I love making egg rolls, but they’re not always easy to eat because they get soggy after sitting around for too long.
This recipe has everything you need to whip up some tasty shrimp egg rolls.
1.What Type Of Shrimp Should I Use For This Recipe?
There are many different types of shrimp available depending on where in the world you live.
Here we will be using jumbo shrimp which tend to have bigger meat than regular sized shrimp.
The best way to find out if your shrimp is ready to cook would be by checking the color of its eyes.
When it comes to cooking, white meats like chicken and fish can take longer compared to dark-colored ones such as beef or pork.
Shrimp, however, fall into the medium category when it comes to their cooking time.
They usually require about 15 minutes per pound. So if you want to prepare these delicious shrimp egg rolls at home with ease, you should buy shrimp that weighs between 1 – 2 pounds (0.45 – 0.9 kg).
If you don’t know what size shrimp to purchase, try buying two packages.
If you decide to go ahead and start preparing the shrimp egg roll filling, then you might also consider purchasing frozen shrimp instead of fresh ones.
Frozen shrimp are already peeled and cleaned so all you have to do is thaw them before starting to prepare the filling.
You can either place them directly in boiling water or pop them straight into an ice bath.
There’s no limit on how much you can add to each wrapper.
You can choose to serve the shrimp egg rolls hot or cold.
Personally, I prefer mine warm!
However, if you prefer yours hot, you could simply reheat them in the oven before serving.
To ensure that your shrimp egg rolls stay moist while cooked, you must remove most of the moisture from them right away.
To achieve this, you only need to drain off excess liquid with a paper towel.
Do this just before adding any sauce to the filling.
Once you’ve drained off the excess liquid, pour some soy sauce over the top of the egg rolls and let it soak through the wrappers.
Then, sprinkle some black pepper on top and enjoy!
How Do I Make The Egg Rolls Wrappers From Scratch?
The answer is simple – all it takes are two things: flour and water.
You can find these items at any grocery store or restaurant supply shop near where you live.
If you don’t have access to either of those options, head over to Amazon and order some instant dry-mix flour and baking powder.
Once you have your basic ingredients, here’s what you need to know about how to make the egg rolls wrappers from scratch:
- Add one cup (120 grams) of all purpose white flour into a large mixing bowl.
- Sprinkle three tablespoons (24 grams) of salt onto the top of the flour.
- Pour 1/3 cup (80 milliliters) of warm water into a small measuring jug.
- Dip a rubber spatula into the liquid and stir until there aren’t clumps left on the bottom of the measuring jug.
- Slowly pour the mixture into the flour while stirring constantly.
- Continue adding more liquid as needed until the dough comes together.
- Place the dough between two pieces of parchment paper and wrap it tightly using both sides of the plastic wrap.
- Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes.
- Unwrap the dough and place it back onto the countertop with the parchment still attached.
- Divide the dough into six equal parts by cutting each part across the middle with a sharp knife.
- Cover the cut edges with plastic wrap so that no moisture gets inside the wrapper.
- Heat a pan filled with 2 inches hot oil and add half of the wrapper strips.
- Fry the strips until golden brown on both sides.
- Remove the fried strips from the hot oil and set aside to cool down.
- Repeat steps 4 through 7 for the remaining five portions of the dough.
You now have enough egg roll wrappers to fill 15 individual servings!
Let me show you how we made our egg rolls.
Should I Precook The Shrimp Before Wrapping Them In The Egg Rolls?
If you like your food hot, then you should definitely cook the shrimp ahead of time.
If you want to keep things simple, though, all you have to do is wrap it in the eggrolls and let it cool down.
You can even refrigerate the whole thing if you don’t feel like cooking anything else.
The reason that you should take care when preparing the shrimp is because they contain high levels of moisture.
When they’re raw, they absorb water easily.
So unless you are going to be eating them right away, it’s best to prepare them first so they dry out as much as possible.
Cooking times vary depending on what type of shrimp you use.
The ones I’m using here are jumbo shrimp which will take about 10 minutes or less.
But if you prefer smaller shrimp, you’ll probably need more time.
Since this recipe uses uncooked shrimp, there’s no need to precook them.
