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Whether it’s a healthy lunch or some greasy late-night chow after you’ve been burning the midnight oil, your local Chinese joint delivers on all fronts. Regardless of what led you to reach for that takeout menu, there’s a good chance you’ll be eyeing the appetizers. What’ll it be? Spring rolls or egg rolls? Here’s everything you need to know in order to settle the spring roll vs. egg roll debate once and for all. (And if you want the TL;DR, egg rolls are an American Chinese dish that have a thick wheat shell and generous cabbage filling. Spring rolls are a type of dim sum with wrappers and fillings that vary based on region.)
What Is a Spring Roll?
There’s a good chance you’ve never pondered the definition of a spring roll—namely because you’re usually too busy sinking your teeth into it to be bothered by such matters. So what is a spring roll exactly? Let’s start on the outside and work our way to the heart of the matter.
According to Bryan (Huy) Vu of the food blog Hungry Huy, spring rolls are thought to have originated from mainland China during the Jin Dynasty, 266 to 420 CE, when they rolled seasonal spring vegetables in a pancake-like wrapper to celebrate the Spring Festival.
Now, spring rolls are a type of dim sum that are eaten all over East and Southeast Asia, and they can vary greatly depending on their region. For example, Chinese spring rolls can be baked, fried or non-fried and filled with vegetables or meat, and some are even filled with sweet red bean paste. Meanwhile, Vietnamese spring rolls (like these summer rolls) have a soft rice wrapper and are filled with fresh herbs, rice vermicelli and slivers of meat or seafood. There’s also Filipino lumpia, and the fresh popiah spring rolls eaten in Taiwan, to name a few.
Compared to egg rolls, spring rolls are typically lightly stuffed (i.e., no more than what the thin shell can accommodate) with cooked or raw veggies, like shredded cabbage and carrot. That said, there are endless spring roll varieties, including chicken, pork or shrimp.
What Is an Egg Roll?
Chewy, crispy egg rolls are another takeout menu staple, but unlike spring rolls, this appetizer originated stateside. According to Andew Coe’s Chop Suey: A Cultural History of Chinese Food in the United States, egg rolls were probably invented at a Chinese restaurant in New York City in the early 1930s.
The origin of the “egg” name is just as murky, since the predominant flavor of egg rolls is typically cabbage. Per a 1979 Washington Postarticle titled “Inside the Egg Roll,” there are two predominant theories: that the Chinese word for “egg” sounds similar to the Chinese word for “spring,” and that southern Chinese chefs added eggs to the dough when trying to make the thin noodle skin from flour and water.
Egg rolls are plenty crispy, but considerably chewier and more substantial than spring rolls. And thanks to that sturdy wheat wrapper, egg rolls can handle a heavier load. They tend to be stuffed more generously and almost always feature meat in the filling, since the shell can hold up to all those meaty juices. Another distinctive feature of egg rolls? They often feature flavor profiles you wouldn’t find in an authentic spring roll (like banana’s foster or avocado). And if you want to try your hand at home, here’s a recipe from The Woks of Life.
What’s the Difference?
The key difference between egg rolls and spring rolls is that the former is a Chinese-American invention and the latter is a vast and varied group of dim sum dishes originating in Asia. Aside from that, egg rolls are made using a wheat wrapper and spring rolls vary by region. This distinction also extends to what ends up going inside: Spring rolls are often lightly stuffed with vegetarian fare, meat or seafood, whereas egg rolls are usually a heartier bite and are most often filled with cabbage. But from our experience, neither one is likely to let you down.
Perhaps you have had the opportunity to eat spring rolls vs egg rolls, but have you ever searched about the differences between these two dishes? If not, let’s explore it with me now. You will be surprised at what you are about to learn.
Spring roll is a popular dish in Chinese starters and in other Asian countries. How about egg rolls? In fact, egg roll is also a well-loved appetizer but these two rolls are entirely different. This article will give you detailed information on the difference between the two kinds of the roll.
So, if you want not to miss any helpful information, you need to concentrate all your mind on reading this article. I hope you will be satisfied with the knowledge that I am about to provide.
Both spring rolls and egg rolls are standard appetizers at parties. Let’s discover some differences between them.
