Egg Roll in a Bowl

My coworker Sarah brought this to lunch one day in a glass container, and the smell hit me before she even opened her desk drawer—ginger, sesame oil, something alive and savory. She called it egg roll in a bowl, and I remember thinking that sounded like a shortcut, maybe even lazy. But then I tasted it, and every element was there: the crispy edges from the pan, the yielding cabbage, that perfect salty-sweet balance. I asked for the recipe that afternoon, and it's become my go-to when I need dinner on the table before anyone gets hangry.

I made this for my parents on a random Wednesday when they stopped by unannounced, and my mom literally asked if I'd ordered takeout because she didn't believe I'd cooked it myself. She's not easily impressed, but she went back for seconds, and my dad started asking about ingredient substitutions before he'd even finished his first serving. That moment—when you watch people genuinely enjoy something you just threw together—that's when you know a recipe is worth keeping.

Ingredients

• Ground pork, chicken, or turkey (1 lb): Choose whatever protein you've got; I prefer pork because it browns beautifully and has just enough fat to keep things tender without needing extra oil.
• Cabbage slaw mix (4 cups): This is your time-saver—pre-shredded cabbage and carrots mean you're not standing there with a box grater. If you can only find whole cabbage, slice it thin and you'll spend an extra five minutes, tops.
• Onion, garlic, and ginger: These three are doing the heavy lifting flavor-wise, so don't skip them or use the bottled versions—fresh ginger especially makes all the difference.
• Soy sauce (3 tbsp): The backbone of your sauce; use tamari if you're gluten-free or need to accommodate allergies.
• Rice vinegar (1 tbsp): Just enough tang to keep things bright without making it sour.
• Toasted sesame oil (1 tbsp): A little goes a long way here, but it's essential—the toasted version has way more personality than regular sesame oil.
• Sriracha (1 tsp, optional): I always add this because I like heat, but taste first and adjust to your crowd.
• Green onions and sesame seeds (for garnish): These aren't just decoration—they add texture and freshness that makes people feel like they're eating at a restaurant.

Instructions

Brown the meat:

Get your skillet really hot over medium-high heat, then add the ground meat and break it apart with a spatula as it cooks. You want it to actually touch the pan and develop some color—about 5 to 6 minutes total. If there's a slick of fat pooling at the bottom, drain some of it off, but leave a little because that's flavor.

Build the aromatics:

Add your sliced onion, minced garlic, and grated ginger to the browned meat and let it all hang out together for 2 to 3 minutes. Your kitchen will smell incredible—that's how you know it's working. The onion should start turning translucent and everything should smell fragrant enough to make someone ask what you're cooking.

Add the vegetables:

Toss in your cabbage slaw mix and stir constantly for about 4 to 5 minutes. You want the cabbage to soften but still have a little crunch to it—if you cook it too long, it turns into mush, and that's not what we're going for here.

Make the sauce come together:

While the cabbage is cooking, whisk together your soy sauce, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, and sriracha if you're using it. Pour it all into the pan and toss everything to coat, then let it cook for just 1 to 2 more minutes so the flavors meld.

Finish and serve:

Take it off the heat and scatter green onions, sesame seeds, and whatever else you're using for toppings across the top. Serve it hot, or if you're meal prepping, let it cool completely before dividing into containers.

Save

My friend texted me one night asking if I could teach her something quick because she was stressed about hosting her first dinner party. I walked her through this recipe over the phone, and she called me back after saying her guests had no idea it came together in 25 minutes. She's made it probably a dozen times since, and that's when I realized this recipe isn't just convenient—it's genuinely good enough to serve to people you want to impress.

The Magic of the One-Pan Dinner

There's something about cooking everything in one vessel that changes how you think about flavor building. Instead of juggling multiple pans and timing everything perfectly, you're layering flavors directly in one spot, and each ingredient builds on what came before it. The fond that develops on the bottom of the pan from the meat? That becomes part of your sauce. The vegetables aren't just an afterthought—they're picking up all those browned bits and absorbing the umami happening around them.

Flexibility Without Losing the Plot

I've made this with ground turkey when that's what I had, with shredded rotisserie chicken, even with crumbled tofu for a friend who was trying vegetarian for a month. Every version has tasted genuinely good because the technique—browning, building aromatics, wilting vegetables, then unifying everything with sauce—stays the same. The cabbage is the hero no matter what protein you pick, and the sauce is what glues everything together into something that feels intentional and delicious.

What Comes Next

This dish is endlessly adaptable depending on what you're hungry for or what you've got on hand. Some people serve it over rice, others use cauliflower rice to keep it low-carb, and I've even scooped it into lettuce cups when I was trying to avoid carbs but still wanted something satisfying. The technique teaches you something bigger too—once you understand how to build these flavors in a pan, you'll find yourself improvising in the kitchen with way more confidence.

• Top each serving with a fried egg if you want to add protein and richness.
• Make a double batch and portion it into containers; it reheats beautifully and actually tastes better the next day.
• Keep your pantry stocked with soy sauce, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil so this comes together anytime.

Save

This is the kind of recipe that becomes a shorthand in your cooking life—something you make when you need a win, when someone's coming over and you want to impress them without stress, or when you're just hungry and tired but you don't want to sacrifice taste. Once you've made it a few times, it becomes muscle memory, and that's when cooking gets fun again.

Recipe FAQs

→ Can I make this vegetarian?

Yes, simply replace the ground meat with crumbled tofu or tempeh. Cook the tofu until lightly browned before adding vegetables for best texture.

→ What's the best protein to use?

Ground pork is traditional and provides the most authentic flavor, but ground chicken or turkey work beautifully for a lighter version with excellent results.

→ How long does this keep in the refrigerator?

Store in airtight containers for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat or microwave until warmed through.

→ Can I freeze this dish?

Yes, freeze portions in freezer-safe containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

→ What can I serve with this?

Enjoy on its own for a low-carb meal, or serve over steamed rice, cauliflower rice, or even noodles for a more filling dinner.