Confession: Tony and I LOVE egg rolls. Fried, crispy and dipping in sweet and spicy sauce. We order from one of our favorite Vietnamese restaurants at least once every 2 weeks and get big bowls of pho and their famous chicken egg rolls. It’s not the healthiest, but it’s definitely delicious and comforting.
When Sidney was just a few months old, I attempted to make healthier egg rolls in a bowl at home and it was SO FREAKIN’ GOOD. Basically the inside of an egg roll minus the fried wrap. Today, I’m sharing a vegan version made with Nasoya tofu and kimchi. Many of you know I’ve been using Nasoya for years, and can’t wait to share another plant based recipe for you all to try.
What is an egg roll in a bowl?
Egg rolls have a mix of crunchy veggies like cabbage, onion & carrots cooked with flavors like garlic & ginger and are usually filled with ground pork. They’re then wrapped in a dough-y wrapper and deep fried until they’re crispy.
We’re making a lightened up twist on traditional egg rolls by removing the fried exterior and simply adding the insides of the egg roll to a bowl. Instead of ground pork we’re using Nasoya Extra Firm Tofu in the recipe to keep it vegan & vegetarian, too!
Vegan egg roll in a bowl ingredients
This low carb egg roll in a bowl recipe is filled with fresh ingredients and an incredible flavor combination that’s seriously better-than-takeout good. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Soy sauce: I like using a reduced sodium soy sauce, but you can also use tamari (gluten free soy sauce) or coconut aminos (another gluten free alternative).
- Rice vinegar: for a little acidity in the sauce and the tofu marinade.
- Coconut sugar: this adds a touch of sweetness to the tofu. You can also use regular brown sugar.
- Toasted sesame oil: we’re marinating the tofu and cooking everything in some toasted sesame oil for additional flavor. Regular sesame oil also works well.
- Nasoya Extra Firm Tofu: the extra firm variety holds up super well so that you can get crispy tofu cubes. Just be sure to squeeze out the excess water before cubing it!
- Garlic & fresh ginger: for a boost of delicious flavor in the egg roll sauce.
- Veggies: we’re using crunchy cabbage, carrots, yellow onion & green onion to make the whole egg roll bowl.
- Nasoya Spicy Kimchi: we’re topping each bowl with some Nasoya Spicy kimchi, which is made of fermented veggies like cabbage & radishes that pack healthy probiotics and minerals. It’s tangy and delicious in stir frys, too! Feel free to use their regular kimchi if you’re sensitive to spice.
The key to crispy tofu
The key to crispy tofu is to make sure that all of the water is squeezed out from your block. I like to use Nasoya Extra Firm Tofu because it’s easy to work with and doesn’t retain as much water.
- Wrap your extra firm tofu block with a dish towel and place it on a plate
- Place a wooden cutting board on top
- Put something heavy on top of the cutting board like a pot of water, books, etc. so that the water begins to squeeze out into the towel.
Alternatively, you can also use a tofu press specifically designed for squeezing out tofu!
What is kimchi?
Kimchi is a traditional Korean side dish that’s a mix of salted and fermented veggies like napa cabbage, carrots, onion & radishes. The vegetables are soaked in a variety of spices and flavors like garlic, ginger, Korean red chili pepper flakes and even different types of fish sauce. Kimchi packs tons of probiotics and minerals!
I first tried Nasoya’s Kimchi last year and loved adding the spicy version to these vegan burgers. Nasoya’s Kimchi is also vegan as it doesn’t contain any fish sauce – win, win. Check out this video to see their whole process of making traditional, authentic Korean kimchi!
Customize your healthy egg roll in a bowl
- If you’re not vegan or vegetarian, feel free to use ground chicken, turkey, pork or even thinly sliced steak. Chickpeas would also be another great plant-based option!
- Add mushrooms for a little umami flavor
- Serve with rice, quinoa or cauliflower rice for a more filling dinner
- Pile everything into a lettuce wrap for a fun, low carb option
- Serve with an egg on top or serve with a scrambled egg
How to store your egg roll in a bowl
Simply store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Enjoy it straight from the fridge or reheat a bit in the microwave if you like it warmer.
I hope you love this recipe for an easy vegan egg roll in a bowl! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you like it. You can also share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #ambitiouskitchen!
Vegan Egg Roll in a Bowl
Ingredients
- For the crispy tofu:
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 package Nasoya Extra Firm Tofu, drained and cut into 1 inch cubes
- For the sauce:
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
- 1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- For the egg roll bowl:
- 1 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil, divided
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 cup matchstick cut carrots (or shredded carrots)
- 5-6 cups shredded green cabbage
- 1/2 cup chopped green onion
- To garnish:
- Nasoya Spicy Kimchi
- Diced cilantro
- Extra green onion
- Hot sauce, if desired
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix together the ingredients for the tofu marinade: soy sauce, rice vinegar, coconut sugar and sesame oil. Add tofu cubes and toss with the marinade. Cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes-1 hour.
- Next make the egg roll in a bowl sauce: In a medium bowl, mix together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, minced garlic and grated ginger. Set aside.
- When tofu is done marinating, add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to a large skillet and place over medium high heat. Once oil is hot, add in tofu and cook for 3-4 minutes until tofu begins to brown and crisp up. Slowly stir tofu so that it browns on all sides as best you can. Once tofu is done browning, transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Now it’s time to make the egg roll in a bowl: In the same skillet you cooked the tofu, add in ½ tablespoon sesame oil and place over medium heat. Add in yellow onion and carrots and cook for a few minutes until onions begin to soften. Next add in green cabbage and green onion and saute until tender. Add in the egg roll in a bowl sauce and stir together, cooking about 2 minutes longer. Finally stir in the crispy tofu.
