Exactly How To Reheat Egg Rolls – I Test 4 Methods [Pics]

When warming up egg rolls, it can be difficult to retain the crispy texture of their flaky deep-fried shells.

At the same time, you also don’t want to suffer through cold, flavorless fillings.

To solve this reheating puzzle, I’ve experimented with five different ways to reinvigorate leftover egg rolls.

Don’t even think about throwing them out.

Instead, read on to find out how to store them and which methods I tried worked out best.

A note on my experiment

Sometime last week, I ordered about a dozen egg rolls from my favorite Chinese takeaway place.

Somehow, I managed to spare a few for my experiment.

After storing them safely in the fridge overnight, I tested out five ways to reheat them.

My goal was to keep them crispy and tasting freshly-fried, but also to warm their fillings evenly.

I tried the following methods:

• In a skillet (best for extra crispiness)
• In the oven/toaster oven (best for convenience and great results)
• In the microwave (worst method overall)
• In an air fryer (best method if you have access to an air fryer)
• Deep frying them (okay, but somewhat oily results)

The skillet method is a good way to go and delivers a nice crispy pastry.

It is second only to the convenience of the oven, which warmed my egg rolls evenly and made them nice and crunchy.

The microwave method was a big “nope” from me after turning my egg rolls soggy and unpleasantly chewy.

The air fryer is always a good option for fried foods (if you have one) and won’t disappoint in the taste department.

Deep frying, on the other hand, I found to be unnecessarily unhealthy even though my leftovers had a noticeable (even audible) crunch.

Reheating egg rolls in a skillet

Set a pan over medium heat on your stove. Optionally add a tablespoon of oil. Arrange your egg rolls in the pan and heat them for 1-2 minutes. Then, turn and heat each side of the rolls for a further 30-60 seconds until crisp to your satisfaction. Drain on a paper towel (if oily) before serving.

Use a non-stick pan if you plan to dry-fry them.

How to reheat egg rolls in a skillet:

1. Warm a (non-stick) skillet over medium heat on your stove.
2. Optional: Add a tablespoon of cooking oil. If your egg rolls seem greasy, you can skip this step.
3. Space out your egg rolls in the pan and fry them for 60 seconds.
4. Turn and fry each side for a further 30-60 seconds until your egg rolls are crisp all over.
5. If fried in oil, drain on a piece of paper towel.
6. Serve hot.

It’s not necessary to add extra oil if your egg rolls are already quite greasy. 

But it will help add a crunch.

With this method, the temperature of your pan is crucial. Too hot, and you’ll scorch the outside of the rolls but have lukewarm fillings.

Using kitchen tongs or chopsticks will make it easy to grip the egg rolls and turn them quickly.

My verdict

This method worked really well, and the little bit of added oil gave my egg rolls a delicious crunch.

Because of the medium heat setting and relatively slow frying speed, they were also warm to the center.

It’s a little bit of effort, though. You have to monitor your egg rolls for the entire reheating process and keep turning them, or they’ll burn.

Reheating egg rolls in the oven/toaster oven

Preheat your oven 350°F (180°C). Spread out your egg rolls on a wire rack and heat for 5 to 10 minutes. If you don’t have a wire rack, use a preheated baking tray and turn your egg rolls at the halfway mark. For extra crispiness, turn on your broiler for a minute at the end. 

Rest for a moment before serving.

For big or densely filled egg rolls, pop them through the microwave for ten seconds before putting them in the oven.

This will warm up their centers and reduce their reheating time, so there’s less chance of them drying out.

How to reheat egg rolls in the oven/toaster oven:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Optional: microwave your egg rolls for 5-10 seconds to give the middle a head start at heating up.
3. Spread your egg rolls out on a wire rack or preheated baking tray.
4. Heat for 5 to 10 minutes (turn halfway if using a baking tray).
5. To add extra crispiness, turn on your broiler for a minute at the end of the heating process.
6. Rest for a minute before serving.