What Are The Differences Between Spring Rolls And Egg Rolls?
Many sources say that spring rolls vs egg rolls are the same, but those are the misconceptions. Spring rolls and these foods beginning with “E” are two completely different dishes. The table below will help you understand the differences between these two types of roll.
Do not move anywhere! Keep reading this article to discover more fantastic information. The exciting things are waiting for you to find out.
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Some Information About Spring Rolls And Egg Rolls
Before learning about the differences between spring rolls and egg rolls, I will give you some basic information about these two types of rolls. Thereby, you can have a basic visualization of their differences.
1. Some Fantastic Information About Spring Rolls
Spring rolls are a typical and popular dish in Chinese and Asian spring parties.
Spring rolls are a typical and popular appetizer in China and Asian countries. Spring rolls originate from China,and its name has a significant origin for the people here. Because it is often used to make appetizers in early spring parties, it is called “spring rolls”.
You can enjoy it on its own or serve it along with other foods. For your information, this dish pairs perfectly with potsticker parties. Spring rolls come in different versions with different ingredients but their wrapper is typically made of a mixture of flour and water.
There are many ways to make filling for spring rolls, the most popular way is stuffing with chopped vegetables and meat. You can enjoy fried or non-fried spring rolls.
Let’s discover the history of spring rolls to understand more about them.
Watch this video: The History Of Spring Rolls
2. Some Helpful Information About Egg Rolls
Egg rolls are a significant variation of spring rolls with bold American Chinese cuisine.
It is said that egg rolls were first made by Lum Fung in 1930 in New York. He was a chef who immigrated to the US from China. Basically, the recipe for egg rolls is modified based on the spring rolls recipe. Therefore, egg rolls can be considered as a variation of spring rolls.
If the wrapper of spring rolls is made from flour and water, the wrapper of egg rolls has one more ingredient, which is eggs. Compared to spring rolls, egg rolls have a thicker wrapper and a bumpier texture. The only way to enjoy egg rolls is to fry them.
Different Variations Of Spring Rolls And Egg Rolls By Region
It is remarkable that both spring rolls and egg rolls have many different variations according to regions and areas. So they have many different cooking methods and flavors. Let’s find out with me in this section.
Different Version Of Spring Rolls By Region
Unlike other regions, Vietnamese spring roll wrappers are made from rice flour.
Unlike other regions, in Vietnam and Thailand, chefs often replace wheat flour with rice flour to make Thai and Vietnamese spring rolls with fresh ingredients. Rice paper wrappers are dipped in water until soft to roll. Spring rolls are usually rolled with vegetables, shrimp, noodles, beans and served with dipping sauce.
Spring rolls in the Philippines are made from wheat flour. Here, spring rolls usually contain vegetables, pork, and sometimes even seafood. Filipinos love to fry spring rolls in oil until crispy.
In Taiwan, the famous spring roll dish is often called “popiah”. The wrapper of Taiwanese spring rolls is made from wheat flour, and spring rolls are usually not fried, making it easy to think of burrito, when eating spring rolls.
Different Version Of Egg Rolls By Region
In each different region, there will be different versions of egg rolls. But they are all attractive.
Similar to spring rolls, egg rolls also have many different variations worldwide. You can find many egg roll varieties in Vietnamese-styled treats and USA dishes. But no matter where these rolls are made, they are all special in their own ways.
In the southwestern US, egg rolls are often combined with other ingredients such as corn, black beans, and rice. Try this combination to make egg rolls like the American Southwest.
Let’s go to the South of America to discover egg rolls here. Unlike egg rolls in the Southwest, egg rolls here are often combined with black-eyed peas, pepper cheese, and green radish.
In the US, taco-style egg rolls are another type of egg roll. To make taco-style egg rolls, you need to combine ground beef, Picante sauce, and high-grade cheddar cheese with a great melting point when fried. Try creating a great taco-style egg roll to enjoy.
What Are The Differences Between Spring Rolls And Egg Rolls?
There are many differences that you can easily recognize between spring rolls and egg rolls.
