Veggie Mini Eggrolls – filled with seasoned fresh vegetables and nutty brown rice, and super-easy to make with Wonton wrappers. Yes, they’re fried, but surprisingly, they don’t actually absorb as much oil as one might think.
If you have a bit of leftover rice and store-bought Wonton wrappers, well, you can be ready to attack these little beauties in about 20 min or so. Whenever we have Chinese, take-out or dine-in, we never seem to finish all the rice. Of course, I’m not going to toss out perfectly good rice – why should I?
What to do with it? Oh, there are so many options! Sometimes, though, I only have a little bit … just about 1/2 cup or so. That’s not really enough by itself for a meal, is it? Ahh, but that’s exactly when my imagination goes into overdrive….. Time to make some mini egg rolls, I think….. and I begin to drool!
How many egg rolls can I make with about 1/2 cup of leftover cooked rice? Quite a few, actually! By the time you add in the veggies, the volume increases to about a cup. Since you can only put a little bit of filling in each mini egg roll, you can make 15-16 veggie mini eggrolls!
Egg rolls with rice and veggies
I love the broccoli-carrot combo, and use it in lots of ways – stuffed Parathas, Bao buns, Calzones, vegetable patties, vegetable stir-fry, etc. I think their contrasting flavors complement each other very well, and the various seasonings really elevate their combined flavor profile.
In this recipe, the tender-cooked rice binds the lightly cooked chopped veggies, yielding a soft-textured, slightly sticky filling. It’s super easy to fill, roll up and seal the egg-rolls with this mixture – it doesn’t crumble and doesn’t make a big mess.
Forgiving recipe – easy to swap with the veggies on hand
I have given directions for making the filling with broccoli and carrots, but really, the recipe is quite forgiving. You can easily use a combination of several assorted veggies you might have on hand.
For instance, you can use other cruciferous veggies like cabbage, Brussels Sprouts and/or cauliflower instead of broccoli, since they have a similar texture and flavor. In fact, you can even use the tender stalks and stems of cauliflower and broccoli. I often chop the stalks, then blanch and stash them away in my freezer. So convenient when I need it in a hurry!
And yes, you can also add a little bit of finely chopped sweet bell pepper (red, orange, yellow). I do recommend holding on to the carrots in the recipe, though, because their sweetness balances the somewhat pungent, mustard-like flavors of the broccoli (and other cruciferous veggies).
Nutrient-packed Veggie filling
The broccoli and carrots used in making the filling for these eggrolls deliver lots of flavor, fiber, and a wide array of micronutrients that support your overall well-being.
Broccoli provides a highly bioactive substance called sulforaphane, which is believed to be responsible for its many benefits – fighting cancer, lowering blood sugar, slow down osteoarthritis, etc. Interestingly, broccoli doesn’t actually “have” sulforaphane – it is formed after broccoli is chopped (or cut or chewed..). How come? The chopping releases two substances from the cells where they are stored – glucoraphanin and the enzyme myrosinase – when they mix, they react together to form sulforaphane! Nature’s magic at work!
So… Take away message? If you want to get the benefits of sulforaphane, chop the broccoli, then wait for a bit before cooking it – because cooking destroys the enzyme myrosinase!
What about the carrots? Their numerous benefits are widely known, of course… They support the immune system in general and protect eye-health in particular, because of their high beta-carotene content. Beta-carotene, which broccoli is also rich in, is called pro-Vitamin A. It is converted into Vitamin A in the body, and Vitamin A is vital for maintaining eye-health. This of course, is just one of the benefits of Vitamin A – there are so many others….
As for the effect of cooking on the beta-carotene? Turns out, cooking actually increases its bioavailability, which means you can absorb more beta-carotene from cooked carrots and broccoli than from raw !
Even though each veggie mini eggroll has only a little bit of filling, look at what the calculated nutrition data shows. One serving (4 mini eggrolls) packs about 50% of the total Vitamin A your body needs every day! How many snacks can claim to do that? They also have a modest amount of fiber and protein, so it is a great example of a snack that is delicious as well as nutritious.
Fried mini eggrolls – consume in moderation!
Of course, these veggie mini eggrolls are a bit high in fat – they are fried, after all. So…. be smart and use the “moderation” mantra….
Don’t eat them frequently, and don’t binge on them either! Once in a while, though, if you are really craving them, just set the guilt aside, and enjoy your special treat!
Special Diets
These egg rolls are vegetarian and dairy-free. When you make them with egg-less wonton wrappers, they are also egg-free and vegan. Want it to be soy-free? Omit the tofu and soy sauce. If you want to get a bit of umami, try using Coconut Aminos – it’s a great soy-free alternative for Soy sauce. Also, If you can have dairy, but not soy, you might swap in some crumbled Paneer/Farmers cheese/cottage cheese for the tofu. Adds great taste and that extra little bit of protein is always welcome.
As for frying, I like to use peanut oil for frying. However, if you want to use a nut-free oil, choose a mild flavored oil with a high smoke point – safflower oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, etc., are a few suitable options.
