I LOVE egg rolls. Whenever we get take out, they’re the first thing that I order. I also love cooking at home, so what better way to get the amazing flavors of a veggie egg roll than by making this Easy Vegan Egg Roll in a Bowl. Inspired by traditional Chinese-American cuisine, this bowl is essentially a deconstructed vegan egg roll with lots of cabbage, marinated tofu, baked egg roll wrapper toppings, and a savory sauce.
the main ingredients
So what goes into a deconstructed or inside-out egg roll? Well, essentially everything that goes in a normal egg roll! For this vegan recipe, you’ll need the following main ingredients:
- Extra Firm Tofu
- Green & Red Cabbage
- Celery
- Carrots
- Green Onion
- Garlic & Ginger
- Sesame Oil, Mirin, Soy Sauce, & Sambal Oelek
the toppings
You can also top this easy egg roll in a bowl with the following tasty ingredients:
- Peanuts
- Cilantro
- Lime
- Sweet Chili Sauce
- Vegan Egg Roll Wrappers– I’m using ones by Nasoya
making the vegan egg roll bowl
marinating the tofu
The very first step to make this dish is to marinate the tofu. You’ll want to combine the marinade ingredients together in a blender and blend until the mixture is combined and the garlic has been chopped. Then you’ll divide this marinade into 2 equal portions. We’ll be using half for the tofu marinade and the other half to pour on the veggies as they cook.
To prep the tofu, cut it into strips about 2” long by ½” wide. Then, place the strips in a shallow dish or container and pour half of the marinade on top. The tofu will soak up all the marinade while you prep the other ingredients.
making the veggies
Next up is cooking all of the veggies! This recipe is great because you can essentially chop up any veggies that you love and incorporate them into the bowl. I’m using cabbage, celery, and carrots in this particular recipe. To cook them up, in a large wok, heat a tsp of sesame oil. You’ll add the green onions and minced garlic, and stir fry them for 3 minutes until fragrant. After they’ve softened, add the celery, and cook it for 3 more minutes until slightly softened.
Next up add in the cabbage and carrots. At this point, you can season the mixture by stirring in the salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat until the cabbage reduces in size. It will take about 7 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine 1 tbsp of the cornstarch with 3 tbsp of water to form a slurry. Pour the other half of the marinade onto the cabbage mixture with the slurry. Be sure to stir this cornstarch slurry well, until it coats the entire veggie mixture. The cornstarch mixture helps the sauce stick to the veggies and helps to thicken the mixture up.
cooking the tofu
While the cabbage cooks, heat a large skillet to cook the marinated tofu. You’ll want to cook each side of the tofu for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and slightly charred. When they’re done, set them aside. You’ll top the bowl with these tofus when you’re ready to eat!
to prep the vegan egg roll wrappers
Another fabulous topping that adds so much crunch to this bowl is these vegan egg roll wrappers! To make them, be sure to preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Go ahead and grease a baking sheet with some cooking spray. I ended up cutting the egg roll wrappers into 2” by ½” strips and rolling them into small tubes. Then I placed them on the baking sheet in a single layer. To make them golden and crispy, bake them for about 5 minutes with a small bowl of water on the pan. The water helps create the bubbly texture that egg rolls have!
tips and tricks
I served my vegan egg roll bowl with white jasmine rice, cilantro, more chopped green onions, and peanuts. The peanuts and the egg roll wrappers really help add depth and texture to this dish, so I highly recommend using them!
The main ingredients I’m using are tofu, cabbage, and carrots. You could also use vegan minced ‘meat’ or Just Egg in this recipe!
I’ve found that when marinating tofu, the longer the better! I recommend marinating your tofu for at least 20 minutes for the best flavor.
Looking for more vegan dinner ideas? Check out these recipes!
Yellow Tofu Sushi Bowl
Vegan Fried Korean Cauliflower
Sesame “Beef” Udon Noodles (Seitan)
Hoisin Tofu Bao
Easy Miso Ramen
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to know! Leave a rating and comment below!
Egg Roll In a Bowl (Vegan)
This vegan egg roll in a bowl has lots of green & red cabbage, marinated tofu, baked egg roll wrapper toppings, with a savory sauce.
Ingredients
Marinade:
- 8 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 tsp ginger
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 2 tsp sambal oelek
Other:
- 1 tbsp cornstarch + 3 tbsp water
Egg Roll Bowl:
- 1 block extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
- ⅔ of a small green cabbage, shredded
- ¼ small red cabbage, shredded
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 large carrots, shredded or ribboned
- 3 green onions, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ pepper
- 1 tsp sesame oil, for cooking
Toppings:
- Green onions
- Cilantro
- Peanuts
- Vegan Egg Roll Wrappers
- Sweet chili sauce
- White Rice
- Cooked Scrambled Just Egg
Instructions
Marinate the Tofu
- Combine the marinade ingredients together in a blender. Blend until the mixture is combined and the garlic has been chopped. Divide into 2 equal portions and set aside.
- Cut the tofu into strips about 2” long by ½” wide.
- Place the tofu in a shallow dish or container and pour half of the marinade on top. Set aside the tofu while prepping the other ingredients.
Cook the Veggies
- In a large wok, heat a teaspoon of sesame oil. Add the green onions and minced garlic. Stir fry for 3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the celery. Cook for 3 more minutes until slightly softened.
- Add the cabbage and carrots. Stir in the salt and pepper. Cook on medium heat until the cabbage reduces in size, about 7 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine 1 tbsp of the cornstarch with 3 tbsp of water to form a slurry. Pour the other half of the marinade onto the cabbage mixture with the slurry. Stir until it coats the entire mixture.
- While the cabbage cooks, heat a large skillet to cook the marinated tofu. Cook each side of the tofu for 3-5 minutes until golden brown and slightly charred. Set aside when done.
To Make the Egg Roll Strips:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet.
- Cut the egg roll wrappers into 2” by ½” strips and roll them into tubes. Place them on the baking sheet in a single layer and spray them with some cooking spray. Place a small bowl of water in a heat-proof bowl on the tray. (This helps keep moisture in the wrappers)
- Bake for 5 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 300Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 2197mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 5gSugar: 10gProtein: 18g
Nutritional info is an estimate.
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