There is no need to add oil or use cooking spray with this method, as your egg rolls are likely still holding residual oil.

If possible, use a wire rack rather than a baking tray for a more even heat distribution.

Leave broiling for the end and monitor its progress closely. If you switch it on from the get-go, you’ll have scorched pastry but cold fillings.

This method is perfect for heating large quantities of egg rolls all at once.

My verdict

This was my favorite method.

While the egg rolls didn’t get 100% of their crunch back, they retained enough to make them taste fresh.

It’s also a hassle-free way of warming up multiple egg rolls and doesn’t require too much time or clean-up.

Reheating egg rolls in the microwave

Arrange your egg rolls on a microwave-safe plate lined with a piece of paper towel. Leave sufficient room between the rolls for air circulation. Microwave them on medium heat in 15-second intervals until warm to your satisfaction. Rest for a minute before serving.

Only warm two to three egg rolls at a time to avoid overcrowding and ensure even heating.

How to reheat egg rolls in the microwave:

1. Line a microwave-safe plate with a piece of paper towel.
2. Spread your egg rolls out on the plate, leaving room between them.
3. Warm them on medium (50% power) in 15-second intervals until hot.
4. Remove your egg rolls from the microwave and rest for a minute before serving.

Make sure you don’t overheat your egg rolls as they will turn soggy.

To avoid this, test their internal temperature with a toothpick (or fork). Prick an egg roll to its center and feel how warm the toothpick is when you pull it out.

Be careful not to burn your mouth when you bite into hot egg rolls – they can be super steamy inside.

My verdict

This was the worst of all the methods I tried, and I wouldn’t recommend it.

Not to be dramatic, but there’s no way to avoid a soggy coating.

They also end up tasting stale and chewy inside instead of fresh and crunchy.

Reheating egg rolls in an air fryer

Set your air fryer to 350°F (180°C). Arrange your egg rolls in a single layer (not touching) in the fryer basket. Heat them for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on their size. When their outer pastry starts to turn golden, they are ready to be served.

Preventing the egg rolls from touching leaves room for proper air circulation and even heating.

How to reheat egg rolls in an air fryer:

1. Set your air fryer to 350°F (180°C).
2. Spread out your egg rolls in the fryer basket.
3. Fry them for 3 to 5 minutes or until they start to brown and crisp.
4. Serve immediately.

The residual oil held in the pastry of your eggs rolls means it’s not necessary to add any extra. This will more than suffice to crisp them up.

It’s a good idea to check on your egg rolls after a minute or two to ensure they’re not burning.

You can also turn them to even out their crispiness even more.

My verdict

This is a quick and easy method that delivers consistently good results.

Fried foods reheated in the air fryer rarely disappoint, and egg rolls are no different.

They will turn crunchy the longer you leave them in.

I was a bit hasty, so mine weren’t as crispy as they could have been, but at least now I know for next time!

If you have an air fryer – use it.

Reheating egg rolls by deep-frying them

Heat a pot of oil to 350°F (180°C). Lower a few egg rolls (two or three at a time) into the oil and fry for 30 to 45 seconds or until they turn crispy and golden again. Remove them from the oil and drain excess fat on a piece of paper towel for 60 seconds. Serve immediately.

You can use less oil if you prefer to shallow fry them but turn them at the halfway mark for even heating.

How to reheat egg rolls by deep-frying them:

1. Preheat a pot of oil to 350°F (180°C).
2. Lower two to three egg rolls into the oil and fry them for 30 to 45 seconds.
3. Once golden and crispy, carefully remove them from the oil.
4. Drain excess grease on a piece of paper towel (roughly a minute).
5. Serve immediately.

The heat of the oil is most important for this method. Use a thermometer to test its temperature.

If you don’t have a thermometer, you can use the handle of a wooden spoon (not 100% accurate but still a good indicator).

Dip the handle end into the hot oil. If a multitude of bubbles forms around the handle, the oil is ready.

