20 Delicious Ways to Enjoy Cheap Spring Roll Wrappers at Every Meal

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In all likelihood, you have enjoyed many an egg roll in a Chinese restaurant. You may have even made your own at home, which is fun and easy. At less than $2 for a package of these wrappers, why not experiment with some interesting fillings?

However, picking the correct wrapper at the grocery store can be a little confusing. For the recipe ideas below, look specifically for egg roll wrappers. They will be in a refrigerated section. They are a thin dough, and rectangular in shape. They do contain egg, and thus must be deep-fried, pan-fried, or baked. Won ton "skins" are very similar, but come in small squares, rather than rectangles.

Lumpia wrappers come to us from the Philippines, but they are Chinese in origin. The skins are very delicate, and they have a flaky texture when fried or baked. They can be filled with sweet or savory ingredients. If you cannot find egg roll wrappers, lumpia will work. (For these recipes, do not get "rice paper" wrappers, which are, confusingly, used in "spring rolls," and "summer rolls," but are not usually fried.)

Methods for cooking include using a deep fryer, pan frying, or oven baking (which is the healthiest method). To oven bake, preheat your oven to 400 degrees, and line a baking sheet with foil. Use a pastry brush to brush the rolls with oil. Bake about 20 minutes, until crispy and golden brown.

Assembly will go quickly if you have all of your fillings in bowls, ready to go. Use a mixture of water and a little cornstarch to seal the rolls shut.

Now that you know how to prepare the wrappers, let's dig in to the filling options. Here are some delicious ideas to get you started. (See also: 25 Clever Ways to Dress Up Cheap Food)

Breakfast Ideas

Who wouldn't want to start their day with an egg roll?

1. Bacon and Eggs

I like to make two to three rolls per person. Combine cooked, crumbled bacon, scrambled eggs, and diced green onions. Roll into the wrapper, fry, drain, and serve. If you wrap them in wax paper or paper towels, you can take them "to go."

2. Sausage, Peppers, and Onion

Sauté chopped mini-peppers with diced onion and breakfast sausage. Sprinkle with just a pinch of red pepper flakes, roll, fry, and drain.

3. Mexican

Add some rice to your scrambled eggs, along with a little jack cheese, refried beans, and salsa. Roll, fry, and go!

4. Fruit-Filled

I love to go "tropical" with slices of papaya and banana, a drizzle of honey, and shredded coconut. Serve with a "dipping sauce" of vanilla yogurt.

5. Blintz-Like

Fresh or frozen drained berries, with a little cream cheese or goat cheese, are a decadent way to ease into your day when wrapped into an egg roll and baked. Add a cappuccino for a painless Monday morning.

Lunch Ideas

Break up your workday with an egg roll wrapper filled with your favorite edible things.

6. Pizza

This idea will delight kids, big and small. Wrap up pepperoni or salami, olives, chopped artichoke hearts, string cheese, and sprinkle with oregano. Serve with heated, prepared pizza sauce for dipping.

7. Sushi

Yep, you read that right. Combine cooked, seasoned sushi rice, cooked shrimp or crab, diced avocado, diced green onion, and sesame seeds. Fry and drain. Dip into wasabi paste and soy sauce.

8. Chili

If you have leftover or canned chili available, just add grated cheese, onions, and wrap. After frying or baking, dip into sour cream.

9. Mac and Cheese

There is truly something yummy about the crispiness of the wrapper combined with the cheesy, creamy pasta inside.

10. Buffalo Chicken

Combine cooked, diced chicken with ranch dressing, a drizzle of wing sauce, and bleu cheese crumbles. Fry and serve with more wing sauce and celery sticks.

Dinner Ideas

The last meal of the day should always be the best, so prepare to salivate over these egg roll fillings.

11. Curry

Combine cooked, diced potatoes, cooked peas, sautéed onions, and a little curry powder. Fry rolls and serve with a dipping sauce of plain yogurt swirled with spicy chutney.

12. BBQ Pork

Mix a tub of prepared barbecued pork with some sautéed onions. Roll, fry, and serve with barbecue sauce on the side (and lots of napkins).

13. Baked Potato

This is a great use of leftover mashed potatoes. Combine them with crispy cooked bacon bits, cheddar cheese, and green onions. Wrap, cook, and serve with sour cream for dipping.

14. Hawaiian Style

Combine rice, poke, and furikake seasoning; fill rolls and deep-fry. Make a sauce of mayonnaise and Sriracha; drizzle over egg rolls.

15. Veggie

Combine cooked, drained broccoli, quinoa, sautéed red pepper strips, and a little goat cheese. Then bake. Serve with balsamic vinegar.

16. Shrimp

Sauté cleaned, raw shrimp with a little chopped garlic, sliced mushrooms, coleslaw mix, and bean sprouts. Fry or bake and dip into sweet chili sauce.

Dessert Ideas

There is always room for a small sweet treat.

17. S'mores

Make a filling of mini-marshmallows, chocolate chips, and crushed graham crackers. Roll, and then bake or fry.

18. Apple Pie

This couldn't be easier, so apple pie fans, rejoice. Simply fill the egg roll wrappers with canned apple pie filling and fry or bake. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

19. Bananas Foster-ish

Slice bananas lengthwise, then in half. Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon, dot with butter, and wrap. Bake or fry. Serve with rum-laced vanilla ice cream.

20. Cheesecake

Make a bowl of your favorite no-bake cheesecake batter. Fold up in egg roll wrappers with sliced strawberries, crushed oreos, caramels, or lemon zest. Fry, and swoon.

Once opened, a package of egg roll wrappers will be fine for a week, assuming you wrap them up well. If there are too many, just freeze them and let them defrost at room temperature when you're "ready to roll" again.

Any other ideas for egg roll wrappers? Share with us in the comments!

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