However, if you decide to buy cooked shrimp, you might consider heating it up in a pan over medium-high heat until it turns pink.
That way, it won’t soak up any additional liquid while you wait for the rest of the ingredients to come together.
Precooking also helps prevent the shells from getting stuck between the wrapper and the filling.
And if you choose to serve these at room temperature, you can just pop them in the fridge instead.
What Kind Of Dipping Sauce Would Go Well With These Shrimp Egg Rolls?
If you know me personally, then you know that I have quite an eclectic palate when it comes to food.
That being said, there are certain things that I will never be able to resist eating, even if I don’t really like them all that much.
One of those foods is fried chicken.
Now, I can’t tell you exactly what part of fried chicken makes it so irresistible, but I do know that no matter how many times I try to avoid it, my mouth just won’t let me.
That’s why I was pleasantly surprised by this recipe for shrimp egg rolls.
After having eaten a lot of different kinds of egg rolls over the years, I expected something bland and boring.
But instead, I found myself craving more than ever!
What made the difference?
The combination of crunchy wonton wrappers and sweet soy sauce!
The original recipe called for dried mushrooms, which sounded interesting at first, but now I’m wondering if they might actually ruin the flavor of the dish.
If you want to use dried mushrooms instead of fresh ones, feel free to do so, but either way, I think this is one of the best recipes I’ve tried out so far.
Can I Make The Egg Rolls Ahead Of Time And Reheat Them Later?
Yes! You can cook your egg rolls as much or little as you want as long as you keep them covered in aluminum foil while cooking.
That way, you don’t have to worry about ruining them by letting them sit out or getting sogginess from moisture.
You can also freeze them if you like.
Just be sure that they aren’t frozen solid before you put them into the oven.
Once cooked, store them in an airtight container until ready to use.
Ingredients
- 1 pound raw medium-sized shrimp (16/20 count)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 8 ounces Chinese cabbage
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 6 large eggs
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- Cooking spray
Directions
To prepare the egg rolls, you will first need to clean and devein the shrimp.
To remove the shell, just hold each shrimp under running water and gently pull off the shell.
Then rinse the shrimp thoroughly to remove any remaining bits of shells.
Next, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over high heat in a wok or skillet.
When it starts smoking hot, add the cleaned and deveined shrimp.
Cook the shrimp for 3 minutes per side until lightly browned and pink inside.
Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.
Now that the shrimp are prepped, combine the next six ingredients in a bowl and whisk together.
Set this mixture aside. In another separate bowl, mix the 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and the 6 beaten eggs together.
Slowly pour this mixture into the bowl containing the seasoned shrimp.
Add 4 cups of flour to the bowl and stir together.
Continue mixing until a thick batter forms.
Coat both sides of the shrimp with the batter and then carefully drop them back into the same skillet used to sauté the shrimp.
The batter should coat the shrimp evenly so that every part gets coated with enough batter to form an even crust.
If your batter isn’t covering the entire surface of the shrimp, place more shrimp on top of what’s already there.
Cover the skillet with the lid and let the shrimp cook undisturbed for 8–10 minutes until golden and crispy.
Flip the shrimp over and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
Serve immediately or refrigerate until needed.
How Do I Know When The Egg Rolls Are Done Cooking?
You can tell that your egg rolls are finished cooking by looking at their color.
If they still look translucent or pale yellow in color, then they’re definitely done cooking, but if they have turned a darker brown, then it’s safe to say that they’d be good to go (unless you want to serve them immediately).
The texture will also change as well.
When you first take out your egg rolls from the oven, they might seem soft and chewy, like a pita pocket.
But once cooled down and refrigerated overnight, they should firm up into something more solid than what you started with.
When to check on your egg rolls
- Remove the pan from the heat source, cover the top tightly with aluminum foil, and let sit for 5 minutes before opening the lid.
- If you don’t plan on eating right away, keep the egg rolls in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to consume.
How long does it take to cook the egg rolls?
Pre-cooked egg rolls usually require about 12 – 15 minutes of total baking time.
You can speed things up if you use frozen shrimp instead of fresh ones.
The process takes roughly 10 minutes less to fully bake.
What Do I Do If My Egg Rolls Start To Fall Apart?
