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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.
Love this recipe! I use the original recipe and sometimes I add a few extras. This is a versatile dish. Add what you like, take away what you don’t.. This dish has yet to fail me. I have yet to find a recipe that isn’t good. That’s why I have all her cookvooks.
didn’t have a lot of flavor. don’t know if i would try it again.
Recipe was perfect and delicious! 😋
This recipe is on repeat at my house. I can’t believe just how much it tastes like an eggroll. 100% satisfying, but zero guilt!
Absolutely delicious. As the weather turns cooler, I love this way of basically eating a warm salad. A great way to get those veggies in! It tastes exactly as described, a bowl of veggie eggroll without the unhealthy wrapper. I wanted some protein in mine, so I added some plant-based “chicken” I had on hand. But I’m sure it would be good with eggs (or vegan JUST egg) or tofu or nuts. Definitely a recipe I will make again.
YUM! Very happy with the recipe–it turned out so well. Chopping took me awhile (I’ll use the tip and buy pre-shredded veggies next time) but it was worth it. I’ll definitely be adding this to the rotation.
Hi, Megan! I just wanted to say that we really enjoy this recipe and make it often. It comes together so quickly, especially when I cheat and use pre-shredded cole slaw mix for the cabbabe! I’ve used broccoli slaw, too, which is delicious, and I always add a bag of shelled edamame for protein.
As quicky as I can prepare this, though, I’d love an even faster option for when school/work start again. Do think this could be adapted for the Instant Pot? I’d love those few extra hands-off minutes to empty lunch boxes and go through homework folders!
How is this so high in sugar?
This nutrition information is automatically calculated when I enter in the ingredients, so my guess is that there’s either a mistake in one of the ingredients (which I can’t control) or the sugar is naturally occurring in one of the vegetables, like red onions or cabbage. Obviously there’s no added sugar in this recipe, so the only carbs come from the vegetables you use.
Can’t wait to try this! I have some ground beef to use; when do I add this during cooking?
I would probably start cooking that first, and then let the veggies cook in the grease from the meat.
Thanks!
I added red and green peppers,peas, ginger, and some homemade sweet chili sauce. Made into a wrap with jasmine rice. This is delicious, and so easy, especially when using a bag of chopped salad mix.