- Pour into individual bowls, garnish with a tablespoon or two of Nasoya Spicy Kimchi and some cilantro, sliced green onion and hot sauce, if desired. Serves 4.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
This recipe is sponsored by Nasoya. All recipes, text and opinions are my own.
44 comments
This looks great! Where do you recommend finding coconut sugar/can it be replaced with regular sugar?
Most grocery stores now carry coconut sugar, or free free to sub brown sugar!
Monique, it was delicious. However I did not get a really crispy tofu (but can not find your brand in Germany) We enjoyed the recipe. Thanks 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed! It can be tricky to get it crispy – make sure to squeeze all of that water out 🙂
Super quick and tasty.
My tofu turned out really nice and crispy, it just took me longer than 3-4 minutes and there aint nothin’ wrong with that!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
Yum! This is amazing! I’ve made egg roll in a bowl before and the recipe was almost exactly the same with only minor adjustments to sauces and seasonings. I did ground chicken instead of tofu. And instead of kimchi I made a creamy Sriracha sauce by mixing 2 TBS of tahini with a few TSP of Sriracha and some water to thin it out. I love that your recipes calls for fresh shredded cabbage instead of Coleslaw mix like other recipes I’ve seen. It’s so easy to shred your own with a food processor and a slicer attachment.
Love that! And yes all about the fresh shredded cabbage – it stays good forever!
Very good and easy to make. Tastes just like an egg roll but so much healthier!
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
That totally satisfied my takeout craving, minus the guilt since it’s light! Super delicious, flavorful and easy, just as the recipe is, I didn’t need to make any modifications, other than adding salt & pepper you the veggies while cooking. Thank you!
So happy to hear that! The perfect better-than-takeout dinner 🙂
I love Ambitious Kitchen. Thank you for all of these amazing recipes!!
I was excited to make this one. I made it was written but didn’t have Kimchi to top it with. The tofu was great.
Four stars is because I found it a bit salty (and I love salt!), but I didn’t have low sodium soy. Next time I will replace some of the soy with water or try to find low sodium soy.
Thanks again!
So glad you enjoyed! And yes I highly recommend a low sodium soy sauce, otherwise great idea to dilute with a bit of water.
LOVED this dish! I used ground Turkey instead of tofu, added mushrooms, and doubled the amount of cabbage and carrots because I LOVE veggies and was trying to make it more of a meal. The flavors are absolutely fantastic and this tastes restaurant quality without feeling bloated after. I love this with sriracha and kimchi, although I also had it once without kimchi and still thought it was great!
Awesome easy meal. Def use a food processor to speed up prep time. Great flavour! Added mushrooms for extra umami.
Great tip! Love the addition of mushrooms.
I made only the roll in a bowl (no tofu) and absolutely loved it! Great with rice or noodles. Thank you Monique for the work you put into your recipes.
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
I’ve made this recipe once a week for the last month, it’s so delicious and fun to make. The tofu comes out fantastic every time too.
So glad you love it!
All the flavors together are ON POINT! I made this for some friends and brought it to their house for dinner and everyone LOVED it! I still need to perfect my tofu because it didn’t come out as crisp as I’d like. I did add chicken with this but it doesn’t even need a protein because its THAT good! haha
Love that!! Be sure to really squeeze out all of that moisture and that should help. You could also toss it in a little cornstarch or arrowroot starch!
This is one of my all time favourite recipes ! The tofu marinade I use all the time (the best!) sometimes I’ll toss the tofu in cornstarch after to give it a crisp. I also looove it over some egg noodles ❤️❤️ 10 stars
I’m so glad! Love it 🙂
Yum! I’ve eaten this for lunch a few times this week, and it’s delicious! My husband isn’t a fan of tofu, and even he likes the recipe. The tofu marinade is perfect.I bought and tried kimchi and learned that I don’t love it. But it’s still perfect even without it. Thank you!
So happy you tried it and that you guys are both loving it! Totally fine to leave out the kimchi if it’s not your thing 🙂
I used ground pork instead of tofu. Best egg roll bowl I have tried. The ginger and sesame are really well balanced. Used bagged cabbage and carrot mix. Would top with almond slivers or crunchy chow main noodles next time.
Yummm I’m so happy you loved it, Kendra! 🙂
Phenomenal recipe! Even if you aren’t vegan/vegetarian you will LOVE this recipe.
I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Janet!
So good!!! It’s hard to find unique vegetarian recipes and this was a hit! I added some edamame to this already delicious recipe for additional protein!
Sooo good!! I also added mushrooms and it was 10/10. Definitely going to be a staple in my house.
Great call on the mushrooms! So glad you loved this one!
This is a tasty meal! In the end I did add a little garlic chili paste for a bit of heat. I made a side of rice to serve it with.
That sounds amazing! I’m so happy you enjoyed it 🙂
Delicious! I scrambled a couple eggs in (similar to pad Thai) and served with peanuts on top and a sweet chilly sauce. So yummy!!
That sounds amazing, Cindy! I’m SO happy you loved it 🙂
I meal prep this almost every other week!
Another winner! I added a bit of ground chicken I had leftover from making your bbq sweet potato cheeseburgers and probably way more ginger than called for and it was delicious. (So were the cheeseburgers.)
Love that idea! Glad you enjoyed!
I did this recipe using chickpeas and topped with kimchi. I followed the directions exactly as written. The dish is very delicious and filling! The marinade elevated the chickpeas—yummy!
This was a great recipe! I did add a maybe 1/2 tablespoon of hoisin and fish sauce. But it was a great low carb meal with lots of room for variation!
I loved this version of egg roll in a bowl. So many versions use a creamy sauce and I loved that this used rice vinegar. It was a nice bright and refreshing dish. While I meal-prepped it for dinner this time, I think it will make a good lunch for the workweek!