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Game Day

Instant Pot Carne Asada

June 13, 2020 by Melissa Leave a Comment

Platter of instant pot carne asada with cilantro garlic sauce drizzled on top and a jar of the sauce on the side.

This post contains links that pay me a small commission at no extra cost to you.

This Instant Pot Carne Asada is full of fresh flavors like citrus, cilantro, garlic, jalapeño, and is SUPER easy to make.

I love carne asada. Carne asada means grilled beef in Spanish. While I usually would grill my steak to make carne asada, I’m taking a slightly different approach and not using my grill. Instead, I decided to try making Instant Pot Carne Asada for those times that I don’t feel like firing up the grill, or the weather isn’t grilling-friendly. 

Platter of Instant Pot Carne Asada sliced up with cilantro garlic sauce and tacos on the side.

This recipe is super easy. It involves making a quick marinade, then cooking quickly in the Instant Pot under high pressure. The marinade helps tenderize and flavor the meat, and the high pressure from the Instant Pot helps tenderize and cook quickly. 

Carne Asada Ingredients

For this recipe, you’ll need:

  • Lime and orange juice: The acid in the citrus juice helps tenderize the meat. Plus, the sweetness from the fruit balances the acid. 
  • Worcestershire sauce: Worcestershire has an umami flavor similar to beef, which makes it perfect for including in a beef marinade. 
  • Olive oil: This gives the steak a nice coating of oil to help prevent sticking in the Instant Pot. Plus, flank steak can be lean, so the fat helps with flavor. 
  • Jalapeño: A hot pepper for a little heat. If you’re heat adverse, you can skip the seeds to ease up on the spiciness factor. 
  • Cilantro: Cilantro adds a fresh burst of flavor to the marinade. 
  • Garlic cloves: You can leave the garlic cloves whole if you’d like to make it easier or you can mince them. If you use them whole, just give them a little smash before throwing them in the marinade. 
  • Seasonings and spices: A little chili powder, oregano, salt, and pepper round out the Latin-inspired flavors.  Flank steak: Flank steak can be a bit tough, so that’s why this recipe marinates the steak for a few hours before cooking. Also, you’ll need to make sure to cut the steak into pieces that will fit in your Instant Pot – see below. 
Close of instant pot carne asada on a platter with cilantro garlic sauce drizzled on top.

How to Make Instant Pot Carne Asada

  • First, you make the marinade by combining all of the ingredients except for the steak into a large shallow dish that can be covered or a large ziplock bag.
  • Before putting the flank steak into the marinade, make sure that the steak is cut into pieces small enough to fit the length of your Instant Pot. For example, I used a little less than 2 lbs. of steak, and I only had to cut my steak into two pieces before cooking. 
  • Once you’ve marinated the steak for at least 4 hours, you’ll sear the steak in the Instant Pot using the sauté feature. Note: don’t discard the marinade!
  • After the steak is browned on all sides, you’ll add the marinade to the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for about 4-5 minutes for a medium-well steak (3-4 minutes should get you medium). Use the quick release to depressurize the Instant Pot. 
  • Allow the steak to rest for about 10 minutes before thinly slicing against the grain, meaning slice in the opposite direction of the muscle fibers. This helps break up the tough muscle of the flank steak, making it more tender and easier to eat. If you’re going to use the carne asada for tacos, you definitely want nice thin strips of meat rather than big tough chunks. 
  • After you’re done, you’ll want to drizzle some of my cilantro garlic sauce on the steak. You can check out the link or the recipe card has a link as well. It technically could be optional, but really, it’s not optional. At least in my opinion. 
Platter of Instant Pot Carne Asada sliced up with cilantro garlic sauce and tacos on the side.

How to Serve Carne Asada

Tacos are my favorite vehicle for this Instant Pot Carne Asada. I’ve included my favorite taco toppings in the notes section of the recipe. But, this steak recipe would be equally good served up on a burrito bowl, salad, or just by itself with a side of rice and beans. You really can’t go wrong any which way you eat it. 

