Egg rolls are a popular appetizer or snack, but many people wonder if they are high in carbohydrates. The answer depends on how the egg rolls are made and what ingredients are used. In this article, we’ll take a detailed look at the carb content of different types of egg rolls and factors that affect the carbohydrate amount.
What are egg rolls?
Egg rolls are appetizers made by wrapping ingredients like vegetables, meat, seafood or noodles in a wheat flour wrapper. The wrapper is made from flour and water and is rolled into a cylindrical shape around the filling ingredients.
Egg rolls are most commonly associated with American Chinese cuisine, but are also found in other Asian cuisines. They can be fried, baked or steamed before serving.
Are traditional egg rolls high in carbs?
Traditional egg rolls that are fried and made with a white flour wrapper tend to be high in carbohydrates. Here are some estimates for the carb content of fried egg rolls made with white flour wrappers:
- 1 medium egg roll (around 50g) contains 15-30g of net carbs
- An order of 2 fried egg rolls may contain 30-60g of net carbs
The high carb count in traditional fried egg rolls comes mainly from:
- The white flour wrapper – wheat flour is 100% carbohydrate.
- Frying – the egg roll absorbs oil, increasing calorie and carb content.
- Fillings like noodles or starchy vegetables may also up the carb count.
So traditional egg rolls are generally high in carbs, with a single egg roll containing a significant portion of the daily carbohydrate intake on a low carb diet.
Factors that affect egg roll carb count
Several factors affect the net carb and calorie content in egg rolls:
1. Wrapper type
Using a wheat flour wrapper significantly increases the carb content of egg rolls. Some lower carb options include:
- Rice paper wrappers – rice flour has about half the carbs of wheat flour.
- Tapioca starch/arrowroot starch wrappers – contian 90% fewer carbs than wheat flour.
- Lettuce or cabbage wraps.
2. Cooking method
Frying significantly increases the carb count in egg rolls. Healthier cooking methods include:
- Baking – reduces oil absorption and carbs.
- Steaming.
- Air frying.
3. Fillings
Non-starchy vegetables as fillings are lowest in carbs. High carb fillings to avoid include:
- Noodles
- Starchier veggies like potato, corn, peas.
- Breading or batter on ingredients.
Some lower carb fillings include:
- Shredded cabbage, spinach or other greens.
- Shredded chicken, pork or beef.
- Shrimp, fish or other seafood.
- Bean sprouts, carrots, onions, celery.
- Hard boiled egg.
- Tofu.
4. Size
Larger egg rolls contain more carbs and calories than smaller ones. To reduce carb intake, stick to a smaller size egg roll.
Low carb egg roll options
There are several ways to enjoy egg rolls that are lower in carbs than traditional fried versions with wheat wrappers. Here are some tasty options under 10g net carbs per roll:
Rice paper summer rolls
Summer rolls made with rice paper wrappers are naturally gluten-free and lower carb than wheat wrappers. Fill them with veggies, shrimp or pork. One summer roll may contain around 5-9g net carbs.
Baked cabbage wraps
Use large cabbage leaves to wrap egg roll fillings before baking. Cabbage leaves provide fiber and fewer digestible carbs than wheat flour. Fill them with meat and veggie mixtures. Each wrap may contain 3-8g net carbs.
Lettuce wraps
Lettuce leaves make an easy carb-free wrap. Simply fill large lettuce leaves with diced chicken, shrimp or thinly sliced pork along with vegetables. Each lettuce wrap will be under 5g net carbs.
Tofu vegetable egg rolls
Making egg rolls with tofu and lots of vegetables reduces the carb content while adding nutrition. Bake or steam them for a low carb appetizer under 7g net carbs per roll.
Shrimp & veggie steamed rolls
Steaming egg rolls helps reduce carbs absorbed from oil while cooking. Fill rice paper or cabbage wrappers with shrimp and vegetables like shredded carrots, cabbage and bean sprouts. Each roll may contain around 5-8g net carbs when steamed.
Pork & cabbage stir fry rolls
For a flavorful low carb option, stir fry pork and vegetables like napa cabbage in a sauce. Wrap portions in rice paper wrappers before steaming. With minimal sauce, these may contain under 9g net carbs per roll.
Beef & vegetable lettuce cups
Cook beef and veggies like mushrooms, water chestnuts and bean sprouts in a soy or oyster sauce-based stir fry. Serve wrapped in lettuce cups for an easy low carb egg roll alternative under 5g net carbs.
Baked chicken caesar salad rolls
Fill rice paper or cabbage wrappers with chicken, romaine lettuce, parmesan and caesar dressing. Bake into cheesy rolls for 8g net carbs or fewer per roll.
Low carb dipping sauces
To avoid added sugars and excess calories, opt for lighter dipping sauces:
- Peanut or almond butter sauce
- Soy sauce
- Mustard
- Horseradish
- Hot sauce
- Low sugar duck or teriyaki sauce
- Vinegar-based sauces
- Tzatziki or mint yogurt sauce
Do egg rolls have to be high in carbs?
