This homemade Chinese egg rolls recipe is the real deal! Crispy wrappers stuffed with tender vegetables and vermicelli noodles make these egg rolls absolutely irresistible.
Try my Easy Crab Rangoon or Chicken Fried Rice next.
Why you’ll love it
The secret is in cutting everything into thin strips so the filling stays flexible and easy to wrap. And that double-fry technique? It’s what gives you that perfect golden, crunchy exterior.
These egg rolls take a bit of prep work, I’ll admit, but they’re worth every minute. The filling has so much more flavor than what you’d get from takeout. We’re using dried shiitake mushrooms, cloud ear fungus, and vermicelli noodles along with fresh vegetables for that authentic taste.
The best part is you can make a big batch and freeze half before frying. Then you’ve got homemade egg rolls ready to fry up whenever a craving hits!
What you’ll need
For the filling:
- Dried shiitake mushrooms – they add a deep, earthy flavor
- Vermicelli noodles – also called mung bean noodles or bean threads
- Cloud ear fungus – gives a nice texture (use fresh if you can find it)
- Cabbage – the base of the filling
- Celery – for crunch
- Carrot – adds a touch of sweetness
- Snow peas – a pop of color and fresh flavor
- Garlic – for that aromatic kick
Seasoning:
- Vegetable oil – for stir-frying the filling
- Salt and sugar – to balance the flavors
- Vegetarian oyster sauce – regular oyster sauce works too
- White pepper – it’s milder than black pepper
- Sesame oil – adds that signature nutty flavor
For wrapping and frying:
- Egg roll wrappers – find these in the refrigerated section
- Flour and water – to make the “glue” that seals the rolls
- Oil – for deep frying
Pro tip
Cut all your vegetables into very thin strips, like tiny noodles. The thinner you slice them, the easier they’ll be to wrap. If they’re too thick, they’ll poke through the wrapper.
How to make Chinese egg rolls
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Start by rehydrating the dried ingredients. Soak the vermicelli noodles in warm water for about 10 minutes. Soak the shiitake mushrooms and cloud ear fungus in hot water for 10-15 minutes until they’re soft.
While those are soaking, prep all your vegetables. Cut the cabbage into thin strips (discard that hard center stalk). Slice the rehydrated mushrooms and fungus into thin strips. Cut the celery, snow peas, and carrots into thin strips as well. Mince the garlic.
Make your wrapper glue by mixing flour and water in a small bowl. Set it aside.
Heat your wok over high heat, add oil, and stir-fry the filling. Start with the garlic, then add the mushrooms, followed by the celery and cabbage. Add the carrots and cloud ear fungus. Cut the vermicelli into shorter pieces with scissors before adding it.
Season everything with salt, sugar, white pepper, and oyster sauce. Add the snow peas, then push everything to the sides of the wok. Add the vermicelli to the center where all the juices have collected – it’ll soak up all that flavor. Finish with sesame oil, then let the filling cool.
To wrap the rolls, lay a wrapper like a diamond with one corner pointing at you. Put about 2 tablespoons of filling in the lower half. Fold the bottom corner up and over the filling, tuck it under, and roll toward the middle. Fold in the sides, dab some glue on the top corner, and roll it up tight.
Heat oil to 330°F in a deep pot. Fry the egg rolls in batches on low heat for about a minute and a half, then turn the heat to high and fry for another minute and a half until golden brown and crispy.
Tools for this recipe
Check out my favorite kitchen essentials, gadgets, and cookware!
- A wok or large skillet for stir-frying the filling
- Kitchen shears for cutting the vermicelli
- A spider strainer for removing the egg rolls from the oil
- A deep pot for frying (I use a Dutch oven)
- A thermometer to check the oil temperature
Substitutions and variations
- If you can’t find cloud ear fungus, leave it out or use more shiitake mushrooms
- Regular oyster sauce works just as well as the vegetarian version
- You can add cooked ground pork or shrimp to the filling if you want a meatier version
- Spring roll wrappers are thinner and will give you a lighter, crispier result
What to serve with egg rolls
I like serving these with sweet and sour sauce or duck sauce for dipping. A simple soy sauce and rice vinegar mixture works great too.
