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Egg Roll in a Bowl is a popular low-carb dinner idea, but did you know that you can make it with tofu instead of meat? I’ve been experimenting with this vegan recipe for months, and today I want to show you the fastest (and most satisfying) way to make it.
Initially, I would bake crispy tofu in the oven while stir-frying the cabbage. But, for those who don’t want to turn on their oven, I wondered if I could cook the tofu more like scrambled eggs, all in one pan.
As it turns out, it works great this way, and it’s ready to eat in about 20 minutes for a fast, high-protein vegetarian dinner.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Featured Review
“Love this recipe! I didn’t bother with baking the tofu, but it was great scrambled. It’s a great way to use up extra cabbage!” – Carrie
Ingredients for Egg Roll in a Bowl
- Shredded Veggies. Cabbage and carrots are the primary veggies in this recipe. You can use a bag of shredded coleslaw mix to save time, or this is the perfect way to use up half a head of cabbage if you have one sitting in your fridge.
- Tofu. I use extra-firm tofu for vegetarian protein. When you crumble it directly into the pan, it takes on the texture of scrambled eggs and quickly absorbs the dish’s flavors.
- Tamari. This is a gluten-free alternative to soy sauce, but you can use regular soy sauce if you don’t need a gluten-free recipe.
- Garlic & Ginger. These are optional additions for an added flavor boost.
- Toasted Sesame Oil. A hint of sesame oil goes a long way. Add it at the end of cooking to help elevate the flavor even more.
How to Make Vegan Eggroll in a Bowl
Step 1:
Heat a large skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil and cook the shredded cabbage and carrots for 5 minutes. Stir every minute or so to help the veggies wilt.
Add the garlic and ginger and stir briefly, just until they smell fragrant. This should take about one minute. I use a microplane to mince the garlic and ginger into the pan finely.
Step 2:
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Add the tamari and stir briefly. It will likely steam and sizzle right away, which is a good thing!
Then cover the pan with a lid and cook for 5 minutes. This will soften the cabbage and carrots.
Step 3:
Remove the lid and use a spatula to move the veggies to the edges of the pan. Crumble the tofu into the center of the pan and season with the green onions, salt, pepper, and toasted sesame oil.
Stir until the tofu is heated through, about 3 minutes. Then taste the dish and make any adjustments, as needed. You can add an extra pinch of salt to boost the flavor, or a dash of red pepper flakes for some heat.
Serve warm right away. For a more filling meal, serve this over cooked rice or quinoa.
Vegan Egg Roll in a Bowl (with Tofu)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 large carrots , shredded (about 1 cup)
- 1 pound shredded cabbage (about 4 cups)
- 1 garlic clove , minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger , minced
- 2 tablespoons tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
- 1 (14 oz) box extra-firm tofu
- 2 to 3 green onions , chopped
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper , to taste
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the shredded carrots and cabbage. Stir for 5 minutes, until the cabbage and carrots start to soften. Add the garlic and ginger and stir for one more minute.
- Add the tamari to the pan and stir well. It will likely sizzle right away and create some steam. I like to cover the pan with a lid at this point and let the cabbage soften for 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid from the pan and use a spatula to move the cooked veggies towards the center of the pan, leaving the center clear. Crumble the tofu directly into the pan, and season with the salt, pepper, toasted sesame oil, and green onions. Stir well until the tofu is heated through, about 3 minutes. Taste the dish and add extra salt or pepper, if needed.
- Serve warm with any extra toppings you like, such as sesame seeds or fresh cilantro. For a more filling option, serve this over cooked rice or quinoa. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
If you try this Vegan Egg Roll in a Bowl, please leave a comment and a star rating below to let me know how you like it.
I used a container of pre-cut mirepoix from the grocery store, and left out the sesame oil. Then I served it with a dollop of hot mustard. SO much better than take-out! I’ll definitely make this again – and it was SO easy!
Super simple and super yummy. Made it with pan-fried tofu and it was a hit with kids and me.!
Forgot the 5 stars!!!!
Wow. This was amazing! I was not surprised because I always love your recipes! Thanks for your recipes and meal plans!! Love them and so helpful! 😊
I love this recipe and am wondering if portions can be frozen. Thank you
Cabbage doesn’t thaw very well from the freezer– it will be mushy-soft. If you want to prepare it as a freezer meal, I’d probably cook the meat and other veggies together and then reheat it with fresh cabbage (you can use coleslaw mix to save prep time) so that it still has a nice tender crunch.
Pretty good and easy. I made this and rolled it in pillsbury crescent rolls and bakedit. Some were a little bit soggy but it had a really good salty and sweet taste.
This was really good. Tastes just like an egg roll. Used bagged coleslaw but added a few more carrots. I think there was a bit too much sauce for my liking but easy to fix that. Used soy sauce as that is what I have. Haven’t tried the aminos…I know they are similar but don’t know the difference. I forgot the sesame seeds on top…was good as is but love sesame seeds do it would’ve been even better. Served it over rice. Husband enjoyed and 16 year old daughter loved…she’s taking leftovers for her lunch tomorrow. Thanks, Megan!
Just made this- so delicious! I used a shredded cabbage/broccoli/carrot mix in addition to the ingredients listed and added Chinese 5 spice, and rice vinegar.
In a separate pan I crumbled some tempeh and fried it off with tahini, 5 spice, rice vinegar and sriracha!
I put the two together and drizzled some more tahini and sriracha.
Thank you SO much for the recipe!
I added chopped garlic, ginger and just a bit of anchovy paste. I didn’t have tamari on hand so I used Braggs aminos. I also added a tablespoon of umeboshi vinegar. Yum. My husband is a meat eater so I sauteed chicken in a separate pan then let it cook in with the veggies when I added the cabbage and mushrooms
I have to have cilantro, possibly some ginger, and chopped peanuts are a favorite of mine! I buy the wide wonton noodles from a nearby restaurant. Yum!!