As I mentioned, there are some differences between spring rolls and egg rolls. In this section, I will point them all out. I hope the following comparative information will help you have a specific view of these two types of rolls.
The Difference About The Way To Cook
The first difference that I want to mention is the preparation of spring rolls and egg rolls. How are their recipes different? If you want to know, let’s keep reading this article carefully.
1. The Preparation Of Spring Rolls
Compared to egg rolls, spring rolls have many processing methods for you to choose. If you want to enjoy crispy spring rolls, you can fry them in hot oil. If you would like to eat soft spring rolls, you can choose to steam, and you can also bake them to change the flavor.
In some countries like Vietnam and Thailand, in some cases spring rolls do not need to be fried, steamed, or cooked at all. All you need is to cook the filling, roll with wrappers and enjoy.
2. The Preparation Of Egg Rolls
Unlike spring rolls, the only way to prepare egg rolls is to fry them. Frying egg rolls are necessary because the wrapper of egg rolls has eggs. This dish is also the ideal appetizer to cook in air fryers if you are not a big fan of deep-frying in oil.
Overall, frying will make the dish more delicious, but you can choose between frying with oil or without oil in an air fryer. This is also a noticeable difference between these two types of rolls.
Dough Ingredients Of Spring Rolls And Egg Rolls
Both spring rolls and egg rolls have some similar ingredients to make the dough. However, as egg rolls are a variation of spring rolls, the dough ingredients of the egg rolls have been slightly modified to make a difference.
1. Ingredients To Make Dough Of Spring Rolls
The two main ingredients commonly used to make dough for spring rolls are flour and water. There are two types of flour that are used a lot, namely wheat flour and rice flour. These two flours are used differently by region.
Rice flour is commonly used in Vietnam and Thailand, while China and other countries use wheat flour. So you can use any one of the two flours above to make the dough for the spring roll.
2. Ingredients To Make Dough Of Egg Rolls
If spring roll dough is made from two main ingredients, such as flour and water, the dough ingredients of egg rolls are added with eggs. The appearance of the eggs makes the shell of the egg roll thick and crispy.
Perhaps it is thanks to this change and the egg rolls have a more suitable taste for Americans. Although there is only a slight change in the dough ingredients, the taste of the egg rolls is completely different from the spring rolls.
Differences About Texture Between Spring Rolls And Egg Rolls
Because of the difference in dough ingredients, the texture and taste of spring rolls and egg rolls are also different. In this section, you and I will explore the differences in texture and flavor of these two types of rolls.
1. Texture Of Spring Rolls
Compared to egg roll wrappers, the wrappers of spring rolls will be thinner whether you fry the spring rolls or not. This happens because the wrappers of the spring rolls are made from lighter dough. So when fried, spring rolls will be lighter, have a crispy and flaky texture.
2. Texture Of Egg Rolls
Because the ingredients for making the wrappers of egg rolls have eggs, egg rolls will be thicker and heavier than spring rolls. Especially when enjoying egg rolls, you will feel crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside.
Filling Ingredients For Spring Rolls And Egg Rolls
Both spring rolls and egg rolls have fillings that are combined from many different ingredients. Now, you and I will discover together what interesting ingredients will be behind their rolls.
1. Fillings Of Spring Rolls
As I mentioned, the filling of spring rolls in each region will be varied from different ingredients. However, the common point is that the filling will be combined with vegetables and meat.
This filling usually contains chopped carrots, minced mushroom, fresh bamboo shoots, cabbage combined with pork or chicken, and shrimp. Spring rolls in Vietnam usually include vermicelli, carrots, bean sprouts, shrimp, meat, and cucumber.
2. Fillings Of Egg Rolls
Egg rolls are a style of American Chinese cuisine. In addition to the rolls of the egg rolls being modified, the fillings of egg rolls are also modified. The stuffing of egg rolls also varies by region.
When enjoying egg rolls, you will often see the appearance of corn, black beans, shredded carrots, cabbage combined with grilled pork or ground beef, and taco-style eggs with added cheddar cheese.
What Are Types Of Dipping Sauce For Spring Rolls And Egg Rolls?
There are many dipping sauces that you can combine with spring rolls and egg rolls for extra flavor.
