Shrimp Egg Roll in a Bowl: The Summer Version You'll Make on Repeat
Same cozy flavors, lighter feel, ready in about 20 minutes
Egg roll in a bowl has been one of the most-made recipes I’ve ever shared, and for good reason. It’s fast, it’s forgiving, and it hits that savory-tangy-slightly-spicy note that makes you want a second bowl.
But when it’s 90 degrees outside, ground meat feels like a lot. So I swapped in shrimp.
Shrimp just screams summer to me. It cooks in about three minutes, it stays light, and it soaks up that ginger-garlic-sesame sauce beautifully. I also traded the yellow onion for shallot, which is sweeter and softer and lets the shrimp stay the star instead of fighting it.
If you loved the original, this is the version you’ll want on rotation from June through September.
Why This Works
Shrimp is one of the leanest complete proteins you can put on a plate, and it comes together faster than almost anything else in your kitchen. Pair it with a full bag of cabbage and carrots and you’re getting real fiber alongside that protein, which is exactly the combination that keeps blood sugar steady and keeps you full past the two-hour mark.
The shallot matters more than you’d think. Yellow onion is sharp and takes longer to mellow. Shallot goes soft and slightly sweet in about two minutes, which is perfect when the whole dish is done in twenty.
Macro Snapshot
Estimates per serving, based on 4 servings. Verify against your own brands.
Protein: about 36g
Fiber: about 9g
Carbohydrates: about 12g
Fat: about 14g
Naturally high in protein, naturally high in fiber, and no wrapper required.
Shrimp Egg Roll in a Bowl
Serves 4. Prep 10 minutes, cook 12 minutes.
For the Bowl
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 1/2 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails off
1 tablespoon minced ginger
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño, chopped (optional)
1 bag coleslaw mix, about 4 cups shredded cabbage and carrots
For the Sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons coconut aminos
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 to 2 tablespoons sriracha
Optional Toppings
Sliced green onions
Toasted sesame seeds
Fresh cilantro
Lime wedges
Extra sriracha
Instructions
1. Start the aromatics. Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium. Add the ginger and garlic and cook about 1 minute, until fragrant.
2. Soften the shallot. Add the sliced shallot and jalapeño. Cook 2 minutes, until soft and just starting to turn golden.
3. Add the shrimp. Add the shrimp in a single layer if you can. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, tossing once, until they’re just beginning to turn pink. They don’t need to be fully cooked here.
4. Add the cabbage. Add the coleslaw mix and toss everything together. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, until the cabbage softens but still has some bite.
5. Sauce it. Whisk together the rice vinegar, coconut aminos, sesame oil, and sriracha, then pour over everything. Toss to coat and cook 1 more minute.
6. Finish. Top with green onions, sesame seeds, and cilantro. Squeeze a lime wedge over the whole thing right before you eat it.
Thrive Tip
Buy the biggest shrimp you can find. Large, extra large, or jumbo. This is a one pan recipe with no separate searing step, so the shrimp is in there while the cabbage wilts, and bigger shrimp handle that beautifully. Small shrimp tighten up fast and get lost in all that cabbage.
The other thing working in your favor: cabbage releases a lot of moisture as it cooks. That moisture keeps the pan gentle instead of screaming hot, which is exactly why the shrimp stays tender even though it’s in there for a few minutes.
For muscle preservation, shrimp is one of the easiest wins there is. High protein, very little else attached, and it lets you stack a starch or a fat alongside it depending on what your day actually needs.
How to Serve It
On its own, straight from the skillet, in a big shallow bowl
Over cauliflower rice for something even lighter
Over jasmine rice if you’ve trained hard that day
Wrapped in butter lettuce cups for a hand-held version
Cold the next day, straight from the fridge, with extra lime
Make It Your Own
No shrimp? Bay scallops work beautifully and cook even faster. Ground chicken or turkey brings it back toward the original.
Want more heat? Add a spoonful of chili crisp at the end instead of sriracha.
Want more crunch? Toss in sliced snow peas or shredded bell pepper with the cabbage.
Want it richer? A fried egg on top is never wrong, even in July.
Skip the jalapeño entirely if you’re feeding kids and put sriracha on the table instead.
Twenty minutes, one skillet, and a bowl that tastes like takeout without the heaviness. Make it once this week and see if it doesn’t turn into your default summer dinner.
Tag me if you make it. I want to see your bowls.
xo,
Lolita