Air Fryer Egg Rolls Recipe

Name: Air Fryer Egg Rolls
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: For the egg rolls:; 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 pound ground pork or chicken; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger; 1 medium carrot, shredded; 3 scallions, chopped; 3 cups shredded green cabbage; 1 tablespoon soy sauce; 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar; 12 egg roll wrappers; Oil, for brushing; For dipping:; Duck sauce; Plum sauce; Soy sauce

Why Air Fry Egg Rolls?

There are two reasons why you might want to air fry your egg rolls.

First, there is a health benefit to air frying over deep frying. While I do recommend very lightly brushing the egg rolls with oil before frying (which gives them some extra crispiness), you don’t have to do that. And either way, the egg rolls are definitely absorbing less oil than if you deep fry them!
For me though, the bigger advantage is time. It takes 30 seconds to flip on the air fryer and the clean-up is worlds easier than dealing with vats of hot oil.

Some traditionally fried recipes adapt well to the air fryer, but egg rolls work really well. They come out crispy and browned, and if you have access to an air fryer, this is a must try!

New to the air fryer? Check out our First Timer's Guide to Using an Air Fryer.

Egg rolls in air fryer recipe air fry the egg rolls — Nick Evans

How to Make Egg Roll Filling

I give you my basic egg roll filling recipe for this version, but I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that I’ll put almost anything in egg rolls (think leftover chicken and rice, steak and onions, etc.). It’s a fridge-cleaner appetizer for me. Any sort of cooked protein can probably be diced and added in. Almost any vegetable can be wilted down and folded in as well.

If I’m starting from scratch, however, I do it the Chinese takeout way: I usually start with a pork filling that has ginger, garlic, scallion, carrot, and cabbage. To make the filling:

First, cook the ground pork in a large skillet until it’s cooked through.
Then add the veggies and cook them until they are wilted down, maybe another few minutes.
Season the filling well with soy sauce and rice wine vinegar.

This should be no surprise, but the filling should taste good before you wrap it up. So taste it and adjust to your liking!

How to Assemble the Egg Rolls

Egg roll wrappers are frequently found in the refrigerated section of your supermarket. They have a few simple ingredients like flour and eggs and are available nationwide these days. If you can’t find them, ask! It’s a good bet your supermarket has them somewhere.

Making egg rolls is like making little mini burritos, except with square tortillas. The key to getting it right is to make sure you turn the square wrapper so a point is facing you (like a diamond). Then place about 1/4 cup of filling in the middle of the wrapper, fold the side points over, and then roll it up!

To make sure the wrapper seals well, I recommend dipping your fingers in water and brushing the outer edges of the wrapper before rolling.

You should get about a dozen egg rolls out of the batch of filling.

How to Air Fry Egg Rolls

When it comes to air frying these, place them in your air fryer basket, but make sure they aren’t stacked or touching. You’ll probably need to do this in two batches.

Brush the egg rolls with a very light coat of oil before air frying. That will help really crisp up the shell. Air fry for about six minutes per side. While you’re at it, hit the basket with some nonstick spray just for good measure to avoid sticking.

Just a note: This recipe was developed using a standard air fryer with a single basket. However, there are many different kinds out there! If you have an air fryer that’s also a combination toaster oven, you may need to use the fryer basket on the lower rack to prevent burning.

Alternative Pan Frying Method

If you don’t have an air fryer, have no fear. People were making egg rolls long before air fryers were invented.

If I’m not using an air fryer, I actually prefer to pan fry egg rolls. You only need enough oil to go about 1/2 inch up a skillet and then fry the egg rolls at 350°F for about four minutes per side. They will be golden brown and wonderful!

Storing and Freezing Egg Rolls

You can certainly make the filling a day or two in advance. Just be sure to keep it in the fridge, covered. If you make the filling right away, be sure to cool it down so it isn’t steaming hot before making egg rolls.

Once your egg rolls are cooked, you can store them in the fridge for five days and reheat them either in a 350°F oven or in the air fryer. Just heat them until they are warmed through. The air fryer will take just a minute or two and the oven about six to seven minutes.

You can also wrap the cooked egg rolls tightly in aluminum foil and freeze them for up to three months. If they are frozen, unwrap and reheat them in the oven only until they are thawed and crispy again. If you try to heat the frozen egg rolls in the air fryer, they will burn on the outside before the inside is thawed.

More Un-Fried Air Fryer Recipes!

Air Fryer Egg Rolls

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 25 mins

Total Time 45 mins

Servings 12 servings

Yield 12 egg rolls

Alternative Pan Fry Method: If you don’t have access to an air fryer, you can make these egg rolls using a traditional pan fry method. Add enough oil to a medium skillet with high walls so the oil is about 1/2 inch up the side of the skillet. Heat oil on medium high heat until it reaches 350°F. Add egg rolls and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, flip, and fry for another 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown. Remove and let them drain and cool on a few paper towels.

For the egg rolls:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground pork or chicken
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 medium carrot, shredded
3 scallions, chopped
3 cups shredded green cabbage
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
12 egg roll wrappers
Oil, for brushing

For dipping:

Duck sauce
Plum sauce
Soy sauce

Cook the filling:

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil along with the ground pork or chicken. Break apart the meat with a spatula or wooden spoon as it cooks. Cook until the meat is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add garlic, ginger, carrot, scallions, and cabbage. Continue to cook until cabbage wilts down and is soft, another 3 to 4 minutes, stirring regularly. Season the filling with soy sauce and rice wine vinegar and take off the heat to cool. (This filling can be made in advance.)

Nick Evans
Assemble the egg rolls:

Place a single egg roll wrapper on a dry surface with one point of the square facing you (like a diamond). Place about 1/4 cup of the egg roll filling mixture in the middle of the wrapper.

Dip your fingers in water and run around the edges of the wrapper. Then fold the edges of the wrapper over the center and start rolling the egg roll away from you to form a tight cylinder. Place on a plate and repeat until you are out of filling. You should get at least a dozen egg rolls.

Nick Evans

Nick Evans
Air fry the egg rolls:

Place the egg rolls in the basket of your air fryer. Spray or brush them lightly with oil. Add as many as you can without stacking the egg rolls, making sure they don’t touch. Air needs to circulate around them. Brush the egg rolls lightly with oil.

Place the basket in the air fryer and turn the air fryer to 350°F. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes, then flip the egg rolls, spray or brush with oil a second time on the bottom side, and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes.

Finished egg rolls should be golden brown and crispy! Serve immediately.

Nick Evans

Nick Evans

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
387	Calories
22g	Fat
29g	Carbs
18g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories	387
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 22g	28%
Saturated Fat 5g	26%
Cholesterol 50mg	17%
Sodium 541mg	24%
Total Carbohydrate 29g	11%
Dietary Fiber 3g	12%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 18g
Vitamin C 15mg	77%
Calcium 69mg	5%
Iron 2mg	11%
Potassium 397mg	8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.