Egg rolls don’t have to be high in carbs if made with a few easy substitutions:
- Use rice paper or lettuce instead of wheat flour wrappers
- Fill them with more vegetables and lean proteins
- Bake, steam or air fry instead of frying
- Stick to a single egg roll as a side dish rather than an app
- Enjoy with a low carb dipping sauce
With a few adjustments, it’s possible to enjoy egg rolls on lower carb diets. A single egg roll made with healthier ingredients and cooking methods can have 10g of net carbs or even less.
Are egg rolls keto?
To stay within ketogenic diet carbohydrate limits, most versions of egg rolls are too high in carbs. Typical keto carb intake is around 20-50g net carbs per day.
However, egg rolls can be modified to fit into a keto diet by:
- Using lettuce wraps instead of wheat or rice wrappers
- Filling them with very low carb ingredients like meat, cheese, avocado
- Reducing portion size to 1 egg roll or lettuce wrap
- Baking or air frying instead of deep frying
With the right modifications, egg rolls can be tailored to have 5g net carbs or less per serving. This allows them to be incorporated as an occasional part of a keto eating pattern.
Low carb egg roll recipe ideas
Here are some recipe ideas to create lower carb egg rolls and wraps at home:
Thai chicken lettuce wraps
Ingredients: Chicken, lettuce leaves, shredded carrots, bean sprouts,Thai peanut sauce
Buffalo chicken egg rolls
Ingredients: Shredded chicken, hot sauce, cream cheese, cabbage wraps, blue cheese dip
Cheesesteak egg rolls
Ingredients: Sliced steak, provolone cheese, onions & bell peppers, rice paper wrappers
Taco egg rolls
Ingredients: Seasoned ground beef, lettuce, cheese, avocado, cabbage wrappers
Veggie egg foo young rolls
Ingredients: Eggs, bean sprouts, shredded cabbage, carrot, rice paper wrappers
Low carb egg roll nutrition facts
The nutrition facts for egg rolls can vary significantly based on the ingredients and portion size. Here is a sample nutrition comparison of 2 popular types of egg rolls (62g each):
| Nutrition Facts | Fried Wheat Egg Roll | Baked Lettuce Wrap |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 230 | 80 |
| Fat | 12g | 2g |
| Carbs | 26g | 4g |
| Fiber | 2g | 2g |
| Net carbs | 24g | 2g |
| Protein | 4g | 7g |
As you can see from the comparison, the baked lettuce wrap version is significantly lower in calories, fat and digestible carbs compared to the fried traditional egg roll.
Should you eat egg rolls on a low carb diet?
Egg rolls can be part of a low carb diet when made with certain modifications:
- Limit portion to 1-2 egg rolls max
- Avoid the starchy wheat wrappers
- Fill them with more vegetables, meat or seafood
- Skip deep frying and opt for baking or steaming
- Pair with a low sugar dipping sauce
In reasonable amounts, egg rolls made with low carb ingredients can fit into a diet with 50-130g of carbs per day, as they can likely be kept under 15g net carbs each.
Are egg rolls gluten free?
Typically, no – traditional egg rolls are not gluten free. This is because the wrap is usually made from wheat flour, which contains gluten proteins.
However, egg rolls can be made gluten free by using rice paper wrappers or gluten-free flours like:
- Rice flour
- Tapioca starch
- Chickpea flour
- Almond flour
Fillings should also be prepared gluten-free by avoiding soy sauce, breadcrumbs and thickening agents that contain gluten.
Low carb egg roll alternatives
If you want to cut back on carbs, some alternatives to traditional egg rolls include:
- Lettuce wraps
- Cabbage wraps
- Summer rolls made with rice paper
- Stir fry wrapped in collard greens
- Zucchini noodle veggie rolls
- Meat and cheese roll-ups
These lower carb options allow you to enjoy the flavors of egg rolls in a more nutrition-packed form.
Simple low carb egg roll recipe
This easy recipe makes 6 carb-conscious egg rolls:
Ingredients
- 6 large cabbage leaves
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 cup shredded cabbage
- 1/2 cup diced mushrooms
- 1/4 cup diced onion
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or coconut aminos
Instructions
- Saute pork, cabbage, mushrooms and onion in oil for 5-7 minutes until browned.
- Add garlic, ginger and sauce. Cook 2-3 more mins.
- Remove from heat. Add salt & pepper to taste.
- Divide mixture into 6 portions. Wrap each in a cabbage leaf.
- Bake at 400F for 10-15 minutes until cabbage is tender.
- Top with sesame seeds and scallions if desired.
Each roll comes out to around 6g net carbs. They make a tasty low carb appetizer!
Conclusion
Egg rolls are often thought of as a high carb food. However, with clever low carb swaps like alternative wrappers, fillings and cooking methods, it’s possible to enjoy egg roll flavors on low carb, keto and gluten-free diets. Look for recipes that use ingredients like lettuce or cabbage leaves, rice paper wrappers, lots of veggies and lean proteins. Portioning to 1-2 rolls and baking rather than frying also helps lighten them up.
