Originally published on August 19, 2017
We’re big taco-eaters around here and anyone who’s been following the blog for any length of time knows that this is one food that I love to play around with. But when you put cheese, beef, and tomatoes together, there are truly endless possibilities! This recipe for Taco Egg Rolls does away with the hard shells and the soft tortillas and replaces them with egg roll wrappers that aren’t quite deep-fried, but do bubble away in a glistening pan of oil. I got the idea from a video my sister-in-law shared on Facebook, but now you have the whole thing written out step-by-step. You also have the recipe for my new favourite way to enjoy tacos!
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 egg
- 1 package egg roll wrappers (about 20)
- 1 cup pico de gallo
- 1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
- About 3 cups of vegetable oil, for frying
Directions:
1.) Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When hot add the ground beef, crumbling it in your hands as you do. Stir and cook for about 7 minutes, until the ground beef is completely browned. Add the taco seasoning, mix, and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
2.) Beat the egg lightly with about two tablespoons of water. One by one, lay an egg roll wrapper onto a counter or other work surface so that it looks like a diamond with points at the top, bottom, and sides. Place a damp paper towel over the egg roll wrappers you’re not using so they don’t dry out as you work. Lay about two tablespoons of ground beef into the middle of the egg roll wrapper and top with about a teaspoon of pico de gallo and a couple of teaspoons of Cheddar cheese.
3.) Brush all sides of the egg roll wrapper with the egg wash mixture. Starting with the side closest to you, fold the egg roll wrapper over the filling. Lift the ends up over the portion of the wrapper you just folded and press lightly to seal. Continue rolling the egg roll (again, using the side closest to you) until the egg roll is fully rolled and the filling is sealed inside.
4.) Repeat steps 2 and 3 until all egg rolls are assembled. As you assemble each egg roll, lay a damp paper towel across them so they don’t dry out.
5.) Heat the vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the egg rolls, seam-side down, one at a time. Only place four or five in at a time so they all cook and brown evenly. Cook for about two minutes per side, just until nicely browned, then remove to a paper towel to drain any excess oil. You can lightly salt them at this point, if you wish. Continue frying the remaining egg rolls and draining on paper towel.
6.) Serve and enjoy!