These egg roll meatballs are a wonderfully flavorful, quick veggie-loaded recipe that you are going to love. Naturally gluten free, and super easy to make!
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You know that “Egg Roll in a Bowl” train everyone is jumping on? You know what I’m talking about, right? All of the deliciousness of an egg roll, but deconstructed (and minus the deep frying) into an easy peasy stir fry! If you haven’t heard of it, totally check it out…or just make these Egg Roll Meatballs.
One night a few weeks ago, I thought I’d try my own twist Egg Roll in a Bowl recipe for dinner. Lots of cabbage, shredded carrot, ground pork and the classic egg roll sauce all thrown into one-skillet and cooked up quickly. And it was so easy. Also delicious.
And my daughter wouldn’t touch it….
While Alice is an incredible veggie eater (something we have been working towards for years and years), she is a typical child and gets suspicious of new foods. Specifically here, cooked cabbage.
Alice loves her raw red cabbage that she lovingly called “princess cabbage” (because, in case you didn’t know this, princess only eat purple food). But cooked variation was a new thing for her in the egg roll in a bowl and she wasn’t interested. Not in the least.
I am not one to push food, but when my girl turns up her nose to a veggie, I take it as an opportunity to help her find a new way to eat it that she does enjoy! And in this case, turning the whole (and I will admit, messy) stir fry, into a neat little meatball! The perfect way to enjoy all the flavors and nutrients of an egg roll, but with a new twist!
In case you are wondering what the cabbage and carrots in an egg roll meatball offers up to the healthy of your body, here is a little rundown.
Why these meatballs rock!
- Loaded with cabbage! Just 1/2 cup of cabbage can provide your body with 30-35% of your daily vitamin C needs and it also gives your cells some vitamin K and magnesium to work with!
- They also have oodles of carrots! Carrots, well known for being loaded with beta-carotene and fiber content, is also a great source of antioxidants!
- Lots of protein!
- Paleo and Whole30
- Kid-approved. I trusted them on my young daughter (who is fiercely selective about what she gives her stamp of approval to) and she asked for these on repeat!
How to enjoy these egg roll meatballs
- Over rice or cauliflower “rice”
- With your favorite noodles
- with roasted veggies
- over a salad
- As an appetizer
- As a lunch box filler
- Drizzle them with creamy sauce. I love the sauce from this recipe
Suggested adaptions
- Cook them as burgers. Not in a meatball mood? Form these into patties and enjoy them as burgers instead!
- Use whatever ground meat you like. Egg rolls are traditionally made with pork, so that is why I went with that ground meat of choice. But ground chicken, turkey and even ground beef or bison will result in a yummy meatball.
- Make them nut free. If Paleo/Whole30 not important, switch out the almond flour for oat flour or gluten free bread crumbs.
Other veggie-loaded meatball recipes you are going to love
Egg Roll Meatballs
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 3 green onions chopped
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1/8 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 cup coconut aminos if gluten and soy free is not a priority, can sub soy sauce
- 2 1/2 cups bagged coleslaw mix (cabbage & carrots)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons almond flour see above for nut-free option
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400℉
- In a food processor with the “S” blade, combine bagged coleslaw mix, garlic, and green onions. Pulse until finely chopped.
- Pour the veggie mixture form the food processor into a large bowl. Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl.
- Mix well.
- Using a cookie scoop or small spoon, portion out the ground pork/veggie mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet or cast iron skillet. Gently roll the portioned out mixture into balls.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until meatball is cooked through. Enjoy warm.
This recipe was great! I replaced almond meal with tapioca flour, gelatin egg, and I accidentally forgot the sesame oil. They were delicious! I can’t believe how many veggies went into these. The kids loved them too! Especially my baby!😁 There’s definitely something about meatballs! They made way more than I expected. That’s always nice!
If you don’t have a food processor is there an alternative? Or just cut really really finely? I tried your lentil/ quinoa meatballs in the vitamix and they were a bit mushy…
I would just finely chop the veggies! Putting them in the blender would puree them and probably make the meatballs mushy.
Just made these and they turned out great! Used broccoli slaw as a sub and wondered if you serve them with any sauce or just plain?
I like them just plain! But now you have inspired me to think of a great sauce to add to the recipe!
Glad you enjoyed them!
Can I sub the pork with grounded beef?
Yes! I’ve made these with ground beef and ground chicken! Always comes out delicious!
Do you use light, untoasted sesame oil or the dark, toasted version?
These look amazing! What do you usually serve with these? I think my husband would love them but I’m not sure what would go alongside them. Although I’d happily just eat these on their own all evening!
We enjoy them with rice, cauliflower "rice", over salad, with potatoes, sprialized veggies or noodles!
I made these tonight with what was in the fridge: ground chicken instead of pork, parsley instead of green onions and I finely shredded carrots and zucchini (that I squeezed out the extra water from) instead of coleslaw. They were so great, everyone (toddlers and adults) enjoyed them! Thank you! Will for sure make again!
I am so glad you enjoyed them!!
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