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Why You’ll Love These Egg Roll Meatballs
I’ve seen so many egg roll in a bowl recipes floating around. There’s something so delicious and addictive about cabbage and ground meat together coated in a wonderful savory sauce. To give this popular dish a fun twist, I decided to create these egg roll meatballs, and the result is just wonderful and SO quick — taking just 20 minutes from prep to finish.
I added finely chopped cabbage and carrots right into the meatballs for extra moisture and nutrition, and my kids absolutely love this dish so it’s a great way to add veggies for picky eaters. These meatballs are also naturally gluten-free, paleo, and low-carb, but delicious enough for everyone regardless of their diet.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The ingredient list is actually short and simple for these egg roll meatballs:
- coconut aminos: This is a soy-free, Whole30 and gluten free alternative to soy sauce. It’s actually milder than soy sauce, and makes a perfect base to the egg roll sauce! You can find it in most grocery stores.
- lime juice: Adds a bright, citrusy zing to balance the savory notes.
- olive oil
- toasted sesame oil: For that unmistakable nutty aroma.
- fresh garlic and ginger: A must for Asian flavors.
- coleslaw mix: You can make your own with a mix of shredded cabbage and carrots, or purchase a standard 16oz bag of shredded cabbage and carrots.
- ground beef or ground pork: I used beef, but pork will also work! A combination of both ground beef and pork will also be delicious.
- arrowroot starch: Or cornstarch, to act as a binder for the meat.
- avocado oil: Or any high-heat cooking oil for searing.
How to Make Egg Roll Meatballs (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Whisk together all ingredients for the egg roll sauce in a bowl.
Step 2: Reserve two cups of the coleslaw mix and transfer the rest to a large bowl. Add half of the egg roll sauce and toss to coat, squeezing the vegetables with tongs to help them wilt a bit. Set aside to marinate.
Step 3: Place the reserved 2 cups of the coleslaw mix and chop into small pieces in a food processor. Place in a bowl with ground beef, arrowroot starch, and the remaining half of the egg roll sauce. Mix until just combined.
Step 4: Use your hands to form the meat mixture into golf-sized balls, about 20 meatballs.
Step 5: Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the meatballs with overcrowding them and brown on all sides for 6-8 minutes until cooked through, but still tender.
Step 6: Taste the slaw and add salt, if needed. Serve the meatballs over marinated slaw, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds. I like to enjoy them with rice or cauliflower rice.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t Overmix: When combining the meat and sauce, mix until just combined. Overworking the meat can lead to tough meatballs.
- Wet Your Hands: If the meat mixture is sticking to your hands while rolling, lightly dampen them with water.
- Meal Prep Friendly: These meatballs stay moist and flavorful when reheated, making them a perfect option for healthy work lunches.
Frequently Asked Questions
While the sesame slaw makes this a full meal on its own, you can also serve these over cauliflower rice, white rice, or even rice noodles for a heartier dish.
Yes! If you’d rather bake the meatballs, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until cooked through.
Yes! If using poultry, add an extra teaspoon of oil to the meat mixture to ensure they stay moist, as turkey and chicken are leaner than beef or pork.
Both the egg roll meatballs and the slaw will last for 3-4 days, kept in an airtight container in the fridge. The slaw will wilt a bit more the longer it sits, but it’ll still be delicious!
More Delicious Meatballs
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Easy Thai Coconut Curry Meatballs (Instant Pot Option)
30 Minutes or Less
Paleo Greek Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce (Whole30, Keto)
Easy Egg Roll Meatballs with Sesame Slaw (20-Minute Recipe)
Video
Ingredients
Egg Roll Sauce
- 1/2 cup coconut aminos
- Juice of 1 lime
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, omit for AIP
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
Meatballs and Slaw
- 16-18 oz coleslaw mix, cabbage and carrots
- 1 lb lean ground beef, or ground pork
- 2 tbsp arrowroot starch, or cornstarch
- 1 tbsp avocado oil, or your favorite cooking oil
- Optional: sea salt, if needed
- Chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Instructions
- Whisk together all ingredients for the egg roll sauce in a bowl.1/2 cup coconut aminos, Juice of 1 lime, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, 4 garlic cloves, 1 inch fresh ginger
- Reserve two cups of the coleslaw mix and transfer the rest to a large bowl. Add half of the egg roll sauce and toss to coat, squeezing the vegetables with tongs to help them wilt a bit. Set aside to marinate.16-18 oz coleslaw mix
- Place the reserved 2 cups of the coleslaw mix and chop into small pieces in a food processor. Place in a bowl with ground beef, arrowroot starch, and the remaining half of the egg roll sauce. Mix until just combined.1 lb lean ground beef, 2 tbsp arrowroot starch
- Use your hands to form the meat mixture into golf-sized balls, about 20 meatballs.
- Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the meatballs with overcrowding them and brown on all sides for 6-8 minutes until cooked through, but still tender. (*See notes for baked meatballs)1 tbsp avocado oil
- Taste the slaw and add salt, if needed. Serve the meatballs over marinated slaw, garnished with green onions and sesame seeds. I like to enjoy them with rice or cauliflower rice.Optional: sea salt, Chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds
Notes
- If you’d rather bake the meatballs, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Storage: Both the egg roll meatballs and the slaw will last for 3-4 days, kept in an airtight container in the fridge. The slaw will wilt a bit more the longer it sits, but it’ll still be delicious!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I saw these on FB and tried them today. So good. I used ground turkey and they were delicious with rice and slaw for lunch. My husband loved them. They were easy, too. Definitely going in my rotation. Thanks! Love your recipes!
Thank you! So happy you enjoyed it!
This was good!
I just found you on TikTok and saw you make these. Trying these out this weekend! Your recipes look sooooooo tasty!
Thank you so much!! I hope you like them. Enjoy your weekend!!
Yum!!! I made this recipe for prepped work lunches and it held up great. I used pork for the meatballs and actually cooked them in the air fryer because it was already out and I didnโt want to use another pan (the struggle). Also used a bag of broccoli slaw instead of coleslaw since thatโs what I had in the fridge!
These were a crowd pleaser from my 3 year old to hubby who just found out he has high cholesterol ๐ฌ. So healthy and he literally said this is so good!
That’s amazing to hear! Thanks so much for leaving a review!
Really enjoyed this recipe! It was easy to make, simple ingredients but a lot of flavor. I make the meatballs a bigger and increased the cook time about 5 minutes and served over cauliflower rice, so good!
Sounds wonderful!
Another winner!! I made this for dinner last night and my husband asked me to add it to the list for next week again!
That makes me SOO happy!