Air fryers have become increasingly popular in recent years as a convenient way to make delicious fried foods like egg rolls with less oil. While most egg roll recipes call for deep frying, using an air fryer is a healthier cooking method that can produce very similar results when cooking frozen egg rolls.
The Short Answer
Yes, you can absolutely put frozen egg rolls in an air fryer! Air fryers are a great way to cook frozen egg rolls that are just as crispy on the outside and delicious on the inside as deep fried egg rolls, but with significantly less oil.
How Do Air Fryers Work?
Air fryers are small countertop convection ovens that use super heated air to crisp and cook foods. A mechanical fan circulates the hot air around the food at high speed, cooking the surface very rapidly. The combination of high heat and air circulation mimics the results of deep frying.
While deep frying cooks food in hot oil, air frying relies on the flow of extremely hot air to cook the food. The temperatures inside an air fryer typically range from 200°F to 400°F. This high heat helps achieve the browned, crispy exterior and tender interior of fried foods.
Benefits of Cooking Frozen Egg Rolls in an Air Fryer
There are several advantages to cooking frozen egg rolls in an air fryer rather than deep frying them:
- Uses up to 80% less oil – Air fryers only require about 1-3 tablespoons of oil to lightly coat the egg rolls before cooking. Deep frying can soak the egg rolls in cups of oil.
- Fewer calories – With significantly less oil, air fried egg rolls absorb less oil and fat, reducing the calorie count.
- Healthier – The reduction in oil also decreases the fat and cholesterol found in traditionally fried egg rolls.
- Crispy exterior – The high heat of the air fryer crisps up the outer wrapper of the egg rolls.
- No oil smell – Air frying avoids the lingering smell of fried oil permeating your kitchen.
- Quick and easy – Air fryers preheat quickly and most models don’t require preheating when cooking frozen foods.
- Versatile – An air fryer can also be used to cook a wide variety of other frozen foods like french fries, chicken nuggets, fish sticks, and more.
How to Cook Frozen Egg Rolls in an Air Fryer
Cooking frozen egg rolls in an air fryer is simple and straightforward. Here are step-by-step instructions:
- Preheat air fryer to 370°F-400°F. Most models do not require preheating if cooking frozen foods.
- Lightly coat egg rolls with oil. Use a cooking spray or brush with about 1-2 teaspoons of oil.
- Place egg rolls in air fryer basket in a single layer, not overcrowded.
- Cook for 6-8 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
- Flip egg rolls over halfway during cooking time.
- Check that egg rolls are heated through and filling is piping hot.
- Remove egg rolls from air fryer and let cool for 2-3 minutes before serving.
- Enjoy your crispy, delicious air fried egg rolls!
Cooking times may vary based on the size of your air fryer and how full the basket is. Start checking at 6 minutes for smaller air fryers and adjust time from there. Pair air fried egg rolls with duck or sweet and sour sauce.
Tips for Air Frying Frozen Egg Rolls
- Do not overcrowd – Air needs to circulate to crisp up the egg rolls so leave space between them.
- Flip halfway – Turn egg rolls over during cooking for evenly browned and crisped egg rolls.
- Brush with oil – Lightly coating egg rolls with a thin layer of oil helps promote browning and crisping in the dry heat of an air fryer.
- Let thaw slightly – Air frying frozen egg rolls straight from the freezer can sometimes cause them to split. Let thaw for 5-10 minutes before air frying for best results.
- Add cooking spray – If egg rolls are not browning well, add a spritz of non-stick cooking spray on top halfway through cooking.
- Use high heat setting – Cook at temperatures between 370°F to 400°F to properly crisp up egg roll wrappers.
- Check internal temperature – Use a food thermometer to confirm egg rolls reach safe 165°F internal temperature.
Common Air Fryer Mistakes
While air frying egg rolls is simple, here are some common mistakes to avoid:
- Overcrowding – Too many egg rolls prevents hot air from circulating and leads to uneven cooking.
- Insufficient oil – Skipping the light oil coating can lead to egg rolls drying out in spots.
- Too low heat – The high heat is needed to make the wrappers crispy. Don’t go below 370°F.
- Not preheating – If your model requires preheating, don’t skip this step or egg rolls may turn out greasy.
- Not flipping – The hot air only hits the food from the top and bottom. Flip for all over browning.