Close up of a taco with instant pot carne asada.
Print

Instant Pot Carne Asada

Platter of instant pot carne asada with cilantro garlic sauce drizzled on top and a jar of the sauce on the side.
  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 4 hours
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 4 hours, 5 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x
  • Category: beef

Ingredients

Scale
  • juice of 2 limes
  • juice of 1 orange
  • 3 tbsp. Worcestershire
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 1 jalapeño, chopped (with or without seeds) 
  • ½ cup packed cilantro
  • 3 garlic cloves (whole or minced)
  • 1 tbsp. chili powder 
  • 1 tsp. oregano 
  • salt/pepper
  • 1 ½ –2 lbs. of flank steak, cut into pieces that will fit into your Instant Pot
  • cilantro garlic sauce, for topping (optional)

Instructions

  1. Combine all marinade ingredients together in a shallow dish or ziplock bag. Add steak and allow to marinate for 4 hours in the fridge.
  2. Preheat Instant Pot on the sauté feature. Sear steak on all sides in Instant Pot (save marinade). Add marinade to Instant Pot to deglaze. Cook steak in the marinade on high pressure for 4-5 minutes for medium-well steak, then quick release Instant Pot valve. 
  3. Allow steak to rest on cutting board for 7-10 minutes. Slice against the grain. Serve with cilantro garlic sauce. 

Notes

To aim for a medium-well steak, aim for 4-5 minutes on high pressure for thicker steaks.

If your steak is thinner, decrease the time to 3 minutes for medium-well. 

If you’re making carne asada tacos – try the following toppings/fixings:

  • Extra cilantro, in addition to the cilantro garlic sauce
  • Red onion
  • Guacamole or avocado
  • Crumbled queso fresco or cojita cheese
  • Corn or flour tortillas 

Keywords: beef, carne asada, tacos, Instant Pot

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Filed Under: Beef, Citrus, Father's day, Game Day, Instant Pot, Meal Prep

Buffalo Chickpea Dip

May 30, 2020 by Melissa 2 Comments

Buffalo chickpea dip surrounded by veggies and crackers on a plate.

This post contains links that pay me a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Who doesn’t love to pour buffalo sauce on everything? I’ll wait. This Buffalo Chickpea Dip is the perfect vegetarian cross between hummus and a creamy buffalo chicken dip. It’s a total crowd-pleaser, and meat-lovers won’t even realize that it’s a vegetarian buffalo dip.

Close up of buffalo chickpea dip surrounded by veggies and crackers on a plate.

The Easiest Healthy Appetizer or Snack

This recipe is ridiculously easy, and everyone loves it. I recently made this for a Memorial Day gathering, and it was gone in the blink of an eye. It’s a sharable appetizer that travels well and tastes great even when it’s cooled off some, so it’s perfect for potlucks, holidays, and of course, game day. It’s also perfect for whipping up a healthy snack, which is rich in protein and fiber thanks to the beans and cottage cheese. Instead of buying or making a batch of hummus, you could add this recipe to your meal prep and have something new to dip your crackers and veggies into all week long.

Buffalo Chickpea Dip Ingredients

You’ll need:

  • Cannellini beans: I know it might be surprising that the first ingredient isn’t chickpeas, but cannellini beans have a very creamy texture and make the dip super creamy and rich tasting. Chickpeas have much more texture, so you’ll fold in the chickpeas whole (not blended) right before you bake the dip. 
  • Cottage Cheese: It might seem a little odd to add in cottage cheese, but it works perfectly in this recipe. It helps hold the dip together, adds a creamy tang, and just melts right in to give a nice creamy texture along with the cannellini beans. 
  • Seasonings: Dried dill, garlic powder, and onion powder are all flavors reminiscent of ranch dressing, which is the perfect match for all things buffalo sauce.
  • Chickpeas: Chickpeas are also known as garbanzo beans. Like I mentioned before, they have a little more of a toothsome texture to them than cannellini beans, so they’re best folded into the dip right before baking for added texture. 
  • Cheddar cheese: Some shredded cheese on top makes everything better, am I right? Just a little on top makes a nice cheesy crust.
  • Garnishes: I drizzled a little bit of ranch dressing on top, but not much. You could also do the same with blue cheese dressing, but it’s optional – the dip is also great all on its own. 
  • Dippers: Of course, you’ll need foods to dip into the chickpea dip. Raw veggies like broccoli, sliced bell pepper, carrots, cucumbers, and celery are natural choices. Crackers, tortilla chips, pita, or toasted bread go great as well!
Ingredients for buffalo chickpea dip in a food processor bowl (cottage cheese, buffalo sauce, seasonings, and beans).

