If you use low-sodium soy sauce, taste before adding salt, or you’ll have a salt bomb.
I once tried doubling the ginger, thinking more is better, but it was a bit too much. Balance is key.

Questions Folks Actually Ask Me

Can I freeze it? Sure, but the cabbage does get a bit mushy. Not terrible, but just so you know—honestly, I don’t bother.
Is this keto? Pretty much, unless you go wild with the carrots or sauce. I mean, check your labels if you’re strict about it.
Can I make it ahead? Yep! I tend to think it tastes better the next day, but that might just be because I don’t want to cook again.
Do you have a favorite soy sauce? I like Kikkoman, but any decent one will do. If you want to nerd out about soy sauce, Serious Eats has a great roundup.
Where did you learn this? Honestly, it’s a mash-up of lazy weeknight inspiration and recipes like the one on Nom Nom Paleo (worth checking out if you want a paleo angle).
Can I add rice? Of course! Or serve it with noodles, or whatever carbs you fancy. No rules in my kitchen.

So, there you have it: my chaotic, comforting, weeknight hero of a recipe. If you try it, let me know how it goes—or what weird tweaks you come up with. Honestly, I’m always game to try someone else’s version. And if you figure out a way to make the leftovers last more than a day, tell me your secret.

Easy Egg Roll in a Bowl (Low-Carb Recipe)