Crispy and chewy, these Vegan Egg Rolls are baked, not fried, and full of flavorful veggies and optional tofu. Load up these fun appetizers and dip them in vegan sweet and sour sauce or anything you like.
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Hey Internet, do you love egg rolls as much as I do? They’re flavorful, crispy on the outside, chewy, and fun to dip in various sauces… but they’re not the healthiest option and you can’t always find them vegan.
So today I’m showing you how to make vegan egg rolls. These ones are baked instead of fried, but I’ll give you a few tips for frying them if you prefer. You could even air fry them.
These tasty appetizer / snack dudes are loaded with veggies like carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms, shallot, garlic, ginger, and kale plus tofu, so they’re pretty darn healthy in addition to being delicious.
I love to dip mine in my homemade vegan sweet and sour sauce, but you could also dunk them in plum sauce, vegan teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, or a sesame ginger sauce--I have a recipe for that in my tofu poke bowl recipe.
Usually not, unfortunately. Between the wrapper and the fillings, there could be egg or meat lurking in there. It’s easier to find vegan spring rolls since the wrappers are made from rice paper.
So what are vegan egg roll wrappers made of?
Usually just flour, water, salt, and a bit of oil.
If you don’t eat oil, I recommend using this same recipe but with rice paper instead.
All you need is water. Roll up your egg roll half way, tuck in the ends, and dip your finger in a small bowl of cool water. Run it along the edges of the remaining wrapper and seal. Place the sealed side down on your baking tray.
You can use coconut oil for really nicely browned egg rolls, a cooking spray if you don’t care as much, or nothing. I prefer to use at least a little oil because otherwise the egg rolls can get a little dried out.
Can I make vegan egg rolls with rice paper?
Yup. They’d technically be spring rolls at that point! But feel free to use rice paper, and you can either cook it or eat as is. To use rice paper, simply lay a sheet of it on a plate with a bit of water in it. Gently slide the rice paper around for 30 seconds or so until it has softened but not become super soft. It will soften more as you work with it. Follow the same steps in the recipe below after that.
Well, I’ll get more into that in the next section, but you can really do anything you like. I like to do lots of sauteed veggies and some cubed tofu. You could do any vegan meat substitutes, cooked noodles like ramen, rice, crushed peanuts (I did add some sesame seeds to my filling) and/or any veggies you like.
What You’ll Need
- Shallots or onions: Omit if you can’t eat. Fresh is best.
- Garlic: Fresh is best
- Ginger: Yet again, fresh is best. I like to peel my ginger with a vegetable peeler and then use a microplane to grate it.
- Carrots: I julienned these with my vegetable peeler (it is has two sides), but you could also grate them or slice them very thinly like on a mandoline. The trick is to get them thin enough that they cook in the brief time we have them on the stove top.
- Bell peppers
- Mushrooms: Leave out if you’re not a fan! I used white mushrooms this time but any mushrooms will work. Shimeji mushrooms would be great here.
- Tofu: I add a little protein with some firm tofu in this dish. You can finely dice it or crumble it or whatever. Or use another protein like shredded seitan (like my Instant Pot seitan that’s beef-ish, seitan chicken, TVP, soy curls, beans, lentil, or don’t include one.
- Kale or cabbage or spinach, whatever you like
- Reduced sodium soy sauce: This is for flavoring the veggies. Use salt instead or whatever you want.
- Chinese Five Spice: I LOVE Chinese five spice powder so I jump at a chance to use it. It may be considered untraditional in this recipe but I think it’s a nice addition. Feel free to use what spices you like.
- Sesame seeds: I like to add sesame seeds in here, but crushed peanuts or… nothing… would also be great, hah.
- Egg roll wrappers: I find vegan egg roll wrappers in the refrigerator section near the produce in my local grocery store. I’ve seen them at a lot of stores. The brand I buy is Nasoya. You can substitute rice paper if you can’t find them. Or do egg roll in a bowl and serve this over rice or noodles!
- Coconut oil or other oil, optional: This is for brushing onto the egg rolls before they bake. It’s not completely necessary but I find it yields a nicer texture. Unbrushed egg rolls get a little dried out.
Your Pick of Dipping Sauces
- Vegan Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Plum sauce (make with 1-2 pickled plums + a teaspoon of their liquid, organic sugar, apricot preserves, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and grated ginger)
- The sesame ginger sauce in my tofu poke bowls recipe
- Soy sauce
- Vegan Teriyaki Sauce
How to Make Vegan Egg Rolls
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius) and line a baking tray with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Tip: don’t use a dark baking tray, as these will burn if you do--if you only have a dark baking tray, reduce the heat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 degrees Celsius). I actually don’t preheat my oven until I start to roll the egg rolls to save on energy, but I am putting this info at the top of the directions so it’s not missed.
- In a large nonstick skillet or wok, saute your shallots for about 2 minutes. You can do this in a little bit of high heat oil, or use vegetable broth or water if you are oil-free.
- Add the garlic and ginger and saute another minute.