How to Make the Dip

As I mentioned, this Buffalo Chickpea Dip can’t be easier! It’s as easy as 1-2-3.

  1. You’ll blend all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender except the chickpeas, cheddar cheese, garnishes, and dippers.
  2. You’ll fold in the chickpeas, pour it into a baking dish, and top with cheddar cheese.
  3. Lastly, you’ll cover it with aluminum foil and bake for 20-25m minutes. 

Easy-peasy. Serve with your favorite dippers and call it a day. 

Buffalo chickpea dip with piece of celery dipped in surrounded by veggies and crackers on a plate.
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Buffalo Chickpea Dip

Buffalo chickpea dip surrounded by veggies and crackers on a plate.

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 can (15.5 oz) of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup of buffalo wing sauce (I like Frank’s Buffalo Wing Sauce)
  • 1/4 cup of cottage cheese
  • 1 1/2 tsp. dried dill
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 1 tsp. onion powder
  • 1 can (15.5 oz) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
  • 1/3 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
  • Ranch or blue cheese dressing, for drizzling (optional)
  • Assorted raw veggies, crackers, toasted bread, tortilla chips, and/or pita, etc. for dipping

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil or spray a medium baking dish with baking spray.
  2. In a food processor bowl, pulse together cannellini beans, wing sauce, cottage cheese, dill, garlic powder, and onion powder until smooth.
  3. Fold in chickpeas and pour into a baking dish. Top with cheddar cheese and cover baking dish with aluminum foil.
  4. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Serve with raw veggies, crackers, toasted bread, tortilla chips, and/or pita.

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Filed Under: Appetizer, Father's day, Game Day, Gluten free, Vegetarian

Mini Chicken Meatloaves with Pineapple BBQ Sauce

May 15, 2020 by Melissa Leave a Comment

Mini Chicken Meatloaves with Pineapple BBQ Sauce in a Muffin Tin

This post contains links that pay me a small commission at no extra cost to you.

These mini chicken meatloaves with pineapple BBQ sauce are perfect for meal prep. You can make a batch (or two) for the week ahead or freeze for later. The pineapple, which is a natural meat tenderizer, makes the meatloaves pillowy soft and gives a tropical feel in the BBQ sauce. Clearly, I have a thing for tropical fruit inspired BBQ sauces. 

Close up of Mini Chicken Meatloaves with Pineapple BBQ Sauce on a plate

Mini Chicken Meatloaves with Pineapple BBQ Sauce Ingredients

You’ll need:

  • Scallions: You’ll need the white and green parts, but keep them separate. Make sure to chop these fine – especially the white parts, which will go into the meatloaves before cooking. You chop them fine because you don’t want to bite into a huge chunk of scallion. 
  • Ground chicken: Chicken is a natural choice to go with pineapple. You can also choose ground pork, which would work out perfectly. 
  • Ginger: Grate or mince the ginger finely. If you don’t have fresh ginger available, dried ground ginger will work fine as well, but use 1 tsp. of ground ginger in place of the 1 tbsp. of fresh ginger. 
  • Oatmeal: Oatmeal works perfectly to help bind the ground meat. You can use panko bread crumbs instead of oatmeal if you prefer. 
  • Egg: This works with the oatmeal to bind the meatloaves together.
  • Crushed pineapple: As I mentioned before, pineapple is a natural meat tenderizer and keeps the meatloaves from becoming tough. Plus, it adds a sweet Hawaiian/tropical note to the BBQ sauce by using some of the pineapple juice. 
  • Ketchup: The basis of some of the most delicious BBQ sauces – it’s sweet tomato-y flavor can’t be beaten.  
  • Seasonings: Garlic powder, salt, and pepper round out the seasonings for these meatloaves. 
Mini Chicken Meatloaves with Pineapple BBQ Sauce on a plate with sweet potato fries

What to serve on the side

I served these with baked sweet potato fries, but you also can’t go wrong with these Grilled Potato Salad Skewers with Zucchini or my Caramelized Corn and Green Bean Skillet. The corn and green bean skillet recipe is one of my top recipes of all time. They both would go perfectly with these Mini Chicken Meatloaves with Pineapple BBQ Sauce. 