An essential factor that contributes to the flavor and deliciousness of spring rolls and egg rolls is the dipping sauce. What dipping sauces can you pair with spring rolls and egg rolls? In this part, I will help you answer this question.
1. For Those Who Like Spicy Food
If you are a spicy lover, you can combine spring rolls and egg rolls with spicy sauces to spice up your dishes. Sriracha is highly recommended, but you can try other alternatives of sriracha like chilies sauce or mustard. These sauces will help stimulate your taste buds and add flavor to the dishes.
2. For Those Who Love Sweet Sauces
There are quite a few sweet sauces that you can pair with spring rolls and egg rolls. If you like sweet and sour, you should try the sweet and sour sauce. In addition, you can also serve 2 rolls with plum sauce, duck sauce, and hoisin sauce to increase the flavor of the dishes.
3. If You Like Savory Flavors, You Should Try These Sauces
Moreover, spring rolls and egg rolls are also often served with savory sauces, such as soy sauce. Or you can try other soy sauce replacements like Worcestershire sauce if you can’t find this Asian-original sauce.
In Vietnam, spring rolls are often combined with Vietnamese fish sauce to be mixed with garlic, chili, and sugar to add flavor. You might not like the fish sauce at first, but trust me, this sauce is amazing.
Which Is Better, Spring Rolls Or Egg Rolls?
In terms of health, spring rolls are healthier than egg rolls.
There are many questions about whether spring rolls or egg rolls are healthier. Of course, it can be pretty tricky to determine which is better because both are low in calories and fat. The main nutritional components of both are protein and fiber.
However, if I had to put both on the scale, I see that spring rolls are healthier than egg rolls. Because the filling of spring rolls is added with more vegetables, while the filling of egg rolls will usually have more meat than vegetables.
On the other hand, egg rolls contain eggs in the ingredients used to make the dough, which also makes egg rolls less healthy than spring rolls. However, either way, both are great snacks, and you can consider them according to your preferences.
How To Make Spring Rolls And Egg Rolls At Home?
It is easy for you to make fantastic spring rolls and egg rolls to treat your family and friends.
Spring rolls and egg rolls are 2 great snacks. Why not try making these 2 types of rolls for your family? In this section, I will show you how to make spring rolls and egg rolls. I hope this will be helpful to you.
1. How To Make Fresh Spring Rolls?
It is not complicated to make these amazing spring rolls at home to treat your family and friends. The ingredients to make fresh spring rolls are also easy to find in your kitchen.
The ingredients that you need to prepare are spring roll wrappers, vegetables, such as bamboo shoots, cabbage, carrots as well as pork or chicken, and oil.
How-To:
- Step 1: Put the oil in the pan and heat it up, then add the garlic and fry until fragrant, add the pork or chicken and cook until the meat turns white.
- Step 2: Add all the chopped vegetables and cook for about 3 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add a little soy sauce or fish sauce and cook for about 1 minute until completely dry.
- Step 3: Wait until the filling cools
- Step 4: Spread the wrapper on the plate, then put a sufficient filling on top and roll. You need to make sure the wrapper covers the entire filling. At this step, you should be careful not to tear the wrapper.
- Step 5: Dab a little water on the edge of the wrapper to seal it.
Let’s jump into the kitchen to learn how to make delicious Vietnamese fresh spring rolls.
Watch this video: Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls That Anyone Can Make
2. How To Make Egg Rolls At Home?
Basically, the process of making egg rolls is similar to the process of making spring rolls. The difference that you need to note is that the dough for the egg roll wrapper has added eggs. Let’s learn about the egg rolls recipe to make them at home.
And the ingredients for making the filling are also different, and it depends on your preference. You can prepare some things, such as shredded cabbage, carrots, vegetable oil, and egg roll wrappers.
To create fantastic and delicious egg rolls, you need to focus on these instructions step by step.
Step 1: Put all the vegetables used to make the filling into boiling water to boil for about 2 minutes, and put in an ice bowl. Squeeze out all the water in the vegetables so that the filling does not get wet.
Step 2: Add all the seasonings, chopped herbs, and cooked dried shrimp and mix well for a complete pot of filling.
