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This simple egg roll in a bowl recipe is one of my go-to busy weeknight dinners. Ground pork, tender cabbage, and a punchy ginger-garlic sauce come together in one pan for straight-up dinner magic.

One of my top rules for weeknight dinners? They’ve got to be simple. This one checks every box. It uses bagged coleslaw, pre-shredded carrots, and frozen rice to make a quick and easy dinner that comes together in under 20 minutes. That’s about how long it takes to sit in a drive-thru line. Only this tastes way better.
This Egg Roll in a Bowl Is Weeknight Gold
- One pan, no fuss. Everything cooks together for minimal cleanup.
- Big flavor, simple ingredients. Soy sauce, garlic, and ginger bring the boldness, while ground beef and veggies make this meal super satisfying.
- Cabbage that actually tastes good. It soaks up all that savory sauce and turns tender-crisp and addictive.
- Flexible and forgiving. Swap the protein, throw in extra veggies, this recipe can handle whatever’s in your fridge.
- Fast enough for a Tuesday. From start to finish in about 20 minutes!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll need, along with my notes:
- Ground pork: You can also use ground turkey, beef, or chicken.
- Coleslaw Mix and Shredded Carrots: I use the pre-shredded coleslaw and carrots.
- Prepared rice: I know this isn’t for everyone, but I use frozen- my favorite is from Trader Joe’s.
- Cauliflower rice: Frozen or fresh. This recipe calls for cauliflower rice and regular rice so that it has all of the nutrients you need to feel full and satisfied.
- Sweet onion and Scallions: Scallions are also called “green onions.”
- Garlic and Ginger
- Rice vinegar: Adds a little acidity to balance the savory flavors and keep things from tasting flat.
- Sesame oil: If you don’t have any, you can swap for any oil, but it adds lots of flavor!
- Soy sauce or coconut aminos: Soy sauce is saltier; coconut aminos are a little sweeter and lower in sodium.
How to Make An “Egg Roll in a Bowl”
Let’s take a quick look at how to make this recipe:
- 1. Cook the onions, garlic, and pork. Heat sesame oil on medium heat and sauté onions, garlic and ginger for 2-3 min, until onions are starting to become translucent. Add ground pork and cook for 5-7 minutes or until cooked completely through.
- 2. Add veggies and rice. Add coleslaw mix, carrots, defrosted cauliflower rice, and cooked rice. Combine well and cook for 2-3 minutes until the coleslaw mix begins to soften.
- 3. Add flavorings. Next, add rice wine vinegar and soy sauce ( or coconut aminos). Combine well and add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- 4. Finish with toppings. Finally, add sliced green onion (both green and white pieces). Combine well and continue cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Variation Ideas
- Make it vegetarian. Swap the meat for plant-based crumbles, edamame, tofu, or lentils.
- Add more veggies. Chopped broccoli, bell peppers, snap peas, or mushrooms would all work great here.
- Crank up the heat. Top with Sriracha or drizzle on some easy Sriracha mayo (just whisk together mayo, Sriracha, and a splash of lemon juice).
- Finish with sesame seeds. Adds crunch and a nutty finish that ties everything together.
- Lower the carbs (if you want). Skip the rice and use all cauliflower rice. That said, the small amount of rice in this recipe really brings it all together.
- Add an egg. Top it with a fried egg or scramble one into the pan for a fried rice-style twist.
- Switch up the base. Serve it over noodles (like rice noodles or ramen) instead of rice for a tasty twist.
How to Store and Reheat Extras
- Store in the fridge: Just keep in a well-sealed container and use within 4 days. If it needs a little “freshening up”, just add a little bit of fresh soy sauce.
- Can I freeze it? Yes! Just freeze portions in a well-sealed freezer container and use within 2 months for best quality. This and my adult lunchables are two of my favorite meals to prep ahead of time to have on hand.
More Quick Dinner Ideas
Loved this recipe? Make sure to give it a 5-star rating below and tag me on Instagram @the.balanced.nutritionist!
Egg Roll in a Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground pork, or ground beef, chicken, or turkey
- 14 oz Coleslaw mix, bagged
- 1.5 cup Shredded carrots, pre-prepared is fine!
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 small sweet onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ginger, minced
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/3 cup soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 2 large green onions, sliced
- 1 cup white rice, prepared (I like frozen microwaved for convenience!)
- 2 cups cauliflower rice, cooked or defrosted
Instructions
- Heat sesame oil on medium heat and sauté onions, garlic and ginger for 2-3 minutes until onions are starting to become translucent. Add ground pork and cook for 5-7 minutes or until cooked completely through.
- Add coleslaw mix, carrots, defrosted cauliflower rice, and cooked rice. Combine well and cook for 2-3 minutes until coleslaw mix begins to soften.
- Next, add rice wine vinegar and soy sauce ( or coconut aminos). Combine well and add salt and pepper to taste. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Finally, add sliced green onion (both green and white piece). Combine well and continue cooking for and additional 2-3 minutes.
- Serve as is or drizzle with sriracha and top with fresh green onion and sesame seeds!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an estimate.
So delicious and flavourful! Absolutely loved it!
One of my favorites for sure! Glad you loved it!
I made this with ground chicken and it was absolutely delicious!!
I made this with ground chicken and it was absolutely delicious!
So glad you liked it Aly!
I made this and it was amazing!! I followed the recipe exactly but used ground chicken. It was delicious and made four big portions that I used for lunch all week. Will definitely make again!
Woo!! Such a good lunch prep recipe- so happy that you enjoyed it!
Iโm obsessed! Iโve made it twice in the past week.
Yay! I could eat this on repeat for weeks honestly! Lol
Great
This is my favorite quick meal! I use ground chicken or turkey and it is absolutely delicious! I can eat it for several days in a row and I’m still just as excited to enjoy it as the first day!!
Yay! So glad you love this one ๐ This is one of my top favorite quick meals too!
Any advice on a sweet sauce to dip this in when it’s on a lettuce leaf?
I bet a sweet chili sauce of some kind would be delicious with this!
Dealing with something that gives me physical pain lately. Needed to cook something healthy, and easy! This was so good and truly easy to make. Made it with ground turkey. Thank you, plan to make again for sure.
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for leaving a review ๐