A Houseful of Love

Ever have a night when you really need to get dinner on the table fast and with minimal effort? I think most of us feel this way just about every night! No wonder so many turn to ultra-processed frozen foods or swing through the drive-thru, even though we know it isn’t good for us and our families.

While I love cooking from scratch, sometimes it means that making dinner is time-consuming and labor-intensive. That’s not the case with this recipe!

This “egg roll in a bowl” recipe requires minimal prep, has ultra-flexible ingredients, is made entirely in one pot (no moving things to other plates then adding back), and is ready in just 25 minutes. Even better, it can be easily modified to suit your family’s unique dietary needs. Plus it’s packed with veggies and protein, so it’s nutritious while still being absolutely delicious!

Move over Chinese takeout – it’s egg-roll-in a-bowl night!

Is this Egg Roll in a Bowl keto-friendly?

Yes! With just 4g net carbs (thanks to the non-starchy veggies and meat that this recipe is almost entirely made of), it’s absolutely keto-friendly! Just be careful with your topping choices and make sure that those are keto-friendly as well.

How can I modify this recipe?

One of my favorite aspects of this recipe is that almost every ingredient can be substituted or modified to suit what you have on hand.

Meat

It’s excellent with shredded pork shoulder, but I also love it with ground beef (and hidden liver) or other ground meat. You could also dice up or shred some chicken and make it with that as well.

Aromatics

While it’s not as good as mincing or grating them fresh, I love having pre-minced garlic and ginger paste on hand – it just makes cooking so much faster. I’ve also found that while using 1/4 red onion was my original recipe, it works just as well with a whole small yellow onion (though my family loves onion – use less if your family doesn’t). Feel free to adjust these to your preferences (or what you have on hand) as well!

Vegetables

I don’t mind shredding a cabbage since I’ve gotten pretty quick at it from making sauerkraut. However, if you need something you can just dump into the wok, a bag of coleslaw mix will work just as well! I like to add some broccoli slaw for the texture, but you can just add more cabbage or coleslaw mix. You can also shred broccoli and carrots in a food processor if you want to make broccoli slaw yourself. And I have a confession: when I make this for my family, I’m also not very precise with my amounts. I just keep adding vegetables until it looks good! They cook down after a bit, so even if it looks like an insurmountable mountain of veggies when you first add them, they become very manageable and blend in with the meat to entice even the pickiest eaters!

Sauce

Soy sauce is fine with my family, but you can substitute with coconut aminos or tamari sauce if you have dietary restrictions/preferences. You can also add as much or as little sriracha sauce as you’d like. If you have varying spice tolerances in your family, keep the whole batch mild and the spicy-lovers can add it to their own bowls to their heart’s content!

What toppings are good on Egg Roll in a Bowl?

I enjoy my Egg Roll in a Bowl with a drizzle of sesame oil and sriracha, with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and green onions. It’s also good topped with pickled carrots and ginger, wonton strips (if they fit within your dietary preferences), or crushed peanuts. If you have other topping recommendations, let me know in the comments!

Is sesame oil a seed oil? I thought you avoid those.

Yes, sesame oil is a technically a seed oil (and I generally avoid them), though it has been cultivated by Asian cultures for centuries to be more easily expressed without the high heat, pressure, and chemical solvents used to express the Hateful Eight (canola, corn, cottonseed, sunflower, safflower, soy, grapeseed, and rice bran). If it tastes like sesame, that means that it hasn’t been bleached/deodorized like the other seed oils I generally avoid. Also, we are not heating it in this recipe, just drizzling over the finished portions, which further reduces the risk of its polyunsaturated fatty-acids being highly oxidized. If you are still not comfortable with sesame oil, it is delicious without it as well! You can get a similar nutty flavor by garnishing your bowl with crushed peanuts or toasted sesame seeds.

Does this make good leftovers?

Yes, egg roll in a bowl leftovers are excellent! Kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container, they will be good for about 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe as the cabbage and other vegetables might get too mushy.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp butter – you can also substitute tallow or whatever fat you prefer
• 2.5 lb pork shoulder (cooked & shredded) – or substitute this with whatever protein you prefer. Using pre-cooked meat will make this recipe quicker, but it’s great with meat cooked from raw as well. Just adjust your cooking time expectations accordingly.
• Salt & pepper, to taste
• 1/4 red onion, diced – yellow onion works too (or add a dash of onion powder if you don’t have fresh onions on hand)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp grated ginger – can substitute 1 tsp ground ginger
• 12 oz green cabbage, shredded – can substitute with coleslaw mix
• 8 oz broccoli slaw – can substitute with more shredded cabbage coleslaw mix, though I really like the texture the broccoli slaw adds
• 1/2 cup soy sauce – use low-sodium if you’re concerned about sodium intake or coconut aminos if you’re gluten-free
• 1 tbsp sriracha (optional), plus more for topping
• Sesame oil, for topping – yes, sesame oil is a technically a seed oil (though not one of the Hateful Eight), but as I explain above, it’s one that I am comfortable consuming. If you are still not comfortable with sesame oil, it is delicious without it as well!

Directions

Step 1: In a wok (or large skillet) over medium heat, melt the butter then heat the pork shoulder until warmed through, about 5-10 minutes (depending on the size of the shredded pork chunks). Stir constantly to break up the meat into smaller pieces. If you’re substituting with a raw meat, cook it until cooked through, about 7-10 minutes (or more, depending on the meat you’re cooking).

Step 2: Add the diced onion, garlic, ginger, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine and cook for about another minute.

Step 3: Add cabbage (or coleslaw mix) and broccoli slaw to the cooked pork. It will cook down, so just stir carefully at first. Cook 5-8 minutes, until vegetables are softened to your desired texture and the cabbage becomes translucent.

Step 4: Add the soy sauce and sriracha, if using, and stir to combine. Cook another minute or so, then taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Step 5: Serve with a drizzle of sesame oil and more sriracha, if desired. You can also top it with green onions, sesame seeds, pickled carrots, crushed peanuts, wonton strips (if you aren’t keto), or any other toppings you like.

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Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 414 kcal
Fat: 27g
Total Carbohydrates: 7g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 34g

The nutrition data provided here is for informational only and is only an estimate based on an online nutrition calculator. It cannot be verified or guaranteed, and should not be used in the treatment of medical conditions. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice This data should be interpreted and used at your own risk.