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These pork egg rolls turn a little leftover crock pot pulled pork into the crispiest, most crave-worthy appetizer on the table. They take a lazy Sunday afternoon of prep, but the golden, shatter-crisp crunch is the kind of thing the whole family hovers over before it even hits the plate.
If you love takeout egg rolls but want that homemade, fresh-from-the-fryer crunch, this is the recipe that finally makes it happen at home.
Pork Egg Rolls Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 1 hour
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 20 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 12 egg rolls
- ⚡ Calories: 185kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Savory, smoky, and garlicky with a crisp fried shell (mild)
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our fried cream cheese wontons
Quick Answer
Steam thinly sliced cabbage and carrot with garlic and ginger, stir in a savory soy-sesame sauce, drain well, and chill. Fold the cooled filling and shredded pulled pork into egg roll wrappers, seal with a flour paste, and fry in 350F oil for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and crispy.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Leftover pulled pork does the heavy lifting. Already-cooked, seasoned pork means deep smoky flavor with zero extra cook time on the protein.
- Steaming the cabbage keeps it tender, not watery. A quick covered steam wilts the cabbage fully so it folds neatly without raw crunch.
- Draining and chilling prevents soggy rolls. Cold, dry filling rolls tighter and keeps the wrapper from steaming itself open in the oil.
- Peanut butter adds richness without overpowering. Just two teaspoons round out the sauce with body and a subtle nutty depth.
- A flour paste seal keeps them closed. Equal parts flour and water glue the final flap so nothing bursts open while frying.
- Frying at 350F gives the perfect crunch. The right temperature crisps the shell fast before the filling overcooks.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They turn humble leftovers into a party-worthy appetizer everyone fights over.
- The crispy, golden shell shatters into the savory, smoky filling in every bite.
- They are endlessly dippable and pair perfectly with our baked cream cheese wonton cups for a full takeout-at-home spread.
Key Ingredients
A handful of simple ingredients come together into a filling that tastes like your favorite takeout counter. Here is what each one brings to the table.
- Pulled Pork: Leftover crock pot pulled pork brings smoky, seasoned depth and saves you a whole cooking step.
- Green Cabbage: Sliced thin and steamed, it becomes the tender, slightly sweet backbone of the filling.
- Carrot and Garlic: Shredded carrot adds color and a touch of sweetness while fresh garlic brings savory punch.
- Fresh Ginger and Sesame Oil: The classic egg roll aroma; a little goes a long way for that takeout flavor.
- Soy Sauce and Peanut Butter: Together they build a salty, rich, umami-loaded sauce that coats every shred.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These pork egg rolls are easy to riff on with what you have in the fridge.
- Swap the pulled pork for shredded rotisserie chicken or cooked ground pork.
- Add a handful of bean sprouts or sliced green onion for extra crunch and freshness.
- Make it spicy with a teaspoon of sriracha or a pinch of red pepper flakes in the sauce.
- Bake or air fry instead of deep frying: brush with oil and cook at 400F until golden, turning once.
- Serve with our beef and broccoli for a full homemade takeout night.
How to Make Pork Egg Rolls
- Saute the garlic and ginger in vegetable oil until fragrant, then add the cabbage and carrot and toss to coat.
- Add a splash of water, cover, and steam the vegetables 20 to 30 minutes until soft and wilted, adding more water as needed.
- Stir together the soy sauce, peanut butter, sesame oil, rice wine, dark soy sauce, salt, and pepper.
- Add the sauce to the pan, cook out the excess liquid, then drain the filling in a mesh colander.
- Chill the filling at least an hour, discard the drained liquid, and stir in the pulled pork.
- Make a flour-and-water paste, then roll 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling into each wrapper, sealing the flap with paste.
- Heat 2 inches of oil to 350F and fry the egg rolls 2 to 3 minutes, turning, until golden on all sides.
- Drain on a rack and serve hot with sweet and sour sauce or hot mustard.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Chill the filling completely before rolling. Warm filling makes the wrappers soft and hard to seal.
- Drain aggressively. Press the steamed veggies in the colander to squeeze out every bit of liquid for a crispier roll.
- Do not overfill. One to two tablespoons per wrapper is plenty; overstuffed rolls split in the oil.
- Keep the oil at 350F. Use a thermometer; the right temperature is the difference between crisp and greasy.
- Fry in small batches so the oil stays hot and the rolls cook evenly.
- Drain on a wire rack, not paper towels, so the bottoms stay crisp instead of steaming.
- Freeze extras before frying and cook straight from frozen for a quick snack later.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Serve these pork egg rolls hot and crispy with little bowls of sweet and sour sauce, hot mustard, or soy sauce for dipping. They make an irresistible party appetizer, game day snack, or fun starter before dinner.
For a full takeout-at-home spread, pair them with a batch of fried rice and our copycat Kung Pao chicken. The crunchy egg rolls balance the saucy mains perfectly.