Serve it hot with a sweet-sour-spicy dipping sauce
So, if you’re on a cleaning spree and want to use up those little bits of scraps and leftovers… Why not whip up something fun to snack on later? Your fridge gets cleaned up and you also get to have a great snack as a reward!
What to dip these veggie-filled mini eggrolls into? Something sweet… sour… garlicky…. gingery… Hmmm! I know what I’d love to have the eggrolls with…… this golden Apricot “Duck” Sauce! But if I don’t have time to make it, and want something instantly…. I just throw together some fresh red chilli paste, soy sauce (or coconut aminos for a soy-free dip), honey and ground ginger, and my dip is ready.
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Enjoy!
Veggie Mini Eggrolls – Easy To Make With Wonton Wrappers
Equipment
- Small wok/pan for frying egg rolls
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Cooked rice – white or brown well-cooked and tender; leftover cooked rice is perfect; for freshly cooked seasoned rice, see Recipe Notes for directions
- 1/2 cup Broccoli – chopped crowns tender stalks can be used along with crowns ; for substitutions, see Recipe Notes
- 1/4 cup Carrots – minced about 3-4 baby carrots
- 2 tbsp Onion – finely diced any variety OK; shallots,spring onions (white part) OK too
- 1/4 tsp Oil I like Peanut oil; any mild oil of your choice is OK;
- 1 tsp Garlic – fresh, finely chopped 1-2 cloves; if not available, use 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Ginger – fresh, grated if not available, use 1/4 tsp ginger powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt adjust as per taste preference
- 1/8 tsp Black pepper – freshly crushed preferred
- 1/4 tsp Red chilli powder (cayenne) adjust as per spiciness preferred
- 1/8 tsp Chinese 5-spice powder (optional)
- 1/2 tsp Cumin powder
- 1 tsp Fennel powder
- 1 tbsp Crumbled tofu – optional See Recipe Notes for substitutions
- 2 tbsp Parsley – chopped – optional if fresh is not available, use 2 tsp dried parsley
- 16 pieces Wonton wrappers or 4 egg roll wrappers, cut into quarters; find these in the refrigerated section of the grocery store – nowadays, eggless/vegan options are available too
To season leftover plain unsalted rice: 1/2 cup
- 1/4 tsp Cumin powder
- 1/8 tsp Red chilli powder adjust as per taste preference
- 1/8 tsp Chinese 5-spice powder (optional) or a pinch each of ground cinnamon and black pepper
- 1/8 tsp Salt adjust as per preference
- 1/2 tsp Soy sauce – low-sodium preferred – optional for Soy-free – omit, or use soy-free alternative like Coconut Aminos
- 1 tsp Water
For frying Egg Rolls
- 1/2 cup Oil – high smoke-point oil preferred I like peanut oil; any mild-flavored high smoke-point oil is OK, e.g., sunflower oil; avoid frying in Extra virgin olive oil or other cold-pressed oil; See Recipe Notes for "spent oil"
Instructions
- If using leftover unsalted rice, place the rice in a wide, shallow mixing bowl and add the seasonings listed: cumin powder, red chilli powder, Chinese 5-spice powder (optional), soy sauce (optional). Splash the water, mix well and set aside.Note: If you plan to make fresh-cooked rice , please see Recipe Notes for adding seasonings while cooking. Also allow cooked rice to cool to room temperature before using.
- Chop broccoli in a food chopper with pulse action. Leave a little texture, don't chop too finely.
- Transfer to a glass/ceramic microwave-safe bowl and cook, uncovered, on Hi for 1 min. Transfer to mixing bowl with the rice and set aside to cool. The volume decreases a bit during cooking.
- While the broccoli cooks, prepare the carrots. Cut carrots into small chunks and mince them in the food chopper, using pulse action – no need to rinse the chopper bowl after chopping broccoli. The texture of the carrots should be finer than the broccoli.
- Transfer the carrots to the same bowl in which you cook the broccoli – microwave, uncovered, on Hi for 1 min. Transfer to the mixing bowl (with the rice and broccoli) and set aside to cool.
- While the carrots cook, chop the onion finely.
- Transfer the onion to same bowl used for cooking carrots. Add 1/4 tsp oil and microwave on hi, uncovered, for 1 min. Transfer to the mixing bowl.
- Add crumbled tofu (if using), garlic, ginger and remaining seasonings.
- Mix well. It forms a soft slightly sticky mixture, about 1 cup packed.
- Divide into 16 portions, about 1 tbsp each. Use a measuring spoon (1 tbsp) to get equal sized portions, shape each portion into tight balls.Note: if the mixture sticks to your hands/fingers while shaping, scrape it off periodically with a spoon/spatula, adding the sticky scraps back into the filling mixture.Shape each portion into a cylinder/log, about 1 1/2 inches (3 1/2 cm) long. Note: If you want to make triangle-shaped egg rolls, don't re-shape the balls.