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Mini Chicken Meatloaves with Pineapple BBQ Sauce

Mini Chicken Meatloaves with Pineapple BBQ Sauce in a Muffin Tin
  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
  • Total Time: 35-45 minutes
  • Yield: 12 mini meatloaves 1x
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped, separated
  • 1 lb. ground chicken
  • 1 tbsp. fresh ginger, grated
  • 1/2 cup of oatmeal
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 small can (8 oz.) of crushed pineapple, drained and keep the juice
  • 4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, divided
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
  • 4 tbsp. ketchup
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil a 12 cup muffin tin. 
  2. In a medium bowl, combine the white parts of the scallion, ground chicken, fresh ginger, oatmeal, egg, crushed pineapple, 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix the contents until just incorporated. Divide evenly amongst the muffin tin.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix ketchup, 1 tbsp. of pineapple juice, 2 tsp. of Worcestershire sauce together. Season with salt and pepper. Brush ketchup mixture on top of mini meatloaves. 
  4. Bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes or until thermometer reaches 165 degrees F. 
  5. Top of green part of scallions. Serve. 

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Filed Under: Chicken, Game Day, Grilling, Meal Prep, Summer

Pepper-Pepperoni Rolls

February 26, 2020 by Melissa Leave a Comment

Overview of sliced pepperoni rolls on white background

These pepperoni rolls are a fun twist on the original, made with an EASY homemade dough and rolled up with cheese, pepperoni, and bell peppers.

One of my favorite childhood foods is pepperoni rolls. I thought it was high time to make my own spin on the humble pepperoni roll by making my own dough and bumping up the nutrition with some added veggies.

What are Pepperoni Rolls?

If you grew up in western Pennsylvania or West Virginia, then you know what pepperoni rolls are. These are not to be confused with any pizza roll-type concoction as there is no sauce – only cheese, bread, and pepperoni, and they’re easy to make. As children, we sold them for school fundraisers and could buy them at the concession stands at sporting events. Some people make them homemade, and you can even find them in gas stations (not the good ones, though). My favorite kind are the ones that are golden brown on the outside and slightly doughy on the inside. 

Close up of sliced pepperoni rolls with peppers

How to Make Pepperoni Rolls

What you’ll need to make the rolls:

  • Dough: You can buy pizza dough or make your own if you desire. There is a recipe for “two-ingredient” dough that I’ve seen lurking about on the internet that is used to make all sorts of things from pizza to bagels to garlic knots. It kind of sounds very diet-y by making a dough that is made of only self-rising flour and non-fat Greek yogurt, but it actually tastes good, and it’s super easy. So, I chose to use the famous “two-ingredient dough,” and I really like the flavor that the Greek yogurt yields. It reminds me of sourdough but easier to make. I didn’t use self-rising flour, so technically, it’s a “few extra ingredient dough.” My dough recipe calls for flour (all-purpose or whole wheat), baking powder, salt, Greek yogurt, and an egg. I have tried making the dough with whole fat, low fat, and non-fat Greek yogurt, and surprisingly the best texture and flavor comes from the non-fat. The fat makes the dough too tender, and it falls apart, so definitely stick with the non-fat yogurt if you’re going to use my dough recipe. 
  • Pepperoni: You can use whatever kind of pepperoni you desire – pork, beef, turkey, plant-based, etc. It’s your call, so whatever floats your boat. 
  • Mozzarella cheese: Shredded or a block sliced up works just fine. 
  • Sliced bell peppers: I love the taste of sweet bell peppers, so I used orange, red, and yellow peppers in mine. Feel free to throw in some spicy peppers, too, like jalapeno. 
  • Seasonings: I like to sprinkle the tops with Italian seasoning before popping them in the oven, and I also like a little dash of red pepper flake for a kick when serving. 
Sliced pepperoni rolls with peppers and a whole roll on a white background

