Egg rolls, not to be confused with spring rolls, are one of the tastiest and most commonly ordered items at Chinese restaurants in the United States. Egg rolls are actually the 3rd most ordered Chinese dish in the country. It’s probably actually more surprising that the first two are General Tso’s Chicken and Crab Rangoon.
All three of which, by the way, aren’t actually true Chinese food, but rather Chinese-American inventions to suit the taste buds of their American customers.
Apparently, they’ve done a pretty spectacular job of catering to our tastebuds, particularly with egg rolls, because I am absolutely in love with them. They are one of my go-to appetizers when ordering Chinese food. The only downside is perhaps they’re too good because I often find myself with eyes that are bigger than my stomach, resulting in a handful of leftover egg rolls.
So, eventually, that got me wondering how to reheat egg rolls the best way. Let’s check out what I found, shall we?
The Quick Answer – What’s the Best Way to Reheat Egg Rolls?
For me, the best way to reheat egg rolls is in an air fryer. It’s relatively quick and it provides you with perfectly crispy egg rolls without having to use extra oil – the perfect mix of quality and convenience.
Is it Safe to Reheat Egg Rolls?
Generally, it’s perfectly safe to reheat cooked egg rolls. That is if you’re doing it correctly, or at least within the methods I’ll discuss below, and if they haven’t spoiled by the time you get around to reheating them.
When it comes to reheating them improperly, it can be slightly dangerous to deep fry them if you’re not familiar with deep frying foods. Working with lots of boiling oil can not only burn your skin if you’re not using the right equipment (there is a reason they say to not cook bacon naked after all), but it can also be a fire risk. Many people burn their houses down every year during Thanksgiving because they tried to deep fry a still-frozen turkey.
Another way it isn’t safe to reheat egg rolls is if they’ve gone bad. Try to eat them as soon as possible – or within three or four days maximum. However, since they’re so good, I doubt this will be much of a problem.
How to Reheat Eggs Rolls in the Oven
Reheating egg rolls in the oven is a great way to bring egg rolls back to life. If you’ve ever stored leftover egg rolls in the fridge, you’ll know what I mean. They become quite sad and rather soggy, which is a bit off-putting, to say the least. However, the oven can bring them back to their former glory.
- First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Next, line a baking sheet with a layer of parchment paper or aluminum. This ensures that they won’t stick to the pan and makes the use of extra oil unnecessary.
- Then, place the egg rolls on the lined baking sheet, making sure that they’re spaced evenly and not touching each other.
- Place the baking sheet with the egg rolls in the oven for about 5-7 minutes at first, checking on them periodically to make sure they’re not burning. The exact amount of time will depend on how long and thick the egg rolls are. If they’re large with thick skin, then you can expect them to take a bit longer. While conversely, if they’re smaller then they will be ready quicker.
- After this time period (or until they are only starting to brown – not burn), flip the egg rolls using tongs to allow for even cooking for another 5 minutes or so (or until they’re fully reheated).
- Take them out and serve warm.
How to Reheat Egg Rolls in the Microwave
If you’re in a hurry, then reheating egg rolls in the microwave is probably the best method for you. While it’s the apex of convenience, the quality of the egg roll may suffer slightly if you reheat it this way.
- Place the egg rolls on a microwave-safe plate to start, making sure to make sure they’re evenly spaced out as possible and not touching one another. I like to only microwave two or three at a time for the best results.
- Then, microwave the rolls on 50% power for 15 to 30 seconds. Like with the oven method, this depends on the size of the rolls. Larger rolls will be closer to the 30-second mark.
- Continue with 15-second intervals until hot.
- Remove the egg rolls from the microwave and allow them to rest for 30-seconds to a minute before serving.
Tip: Make sure to avoid overheating the egg rolls. They will become soggy if you do.
How to Reheat Egg Rolls in an Air Fryer (The Best Method)
When it comes to making things irresistibly crispy while also using less oil, air fryers are usually the way to go. And this is also the case when it comes to reheating egg rolls too. But while it’s a great method (and one of my favorites because I love air fryers in general), it’s best if the egg rolls aren’t frozen when you reheat them in an air fryer.
So, if you stored your leftover egg rolls in the freezer, then you should first defrost them before reheating them in the air fryer. This is because they won’t cook evenly, leaving you with extra crispy egg rolls with a center that’s still cold.
- Preheat air fryer to 350 degrees Farenheit.
- Using a pair of tongs, place the egg rolls in the air fryer basket. Make sure that they’re spaced apart – allowing them to cook evenly.
- Air fry them for about one or two minutes. If they’re on the bigger side then they should be in there for closer to two minutes.
- Then, flip the rolls over and continue to air fry for another minute or so to allow for even cooking.
- Take the cooked egg rolls out of the air fryer and serve them.
How to Reheat Egg Rolls on the Stovetop
Reheating egg rolls on the stovetop is a pretty quick and convenient way to reheat the egg rolls as you don’t need to worry about preheating an oven or the extra clean-up of an air-fryer basket. However, you may need to add a bit of extra oil, perhaps making it a slightly less-healthy method.
- Make sure the pan is nonstick by spraying olive oil on it. You can also use canola oil for egg rolls.
- Once the pan is well-heated, place the egg rolls on it. The rolls will soak up all the oil if they are put into the pan while the oil is still not hot.
- Get the egg rolls crisp and warmed up from all sides by rotating them. Reheating medium-sized egg rolls only takes about five to ten minutes.
- Keep the heat low so the rolls don’t soak up the oil.
- When the rolls are crispy and hot throughout, remove them from the pan.
How to Reheat Frozen Egg Rolls
To reheat frozen egg rolls, you can either deep fry them or reheat them in the oven. But avoid using the microwave or air fryer to reheat frozen egg rolls.
Deep Frying Frozen Egg Rolls
- Heat the oil on medium heat.
- Lower two to three egg rolls into the oil and fry them for about nine or ten minutes.
- After they are golden and crispy, carefully remove them from the oil.
- Drain excess grease on a piece of paper towel (about a minute).
- Serve right away.
Reheating Frozen Egg Rolls in the oven
To do this, use the same oven method as above, but add some extra minutes before and after flipping the egg rolls.
How to Keep Egg Rolls Crispy When Reheating
Obviously, when you reheat egg rolls the key is for them to stay as cripsy as they were the first time you cooked them. The last thing we want is soggy egg rolls, after all!
Keeping egg rolls crispy when you reheat them comes down to using each method correctly.
In the case of the air fryer, make sure to reheat egg rolls that aren’t frozen. And in the case of the stovetop, don’t use too much oil and make sure that the oil is hot before placing them in the pan. Lastly, avoid using the microwave if possible. The microwave method will leave them the least crispy of all the methods.
