Filled with Italian sausage and shredded vegetables before being fried crisp and golden brown, these Italian Egg Rolls are a fun and unexpected twist on pasta night.
This recipe was a spur-of-the-moment dinner years ago that turned out deliciously. While looking through the refrigerator for inspiration one night, I paused at a package of egg roll wrappers.
That was when I discovered that egg roll wrappers are technically a form of pasta. Did you already know that? Well, one thought led to another and I decided to try an Italian Eggroll combination.
I serve these Italian Eggrolls with 5 Minute Marinara Sauce on the side for dipping and they disappear FAST every time we make them.
The kids, my husband, and I absolutely devoured these eggrolls the first time I made them. My youngest son ate three of them! (The photo at the bottom of this post still makes me grin. I can hardly believe it’s been 11 years since my baby was that small!)
Kitchen Tip: I use this pan, these tongs, and this tray to make this recipe.
Italian Eggrolls
- sweet or hot Italian sausage
- shredded carrots
- shredded cabbage
- garlic powder, salt, and pepper
- egg roll wrappers
- beaten egg
- oil for frying
- marinara sauce for serving
In a large skillet, cook and crumble the sausage. Add the cabbage and carrots to the pan and continue to cook over medium heat.
Season to taste with garlic, salt, and pepper. When the vegetables are crisp-tender, remove the pan from the heat.
How To Roll Egg Rolls
Set up an assembly line with a stack of egg roll wrappers, the sausage mixture, a small bowl holding the water, and another small bowl with the beaten egg.
Separate 1 egg roll wrapper on a plate. Scoop about ¼ cup of the cabbage mixture into the center of each wrapper.
Pull the bottom corner upwards and then tuck the sides into the middle. Roll as tightly as possible. Dip your finger into the water and then into the egg to seal the edges of the roll. When finished wrapping the rolls, stack them on a plate and set aside.
Heat the oil to 350°F in a small heavy saucepan or deep-sided skillet. (Medium heat brings the oil to the correct temperature on my stove.)
Using kitchen tongs to help turn the rolls, pan-fry the rolls in the hot oil for 10-20 seconds on each side. They should be lightly browned.
Transfer the cooked eggrolls to a plate lined with paper towels. Serve hot by themselves or with marinara dipping sauce.
Egg Roll Skillet
All the ingredients we love in classic Chinese Egg Rolls come together in this Egg Roll Stir Fry recipe. This is an irresistible bowl of deconstructed egg rolls and you’re going to love it. Don’t skip the crispy fried wonton strips on top to give your meal a true egg roll flavor and crunch!
You’re only 20 minutes and 5 ingredients away from the awesomeness that is this flavor-filled Sausage Egg Roll In A Bowl! Adding sausage to a simple dish like the above eggroll skillet adds a whole lot of flavor with minimal effort.
I like using breakfast sausage (the hot sausage variety is my first choice) for the abundance of spices that are already there, but any sausage you like will work here.
Italian Egg Rolls
Ingredients
Eggroll Ingredients
- 1 pound sweet or hot Italian sausage
- 2 large carrots shredded, about 1 cup
- 1 very small head of cabbage shredded, about 6 cups
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper adjust to taste
- 1 package egg roll wrappers
- ½ cup water
- 1 beaten egg
- 1-2 cups oil for pan frying I use refined coconut oil (there is no flavor or aroma)
- 2 cups marinara sauce for serving
Instructions
- In a large skillet, cook and crumble the sausage. Add the cabbage and carrots to the pan and continue to cook over medium heat. Season to taste with garlic, salt, and pepper. When the vegetables are crisp-tender, remove the pan from the heat.
- Set up an assembly line with a stack of egg roll wrappers, the sausage mixture, a small bowl holding the water, and another small bowl with the beaten egg. Separate 1 egg roll wrapper on a plate. Spoon about ¼ cup of the cabbage mixture into the center of each wrapper.
- Pull the bottom corner upwards and then tuck the sides into the middle. Roll as tightly as possible. Dip your finger into the water and then into the egg to seal the edges of the roll. When finished wrapping the rolls, stack them on a plate and set aside.
- Heat the oil to 350°F in a small heavy saucepan or deep-sided skillet. (Medium heat brings the oil to the correct temperature on my stove.) Using kitchen tongs to help turn the rolls, pan-fry the rolls in the hot oil for 10-20 seconds on each side. They should be lightly browned.
