Crispy Pork and Cabbage Egg Rolls (VIDEO)
Crispy pork and cabbage egg rolls with savory filling, fried golden and perfect with sweet chili sauce—an easy homemade recipe better than takeout.
Like my Homemade Chicken Egg Rolls, these pork and cabbage egg rolls are golden, crispy on the outside and packed with savory filling inside. They are the perfect appetizers and are the kind of comfort food that disappears fast from the table. They’re crunchy, juicy, and full of flavor, especially when dipped in sweet chili sauce.
If you don’t know what to cook for Lunar New Year, check out my Top 12 Favorite Dishes for Chinese New Year.
Why Egg Rolls Are Popular During Lunar New Year
Egg rolls are often served during Lunar New Year because their golden, crispy shape resembles bars of gold, symbolizing wealth and prosperity for the year ahead. Crispy foods also represent happiness and celebration, which is why they’re such a staple on festive tables. Serving egg rolls is like wishing your family abundance, good fortune, and a prosperous year.
My Grandma’s Egg Roll Recipe
There are so many ways to make egg roll filling — some people add glass noodles, bean sprouts, or different vegetables. But this version is my grandma’s way, simple and classic, focusing on pork, cabbage, mushrooms, and seasoning. It’s savory, balanced, and the exact flavor I grew up eating.
Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make the Best Pork & Cabbage Egg Rolls:
- Egg Roll Wrapper: you can find the wrapper in the frozen section of any Asian grocery store.
- Ground Pork: if you don’t like pork, you can also use ground chickek, turkey, or beef.
- Taiwanese Cabbage: any green cabbage works in this recipe.
- Carrots & Mushroom: feel free to customize with your favorite vegetables.
- Soy Sauce: use light soy sauce, don’t use dark soy sauce.
- Salt & White Pepper: Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking before wrapping.
- Sweet Chili Sauce: this is my preferred dipping sauce, but you can also use any dumpling dipping sauce or even chili oil.
- Oil for Frying: any neutral oil works (avocado, grape seed, canola, vegetable, sunflower)
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Let’s Make Crispy Pork & Cabbage Egg Rolls!
- Cook the Meat: Heat 1 tbsp of neutral over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ground pork and cook until brown. Remove and set it aside.
- Stir Fry Cabbage: In the same pan or wok, add 1 tbsp of neutral oil. Toss in cabbage and cook until soft.
- Add Vegetables: Add carrots, mushroom, and green onions. Stir fry for 2-3 minutes until the vegetables soften.
- Add Pork & Seasoning: Add the cooked pork back in, along with sauce and seasoning. Stir well and let the filling cool before wrapping.
Step 5. Wrap the Egg Rolls: Place the egg roll wrapper in diamond shape and fold the bottom corner toward the center. Add 2 tbsp of filling.
Step 6: Fold in the side corners.
Step 7: Roll tightly like a burrito, and brush the top corner with egg wash.
Step 8: Seal the edges. Then continue assembling with the remaining filling.
Step 9: Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). Gently add the egg rolls in batches.
Step 10: Frying them for about 3-4 minutes. Flip them over and fry the other side for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.
How to Serve Egg Rolls
Serve the egg rolls hot with sweet chili sauce. You can also serve them with dumpling sauce or chili oil.
Substitutions & Variations
This recipe is super forgiving and customizable. Once you know the base, you can make it your own every time.
- Cabbage options: Taiwanese cabbage is tender and slightly sweet, but green cabbage or Napa cabbage both work great.
- Ground Pork: You can also use ground chicken, turkey, or even chopped shrimp instead of pork.
- Make it vegetarian: Skip the pork and use finely chopped mushrooms, shredded tofu, or extra cabbage and carrots. Use mushroom bouillon instead of chicken.
- Add some heat: Stir chili flakes, chili oil, or finely diced fresh chili into the filling.
- Different sauces: Serve with duck sauce, plum sauce, soy-vinegar dipping sauce, or hot mustard instead of sweet chili sauce.
- Baked or air fryer version: Brush rolls lightly with oil and bake or air fry until golden for a lighter option (texture will be less bubbly than deep fried).
- Extra aromatics: Add grated ginger or a splash of sesame oil to the filling for deeper flavor.
Equipment
How to Store and Reheat
To Store: Store leftover cooked egg rolls in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.
To Reheat: Air fry or bake at 375°F until crispy again. Avoid microwaving — it softens the wrapper.
Top Tips for Success
Cook out moisture – Wet filling makes soggy egg rolls and causes splattering when frying.
Roll tightly – Loose rolls can open while frying.
Don’t overcrowd oil – This lowers the oil temperature and makes rolls greasy.
Seal well – Use water or egg wash to secure edges.
Let filling cool before wrapping – Warm filling can tear wrappers.
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Crispy Pork and Cabbage Egg Rolls (VIDEO)
Ingredients
- 1 package Egg roll wrapper
- 1 lb Ground pork
- 4 clove Garlic, minced
- 3 cups Taiwanese cabbage, shredded
- 1 Carrot, peeled and julienned
- 1 cup Shiitake mushroom, rehydrated and chopped
- 2 Green onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp Light soy sauce
- 1 tsp Chicken bouillon powder
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp White pepper
- 1 tsp White sugar
- Neutral oil , for frying
- Sweet Chili Sauce, for dipping
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
Make the Filling
- In a wok or large cooking pan, heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and ground pork and stir-fry until brown. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Toss in cabbage and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until tender. Then add carrot, mushroom, and green onion. Continue cooking until just softened.
- Throw the cooked pork back to the pan, then add soy sauce, chicken bouillon powder, garlic powder, salt, white pepper, and sugar. Mix everything together until well combined. Turn off heat and let the filling cool down.
Wrap the Egg Rolls
- Place an egg roll wrapper in a diamond shape.To wrap the egg rolls, first fold the bottom corner toward the center. Add 2 tablespoons of filling near the bottom corner. Fold in side corners. Roll tightly like a burrito, and seal the top corner with egg wash (mix 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water). See above post for step-by-step photos. Continue assembling with the remaining filling.
Fry the Egg Rolls
- Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). Carefully add egg rolls in batches, and fry them until golden brown and crispy, about 3–4 minutes. Flip over and fry the other side for 3-4 minutes. Remove and drain on a paper towel.
- Serve immediately with sweet chili sauce and enjoy!
