Quick Answer
The number of calories in an egg roll from a Chinese restaurant can vary greatly depending on the size and ingredients, but a typical egg roll contains around 300-400 calories. A small egg roll may contain around 200 calories, while a large one could contain 500 calories or more. The main factors determining the calorie count are the wrapper, filling ingredients, and method of preparation (deep fried vs baked).
Calories in Different Egg Roll Sizes
Small Egg Rolls
A small egg roll, around 3-4 inches long, generally contains about 200-300 calories. For example:
- Trader Joe’s Mini Chicken Egg Rolls (2 rolls): 230 calories
- A small vegetable egg roll: around 200 calories
- Ling Ling Mini Vegetable Egg Rolls (5 rolls): 250 calories total
Medium Egg Rolls
A medium egg roll, around 5-6 inches long, typically provides 300-400 calories. Some examples:
- Costco chicken & vegetable egg rolls (1 roll): 350 calories
- PF Chang’s Chicken Egg Roll: 340 calories
- Average medium vegetable egg roll: around 325 calories
Large Egg Rolls
Large restaurant egg rolls are usually over 7 inches long and contain 400-500 calories or more. For instance:
- PF Chang’s Pork Egg Roll: 460 calories
- Panda Express Large Egg Roll: 490 calories
- A 7-inch long fried chicken egg roll: around 500 calories
Extra Large Egg Rolls
Some restaurants serve extra large egg rolls that provide over 500 calories each. Examples:
- Cheesecake Factory Egg Roll (9 inches): 770 calories
- PF Chang’s Giant Egg Roll: 1,040 calories
- 8-9 inch fried egg roll: around 600-800 calories
Factors Affecting Egg Roll Calories
Wrapper
The wrapper is a main source of calories in egg rolls. Egg roll wrappers are typically made from wheat flour and contain around 80 calories each. So the more wrappers used in an egg roll, the higher the calorie count. Most small-medium egg rolls have 1 wrapper, while large ones may have 2-3.
Filling Ingredients
The filling ingredients also determine the calories. Ingredients like meat, shrimp, and cheese add more calories than veggies. An all-vegetable egg roll has around 160 fewer calories than one with pork and shrimp filling.
Preparation Method
Egg rolls are typically deep fried, adding around 130 extra calories per roll compared to baking. Deep frying causes more oil absorption than baking. However, baked egg rolls also pick up some oil from brushing or spraying during cooking.
Accompaniments
What an egg roll is served with also impacts its total calorie count. For example, having it with high-calorie duck or sweet & sour sauce can add 150 calories or more.
Calories in Egg Roll Components
To get a better idea of what makes up the calories in an egg roll, here is the breakdown for some common components:
Egg Roll Wrappers
- 1 egg roll wrapper (wheat flour): Around 80 calories
Meat Fillings (cooked, per 3 oz)
- Chicken: 140 calories
- Pork: 180 calories
- Shrimp: 90 calories
- Beef: 150 calories
Vegetable Fillings (cooked, per cup)
- Cabbage: 35 calories
- Carrots: 50 calories
- Bean sprouts: 25 calories
- Onion: 60 calories
- Celery: 20 calories
Cooking Methods (per egg roll)
- Deep fried: Around 130 calories from oil
- Baked: Around 30-50 calories from small amount of oil
Sauces (per tablespoon)
- Sweet & sour sauce: Around 70 calories
- Duck sauce: Around 40 calories
- Soy sauce: 10 calories
- Hot mustard: 5 calories
So for a medium chicken and vegetable egg roll deep fried in 140 calories of oil with duck sauce, the total would be:
- 1 Egg roll wrapper: 80 calories
- Chicken filling: 140 calories
- Vegetable filling: 40 calories (estimated average)
- Deep frying: 130 calories
- Duck sauce: 80 calories
- Total: Around 370 calories
Low Calorie Options
Here are some ways to lower the calories in an egg roll if you are looking for a lighter option:
Size
Choose a smaller egg roll, which instantly cuts down the calories. A mini egg roll has about half the calories of a jumbo one.
Fillings
Pick vegetable fillings instead of fatty meats. An all veggie egg roll saves about 150-200 calories over one with meat.
Prep Method
Order baked or air-fried egg rolls. Baking reduces the calories by around 130 per roll compared to frying.
Sauces
Use lower calorie sauces like mustard, soy sauce, or chili sauce instead of sweet & sour or duck sauce. And use sauces sparingly.
Accompaniments
Skip higher calorie side items like fried rice or high-carb noodles. Enjoy your egg roll with a side salad instead.
Portion Size
Stick to just one egg roll as part of your meal rather than multiple. Or split a regular egg roll in half to cut calories.
Nutritional Info for Popular Egg Rolls
Here is the full nutritional breakdown for egg rolls from some popular chain restaurants:
PF Chang’s Egg Rolls
| Type | Calories | Fat | Carbs | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 340 | 16g | 31g | 12g |
| Vegetable | 260 | 13g | 28g | 3g |
| Pork | 460 | 26g | 42g | 12g |
| Giant Egg Roll | 1040 | 45g | 108g | 24g |
Panda Express Egg Rolls
| Type | Calories | Fat | Carbs | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vegetable | 170 | 8g | 21g | 3g |
| Large | 490 | 26g | 51g | 12g |
Cheesecake Factory Egg Rolls
| Type | Calories | Fat | Carbs | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thai Lettuce Wraps | 80 | 1.5g | 15g | 3g |
| Egg Roll | 770 | 43g | 69g | 15g |
Ways to Reduce Egg Roll Calories
If you love egg rolls but want to lighten them up, here are some easy ways to reduce the calorie count:
Pick Your Size Wisely
– Choose mini or small egg rolls instead of regular or large
– Get an appetizer size egg roll instead of entree size
– Split a regular egg roll in half and share it
Fill Up On Veggies
– Order vegetable-filled egg rolls instead of meat
– Ask for extra veggie fillings and less meat
– Add extra fillings like bean sprouts, cabbage, mushrooms etc.
Change Up the Wrapper
– Request lettuce wrap instead of egg roll wrapper
– Look for egg rolls made with wheat or brown rice wraps
Bake Don’t Fry
– Opt for baked or air-fried egg rolls instead of deep-fried
– Spray oil lightly instead of soaking in oil if baking at home
Sauce Smartly
– Use small amounts of low-cal sauces like mustard or chili sauce
– Skip high-calorie duck sauce and sweet & sour sauce
Make Alternatives
– Stuff vegetables rolls made from cabbage leaves
– Make lettuce wraps with egg roll fillings
Conclusion
In summary, the calorie content in egg rolls can vary greatly depending on size and specific ingredients used. A small egg roll may contain around 200 calories, while a large deep fried egg roll could have over 500. To lighten up egg rolls, choose smaller sizes, load up on vegetable fillings, pick healthier cooking methods like baking, and use lighter sauces. With some simple tweaks, you can still enjoy the flavor of egg rolls in a more calorie-conscious way.