- Overcooking – Check early and often to avoid dried out egg rolls. Remove immediately if burnt.
Troubleshooting
If your air fried egg rolls did not turn out right, here are some troubleshooting tips:
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Not crisp |
|
| Overly browned |
|
| Greasy |
|
| Split open |
|
| Uneven cooking |
|
| Not heated through |
|
Egg Roll Air Fryer Cooking Chart
Use this air fryer time and temperature guide for cooking frozen egg rolls of various sizes:
| Egg Roll Size | Temperature | Cooking Time |
|---|---|---|
| Small (3 inches or less) | 380°F | 6-8 minutes |
| Medium (3 – 5 inches) | 400°F | 8-10 minutes |
| Large (5 inches +) | 380°F | 10-14 minutes |
Remember to flip egg rolls over halfway during cooking time for evenly browned and heated results.
Best Air Fryer Models for Egg Rolls
Almost any air fryer will work well for cooking frozen egg rolls. However, here are a few top air fryer models to consider:
- Ninja AF101 Air Fryer – Affordable mid-sized 4 quart air fryer with wide temperature ranges and dishwasher safe basket.
- Philips Premium Airfryer XXL – Large family-sized model with fat reduction technology for crispy egg rolls.
- Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer Oven – 7-in-1 air fryer with rotisserie function good for air frying multiple batches.
- COSORI CO130-AO 12-in-1 Air Fryer – Feature packed air fryer with 11 one-touch cooking presets including one for frozen foods.
- Ninja Foodi OP301 Dual Zone Air Fryer – Has two independent baskets to cook two different foods like egg rolls and fries.
Best Egg Rolls to Air Fry
While you can cook most any frozen egg roll in an air fryer, these are some top brands and varieties to try:
- Trader Joe’s Vegetable Egg Rolls – Crispy and filled with cabbage, carrots, celery and mushrooms.
- Ajinomoto Pork & Cabbage Egg Rolls – Juicy pork and crunchy cabbage filling inside a flaky wrapper.
- Applegate Organic Chicken & Vegetable Egg Rolls – Made with all organic ingredients and humanely raised chicken.
- PF Chang’s Chicken Egg Rolls – Boxed and freezer section versions of the restaurant egg rolls.
- O Organics Asian Vegetarian Egg Rolls – Veggie egg rolls packed with cabbage, carrots and bamboo shoots.
Delicious Egg Roll Air Fryer Recipes
Pre-made egg rolls aren’t your only option! You can make easy homemade air fried egg rolls using these recipes:
Chicken Egg Rolls
- Dice cooked chicken breast, carrots, cabbage, green onion
- Season filling with soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger
- Wrap in egg roll wrappers and seal edges with water
- Air fry at 380°F for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway
Shrimp Egg Rolls
- Saute minced shrimp, carrot, scallion, garlic, ginger
- Add soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes
- Fill and seal egg roll wrappers
- Air fry at 400°F for 6-8 minutes until golden and crispy
Southwestern Egg Rolls
- Fill with mixture of shredded chicken, black beans, corn, peppers, onions, spices
- Garnish with avocado, salsa, cilantro, lime juice
- Brush wrappers with oil and air fry at 380°F for 7-9 minutes
Pairings and Dipping Sauces for Egg Rolls
Egg rolls pair well with a variety of dipping sauces. Some tasty options include:
- Sweet and sour sauce
- Duck sauce
- Soy sauce
- Hot mustard
- Ranch dressing
- Barbecue sauce
- Plum sauce
- Peanut sauce
- Sweet chili sauce
Serve your crispy air fried egg rolls with steamed white rice and dipping vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, broccoli or celery sticks.
Storing Leftover Air Fried Egg Rolls
Any leftover egg rolls can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat, place them in a 400°F oven for 5 minutes or until warmed through. They can also be wrapped in a damp paper towel and microwaved in 30 second intervals. The microwave can make the wraps soggy so the oven is ideal for leftover egg rolls.
Conclusion
Air fryers provide a quick and easy way to cook frozen egg rolls that are crunchy on the outside and juicy on the inside without all the oil and mess of deep frying. A light coating of oil and super hot circulating air makes air fried egg rolls nearly as good as traditional fried egg rolls. In just 6-10 minutes, you can enjoy crispy egg rolls cooked to perfection in the convenience of your air fryer.