Alright, Pull Up a Chair—Here’s the Story with Eggroll in a Bowl

So, there was this week last fall where I couldn’t face another night of washing 852 pans for dinner—then my friend texts, “You HAVE to try crack slaw.” At first, I thought she was messing with me (that name, right?). Turns out, it’s really just all the tasty bits of an eggroll… but in a bowl. No wrapping stuff, no deep-frying, just the goods. Long story short, my family wound up eating this three times that week—with some minor variations every night, of course. Plus, there was this one time I dumped way too much soy sauce in, but hey, it’s still edible if you’re sopping it up with rice.

Why You’ll Keep Coming Back to This Bowl

I make this when I’ve got, like, ten minutes to spare (or when the mail had nothing interesting but flyers and I actually want a flavor pick-me-up). My family goes nuts for it because there’s always enough for seconds—unless the kids get there first. Honestly, even my husband—who’s highly suspicious of cabbage—asks for it by name. Oh, and it’s perfect if you’ve got random veggies dying in the crisper (I once stuck in some sad looking broccoli florets, no one complained). Truth is, there are nights when I just want a meal that won’t leave me with regret and 40 minutes of dish duty. This is that meal.

What You’ll Need (Or Improvise With—Trust Me, I Have)

1 lb ground pork (sometimes I swap in ground turkey when it’s on sale, or whatever’s hanging around—my neighbor did it with crumbled tofu and said it worked, but I like my pork)
1 medium onion, diced (yellow is fine—red gives it a bit of zing, or skip it if you can’t be bothered)
3 cloves garlic, minced (I’ve thrown in pre-chopped jar stuff, not as good but good enough)
1 bag (about 14 oz) coleslaw mix—because I’m lazy, but you can shred your own cabbage and carrot blend if you’re feeling ambitious
2–3 tbsp soy sauce (I once ran out and used Worcestershire, and it was odd but not terrible)
1 tbsp sesame oil (my grandma swears by Kadoya brand, but honestly, whatever you got works)
1–2 tbsp sriracha or chili garlic sauce (totally optional, I keep it mild for the kids, then add more to my own bowl)
Green onions, sliced (for topping—optional, but looks nice and tastes brighter)
Sesame seeds (optional, mostly for showing off)

How You Actually Make This Stuff

In a big skillet (I use my wok, but literally anything will do—once used a Dutch oven in desperation), brown your ground pork over medium heat. Break it up as you go. This is when my kitchen starts to smell amazing.
Add the onion and garlic, cook until things are soft and kinda golden (don’t worry if it sticks a bit, just means extra flavor—scrape it up later).
Dump in your coleslaw mix. Stir it all together; it’ll look heaps at first but just keep at it, it wilts down. This is where I usually sneak a taste, though it’s not quite ready.
Drizzle in the soy sauce and sesame oil. Stir again, then add the sriracha if you’re feeling spicy. Don’t overthink it; I eyeball most of it anyway.
Let it all cook for about 5–8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cabbage should be tender, but not soggy—you want a bit of crunch (unless mushy is your thing, no judgement). Taste and adjust; I almost always add a splash more soy because, well, salt fiend here.
Sprinkle green onions and sesame seeds on top right before you serve. No kidding, it looks almost restaurant-worthy.

Stuff I’ve Learned (Not Always the Easy Way)

If you salt the pork too early, it kinda weeps a ton—wait till later (trust me, soggy meat is not the goal).
Pre-chopped garlic is fine in a pinch. But real stuff smells so much better.
I tried adding too much soy sauce once and everyone’s tongue was numb. Start slow.
It’s okay if you don’t use a wok, though it does somehow taste smokier when I do. Maybe it’s all in my head?

Some Oddball Variations (for Better or Worse)

I’ve swapped ground chicken in—it’s fine, a smidge drier, just add a bit more oil.
Once tried ground beef—too heavy for me, but the kids loved it, so who knows.
Pro tip: don’t try making this with quinoa instead of meat as the main, I mean, it just felt off (but you do you).
Throw some cooked shrimp in at the end if you’ve got them. Turns it into a totally different meal, but very tasty.

What If You’re Short on Equipment?

Sometimes I say my wok is essential, but really, I’ve made this in a big frying pan, even a stockpot once when the rest were dirty (who wants to wash things twice, right?). Use what you have and don’t stress about it. It’s about eating, not impressing.

How to Store the Leftovers—If There Are Any!

Pop it in an airtight container in the fridge and it’s fine for 2–3 days, maybe 4 if you’re brave, but honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! Actually, I find it tastes better cold on day two, with a dash more sriracha. Makes an excellent midnight snack (not that I’ve ever stood in front of the fridge eating straight from the bowl… definitely not).

How We Like to Serve Ours (Steamed Rice, Anyone?)

Mostly we just spoon it straight into bowls, but sometimes I’ll make a batch of jasmine rice. Or, if I’m feeling real fancy, serve with lettuce cups—I swear the kids eat twice as much if they get to wrap things up (little weirdos). Once, on a dare, we put it over noodles. Not half bad!

Random Pro Tips Learned by Trial and (Plenty of) Error

Don’t crank the heat way up to make it go faster. I did that once and ended up with scorched pork on the bottom and raw cabbage on top. Bleh.
If you’re using really lean meat, add extra oil. Otherwise, it sticks and just turns into, like, protein pebbles?
Let the cabbage catch a little on the edges for a nice toasty taste. Just don’t walk away, things escalate fast.

Questions Folks Have Actually Asked Me (Yes, Really)

Can you make it vegetarian? Yep—just use crumbled tofu or one of those plant-based meats (my cousin swears by Beyond Meat, but the texture is different. Not bad, just different.)
What if I don’t have coleslaw mix? Just shred some cabbage and throw in a grated carrot. One time I only had red cabbage and it turned everything kinda purple, but still tasted great.
Can I freeze this? You probably can, but cabbage gets mushy. Wouldn’t recommend, but let me know if you try!
How spicy is it? Up to you—I hold the hot sauce for the kids, then add a mountain to mine. Adjust to your liking, no one’s judging.
Is it really as quick as you say? Yep, if you don’t chop your finger off with the onion (hasn’t happened yet, touch wood).
Do I need sesame oil? Nah, but it tastes way better with. If you skip it, maybe add a splash later and see what you think.

By the way, if you ever need an excuse to avoid making traditional eggrolls with those fiddly wrappers, just tell people you’ve gone “deconstructed”—sounds way fancier than “I didn’t feel like cooking for an hour.” Happens to the best of us.

Eggroll In A Bowl (Crack Slaw) Recipe: Quick, Tasty Dinner