AIR FRYER BULGOGI EGG ROLLS
Vegan Air Fryer Bulgogi Egg Rolls, loaded with plant-based Bulgogi “beef”, rice, kimchi, and cabbage. Air-fried to perfection!
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VEGAN SNACK
Bulgogi is an amazing dish. It’s salty, spicy, sweet, and full of that oh so satisfying umami flavor. I find it incredibly versatile as well. Bulgogi sauce can go on meat of course, as traditionally made. But it’s also amazing on vegan meat alternatives, veggies, noodles, just served over rice…or in this case packaged up nicely into a perfect Bulgogi Egg Roll.
This recipe is perfect for an appetizer and makes an excellent finger food for a potluck or gathering! These bulgogi egg rolls are also great to prep at the beginning of the week so you can pop one or two in the air-fryer when you want a little snack. These same ingredients would be amazing stuffed into a tortilla and served as a burrito if you were looking for a full meal.
AIR FRYER EGG ROLLS
Egg rolls are the perfect candidate for your air fryer! They can be stuffed with literally anything you can dream up and they air fry sooooo well. No need to dunk your egg rolls in a hot pot of oil! Just brush a bit of oil over your egg rolls or skip the oil all together and pop those babies in the air-fryer for a healthier version of a delicious snack.
Don’t have an air fryer? You can bake egg rolls as well! Just lightly coat them in oil and toss them into a 400 degree oven until crisp. And yes, you can fry these egg rolls as well if you insist…life’s all about balance after all. If you want to splurge…splurge and deep fry them.
KIMCHI
Kimchi is a stinky, spicy, delicious food! It is traditionally made in Korea and has been consumed for thousands of years. It consists of vegetables, often cabbage or Korean radish, that are covered in spices including ginger, garlic, gochugaru, and spring onion, then salted and fermented. Kimchi is loaded with probiotics, that are beneficial to digestion, absorption of nutrients, and overall gut health. Kimchi is definitely an acquired taste, but in my opinion it’s amazingly delicious and the perfect addition to many meals.
VEGAN MEAT
Bulgogi is traditionally made with beef. So to stick to the original flavor profile, I swapped it out for a vegan ground-beef alternative. There are a couple of great options out there. Seriously, they really do taste insanely like actual meat! And the texture is amazing and it’s super high in protein! I used the Impossible brand when creating these Bulgogi Egg Rolls.
NOT INTO FAKE MEAT?
Now vegan meat alternatives, although delicious and rich in protein, are, at the end of the day, a processed food. So if you are trying to avoid processed ingredients, oils or extra fats, you can skip the vegan meat and swap it out for veggies, tofu, lentils or beans.
Mushrooms would be my vegetable of choice if making the swap. Their meaty texture and ability to absorb flavor makes them a great alternative to meat.
Looking to replace the protein? Swap out the vegan meat for shredded tofu or edamame and create an equally delicious Bulgogi Egg Roll!
SNEAK IN THE VEGGIES
When making any dish, I do my best to include as many veggies as possible. Why? They are low in calories and high in fiber and nutrients! With them you can have a nice, full plate of food or bulk up a snack without going overboard on calories.
So for this dish I added my veg in several ways. First I added it to the bulgogi meat. Chopped up pieces of cauliflower is a great way to stretch out the meat element in a dish. Cauliflower has great texture and really takes on the flavor of sauces and ingredients it’s coupled with.
I also added shredded cabbage. Cabbage is often found in traditional egg rolls and spring rolls, so including it was a no brainer and a great way to fatten up the egg rolls for little calories.
THE SAUCE
The Bulgogi sauce is the star of this show. Bulgogi sauce is a perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and savory.
SWEETNESS IN THE SAUCE
It traditionally contains various sweeteners, such as brown sugar. I always aim to lower or skip added sugar whenever possible. To do so in this dish I just added extra pear. Pear is important in giving Bulgogi sauce its unique flavor and is also responsible for some of the sauce’s sweetness. So instead of adding more sugar, I went with more pear.
MAKE IT MORE OR LESS SPICY
Traditionally, Bulgogi sauce has a bit of a spicy kick to it. The spicy element comes from the addition of chili flakes and Gochujang, a spicy paste used in Korean cooking. It is made from fermented soy beans, chili peppers, rice and salt. It is a delicious way to add spice to any dish, but it definitely has a kick.
If you are cooking for someone that can’t handle the heat, just add a touch of this to the dish and skip the chili flakes. If you and other guests like it spicy, add the Gochujang and chili flakes at the end after you have removed some of the mild version from the pan to feed those who can’t handle spice.
Want it spicier? Go heavy on the Gochujang and chili flakes or add some cayanne pepper, sriracha, or fresh chili peppers to the dish.
AIR-FRIED BULGOGOI EGG ROLLS
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked white rice follow directions on packaging
- 1 cup kimchi
- 2 sprigs green onion, sliced thin
- 8 egg roll wrappers
- 1 cup Napa cabbage, shredded
- 1/4 cup Garlic Chili Sauce For dipping. You can find it in the Asian Isle.
FOR BULGOGI "BEEF"
- 1 PACKAGE OF VEGAN GROUND BEEF I used Impossible
- 1/2 sweet onion, diced
- 3 cups cauliflower, diced small
- 3 cloves of garlic, diced small
- 1/2-1 inch fresh ginger, grated more or less to taste
- 1 pear, grated Asian pear preferred, but you can use any pear
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp Gochujang less if you want it less spicy
- 1 tbsp red pepper flakes omit if you want it less spicy
- 3 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine
- 1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil use toasted sesame oil for bolder flavor
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions
- If needed, cook white rice by following instructions on the package. One cup of cooked rice is needed for the recipe.
PREPARE THE BULGOGI MEAT
- Add chopped onions and vegan ground meat to a nonstick pan. You shouldn't need any additional oil because of the vegan meat, but add a touch of olive oil if needed.
- Cook the "meat" and onions over medium heat until its starts to brown. About 5 minutes.
- Grate ginger and chop garlic
- Add to pan with "meat" and onion
- Cook another 5 minutes
- Grate pear
- Add to pan
- Chop cauliflower
- Add to pan
- Cook for another 2 minutes
- Add the rest of the ingredients for "Bulgogi Beef" and cook for another few minutes until cauliflower is tender, but not mushy
- Turn off heat and set aside
ASSEMBLE EGG ROLLS
- Lay out egg roll wrapper on flat surface
- Add 2 tbsp rice
- Add 1/8th of the cooked bulgogi "meat"
- Add 2 tbsp shredded Napa cabbage
- Add 2 tbsp kimchi and 1/8th sliced green onion
- Time to roll! Fold in sides of egg roll wrapper
- Roll up the egg roll as tightly as possible without ripping it
- Repeat for remaining egg rolls until they are all assembled
AIR-FRY
- If you want a more golden outside, outside of egg rolls lightly with olive oil. This is completely optional, they crisp up fine without oil, they just don't look quit as pretty and are a bit drier
- Place egg rolls in an air-fryer. Cook on high for 5-7 minutes or until crisp
- Serve and enjoy! Don't for get the garlic chili sauce for dipping!