- On a large, dry cutting board, set out 5-6 Wonton wrappers.Note: Cover the remaining wrappers with a damp towel to keep them from drying.Place a "log" filling on each wrapper. Dip your fingers in a bowl of water, and moisten along the edges of the wrapper – all 4 sides.Beginning with a side parallel to the "log" filling, roll up tightly. Keeping seam-side down, press the open ends to seal well. Repeat with the remaining wrappers on the board. Transfer the prepared wrappers to a dry plate/clean cutting board and cover with a towel. Repeat the process to finish filling all the remaining egg rolls.Note: Place the package containing the remaining Wonton wrappers in a zipper-type sealable bag, and return to the refrigerator. Use the rest with a week or so.
- Heat 1/2 cup oil in a small wok or frying pan (8inches/20 cm), until it shimmers- about 3-4 min on medium-high heat.Test if the oil is hot enough by dipping a small corner of a prepared egg roll into the oil. It should sizzle immediately. If it doesn't, it means the oil is not hot enough and needs to be heated for another 1-2 min.When the oil is properly heated, add one egg roll, seam side down. After about 30 seconds, add the second egg roll. Wait 30 seconds and add the 3rd egg roll.
- If you have enough space in your pan, you may be able to add another roll too. However, don't over-crowd them – it becomes difficult to flip them if you do that.By this time, the first roll should be about ready to flip. Use a slotted spoon and a second spoon for support as you carefully lift and flip the egg roll. The fried side will look blistered (where it has puffed up) and golden-brown. Note: If the color seems too light, let it be for now – you can always flip it back later to get it as "brown" as you want. Watch carefully and flip the rolls as they get browned – do not let them get burned – that can happen very quickly if you are not alert!
- Line a plate with 2 layers of absorbent paper towels to hold the fried rolls. The paper towels absorb excess oil so that the egg rolls do not taste greasy when you eat them.
- To remove the fried egg rolls from the oil, first lift the egg roll onto the slotted spoon, rest the spoon briefly at an angle against the side of the wok/pan, to help drain excess oil back into the wok/pan. Place the fried egg rolls on the paper towel lined plate.
- Arrange the drained egg rolls on a serving plate and serve immediately, accompanied by your favorite dipping sauce.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Cooking seasoned rice if you don’t have leftover cooked rice:
- Measure 3 tbsp rice in a small stainless steel bowl that fits inside the pressure cooker – (pot in a pot method) pressure cooker insert container
- white rice or brown rice – both OK
- brown rice takes longer to cook
- Rinse 2-3 times, drain thoroughly and add 6 tbsp water (a little less than 1/2 cup, which is 8 tbsp). If you add too much water, the rice will become too mushy.
- Add the seasonings
- 1/8 tsp each salt, cumin seeds, crushed red pepper
- 1 star anise
- 1 small piece cinnamon stick
- Prepare the pressure cooker
- add 1 cup water
- place the rack
- place the bowl with the rice on the rack
- Close and lock the lid
- Pressure cook at full pressure – time depends on the type of rice used
- white rice – 4 min
- brown rice 7-8 min
- Allow natural pressure release – may take 10-15 min.
- this typically takes longer for electric pressure cookers (like InstantPot) compared with non-electric cookers used on the stove-top.
- Unlock lid and carefully remove the cooked rice. Keep covered, undisturbed, for 5-7 min, then gently transfer to a dinner plate, fluff with a wet fork and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- The rice should be soft and tender to its core- not “al dente” with a hard/crunchy center
- Remove the star anise and cinnamon stick before preparing filling.
- Use as directed in the recipe.
Substitutes for Tofu:
- Dairy substitutes: Paneer, Farmer’s cheese, Cottage cheese, Queso Fresco, etc.
- If you must avoid soy as well as dairy, try adding a tbsp of chopped nuts or pumpkin seeds (for nut-free option)
“Spent” Oil: the Oil leftover after frying:
After it cools to room temp, transfer the leftover oil (after frying) to a lidded container and store it in the refrigerator. Refrigeration slows down the further breakdown of the oil during storage.- Use within 2-3 days for medium heat sauteing / stir frying, and for foods that get cooked fairly quickly.
- Do NOT re-use for frying or roasting
Storing leftovers
Ideally, just fry as many mini eggrolls as you think you will consume. They do not reheat well – become chewy and not very appealing. However, the filled eggrolls can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, and in the freezer for up to 4-5 weeks, possibly longer.- Freeze them on a tray/plate well separated from each other; then place them in a single layer in shallow container with a well-fitting lid. Place a parchment/wax paper sheet above the layer and stack another layer on top. Avoid stacking more layers- use another container, if need be.
- To thaw: remove as many as needed and place on a parchment lined plate; cover with a towel and set aside on the counter for about 20-30 min, then fry as directed in the recipe – just before serving.
- wipe off any surface moisture that develops during thawing with a paper towel to prevent oil splatter while frying
looks very yummy n loaded with nutrients and even the description very elaborate and loaded with a lot of useful info as always 😍 keep it up
Thank you for your kind comments. Really appreciate it.