- Now add the rest of your veggies (except kale or spinach. If using cabbage go ahead and add that now), turn the heat down to medium, and cover with a lid. Cook 3-5 minutes until reduced in size.
- Now add the tofu, soy sauce, and kale and stir well. Let cook uncovered for 4-5 minutes.
- Add the Chinese five spice powder and sesame seeds and stir well. Turn up the heat to medium high and cook 1-2 more minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to a wide bowl and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Drain out any liquid.
- Set up a station on your counter or table with the bowl of filling, a large plate or board for wrapping the egg rolls, and your prepared baking sheet. If you have not yet preheated your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (418 degrees Celsius), do it now. You’ll also need a small bowl of cool water, a clean kitchen towel for wiping the plate when it gets wet, and your stack of vegan egg roll wrappers.
- Place a wrap in front of you, but place it so a corner is facing you. Wrap the egg rolls like a burrito. Place a small amount of filling (how much depends on the individual and the size of the wrappers, but I do about 2-3 tablespoons per egg roll) in the center of the wrapper. I like to use a large cookie scoop for this. Pull the corner nearest to you up and fold it over the filling. Use the wrap and your fingers to gently coax the filling into a cigar shape as opposed to a ball. Fold in the left and right corners. Don’t worry about it being perfect. Then dip a finger into the water and run it along the edges of the remainder of the wrapper. Finish rolling, press lightly to seal, and place it seam side down on your baking tray. Repeat until you’ve used all the wrappers--cover the tray with a kitchen towel while you roll to keep the egg rolls from drying out. I didn’t have much leftover filling, but if you do it’s good on it’s own or you can pour a little of your dipping sauce on it and eat it while the egg rolls cook.
- Bake: Bake for 25-35 minutes, flipping halfway through. Before you flip, check with a small nonstick spatula (I like to use a silicone cookie spatula because it can fit in awkward spaces) to make sure it’s not stuck. Since the egg roll wrappers are so delicate, it can be easy to rip them if they’re a little stuck. If they are stuck, I just bake them a little longer and they seem to come up easier, but I don’t have that issue often when I bake at this temperature. Vegan egg rolls should be nicely browned and crisp on the outside when fully cooked.
- Frying instead? Use a high heat oil like peanut oil or safflower seed oil. Heat to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius) and gently slide in egg rolls one at a time. Don’t crowd them in the pot. Deep fry until golden brown on all sides and use tongs or a spider strainer to remove them from the pot. Place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb extra oil.
- How about airfrying? If you prefer to air fry, place in a single layer in your air fryer basket and cook for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius), flipping halfway through. Again, I’d use something like a silicone cookie spatula to cautiously flip them to make sure they’re not sticking.
- Serve vegan egg rolls with dipping sauce of choice and enjoy@
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days in an airtight container or freeze for up to 3 months (I’d wrap in foil or freezer paper and then place in another container like a freezer bag). Reheating instructions: Reheat in a pan on the stove, in the oven, or air fryer--I would not microwave.
More Easy Vegan Appetizers
- Vegan Kale Artichoke Dip
- And/Or Vegan Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Vegan Baked Brie
- Mushroom Lentil Pâté (like faux gras)
- Vegan Cheese Ball
- Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms
- Bang Bang Tofu
- Vegan Pigs in a Blanket
- Vegan Crab Rangoon
- Potato and Leek Vegan Pierogi
- Vegan Garlic Bread
- Vegan Ceviche
Anything Else?
As always, I hope you love this recipe--I know I do, and Mr. Zardyplants does too. We always eat the entire batch! I had to make a double batch one night so I could see how long they lasted so I could finish writing this post, hah!
These vegan egg rolls are:
- Crunchy
- Chewy
- Flavorful
- Packed with veggies
- Satisfying
- Surprisingly fairly healthy
- Perfect for serving to guests
- And oh so delicious!
Let me know in the comments below if you make this recipe or tag me @Zardyplants on Instagram so I can see your beautiful recreations! If you tag me on IG, I will share your post in my stories :)
Also, one quick request: if you love how this recipe looks or tastes, please leave me a 5-star rating and a nice comment–ratings help more people find my recipes which helps me keep providing them! Thank you!
<3 Liz
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Vegan Egg Rolls
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 20 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Rolls are baked, not fried, and full of flavorful veggies and optional tofu. Load up these fun appetizers and dip them in sauce.
Ingredients
Vegan Egg Rolls
- 2 small - medium shallots, thinly sliced (or substitute onion)
- 5-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2” ginger, minced
- 6 cups chopped vegetables (we used 2 medium carrots, 2 small red bell peppers, and 12 ounces mushrooms) (see note 1)
- 2 cups kale or cabbage, finely shredded
- 16 ounces firm or extra firm tofu, drained and diced in ¼” cubes or crumbled (see note 2)
- 3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce (or substitute coconut aminos or salt)
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (see note 3)
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder (note 4)
- 20 vegan egg roll wrappers (see note 5)
- Coconut oil for egg wash, optional
Dipping Sauce Options
- Vegan Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Plum sauce (make with 1-2 pickled plums + a teaspoon of their liquid, organic sugar, apricot preserves, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and grated ginger)
- The sesame ginger sauce in my tofu poke bowls recipe
- Soy sauce
- Vegan Teriyaki Sauce
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius) and line a baking tray with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Tip: don’t use a dark baking tray, as these will burn if you do--if you only have a dark baking tray, reduce the heat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 degrees Celsius). I actually don’t preheat my oven until I start to roll the egg rolls to save on energy, but I am putting this info at the top of the directions so it’s not missed.