Pair them with Fried Rice or Chicken Lo Mein for a full Chinese takeout spread at home.
A simple cucumber salad with rice vinegar dressing makes a nice fresh side to balance out the richness.
Leftovers and storage
- Store leftover cooked egg rolls for 3-4 days in the fridge in a covered container
- Reheat in the oven at 350°F until crispy again (about 10-15 minutes)
- You can freeze uncooked wrapped egg rolls for up to 3 months. No need to thaw – just fry them straight from frozen, adding a couple extra minutes to the cooking time
- I don’t recommend freezing cooked egg rolls. They won’t crisp up as well when reheated.
Homemade Chinese Egg Rolls
Ingredients
- 0.50 oz dried shiitake mushrooms
- 2 oz vermicelli noodles mung bean noodles
- 0.25 oz cloud ear fungus
- 8 oz cabbage
- 4 oz celery
- 3 oz carrot
- 1 oz snow peas
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 20 egg roll wrappers
- 16 oz oil for deep-frying
Egg Roll Glue:
- 2 tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp water
Filling Seasoning:
- 1 tbsp oil for stir-frying
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
- 0.25 tsp white pepper
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
Instructions
- Soak the vermicelli noodles in warm water for 10 minutes until soft. Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms and cloud ear fungus in hot water for 10-15 minutes.
- Cut the cabbage into very thin strips, discarding the hard center stalk. Slice the rehydrated mushrooms and fungus into thin strips. Cut the celery, snow peas, and carrot into thin strips. Mince the garlic.
- In a small bowl, mix together the flour and water to make the wrapper glue. Set aside.
- Heat your wok over high heat for about a minute. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat. Heat for 30-40 seconds.
- Add the garlic and fry until aromatic. Add the shiitake mushrooms and cook for 20-30 seconds.
- Add the celery and cabbage. Cook for 30 seconds, then add the carrot and cloud ear fungus. Cook for 30-40 seconds.
- Use kitchen shears to cut the vermicelli into shorter segments. Season the filling with salt, sugar, white pepper, and oyster sauce. Mix well, then add the snow peas.
- Push all the ingredients to the sides of the wok to make a hole in the center. Add the cut vermicelli to the center where the juices collect. Let it soak up the moisture for a moment, then mix it in with the rest of the filling.
- Add the sesame oil and stir-fry for 30-40 seconds until everything is well combined. Turn off the heat and transfer the filling to a plate to cool.
- Peel apart the egg roll wrappers and keep them covered in a plastic bag so they don’t dry out. Take one wrapper and lay it like a diamond with a corner pointing at you.
- Put 2 tablespoons of filling in the lower half of the wrapper. Fold the bottom corner up and over the filling, tuck it under, and pull back to tighten. Roll toward the middle, keeping firm pressure.
- Fold in the left and right sides. Dab some glue on the top corner, then roll up tightly to seal. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
- Heat the oil in a deep pot over high heat until it reaches 330°F. Turn the heat to low.
- Add 6 egg rolls at a time. Move them around and flip them so they fry evenly. Fry on low heat for about 1.5 minutes, then turn the heat to high.
- Fry at high heat for another 1.5 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Remove with a spider strainer and let the excess oil drip back into the pot.
- Plate the cooked egg rolls. Lower the heat before starting the next batch. Let them cool for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- The first egg roll is always the ugliest! After a few, you’ll find your rhythm.
- Cut all vegetables into very thin strips for easier wrapping and more flexible filling.
- Don’t skip the double-fry technique – low heat cooks them through, high heat makes them crispy.
- Stack finished rolls with the sealed corner down so gravity helps keep them closed.
