Pizza Egg Rolls

Pizza rolls are a tasty snack, but buying them again and again gets expensive. This recipe for pizza egg rolls will help you make similar snacks at home using ingredients that you may already have in your pantry and refrigerator—especially if you regularly make homemade pizza. This recipe makes several servings, so you can enjoy some fresh and put the rest away for the coming days and weeks.

The egg roll wrappers provide that crispy-yet-chewy outer shell that you expect from pizza rolls. They even freeze well, too. These pizza egg rolls are easy to customize, so if the filling here doesn’t sound like your favorite, feel free to use the toppings you prefer.

Pizza Egg Rolls Ingredients

• Cheese and meat: Shredded mozzarella (or a pizza cheese blend), bulk Italian sausage and pepperoni make the filling reminiscent of “supreme” style pizzas. The cheese helps bind everything together as it melts, and the sausage and pepperoni give the filling a substantial texture.
• Vegetables: Bell peppers and onion pair nicely with the cheese, sausage and pepperoni. They also add more flavor and make the filling a bit lighter so that you’re not just biting into a pile of cheese and meat.
• Pizza sauce: Use your favorite brand of sauce or a homemade recipe in your pizza egg rolls. Have some extra pizza sauce warmed and ready for dipping when you serve these.
• Egg roll wrappers: Egg roll wrappers are likely the closest copycats of the dough from store-bought pizza rolls. And as a bonus, you can make these pizza egg rolls much larger than store-bought pizza rolls.

Directions

Step 1: Mix the filling

In a large bowl, combine the cheese, sausage, pepperoni, green and red peppers and onion. Add the pizza sauce and stir to combine everything

Step 2: Roll the pizza egg rolls

Place an egg roll wrapper in front of you with one corner pointing toward you and put 1/4 cup of filling in the wrapper, just below the center. Fold the bottom corner over the filling and then fold both side corners over the filling. Moisten the last corner with a little water, roll the egg roll tightly and seal the wrapper with that last corner. Repeat with the remaining wrappers.

Step 2: Fry the pizza egg rolls

In a deep cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven, heat 1 to 2 inches of oil to 375°F. Fry the pizza rolls in batches until they’re golden brown, one to two minutes per side. Drain the egg rolls on paper towels and serve them with extra warmed pizza sauce.

JONATHAN MELENDEZ FOR TASTE OF HOME

Pizza Egg Roll Variations

• Make them in an air fryer: You can air-fry these egg rolls if you don’t want to deep-fry them. Preheat your air fryer to 400° and place the egg rolls on a tray that fits in the basket. Arrange them in a single layer (you may need to do this in batches) and spray them with a little cooking spray. Cook the rolls for 8 to 12 minutes, turn them over, spritz them again with cooking spray and cook them for another four to six minutes. The rolls should be golden brown on both sides. You may want to experiment with cooking times and temperatures first, because every appliance is a little different.
• Use another sauce: If you don’t want to dip your pizza egg rolls in pizza sauce, try marinara or another sauce that you like. Ranch, barbecue sauce and even pesto are options, and so are any of the sauces that you might find at your local pizza joint. When it comes to junk food copycat recipes, there are no wrong answers.

How to Store Pizza Egg Rolls

To store pizza egg rolls, line an airtight container with paper towels. Let the egg rolls cool completely (so that they don’t become soggy in the refrigerator), then place them in the airtight container. If you have more than one layer, separate the layers with more paper towels. These will soak up any moisture or oil that seeps out. Store pizza egg rolls for up to four days. When you’re ready to eat them, crisp them in a skillet for a few minutes, turning them until the egg rolls are heated through.

Can you make pizza egg rolls ahead of time?

Yes, pizza egg rolls are wonderful as a make-ahead snack. Make the filling and assemble the egg rolls according to the recipe. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and put the baking sheet in the freezer for 30 minutes. Then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag once they’re frozen. (You may have to do this in batches if you have a small freezer, so place any “waiting” egg rolls in the refrigerator in the meantime.) Cook them straight from frozen and add two minutes to the cooking time.

Pizza Egg Rolls Tips

JONATHAN MELENDEZ FOR TASTE OF HOME

Can you customize these pizza egg rolls?

You can totally customize these pizza egg rolls with your favorite pizza toppings. Tomato and basil, red onion, ham and pineapple, or even vegetable combinations like mushrooms, spinach and sliced black olives are great. You can also research some of the more unusual pizza toppings and try those, like shrimp and crab, BLT, or steak and blue cheese.

What can you serve with these pizza egg rolls?

If you’re having the egg rolls as part of a meal, a green salad—much like one you’d serve with pizza slices—would be a perfect choice.

Can you use spring roll wrappers instead?

Spring roll wrappers are thinner and become much crispier than egg roll wrappers. Egg roll wrappers become crispy when fried, but they’re thicker and chewier. This makes them more like the dough pockets you get with store-bought pizza rolls. The more delicate spring roll wrappers may not be appropriate for these rolls, because you need something more substantial to hold the filling.