Tips for the Rolls

  • When rolling out your dough, try to make your dough into a rectangle so that you can easily roll all of your fillings into a nice, smooth log shape. Admittedly, I’m not very good at rolling my dough into perfect shapes, but my rolls still turned out just fine.
  • Seal the ends tightly. One of mine leaked some filling, so make sure those ends are tight!
  • I love eating these rolls cold, so they make great leftovers for lunches or snacks. I made mine yesterday, and today I had a couple of slices for a quick bite on the go. They’d be a great addition to a school lunch, too!
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Pepper-Pepperoni Rolls

Close up of sliced pepperoni rolls with peppers
  • Author: Melissa
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: 4 pepperoni rolls 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup flour (all-purpose or whole wheat or a blend of both)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
  • 4 oz mozzarella, shredded or sliced
  • 4 oz. pepperoni
  • 1 1/3 – 2 cups bell peppers, chopped
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • Italian seasoning, for sprinkling
  • Red pepper flake, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. 
  2. In a stand-mixer bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the yogurt and mix with a paddle attachment until dough comes together into a sticky ball. 
  3. Lightly dust flour on a work surface and turn the dough out on surface, knead the dough until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky, using more flour as needed to make dough smooth. 
  4. Divide dough into 4 equal balls. Roll the each ball into a thin rectangle – it doesn’t have to be perfectly shaped. Divide mozzarella, pepperoni, and bell peppers between all the rectangles. Starting with a long side, roll the dough up tightly and pinch the seams and ends to seal. Place on the prepared baking sheet and brush with egg. Sprinkle each roll with Italian seasoning.
  5. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting. Serve with red pepper flake. 

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Healthy pepperoni rolls with peppers

Filed Under: Appetizer, Baking, Game Day

Air Fryer Wings with Mango BBQ Sauce

January 29, 2020 by Melissa Leave a Comment

Close up of air fryer wings with mango BBQ sauce.
Air fryer wings with mango BBQ sauce, cilantro, and limes.

Man, I am on a roll with these air fryer recipes! Last week was my Air Fryer Egg Rolls with Chinese Five Spice, and now this week, I’ve created Air Fryer Wings with Mango BBQ Sauce. Yep, Mango BBQ Sauce. This stuff is my jam. BBQ sauce is the epitome of sweet and savory flavors in one sauce. You can put it on just about everything, and it’s the perfect save when you accidentally overcooked dinner. BBQ sauce can save just about anything, in my opinion. Mangos have the ideal tropical sweetness that lends so well into making this BBQ sauce. 

Jar of finished mango BBQ sauce

You can use flats and/or drummettes for the wings. Drummettes are always my favorite because they’re easier to handle, in my opinion. If you want to make these for a party, such as a Super Bowl or game day party, you can make these in the air fryer in batches and keep them warm in the oven at a low temperature (200 degrees) until they’re ready to be served. This recipe makes quite a bit of BBQ sauce, more than you probably will want just for this recipe. Feel free to save the remaining sauce in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. If I am going to be making a recipe like this where I can use the sauce again elsewhere, I like to work it into my meal plan for the week. For example, you can use this sauce on the wings one day and then again later in the week for glazing salmon. 

Close up of air fryer wings with mango BBQ sauce.

You can also customize the recipe by keeping the jalapeno seeds in or out of the sauce. For all the spicy heat lovers out there (like me!), I left all the seeds in the sauce and didn’t find it terribly spicy. Keep in mind, the seeds will continue to marinate the longer the sauce sits, so if don’t be surprised if the spiciness increases as the week goes on. However you decide to serve these wings or sauce, they are bound to be a hit! 

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Air Fryer Wings with Mango BBQ Sauce

Air fryer wings with mango BBQ sauce, cilantro, and limes.
  • Author: Melissa
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4–6 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tbsp. olive oil, divided
  • ½ onion, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, chopped (seeds included, if desired)
  • Salt and pepper, as desired
  • 2 tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1 ½ cups mango, cubed 
  • 1/4 cup lime juice (juice of two limes) + extra lime slices for serving
  • 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 tbsp. brown sugar
  • 2 lbs. chicken wings
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and jalapeno and saute for 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add ginger and saute for 1 minute more. Add mango, lime juice, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar. Saute for additional 1-2 minutes or until sugar dissolved. Turn off heat and set aside to cool. 
  2. Preheat air fryer to 360 degrees. Toss chicken wings with the remaining 1 tbsp. olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Add to air fryer. Cook for 25 minutes or until chicken wings are brown and crispy, removing basket and shaking every 5 minutes to cook wings evenly. 
  3. While wings are cooking, finish mango BBQ sauce. Using an immersion or regular blender, puree mango BBQ sauce until smooth and no chunks remain. Once wings are done, toss with BBQ sauce. Leftover BBQ sauce can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.  