- Saute shallots: In a large nonstick skillet or wok, saute your shallots for about 2 minutes. You can do this in a little bit of high heat oil, or use vegetable broth or water if you are oil-free.
- Add garlic+ginger: Add the garlic and ginger and saute another minute.
- Add other veggies: Now add the rest of your veggies (except kale or spinach. If using cabbage go ahead and add that now), turn the heat down to medium, and cover with a lid. Cook 3-5 minutes until reduced in size.
- Add tofu: Now add the tofu, soy sauce, and kale and stir well. Let cook uncovered for 4-5 minutes.
- Season: Add the Chinese five spice powder and sesame seeds and stir well. Turn up the heat to medium high and cook 1-2 more minutes.
- Drain: Transfer the mixture to a wide bowl and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes. Drain out any liquid.
- Set up for rolling: Set up a station on your counter or table with the bowl of filling, a large plate or board for wrapping the egg rolls, and your prepared baking sheet. If you have not yet preheated your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit (418 degrees Celsius), do it now. You’ll also need a small bowl of cool water, a clean kitchen towel for wiping the plate when it gets wet, and your stack of vegan egg roll wrappers.
- Assemble egg rolls: Place a wrap in front of you, but place it so a corner is facing you. Wrap the egg rolls like a burrito. Place a small amount of filling (how much depends on the individual and the size of the wrappers, but I do about 2-3 tablespoons per egg roll) in the center of the wrapper. I like to use a large cookie scoop for this. Pull the corner nearest to you up and fold it over the filling. Use the wrap and your fingers to gently coax the filling into a cigar shape as opposed to a ball. Fold in the left and right corners. Don’t worry about it being perfect. Then dip a finger into the water and run it along the edges of the remainder of the wrapper. Finish rolling, press lightly to seal, and place it seam side down on your baking tray. Repeat until you’ve used all the wrappers--cover the tray with a kitchen towel while you roll to keep the egg rolls from drying out. I didn’t have much leftover filling, but if you do it’s good on it’s own or you can pour a little of your dipping sauce on it and eat it while the egg rolls cook.
- Bake: Bake for 25-35 minutes, flipping halfway through. Before you flip, check with a small nonstick spatula (I like to use a silicone cookie spatula because it can fit in awkward spaces) to make sure it’s not stuck. Since the egg roll wrappers are so delicate, it can be easy to rip them if they’re a little stuck. If they are stuck, I just bake them a little longer and they seem to come up easier, but I don’t have that issue often when I bake at this temperature. Vegan egg rolls should be nicely browned and crisp on the outside when fully cooked.
- Frying instead? Use a high heat oil like peanut oil or safflower seed oil. Heat to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius) and gently slide in egg rolls one at a time. Don’t crowd them in the pot. Deep fry until golden brown on all sides and use tongs or a spider strainer to remove them from the pot. Place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb extra oil.
- How about airfrying? If you prefer to air fry, place in a single layer in your air fryer basket and cook for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 degrees Celsius), flipping halfway through. Again, I’d use something like a silicone cookie spatula to cautiously flip them to make sure they’re not sticking.
- Serve: Serve vegan egg rolls with dipping sauce of choice and enjoy!
- Store: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days in an airtight container or freeze for up to 3 months (I’d wrap in foil or freezer paper and then place in another container like a freezer bag). Reheating instructions: Reheat in a pan on the stove, in the oven, or air fryer--I would not microwave.
Notes
- Note 1: Use whatever veggies you like. I julienned my carrots with my vegetable peeler (it has two sides), but you could also grate them or slice them very thinly like on a mandoline. The trick is to get them thin enough that they cook in the brief time we have them on the stove top.
- Note 2: I add a little protein with some firm tofu in this dish. You can finely dice it or crumble it or whatever. Or use another protein like shredded seitan (like my Instant Pot seitan that’s beef-ish, seitan chicken, TVP, soy curls, beans, lentil, or don’t include one.
- Note 3: I like to add sesame seeds in here, but crushed peanuts or… nothing… would also be great, hah.
- Note 4: I LOVE Chinese five spice powder so I jump at a chance to use it. It may be considered untraditional in this recipe but I think it’s a nice addition. Feel free to use what spices you like.
- Note 5: I find vegan egg roll wrappers in the refrigerator section near the produce in my local grocery store. I’ve seen them at a lot of stores. The brand I buy is Nasoya. You can substitute rice paper if you can’t find them. Or do egg roll in a bowl and serve this over rice or noodles!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Snack, Appetizer
- Method: Baking, Air fryer
- Cuisine: American, Chinese
Keywords: Vegan Egg Rolls, Vegan Chinese
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