- Transfer the cooked eggrolls to a plate lined with paper towels. Serve hot by themselves or with marinara dipping sauce.
{originally published 1/10/12 – recipe notes and photos updated 6/12/23}
Jean | Delightful Repast says
Mary, This looked so good I linked to it in my current blog post:
http://delightfulrepast.blogspot.com/2012/09/cocktail-party-foods.html – would have emailed you rather than comment, but I couldn't find your email address. All the best, Jean
nessa0071 says
Must try! Thanks for sharing!
rosemarie says
My son is marrying a gal whos part Fillipino and they make Lumpia. Its AMAZING. First off if you can get to an asian market they use wrappers called Menlo wrappers, and their version is just hamburger with some carrots and onion. Nothing big but so delicious with sweet chili sauce. I bake mine but most deep-fry them. I cant wait to try your version it sounds so delicious
Mary says
Hi Rosemarie,
I found a market just down the street from me that is awesome! I've made traditional lumpia (posted here: http://barefeetinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/01/filipino-lumpia.html) and a baked version (posted here: http://barefeetinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/03/baked-filipino-lumpia.html)
My whole family and all of our friends now love lumpia too! The sweet chili sauce is required for us too. Thanks for saying hi!
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
Pinning!! Love this idea for egg rolls! Especially being Italian, and all 😉
Anonymous says
The whole family loved this recipe! We'll definitely make it again and I might play with adding some different shredded vegetables to the rolls. Thanks for the fun recipe!
NMChey says
These look really good. Thanks for the dinner idea. I think these will be dinner tomorrow. Something different is always welcome. And,. what an adorable baby, who I’m sure is still adorable 5 yrs later. 🙂
Gloria Walther says
This is a great recipe, instead of frying after completion, will they be as good baked? I try to stay away from frying foods.
Mary Lewis says
Maybe you could make them with cabbage leaves, and bake them?
Nadine Brown says
If I wanted to baker them instead what would be the best temperature and for how long to get the crispness?
Mary says
You can use the baking instructions on this recipe: https://barefeetinthekitchen.com/chicken-cordon-bleu-eggrolls/ I haven’t made the Italian eggrolls in the oven myself, but it should work fine.
Brasserie Louis says
I loved this recipe. This Italian eggroll is full of flavors. Thanks for sharing this great recipe.
Val says
Any suggestions for baking these, or would it work. Just so much fat when fried. Thanks.
Katherine says
I love it when spur of the moment ideas turn out well! These look tasty.
Heather Darrow says
Are you sure those are spring roll wrappers in the video and not egg roll wrappers?
Mary says
I’ve made this with both types of wrappers. If I recall correctly those were spring roll wrappers in the video, but again, it will work either way.
Juduth says
Got to try these
Rosario Myshyniuk says
I love your website. All recipes looks really good![5 stars](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODdhAQABAPAAAP///wAAACwAAAAAAQABAEACAkQBADs=)
Mary Lewis says
This looks delicious! Maybe we can try them out this weekend. Thanks for sharing!
dannie says
this is a lovely breakfast or lunch meal.the sauce looks lovely.![5 stars](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODdhAQABAPAAAP///wAAACwAAAAAAQABAEACAkQBADs=)
Diana says
Hi Mary I am Diana and I live in central Ohio also I understand you moved to Central Ohio relatively recently I want to pick your brains and you might enjoy this how far are you from the town of Sunbury they have great old hole in the Wall Chinese restaurant that I cannot get enough of and thank you and your kids may enjoy it it may take one trip and miscellaneous ideas I am interested in their war su gai sauce their table sauce which I think is mostly just oranges and maybe there such one beef if you feel like it taking a day trip with the boys this would be a great place to scope out some new recipes years ago they were featured in The Columbus dispatch as one of the best Chinese restaurants in the area it’s one of those places that I would like to really keep around forever but I don’t think it will stay forever although they do good business not sure exactly where you are but it sounded like you may have landed up sort of near me just get a weekly newsletter from you but I am on the list and you are invited to email me or call may like a chalk with one of my people getting old
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad that you said “hello,” Diana! We’ll put that restaurant on our must-try list. Thanks for the tip!