They also shine alongside lighter dishes like our Asian glazed air fryer salmon when you want something fresh on the plate next to all that crunch.
Pork Egg Rolls FAQs
Yes. For a lighter version, brush the rolled egg rolls all over with oil and bake or air fry at 400F, turning once, until golden and crisp, about 12 to 15 minutes. They will not be quite as bubbly-crisp as deep fried, but they are still delicious and much less messy.
Soggy or burst egg rolls almost always come from filling that is too wet or too warm. Steam the vegetables, then drain them hard in a colander and chill the filling completely before rolling. Seal the final flap with a flour-and-water paste and do not overfill the wrappers.
Leftover crock pot pulled pork is ideal because it is already tender and seasoned. Any cooked, shredded pork works, including pork shoulder or even chopped roast pork. In a pinch, cooked ground pork or shredded rotisserie chicken make great substitutes.
Absolutely. The filling can be made up to a day ahead and kept cold in the fridge, which actually helps it firm up for easier rolling. You can also roll the egg rolls and freeze them uncooked on a tray, then fry straight from frozen, adding a minute or two to the cook time.
Store cooled egg rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 375F oven or air fryer for 5 to 8 minutes to bring back the crunch. Avoid the microwave, which makes the shells chewy and soft.
Classic choices are sweet and sour sauce, hot mustard, and soy sauce. Duck sauce, sweet chili sauce, or a quick sriracha mayo are all fantastic too. Set out a few so everyone can pick their favorite.
If you tried these crispy pork egg rolls, I would love to hear how they turned out. They are proof that a little leftover pulled pork can become the most exciting thing on the table.
Crock Pot Pulled Pork Egg Rolls
Ingredients
- 1/4 pound pulled pork leftover crock pot pulled pork
- 1/2 head green cabbage sliced thinly
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup carrot shredded
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons peanut butter
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon rice wine or any dry white wine
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil plus more for frying
- salt and pepper to taste
- egg roll wrappers
Instructions
- In a wok or large pan over medium heat, add the vegetable oil and let it get hot. Add the ginger and garlic and saute just until fragrant, then add the cabbage and carrot. Toss to coat in the oil.
- Add about 1/4 cup of water to the pan and cover. Steam the vegetables until tender, soft, and wilted, about 20 to 30 minutes. Check every few minutes to make sure there is still water in the bottom and stir; add a splash more water if the pan goes dry.
- While the veggies steam, stir together the soy sauce, peanut butter, sesame oil, rice wine, dark soy sauce, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until smooth.
- Add the sauce to the pan once the vegetables are done. Cook out any excess water and stir to coat evenly. Pour the mixture into a mesh colander set over a bowl to drain off the liquid.
- Place the filling in the fridge for at least an hour, or until cool to the touch. Discard the roughly 1/2 cup of liquid that drains off. Stir in the pulled pork.
- Combine equal parts flour and water to form a thin paste; you only need a little. This is the glue that keeps the egg rolls closed while they fry.
- Set up a rolling station. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling on a wrapper, fold in the sides, roll up tightly, and seal the final flap with the flour paste. Repeat until the filling is gone.
- Add enough vegetable oil to come about 2 inches up the side of a pan and heat over medium until it reaches 350F.
- Lower the egg rolls into the hot oil one at a time. They fry fast, so keep an eye on them and turn halfway through, about 2 to 3 minutes total, until golden brown on all sides.
- Transfer the fried egg rolls to a cooling rack set over a sheet pan to let the excess oil drip off. Serve hot with sweet and sour sauce or hot mustard.
Notes
- Make the filling a day ahead so it has plenty of time to chill and drain. Cold, dry filling rolls up tighter and fries crispier.
- Drain the cooked veggies well. Excess liquid is the number one cause of soggy, blown-out egg rolls.
- Use a flour-and-water paste (equal parts) to seal the final flap so the rolls stay closed in the oil.
- Keep the oil around 350F. Too cool and they soak up grease; too hot and they brown before the inside heats through.
- Serve right away for max crunch, with sweet and sour sauce or hot mustard for dipping.
Nutrition
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Thanks!
These sound delicious!
YAY, thanks sooo much!!
Yay! Thank you!
Found you on the Chicken-Chick blog hop.
These look very yummy!! Adding to my Recipes list!
These look so delicious! I LOVE egg rolls. Thanks for linking them up at Think Tank Thursday. I have featured them today!
http://www.saving4six.com/2013/05/welcome-to-think-tank-thursday-31.html
I love less mess, LOL. I didn’t think I would get the same color in the oven, does that work for you??
Great use of leftover pulled pork! We love eggrolls (although i usually bake them cause it’s a little less messy 🙂
Thanks! I’ll be there!
These sound so good! Yum! Thank you so much for sharing at last week’s All My Bloggy Friends 🙂 I can’t wait to see what you share this week!