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Filed Under: Air fryer, Appetizer, Chicken, Father's day, Game Day, Spring, Summer

Air Fryer Egg Rolls with Chinese Five Spice

January 22, 2020 by Melissa Leave a Comment

Egg roll broken and dipped into sauce
Air fryer egg rolls on a plate with dipping sauce on the side

I’ve talked before how much I love my air fryer. As I mentioned before, I didn’t think that I would, but it is so useful! I can make crispy, delicious food without all of the mess of frying in oil. I love me a good egg roll, so naturally, I needed to try my hand at making egg rolls in the air fryer. Per usual, the air fryer has not let me down yet. Air fryer egg rolls are the best!

Air fryer egg roll broken and dipped into sauce

I’m so happy that egg roll wrappers are so readily available in the grocery store. You can fill them with so many things. A classic choice for filling includes cabbage. Cabbage tastes so good sauteed in a skillet with some Asian seasonings like soy sauce or Chinese Five Spice. I feel that Chinese Five Spice is such an underused Asian flavoring. I’m happy that like egg roll wrappers, Chinese Five Spice has also become readily available in the grocery store. This spice blend is made up of peppercorns, anise, cloves, fennel seeds, and cinnamon. It’s warm and cozy without being spicy. 

Air fryer egg rolls on a plate with dipping sauce on the side

To make the egg rolls, I first sauteed my favorite Asian flavors in the skillet with the shredded cabbage. I then placed the cabbage filling in the middle of the wrapper. Then, I moistened the perimeter of the wrapper with water so that it would stick together when folded. Then, I folded one corner of the wrapper towards the opposite corner. Lastly, I folded in the two other sides and rolled tightly to secure the filling. The egg rolls will get their characteristic crunch by giving them a quick brush of oil before popping them into the air fryer for cooking. 

Once they’re done cooking, you have the crispiest air fryer egg rolls to share with your family or guests. These make a great side dish to have on your next stirfry night or just as an appetizer or small dish for a party or potluck. 

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Air Fryer Egg Rolls with Chinese Five Spice

Egg rolls on a plate with dipping sauce on the side
  • Author: Melissa
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 12 egg rolls 1x
  • Method: Air fryer

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tbsp. light-colored oil (light olive, avocado, or canola), plus more for brushing
  • 1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger (or 1 tsp. dried powdered ginger)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 1/2 tsp. Chinese Five Spice
  • 14 oz. bag of shredded cabbage slaw mix (or 6–7 cups of shredded cabbage)
  • 2 green onions, chopped
  • 1 1/2 tsp. sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 12 egg roll wrappers
  • Sauce of your choosing for dipping (recommended: Sweet Chili Sauce)

Instructions

 

  1. Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add ginger, garlic, and Chinese Five Spice and saute for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add cabbage mix and green onions. Saute for 5-6 minutes. Add sesame oil and soy sauce. Turn off heat and allow to cool slightly. 
  2. Fill each egg roll wrapper with about 2 heaping tbsp. of the cabbage mixture. Using your finger or a pastry brush, wet the perimeter of the egg roll wrapper with water. Fold one corner to the opposite corner, tuck in the sides, and roll tightly for each wrapper. Brush each egg roll with oil or spray with an oil spray. 
  3. Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F. Cook the egg rolls for 3-4 minutes, then flip, then cook for an additional 3-4 minutes or until crispy all over. Serve with sauce (like Sweet Chili Sauce) for dipping. 

Did you make this recipe?

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Filed Under: Air fryer, Appetizer, Game Day, Side dish, Vegetarian

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Melissa Macher, RDN

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