Delicious Pork Sausage Egg Rolls

If you ask me, egg rolls filled with pork sausage are pure comfort food magic.

This crispy appetizer takes the classic egg roll and gives it a hearty American twist that’s perfect for game day or family dinners. Savory pork sausage gets wrapped up in a golden, crunchy shell that’s impossible to resist.

The filling is simple but satisfying – seasoned ground pork sausage mixed with cabbage and onions, then rolled tight in egg roll wrappers. A quick trip to the oil and you’ve got crispy, golden bundles that are crispy on the outside and packed with flavor on the inside.

It’s the kind of finger food that disappears fast at parties, but easy enough to make any weeknight when you’re craving something special.

What Kind of Pork Sausage Should I Use?

For these egg rolls, you’ll want to use bulk pork sausage, which is just regular breakfast sausage that comes loose rather than in casings. Italian sausage works great too if that’s what you have on hand – just remove it from the casings and crumble it up. You can go with mild, medium, or hot depending on your heat preference, though mild tends to work best since it won’t overpower the other flavors. Make sure to cook it thoroughly and break it into small, bite-sized pieces so it distributes evenly throughout your egg rolls and doesn’t tear the wrappers.

Options for Substitutions

This recipe is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients around:

• Bulk pork sausage: You can easily swap this for ground turkey, chicken, or beef. If using leaner meats, add a bit of extra oil to the pan since they won’t have as much fat as pork sausage.
• Coleslaw mix: Fresh shredded cabbage works just as well – you’ll need about 3-4 cups. You can also add some shredded carrots if your coleslaw mix doesn’t include them.
• Green pepper: Red bell pepper, yellow pepper, or even diced celery can step in here. Each will give you a slightly different flavor and crunch.
• Egg roll wrappers: These are pretty essential for the recipe – spring roll wrappers are too thin and won’t hold up to frying. Stick with egg roll wrappers for best results.
• Oil for frying: If you want to skip the deep frying, you can brush the egg rolls with oil and bake them at 425°F for about 15-20 minutes, turning once halfway through.
• Sweet-and-sour sauce: Duck sauce, plum sauce, or even a simple mix of honey and soy sauce make great dipping alternatives.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making egg rolls is not draining the filling properly, which can cause the wrappers to become soggy and tear during rolling or frying.

After cooking your sausage and vegetables, let the mixture cool completely and drain any excess grease on paper towels before assembling – this prevents the hot filling from making the wrappers too soft to handle.

Don’t overfill your egg rolls either, as too much filling makes them impossible to seal properly and can cause them to burst open in the hot oil.

For perfect frying, make sure your oil temperature stays around 350°F and avoid overcrowding the pan, which drops the oil temperature and results in greasy, soggy egg rolls instead of crispy golden ones.

What to Serve With Pork Sausage Egg Rolls?

These crispy egg rolls are perfect as an appetizer for your next party, but they also make a great main dish when paired with some steamed jasmine rice or fried rice. The sweet-and-sour sauce that comes with the recipe is a classic choice, but you can also serve them with soy sauce mixed with a little sriracha for some heat, or even some duck sauce if you have it on hand. For a complete meal, try adding some stir-fried vegetables like broccoli, snap peas, or bok choy on the side. A simple cucumber salad with rice vinegar dressing also makes a nice, refreshing contrast to the rich, fried egg rolls.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: Store your leftover egg rolls in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They’re best enjoyed within the first day or two when they still have some crispiness left. I like to separate layers with paper towels to absorb any extra moisture.

Freeze: These egg rolls freeze really well for up to 3 months! You can freeze them either before or after frying. If freezing uncooked ones, place them on a baking sheet first, then transfer to freezer bags once solid. For cooked ones, just pop them in freezer-safe containers.

Reheat: To get that crispy texture back, reheat in a 350°F oven for about 10-15 minutes, or use an air fryer for 5-7 minutes. The microwave works too, but they won’t be as crispy. If cooking from frozen, add a few extra minutes to the heating time.

Preparation Time	15-20 minutes
Cooking Time	10-15 minutes
Total Time	25-35 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1200-1400
• Protein: 50-60 g
• Fat: 70-80 g
• Carbohydrates: 130-150 g

Ingredients

For the filling:

• 1/2 lb ground pork sausage
• 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
• 2 tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp chopped onion
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 3 3/4 cups bagged coleslaw mix
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp table salt

For assembly & frying:

• 16 egg roll wrappers
• Oil, for deep frying

To serve:

• Sweet-and-sour sauce

Step 1: Cook the Sausage and Vegetables

• 1/2 lb ground pork sausage
• 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
• 2 tbsp plus 1 1/2 tsp chopped onion
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground pork sausage, diced green bell pepper, and chopped onion until the sausage is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.

Drain the mixture well to remove excess fat.

Step 2: Mix the Filling

• 3 3/4 cups bagged coleslaw mix
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/8 tsp table salt
• cooked sausage and vegetable mixture from Step 1

In a large bowl, combine the bagged coleslaw mix, black pepper, and table salt.

Stir in the cooked sausage and vegetable mixture from Step 1.

Mix thoroughly so everything is evenly combined.

I like to taste the filling at this point to adjust seasoning if needed.

Step 3: Fill and Roll the Egg Rolls

• 16 egg roll wrappers
• filling from Step 2
• water (for sealing, not listed in ingredients)

Place one egg roll wrapper on a clean surface with one corner pointing toward you.

Add about 1/4 cup of the filling from Step 2 to the center.

Fold the bottom corner over the filling, then fold both side corners in toward the center.

Moisten the remaining top corner with water and roll up tightly to seal.

Keep unused wrappers covered with a damp towel to prevent them from drying out.

Repeat this process for all wrappers and filling.

Step 4: Fry the Egg Rolls

• prepared egg rolls from Step 3
• oil, for deep frying

In an electric skillet or deep fryer, heat about 1 inch of oil to 375°F (190°C).

Carefully add a few egg rolls at a time and fry for 2–3 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy.

Remove the egg rolls and drain them on paper towels to remove excess oil.

To make these even crispier, I sometimes double-fry the egg rolls in batches.

Step 5: Serve with Sweet-and-Sour Sauce

• sweet-and-sour sauce

Arrange the fried egg rolls on a platter and serve hot with sweet-and-sour sauce for dipping.