You ever stand in front of your fridge, bored with the same old dinners? Tacos again? Burgers… again? It happens to me all the time, even after cooking for a living for years. You just want something different, something fun.
That’s where this recipe comes in. We’re going to make Cheeseburger Eggrolls. I know, it sounds a little weird, but trust me. It’s everything you love about a juicy cheeseburger, all wrapped up in a super crispy, golden-fried shell. They are the perfect party food, game day snack, or just a way to shake up a boring Tuesday night.
What You’ll Need
Getting your ingredients ready first is probably the single best habit you can get into in the kitchen. It’s what the pros call “mise en place,” which is just a fancy French way of saying “get your stuff together.” It stops that mid-recipe panic when you realize you’re out of something important.
Here’s the full list. I’m pretty specific about this stuff because it really does make a difference. Don’t just grab any old cheese or beef; the details are what make these great.
For the Filling
This is the heart of the whole operation. The goal is to make it taste exactly like a classic, drive-thru burger.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Ground Beef (85/15) | 1 pound |
| Yellow Onion, diced small | ½ cup |
| Dill Pickles, diced small | ½ cup |
| Sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded | 1 ½ cups |
| Ketchup | ¼ cup |
| Yellow Mustard | 2 tablespoons |
| Worcestershire Sauce | 1 tablespoon |
| Garlic Powder | 1 teaspoon |
| Black Pepper, freshly ground | ½ teaspoon |
| Salt | ½ teaspoon |
For Assembly & Frying
This part is simple, but getting the right wrappers and oil is key.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Egg Roll Wrappers | 1 package (about 12-15) |
| Small Bowl of Water | For sealing |
| Vegetable or Canola Oil | 3-4 cups (for frying) |
For the “Special Sauce” Dip
You can’t have a cheeseburger without a special sauce. This is my go-to version. It takes about two minutes to whip up and it’s way better than anything from a bottle.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Mayonnaise | ½ cup |
| Ketchup | 2 tablespoons |
| Dill Pickle Relish | 1 tablespoon |
| White Vinegar | 1 teaspoon |
| Onion Powder | ¼ teaspoon |
The Tools for the Job
You don’t need any wild, expensive gadgets for this. Just your basic kitchen gear will do the trick.
- Large Skillet: A 10 or 12-inch one is perfect for browning the beef.
- Cutting Board & Knife: For dicing up that onion and the pickles.
- Large Mixing Bowl: You need some room to mix the filling without making a mess.
- Heavy-Bottomed Pot or Dutch Oven: This is for frying. A heavy pot holds heat really well, which means your oil temperature stays steady and your eggrolls get perfectly crispy. You could also use a deep fryer if you have one.
- Tongs: For safely getting the eggrolls in and out of the hot oil.
- Wire Rack: This is a must. If you put the finished eggrolls on paper towels, the bottoms will get steamy and soggy. A wire rack lets air circulate all around them, keeping them super crispy.
- Small Bowl: Just for the water you’ll use to seal the wrappers.
Pro Tips from My Kitchen
I’ve made these a hundred times, and I’ve made all the mistakes so you don’t have to. Here are a few things I’ve learned that make a huge difference.
- Your Filling MUST Be Cool. This is the most important rule. If you try to wrap hot filling in those thin eggroll wrappers, the steam will make them wet and gummy. They’ll be almost impossible to roll and will probably tear on you. Just let the cooked beef mixture cool on the counter for at least 15-20 minutes. You want it to be room temperature, or even a little cold from the fridge.
- Squeeze Your Pickles. This sounds funny, but pickles and their juice hold a lot of water. Too much water will make your filling soggy, which is the enemy of a crispy eggroll. After you dice them up, just put them in a paper towel or a clean kitchen towel and give them a good squeeze. You’ll be surprised how much liquid comes out.
- Don’t Crowd the Pot. When you’re frying, only cook 3 or 4 eggrolls at a time. If you dump them all in at once, the temperature of the oil will drop like a rock. Cold oil means greasy, sad eggrolls instead of golden, crispy ones. Give them some space to swim around and do their thing. It might take a few extra minutes, but the result is worth it.
Let’s Make Some Cheeseburger Eggrolls!
Alright, now for the fun part. We’ll go step by step. Just follow along and you’ll be golden.
Step 1: Cook the Beef and Onions
Put your large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and the diced onion. Cook it, breaking up the beef with a spoon, until it’s browned all the way through and there’s no pink left. This usually takes about 8-10 minutes.
Step 2: Drain the Fat and Cool It Down
This is a big one. You have to drain off all that extra grease. Nobody wants a greasy eggroll. Tip the skillet and spoon the fat out into a can (don’t pour it down your drain!). Then, slide the beef and onion mixture into your large mixing bowl and just let it sit on the counter to cool down. Go do something else for 20 minutes. Seriously.
