Egg Rolls take a long time. Like, hours.
When there was not enough time, and the store that typically sells the wrappers was out, then it was time for improvisation. For under $.75 per serving, you can make Egg Roll Bowl that will be an instant win for anyone.

Disclosure
Published November 14, 2022
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Cost breakdown for this recipe

The cost to make this recipe is actually quite reasonable. Instead of egg rolls, just making Egg Roll Bowl is cheaper in cost because of the lack of wrappers or oil for deep frying. Despite the lower cost, this meal does not lack in flavor or quantity.

Below is a cost breakdown for each item used in this meal, with all prices coming from a local ALDI in 2022.

Pork Sausage 1 pound $2.55
2 1/2 cups white rice $1.50
1/2 head Cabbage $1.00
3 Carrots $0.75
3 tsp minced Garlic $0.15
2 pints baby portabella mushrooms $3.58
1 tsp ginger $0.07
1/2 tsp salt $0.01
Sesame oil 1 tsp $0.01
1 Tbsp oil $0.03
1 Tbsp Chinese Rice Wine OR White wine vinegar $0.08
4 Tbsp soy $0.20
1/4 tsp sugar $0.01

The total cost for this recipe for Egg Roll Bowl was $9.94. Honestly!
We had an entire huge skillet with food, plus rice, and the leftovers lasted for days.
After two days, the rest went in freezer containers for freezer meals.
This dinner, that cost under $10, gave us fifteen servings, costing $0.66 per serving.

However, if you do want to dry making Egg Rolls, click the link below to see my full recipe on how to make them healthier being baked, not fried.

Homemade Egg Rolls – How to bake them healthier than fried

Make the BEST Rice

Rice is finicky. It can get soggy, undercooked and burned.
Yes, you too can burn rice!
If there isn’t enough water, the rice on the bottom will then burn on the bottom of the pan.

When I make rice, after learning from a master, learning that rice needs to be WASHED was a complete game changer.

Wash your rice folks! For real.

How do you wash your rice?
First off, you do not actually need to measure out the rice, but just pour what you want in the pan.
If you are unsure, yes, measure the rice.
Once you have your rice in the pot, fill it to the top of the rice with COLD water and then swirl the rice and water in one continuous direction.
Once that is done, using a strainer, strain out the water and save the rice.
Then do this twice more to clean the rice.
Once the water is no longer cloudy, fill the pot with water till it gets to one of two points.
The first is with your index finger into the rice touching the bottom of the pan and the water to your SECOND knuckle.
The second is to lay your hand flat on the rice and fill it with water up to cover your middle finger knuckle.

Then, cook the rice.
For more awesome rice tips, click the link below for Simply Ming: Secrets of how to make perfect rice

Recipe

Ingredients for Egg Roll Bowl

1 pound pork sausage
Rice
1/2 head Cabbage
3 Carrots
3 tsp minced Garlic
2 pints baby portabella mushrooms
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp salt
Sesame oil 1 tsp
1 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp Chinese Rice Wine OR White wine vinegar
4 Tbsp soy
1/4 tsp sugar

Directions for making an Egg Roll Bowl

1. Firstly, rinse the rice by swishing it in water and dumping the water out through a mesh strainer to catch any rice from falling into the sink. This helps to clean the rice and will make for a fluffier texture and better taste at the end, just make sure to rinse at least three times. Then add water to the rice in a pot, enough that when your hand rests on the rice it covers all your fingers. Then, cook the rice.

As an alternative, you can buy a Rice Cooker from Black+Decker to cook your rice instead of taking a chance on the stove.
Click below to see one of the best rated Rice Cookers on Amazon. I may have to get one for us as well.

2. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the carrots and then cut the bottom and tops off. If available, use a Food Processor to make short work of shredding the carrots, otherwise, a box shredder works just as well.

3. Then wipe the mushroom caps clean with a paper towel getting any loose dirt off and dice the mushrooms. When using baby portabella mushrooms, take off the stems and do not use them as they can be tough and not that flavorful.

4. Using a large chef knife, cut the cabbage in half, then cut the stem off as it is too tough, and slice the cabbage very thin.

5. Place the Wok or large pan on the stove and then heat 1 Tablespoon oil to Medium-High. 

6. Cook any meat that you will then be adding to your Egg Roll Bowl, this recipe includes 1-pound pork sausage. When fully cooked, place sausage onto a paper towel lined plate to soak up any excess fat.
**You can either make them vegetarian by omitting any meat or making them with chicken or pork. **

7. Add the cabbage, carrot, and mushroom mixture to the Wok and stir fry for 5-7 minutes, or until tender, this cooking time may vary depending on how much cabbage you use.

8. Add 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, 1 Tablespoon Chinese Rice Wine, 1 Tablespoon Soy, and 1/4 teaspoon sugar to the vegetables; then mix well and continue to cook.
Additionally, feel free to double the amounts of seasonings if you taste test and think it needs more.

9. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant, mixing well.

10. Add the pork sausage if using and then stir well into the cooked vegetables.

11. Finally, serve Egg Roll Bowl ingredients on top of the cooked rice and enjoy!
~Monica

Egg Roll Bowl Recipe