These Purple Phyllo Egg Rolls with pork, red cabbage, ginger and garlic are wrapped into a crunchy Filo pastry. Baked or Air fried instead of deep-fried for a healthier version. These egg rolls are a kid’s childhood must, accompanied by the usual plum sauce.
The other day, I was doing my monthly round in my favourite Asian markets and saw this “plum sauce” bottle. Suddenly, tons of memories came rushing back at me. Memories of my family visiting a Chinese restaurant as a child, back in Canada, and eating my favourite dish: egg rolls with this plum sauce! I remember dipping my egg rolls into this sweet plum sauce like it was yesterday until I couldn’t breathe anymore. What a tasty memory! This Purple Phyllo Egg Rolls recipe is my take on this old friend of mine!
A Chinese American Dish
These are not, per se, Chinese… even if many spring rolls resemble it. The American made an Asian classic into a ‘bigger’ version, resulting in the egg roll! You recognize them usually by their form, significance, and shape. It’s not a cylindrical shape like the spring rolls but a distinctive squeeze in each end cylinder shape. Typically filled with cabbage and pork, this purple version adds colour and sweetness to the dish!
A Lighter Version
I’ve made these lighter using a lightly oiled filo pastry and air frying or baking them instead of deep frying. You end up with the same lovely egg roll crunch and flavour but with half the calories. To make the filo turn this nice yellowy colour, I added some egg wash to them before cooking.
The Filling
I remember as a kid that the greyish colour of egg rolls and their texture weren’t exactly exciting. Red cabbage to the rescue! They taste similar, if not sweeter, making the dish so much more appealing! Especially for kids! A swap that goes a long way.
The Filo Technique
I’ve used a phyllo pastry for this particular version of egg rolls. The size of a standard sheet of paper and lightly coated it with a spray of olive oil and folded it into two. You can also use a neutral oil spray. The next step consisted of filling and wrapping it up into those small cylinders, squeezing the ends lightly to give it ” the western egg roll look.” Of course, the colour is essential, so I’ve covered the rolls with a nice egg wash; it also helped to keep the”egg” factor in the “egg roll” recipe. This way, you don’t have to fry deep and get extra oily egg rolls; you bake or air fry it, and voila! A nice crispy and healthy bite!
Filo dough is way lighter than most dough. If you use a light oil spray, you’ll get the crunchy texture without deep-frying it. All this results in a lighter version of egg rolls with a fun colour!
Storage
You can conserve de egg rolls easily for three days in the fridge. These little appetizers are perfectly suitable for the freezer; make sure they don’t touch if you use a freezer bag. You can keep them for up to two or three months. To defrost, it’s better to use the oven to keep the crisp factor directly from the frozen state for 12-14 minutes at 180°C (350°F) or in the air fryer for 10 min.
Other Asian Appetizers
Purple Phyllo Egg Rolls
Equipment
- oil sprayer optional
- mandoline
Ingredients
- 260 g filo sheets (12 sheets (9″x 14″/ 23cm x 36cm) *take out from freezer 1 hour prior cooking)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 egg
the filling
- 600 g red cabbage (cut 1mm thin (mandoline))
- 250 g minced pork
- 2 carrots
- 2 scallions (finely chopped)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tsp ginger (finely grated)
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Start by taking out the filo from the freezer one hour in advance (not too long before; otherwise, it will dry up and break the phyllo sheets)
- With the help of a mandoline, grate the carrot and cabbage into fine slices.
- Add a touch of oil in a big pan or wok and cook the ground pork meat, pre-seasoned with salt and pepper, at medium-high heat and cook until it loses its pink colour.
- Add the red cabbage, carrot, ginger paste, sesame oil and garlic to the pan/wok and stir fry for about 3 minutes, still on medium-high heat, until it loses half its height.
- Take off the fire and season the filling with salt and pepper; you can use a touch of soy sauce and add a bit of freshly chopped scallions.
- On a clean surface, add one sheet of filo (about the size of a standard sheet of paper), give it a light spray, then fold it into two on its length.
- Add the filling on the end of the phyllo sheet.
- Fold the sides over the filling.
- Roll up the egg roll.
- Add a bit of egg wash at the end of the phyllo to seal it up.
- Repeat for all the rolls and add them to a baking paper-covered oven rack.
- Brush the egg wash over each roll and add a last pinch of salt.
- Cook in the oven at 180°C (350F) for 25 minutes or until golden. (Air fryer: 15 minutes)
22 Comments
Loving the wonderful purple colour and flavours in these rolls! Good call by your hubsy. 🙂 With the phyllo, they would likely bake up well, with the same crispy result.
Thanks!
These sound delicious and I love the purple filling! I really need to try this method with phyllo dough as I love it but seem to get through a huge amount of butter whenever I make anything with it! This would certainly be healthier and still looks beautifully crisp.
The trick is to use a light coat of oil in between sheets, no need for lots. It’s actually way lower in fat then more doughs! Hope you’ll try it out!
I love your purple spring rolls, they look so delicious. I like how you’ve egg washed the phyllo to give that wonderful golden finish. One of my favourite dishes too and now I can try a healthy version, pinned for later 🙂
Thanks!
I love the pics and what a beautiful idea it is to make purple rolls. Loved it.
Thanks! Hope you’ll try it out!
The red cabbage definitely adds a unique touch to this egg roll. I might make them because my wife loves a good egg roll.
Enjoy!
I love purple veggies…cauliflower and to an extent eggplant. The addition of purple cabbage in these egg rolls really makes them pop.
Funner! Thanks for the comment!
Using the phyllo pastry so that you can bake this is such a cool idea, I’m going to have to try that out. Love the purple, makes it looks like such a fun snack!
Fun, tasty and crunchy indeed!;)
I am loving the vibrant purple colour of these egg rolls, and the fact they’re lower calorie. Yum!
Very pretty! I’m a huge fan of purple cabbage my self so I’ll have to give this a try!
These are just stunning! I also love all of your ideas for lightening them up. I’ve never tried baking egg rolls, but I’ll definitely give these a shot.
Healthy and purple, impossible to resist;)
There are so many things I love about this recipe. The flavors,the color, the ingredients. I know my kids will get a kick out of the bright purple color
Makes them so much more appetizing than normal cabbage!
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