Homemade Egg Rolls in the Ninja Foodi couldn't be easier and they, honest-to-goodness, taste like they were deep fried!
Homemade Egg Rolls in the Ninja Foodi couldn't be easier and they, honest-to-goodness, taste like they were deep fried!Ever since we moved to a teeny tiny town with a population of less than 800 (not a typo), I have had to get pretty creative in the kitchen! There isn't a restaurant to be found in our town and the nearest "bigger" town is severely lacking in culinary adventures.
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We love Asian food and I really love a good Egg Roll. Finding a good Egg Roll can be challenging even in a big city, so you know I'm not finding one in these parts! What do I do to satisfy my Egg Roll craving? Make them, of course!
Now, I would have NEVER wanted to be bothered with all the muss and fuss of deep frying a home made egg roll, not to mention deep frying isn't exactly healthy. Funny how I don't mind buying a deep fried egg roll, but the thought of frying one myself is cringe-worthy. Denial. Plain and simple. Denial.
Thanks to the Ninja Foodi, I can make, air crisp, and enjoy a healthier and tastier version of my favorite Asian treat! If you don't have a Ninja Foodi yet, seriously... why?
It is the best small kitchen appliance I have ever owned!
This little gem does EVERYTHING!
You can read all about it in my article: How to Use the Ninja Foodi: Volume One ~ Getting Started.
I'll bet you'll be a Ninja Foodi owner in no time at all!
Are Homemade Egg Rolls Easy to Make in the Ninja Foodi?
Absolutely! It is as simple as stir frying some veggies with your choice of meat (if using) and adding in a few simple seasonings. Then you wrap the filling in an Egg Roll wrapper and Air Crisp it!
Super simple! The best thing about making Homemade Egg Rolls is the versatility of them! I almost always use leftovers to create my egg rolls and guess what? They don't have to be Asian inspired either!
What Variations of Homemade Egg Rolls Can I Make?
The sky is the limit! You can pretty much make a filling out of anything as long as it isn't too wet. Here are some examples of Homemade Egg Rolls that you can make.
Rueben Egg Rolls: These are super easy to make with left over corned beef! You can also use deli corned beef because if you make my recipe for Corned Beef & Cabbage, there won't be any left overs!
Simply combine corned beef (diced up small) with drained sauerkraut and grated Swiss cheese. Use about ½ cup of filling per egg roll. Air Crisp per the directions in the recipe for Homemade Egg Rolls. Make up a dipping sauce by combining mayo, ketchup, sweet or dill pickle relish. Delish!
Philly Cheese Steak Egg Rolls: You can pretty much these any way you like your cheese steak. Just make sure none of the ingredients are too wet. So, if you want to add hot peppers that are in a sauce, drain the sauce first.
Thinly slice or dice left over steak and combine with sautéed onions and peppers. Add shredded cheese of choice. Wrap, Air Crisp. Done. These would be great served with a cheese sauce.
Cheeseburger Egg Rolls: Oh man, these sound good! Sauté some ground beef with onions, salt and pepper. Use whatever cheese you like and there you have it... a cheeseburger egg roll!
Southwestern Egg Rolls: use leftover Mexican food to create your version of a Southwestern Egg Roll! These sound so darn good, I might have to write up a recipe just for them!
Apple Pie Egg Rolls: Say what? Yep! Egg Rolls can be for dessert and they are delicious! Simply dice up some apples and sauté with a little butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in the Ninja Foodi. Then allow to cool and drain the sauce, but keep it as a dipping sauce or to drizzle over the egg rolls. Fill and Wrap the Egg Roll and Air Crisp per the Homemade Egg Roll recipe below.
Can I use a different type of meat in these Homemade Egg Rolls?
Absolutely! In fact, you can even skip the meat if you want! If you want to make Chicken Egg Rolls, just substitute the shredded pork with already cooked shredded chicken.
I recommend using precooked meats since the veggies take no time at all to stir fry. The exceptions are; ground meats and shrimp. You can add those in while stir frying the veggies. I would add the shrimp towards the end of the saute since they only take a short time to cook.
How to make your own Red Chili Pepper Paste
Cut the stems off of 1 ½ pounds of red chili peppers and cut into large slices. I usually make the slices about ½ inch thick or so.
Add 2 cups of water to the inner pot of the Ninja Foodi and add the chili peppers and 1 Tbsp of lemon juice.
Put the pressure cooker lid on and make sure to put the black valve to seal. Set the pressure cooker on high for 10 minutes.
Allow to natural release for 10 minutes and then manually release the remaining pressure.
Allow the mixture to cool and then puree in a blender until smooth.
Add 2-3 tsp of xanthan gum to thicken.
You can store the red chili pepper paste in the fridge for a few days or in the freezer for a few months.