Step 3: Spread egg egg rolls wrapper on a tray, put enough filling on top and roll until wrapper completely covers the filling.
Step 4: Heat the oil to 324 degrees F. Put the egg rolls in the oil and fry for about 5 minutes until the surface of the egg rolls turns golden brown.
Step 5: Wait for the egg rolls to cool and enjoy your result.
Let’s learn the detailed instructions to make egg rolls at home effectively.
Watch this video: Best Homemade Egg Rolls - Better Than Takeout
How Long Do Spring Rolls And Egg Roll Last In The Fridge?
Have you ever wondered how long spring rolls and egg rolls last when stored in the refrigerator? In this section, I will give you information about the shelf life of spring rolls and egg rolls in the refrigerator.
How Long Do Spring Rolls Last In The Fridge?
If you do not finish the spring rolls, you can store them in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. To store spring rolls in the fridge, you should put them in a sealed plastic bag so that they do not come in contact with other foods, as this makes the spring rolls spoil faster.
How Long Do Egg Rolls Last In The Fridge?
The shelf life of egg rolls in the refrigerator depends on how well you store them. Leftover egg rolls should be placed in an air-tight bag and stored in the refrigerator. This helps to increase the shelf life of egg rolls from 3 to 4 days.
FAQs
I hope the information I provide will help you have a specific comparison of these two types of rolls. In this section, I will answer some of the frequently asked questions about spring rolls and egg rolls.
Are Egg Rolls Authentic Chinese Food?
Egg rolls are an appetizer first created by a Chinese immigrant chef. The dish has an American Chinese cuisine style and is a variation of spring rolls to suit the American taste, so you can not say egg rolls are authentic Chinese food.
Can You Reheat Spring Rolls?
Yes, like any other food, you can reheat spring rolls. You just need to keep the heat low and no need to add oil. After about 2 to 3 minutes, you can continue to enjoy spring rolls.
Can You Freeze Egg Rolls?
Wondering if you can freeze egg rolls in the freezer. You can completely freeze egg rolls and keep them for about 1 to 2 months. You should put them in an airtight plastic bag and freeze at 0 degrees F.
Can You Freeze Spring Rolls?
You can completely freeze spring rolls. This will help extend the shelf life of spring rolls by 1 to 2 months. You should put the spring rolls in an air-tight bag and store them in the freezer at about 0 degree F.
Can I Reheat Egg Rolls In The Air Fryer?
Today, the air fryer is a popular food reheating device. Therefore, it is completely okay to reheat egg rolls in the air fryer. You should reheat egg rolls at 350 degrees F, and the reheating time is about 6 to 7 minutes.
Can Spring Rolls Wrappers Substitute Egg Rolls Wrappers And Vice Versa?
The use of spring roll wrappers to replace egg roll wrappers and vice versa is not recommended. Spring roll wrappers and egg roll wrappers have different thicknesses: spring roll wrappers are thinner than egg roll wrappers.
Do You Like Spring Rolls Or Egg Rolls?
We cannot deny the deliciousness and popularity of spring rolls and egg rolls. Both are great appetizers. Do you prefer spring rolls or egg rolls? I think you will have a hard time choosing between the two types of rolls.
However, I hope the information I provide has helped you have a clearer view of the difference between these two types of rolls. This will make it easier for you to distinguish and choose the suitable dish for your needs and preferences.
If you feel this article is helpful to you, please like and share this article for other people to know the fantastic information. Let’s write your idea in the chatbox below if you have any other ideas about the topic. Thanks for reading!
Table of Contents
- What Are The Differences Between Spring Rolls And Egg Rolls?
- Some Information About Spring Rolls And Egg Rolls
- Different Variations Of Spring Rolls And Egg Rolls By Region
- What Are The Differences Between Spring Rolls And Egg Rolls?
- What Are Types Of Dipping Sauce For Spring Rolls And Egg Rolls?
- Which Is Better, Spring Rolls Or Egg Rolls?
- How To Make Spring Rolls And Egg Rolls At Home?
- How Long Do Spring Rolls And Egg Roll Last In The Fridge?
- FAQs
- Do You Like Spring Rolls Or Egg Rolls?