Too hot, and you’ll scorch your wrapper but have cold fillings. Too cold, and the fat will soak into your egg rolls and make them greasy and unpalatable.

Don’t overcrowd the pot of oil as this will lower its temperature.

My verdict

Refrying fried foods always bugs me a bit. It makes them twice as oily as they need to be.

However, my egg rolls were super crunchy, so it does work well.

I could definitely taste the extra greasiness, though, and wouldn’t personally use this as my go-to method.

How to store egg rolls

Let your egg rolls cool to room temperature before storing them. Pat them down with a paper towel to remove excess grease. Line an airtight container with a paper towel and spread out your leftovers inside it. Cover them with another paper towel before sealing. Reheat within 3 to 4 days.

You can store egg rolls in layers in your container as long as you separate them with a paper towel or parchment paper.

Allowing them to cool before storing them will prevent too much moisture from building up in their container.

While the paper towel helps, they will turn soggier the longer they stay in the fridge.

Can you freeze egg rolls?

Cooked, par-cooked, or uncooked egg rolls can all be frozen for later use. In each state, the freezing method is the same. Fried leftover egg rolls may not retain all their crunch after being frozen, but they’ll still be tasty and stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How to freeze egg rolls:

1. Cool your fried egg rolls to room temperature.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Spread your egg rolls out on the sheet.
4. Pop them in the freezer for a few hours until frozen solid (flash-freezing).
5. Place your egg rolls in a heavy-duty freezer bag with the air removed.
6. Seal and date the bag and use your egg rolls within three months for best quality.

You can use the same method if you’re preparing uncooked egg rolls ahead of time to fry later on.

But pick your veggies carefully. 

Watery vegetables like cabbage or bok choi don’t freeze well unless thoroughly drained before wrapping in pastry.

Flash-freezing your leftover rolls prevents them from sticking together and makes it easier to grab your desired portion when you’re ready to reheat them.

Removing excess air from the storage bag makes your egg rolls less likely to contract freezer burn.

A nifty trick for removing air is to dunk two-thirds of your freezer bag into a bowl of water, which forces the air out while you seal it.

If you have a vacuum-sealer, you can use that instead.

How to reheat frozen egg rolls

You should reheat egg rolls out of the freezer straight from frozen. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Spread out your rolls on a wire rack (or preheated baking tray) and warm for 15 to 20 minutes or until crispy. Flip halfway if using a baking tray. Once hot, serve immediately.

Don’t thaw frozen egg rolls, as this will make them really soggy.

The air fryer is a good alternative option for reheating egg rolls from frozen, but you’ll need to extend their frying time.

You can also deep-fry or microwave leftover egg rolls from frozen, but neither of these would be my first choice.

The BEST Way To Reheat Egg Rolls

When warming up egg rolls, it can be difficult to retain the crispy texture of their flaky deep-fried shells.

At the same time, you also don’t want to suffer through cold, flavorless fillings.

To solve this reheating puzzle, I’ve experimented with five different ways to reinvigorate leftover egg rolls.

Don’t even think about throwing them out.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Cook Time 7 minutes mins

Total Time 7 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Chinese

Servings 1 person

Calories 196 kcal

Equipment

• Wire rack

Ingredients

  

• 1 portion egg rolls

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Optional: microwave your egg rolls for 5-10 seconds to give the middle a head start at heating up.
• Spread your egg rolls out on a wire rack or preheated baking tray.
• Heat for 5 to 10 minutes (turn halfway if using a baking tray).
• To add extra crispiness, turn on your broiler for a minute at the end of the heating process.
• Rest for a minute before serving.

Notes

There is no need to add oil or use cooking spray with this method, as your egg rolls are likely still holding residual oil.

If possible, use a wire rack rather than a baking tray for a more even heat distribution.

Leave broiling for the end and monitor its progress closely. If you switch it on from the get-go, you’ll have scorched pastry but cold fillings.

Keyword egg rolls, how to reheat egg rolls