Step 3: Mix the Filling
Once the beef is cool to the touch, add all the other filling ingredients to the bowl: the squeezed pickles, shredded cheese, ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix it all up until everything is really well combined. Give it a little taste—if you think it needs more salt or pepper, now’s the time to add it.
Step 4: Wrap the Eggrolls
This part might seem tricky, but once you do one or two, you’ll get the hang of it. Lay an eggroll wrapper on your counter like a diamond, with one corner pointing at you. Spoon about ¼ cup of the filling into the center, shaping it into a small log.
Fold the bottom corner (the one pointing at you) up and over the filling, tucking it in tight. Then, fold in the left and right corners, like you’re making an envelope. Now, roll it up tightly toward the top corner. Before you seal it, dip your finger in that little bowl of water and wet the edges of the top corner. Finish rolling it up, and the water will act like glue to seal it shut. (If you’re a visual person, there are tons of videos online showing how to roll an eggroll, it helps a lot!).
Step 5: Heat the Oil
Pour your oil into that heavy-bottomed pot. You want it to be about 2 inches deep. Heat it over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F. If you don’t have a thermometer, you can test it by dropping a tiny piece of an eggroll wrapper in. If it sizzles and turns golden brown in about 30 seconds, your oil is ready. If it just sinks, it’s not hot enough. If it turns dark brown instantly, it’s too hot.
Step 6: Fry ‘Em Up!
Carefully place 3 or 4 eggrolls into the hot oil using your tongs. Don’t just drop them in or you’ll splash hot oil everywhere. Fry them for about 3-5 minutes, turning them over halfway through, until they are deep golden brown and crispy all over.
Step 7: Drain and Serve
Use your tongs to lift the finished eggrolls out of the oil and place them on that wire rack to drain. This keeps them from getting greasy. While they’re still hot, you can sprinkle them with a tiny bit of salt if you want. Let them cool for a minute or two because the inside will be crazy hot.
Step 8: Make the Sauce
While the eggrolls are cooling a bit, whisk together all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl: mayo, ketchup, relish, vinegar, and onion powder. That’s it! Serve the hot eggrolls with the sauce for dipping.
Substitutions and Fun Variations
Once you have the basic recipe down, you can start playing around with it. That’s the best part of cooking.
- Change the Meat: You could easily use ground turkey or ground chicken instead of beef. Just make sure to cook it all the way through.
- Bacon Cheeseburger: Add about a ½ cup of crispy, crumbled bacon to the filling mixture in Step 3. It’s amazing.
- Spicy Version: Add some finely diced jalapeños (fresh or pickled) to the filling for a little kick. You could also add a dash of your favorite hot sauce.
- Mushroom & Swiss: Instead of cheddar, use shredded Swiss cheese. Sauté some mushrooms with the onions and beef in the first step.
- Air Fryer Instructions: If you want to skip the deep frying, you can use an air fryer. Preheat it to 400°F. Lightly spray the eggrolls with cooking spray and place them in the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook for 10-12 minutes, flipping them halfway through, until they are golden and crispy. They won’t be quite as crunchy as the fried version, but they’re still really good.
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips
These are fantastic for making ahead of time, which is perfect if you’re planning for a party.
To Make Ahead: You can assemble the eggrolls completely, but don’t fry them. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and pop them in the freezer. Once they’re frozen solid (about an hour), you can toss them all into a freezer bag. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. You can fry them straight from frozen; just add a few extra minutes to the cooking time.
Leftovers and Storage: If you actually have leftovers, let them cool completely. You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
The Best Way to Reheat: The microwave is the enemy of crispy food. To get these crunchy again, the best way is in the oven or air fryer. Heat your oven or air fryer to 375°F and bake them for about 5-8 minutes, until they are heated through and crispy again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions people always ask me about this recipe.
Q1. My eggroll wrappers keep tearing! What am I doing wrong?
Ans: This usually happens for two reasons: your filling is too hot and steamy, or you’re overstuffing them. Make sure the filling is completely cool and only use about ¼ cup per wrapper.
Q2. Can I bake these instead of frying them?
Ans: Yes, you can. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Place the eggrolls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spray them with cooking spray, and bake for 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown.
Q3. Where do I find eggroll wrappers in the grocery store?
Ans: You can usually find them in the refrigerated section, often near the tofu and other plant-based proteins. They come in a plastic package.
Q4. Can I use wonton wrappers instead?
Ans: You could, but you’d be making tiny cheeseburger wontons instead of eggrolls. They’re much smaller, but they’d still be delicious! Just adjust the filling amount and frying time.
Wrapping Up
See? That wasn’t so hard. You just took a boring old burger and turned it into something way more fun to eat. The first time you hear that crunch when someone bites into one of these, you’ll be so glad you made them. It’s a simple recipe, but it’s a total showstopper.
Now it’s your turn. Give these a try the next time you’re feeling stuck in a dinner rut. And when you do, come back and tell me how it went in the comments below. Did you try a fun variation? Did your family love them? I love hearing about it.