Egg rolls can be an excellent snack or appetizer at any time of day, especially during summer months.
They also work well as a healthy option that will satisfy your craving for something crunchy.
But there are times when your egg rolls just don’t turn out right.
Here are a few things you should consider before throwing away those leftovers.
- Did you cook them in the microwave? If so, put them back into the oven until they warm up again.
- Were you baking them in the oven? If so, it may have been too hot or too cold outside.
- Are the wrappers starting to tear? Try rolling them with another wrapper instead. You might find that this works better than using one of your other options.
- Is the filling leaking out from between the two layers of dough? Take care not to squeeze these together too tightly. The more air-tight the package is, the longer it will last.
- Have you added extra sauce onto your egg rolls? Make sure you let them cool down completely before opening them up. Otherwise, the heat from the sauce could cause the egg rolls to stick together and rip open.
If none of those ideas worked, then you probably cooked your egg rolls incorrectly.
Check out our guide to perfecting your egg roll technique for tips on getting rid of imperfection.
Why Did My Egg Rolls Come Out Rubbery?
Egg rolls are usually made with ground pork or chicken, so when the filling gets too wet, it seeps through the wrapper.
To prevent this from happening, use parchment paper as your wrap instead of foil.
Parchment paper also helps keep the fillings in place better than regular aluminum foil does.
Another option to try would be using plastic wrap rather than foil.
You could even spray cooking oil onto one side before wrapping your filling inside.
- Try mixing all-purpose flour into your stuffing mixture to help hold the shape together while baking.
- Use more water than usual to mix the dough properly.
- Bake at lower temperatures (325°F) for shorter periods of time (15 minutes).
- Add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to the shrimp stock used to cook your meatballs.
These tips will help keep your egg rolls moist and flavorful by preventing moisture loss.
If you still have trouble keeping your egg rolls together, try adding 1 tablespoon of flour along with 1/4 cup of water to your filling mixture.
How Can I
1. Shred the cabbage using your favorite food processor or sharp knife. You want it as fine as possible so that it cooks quickly. If you don’t have a food processor, finely chop the cabbage by hand with a sharp knife.
2. Slice the scallions thinly and then cut in half lengthwise; set aside one-half of the green parts (the white part will be used later).
3. In a large bowl combine the shredded cabbage, sliced onion, garlic powder, chili sauce, soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar, cornstarch, salt, and black pepper. Mix well until all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
4. Add the ground chicken meat, eggs, and cilantro and mix thoroughly. The mixture should hold together when squeezed.
5. To form each egg roll, place about 1 tablespoon of filling onto a wrapper. Fold the bottom edge over toward the center of the egg roll, leaving the top open. Roll up tightly, folding the sides inward towards the middle. Press down slightly on the edges to seal completely. Repeat this process with remaining wrappers, dough, and filling.
6. Place an inch of water into a skillet and bring to medium heat. Once heated through, carefully add the egg rolls. Cook for 3 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove from pan and serve hot.
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 scallions chopped
- 3 cups green cabbage
- 1/2 cups carrots
- 2 tablespoons sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1/2 pound raw shrimp chopped
- 6 egg roll wrappers
- Olive oil spray
Instructions
- Sesame oil should be heated over medium-high heat in a big skillet. Add the shrimp and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the shrimp is almost cooked through.
- Add scallions, ginger, and garlic. Sauté for about 30 seconds, or until aromatic. Add vinegar, soy sauce, and carrots to the mixture.
- Cook vegetables for two to three minutes over high heat, or until they are crisp and tender. Place in a colander, drain, and allow to cool.
- Place each egg roll wrapper one at a time with the points pointing in a diamond shape toward the top and bottom of the surface. Onto the bottom third of the wrapper, spoon 1/3 cup of the mixture.
- Run your finger down the wrapper’s edges after dipping it in a small dish of water. Lift the point closest to you, then encircle the filled with it.
- Roll the paper into a tight cylinder while folding the left and right corners toward the center. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling after setting aside.
- Spray oil evenly over the egg rolls’ surfaces using your fingers.
- Cook at 370°F in batches for 5–7 minutes, flipping once, or until golden brown.
- Serve right away with optional dipping sauce on the side.
Video
Nutrition
My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.