Here are some Tips for Making Homemade Egg Rolls
Have the right amount of filing: It is really important to have the right amount of filling no matter what type of homemade egg roll you are making. I use about ½ cup of filling per 6.5" x 6.5" size egg roll wrapper. Too little filling and the egg roll wrapper will be gummy in places. Too much filling and you can tear the wrapper which also leads to uneven cooking from the juices coming through the tear.
Shred or Chop your ingredients: The filling ingredients should be shredded or chopped small. Larger pieces can tear the egg roll wrapper and cause the filling and/or juices to leak out.
Make sure your filling isn't too wet: This is a big one. If your filling is too wet, your egg roll wrappers will start to fall apart before they have a chance to cook and the liquid is released from the holes and the egg roll just doesn't cook correctly. I usually let my filling drain for a while and sometimes I will squeeze out the excess moisture. Don't go overboard here, some liquid is okay... just make sure it isn't soppy wet.
Have the filling at the right temperature: If you are sautéing the filling, like I did in the video for Homemade Egg Rolls in the Ninja Foodi, pop the filling in the fridge for 15-30 minutes or allow it cool on the counter 30-45 minutes. If the filling is too hot, it will start to cook the egg roll wrapper and become gummy. If it is too cold, your egg roll might cook on the outside before it is warm in the center.
Have enough space to roll the egg rolls: Whether you are making 4 homemade egg rolls or 40, I recommend setting up an area that is big enough to assemble all of your ingredients and have them nearby. I love using this mat from Pampered Chef.
Roll your egg roll correctly: This is super important so that you have a nice even and round egg roll that is free from gaps that could leak filling. You can watch me roll the homemade egg rolls in this video: Homemade Egg Rolls in the Ninja Foodi.
Homemade Egg Rolls in the Ninja Foodi
Ingredients
Asian Egg Roll Filling
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- ¼ head cabbage thinly sliced
- 1 carrot sliced into thin strips
- 2 green onions chopped
- 2 cups pork cooked and shredded
- 2 tsp ginger grated
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp red chili pepper paste see post for details
For the Sauce
- 2 Tbsp honey
- 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp spicy mustard
- 1 tsp red chili pepper paste see post for details
- 1 tsp ginger grated
For the Egg Roll
- 4 Egg Roll Wrappers
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
Instructions
For the Egg Rolls
- Thinly slice cabbage and carrots or you can use a the pre-shredded coleslaw mix. About 4 cups will make 4 egg rolls. Peel and grate your ginger and chop the green onions.
- Turn the Ninja Foodi to the sear/saute function and set the heat to high. Add in 2 tsp of sesame oil and cabbage/carrot mixture. Add precooked shredded pork or chicken. Add in the green onions. * see post for details if you are using shrimp
- Add in the rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and red pepper paste. Stir to combine and saute on high for 3-5 minutes or until the vegetables are the texture you like and most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Remove from the pot and allow to cool. Preheat the Ninja Foodi for 10 minutes on Air Crisp at 390° F.
- Add about ½ cup of filling into the egg roll wrapper, lightly brush beaten egg along the edges and roll as instructed in the video or see pictures in the post. Lightly brush with olive oil and place on the rack in the high position in the Ninja Foodi.
- Air Crisp for 10-15 minutes, flipping about every 3 minutes to ensure even crisping. Remove and Serve with dipping sauce.
For the Sauce
- Combine sauce ingredients in a medium size bowl.
Nutrition
I HOPE YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE AS MUCH AS I DO!
Check out this Orange Beef & Broccoli Recipe! Wouldn't that go great with these Homemade Eggrolls? I think so!
Stevi Smith
Can these be made with spring roll wrappers instead of egg roll wrappers?
Louise
I would think so, assuming you are talking about the wrappers that are usually fried and not the rice paper ones.
Lisa
I used to LOVE Applebees’ cheeseburger egg rolls, but they quit making them. After getting the Foodi and watching your video I felt like I could tackle it in my kitchen. My first effort came out a little singed and I’m going to have to get the hang of wrapping them without leaving holes. But they still tasted good!
I’m wondering if anyone else who lives at a higher altitude has a problem with using the air crisp function. Most things I’ve tried have ended up either singed or a bit dry. Bake/roast seems to give me better results.
Louise
That is an interesting question about air frying at altitude and I haven't heard much about it honestly. I wonder if you reduce the heat a little more if that would help.
Artie
I love your recipes. I’m new to the ninja foodie but my friend turned me on to you and I’ve been extremely grateful for your videos and recipes. In this recipe above it never says when to add the green onions. I added them after I had removed the veggies from the heat but I guess they should have been sautéed with the other vegetables.
Thanks again.
Artie Weinberg
Louise
Thanks for letting me know, I will fix the recipe. I usually add green onions towards the end of cooking, but in this recipe I would add them with the other veggies to sauté for a few minutes.
Lori Cain
I love love love egg rolls and I can't wait to try them in the Foodi, thank you so much Louise and Jeff for all the great recipes!!
Louise
You are so welcome and I hope you love these!