Yes, you read correctly. I made egg rolls and they are German. Or polish... or something. I honestly don’t know what to call them, but we went with German Egg Rolls.
Leftover pork and sauerkraut combined with cheese, wrapped into a tidy egg roll wrapper and gently fried. Little logs of yum.
What are German Egg Rolls?
In a nutshell, they are kielbasa and sauerkraut with cheese, wrapped into a wonton wrapper and then fried. I had leftovers from my sausage and sauerkraut skillet and also egg rolls wrappers from pizza logs and bam.
If I could stuff, it then I could fry it. Tada = German Egg Rolls.
I had seen ham and sauerkraut rolls and also reuben egg rolls with corned beef, but never sausage and sauerkraut, or at least using kielbasa instead of ground pork.
Why You’ll Love These German Egg Rolls
Juicy pork and sauerkraut wrapped up in an egg roll wrapper and fried until crispy- what’s not to love!
- A fun twist – If you like trying new recipes, these egg rolls are for you! Sometimes it’s fun to put a twist on a loved recipe.
- Easy to make – If you make my pork and sauerkraut for dinner one night, using the leftovers to make these egg rolls couldn’t be easier.
- Delicious – These egg rolls are full of so much flavor from the tangy sauerkraut to the savory pork and the melty cheese.
Egg Rolls Ingredients
This recipe for German egg rolls is pretty basic and does not use peppers, like some pork and krauts do. Instead it uses:
- Kielbasa – roped smoked sausage, it is typically Polish but can be in many slavic foods.
- Sauerkraut– see more below on sauerkraut!
- Onions- I used sweet onions, but you can also use red, white or yellow.
- Potatoes– This is a one dish meal, so I add starch right to the bowl. It was easier to leave the potatoes in when I fried the egg rolls, so now you’ve got potato egg rolls. LOL.
- Brown Sugar– Helps to Balance out the acids.
- Liquid– the base ingredients are cooked in liquid before being fried to add moisture and flavor. Apple juice, chicken stock and even white wine can be used. And, of course, water.
- Egg Roll Wrappers– Large wrappers work best for this recipe because of the large array of ingredients. They are thin wrappers made from wheat flour, eggs and water. I usually find mine near the refrigerated produce section.
- Cheddar Cheese– I don’t know, these didn’t seem complete without some cheese, so I added it even though you generally don’t see cheese in Polish or German food. I guess pierogis have cheddar, right?
What is Sauerkraut?
Sauerkraut is simply fermented cabbage, basically pickled. It is best to be rinsed and drained before cooking otherwise you might get a super vinegary flavor. That would be like using pickles and not draining them… which some pickle fanatics probably would do!
It is also fairly easy to make at home. I made it once a few years ago and the batch was so good that it was gone by the time I went to go take pictures and post the recipe.
In Maryland, where I live, sauerkraut and sausage is eaten all the time, but mostly for celebratory events. It might sound odd to others, but you’ll see it at Thanksgiving and also Christmas, but most notably, New Year’s.
Pork and Sauerkraut
I mentioned that this came about as a leftovers dish. I didn’t have enough for a full meal for the family, so I divided it into portions we could eat as an appetizer.
You can make this in the slow cooker or skillet. It freezes well, so you can freeze leftovers and make egg rolls later.
But one thing I will say is that the mixture works best when it is dried, so chilling it to before adding it to the rolls is key.
Then freezing it before frying is also a big step to not miss. This freezes the cheese so they it doesn’t immediately melt and escape all over the place.
How to Make German Egg Rolls
You are going to love how easy it is to make these delicious egg rolls.
- Gather ingredients. Place all of your ingredients around a clean work space, like a cutting board or plate.
- Add filling. Baste the edges of a large egg roll wrapper. Fill with a couple tablespoons of the filling and one tablespoon of cheese. You don’t have to be exact, but you don’t want to overfill the wrapper.
- Fold. Fold over one edge, then the sides to look like an open envelope. Roll into an egg roll. Don’t wrap it too tonight, you need a little room for expansion while frying. Continue with remaining egg roll wrappers.
- Freeze. Place onto parchment or wax paper and into a container to freeze. You can also use a baking sheet if you plan to fry them later that day. Avoid the rolls touching because they will stick and you’ll have trouble pulling them apart for frying.
- Heat oil. When ready to fry, heat oil in a large, high-sided Dutch oven or pot. Using thermometer to check temperature.
- Fry. Place 3-4 egg rolls (depends on size of your cooking vessel) into the hot oil, making sure to not crowd the pan. Fry on each side until lightly browned, but before the cheese melts and starts to escape.
- Remove and repeat. Remove to a plate line with paper towels or a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining German egg rolls. Serve immediately with mustard aioli dipping sauce.
Dipping Sauce
We love sauce in this family and while these would be perfectly fine with no sauce at all, I added some.
Mustard Aioli to be exact! They would also be great with just Garlic Aioli Sauce or even Garlic Butter Dipping Sauce. Hubby also suggests using a thousand island dressing!
Soy sauce, duck sauce, hot mustard or sweet and sour sauce are all also great options.
Variations
We like these German Egg Rolls exactly as the recipe is written. However, there are plenty of ways for you to make them your own.
- Cheese – I used cheddar cheese in this recipe, but any of your favorite cheese will do, but I strongly suggest shredding it fresh instead of pre shredded. This is tossed in starch to prevent clumping, but it can also melt a little wonky.
- Pork – I used kielbasa in my pork and sauerkraut recipe, but you could certainly use any pork that you prefer.
- Wrappers – If you don’t have egg roll wrappers, you could swap them out for wonton wrappers instead.
- Extra add ins – Feel free to throw in extra veggies. Green pepper, red pepper or onion added is a great way to add even more flavor.
Make Ahead & Freezing
Make ahead: Like most fried foods, they are best eaten freshly fried. You can, however, assemble and freeze all the pieces so they are all ready to go when you want to serve.
Freezing: You can also freeze them indefinitely after rolled. I might have a batch in my freezer right now just waiting for a rainy day lunch.
Reheating: After they are fried, you can reheat them in the oven for about 5 minutes at 350. Again, you run the risk of the cheese escaping, so don’t let them stay in there too long.
Refrying is also an option, just heat up oil like you did the first time and plop them in for just 20-30 seconds on each side. Enough to warm them up, but not cook further.
Frequently Asked Questions
The main difference is the outer shell. Egg rolls have a thicker, crunchier shell, while spring rolls are lighter and thinner.
Asian cultures like Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese are most popularly known for making egg rolls.
The country best known for egg rolls is China. They make the most traditional version, but a lot of countries have their own variations.
More Fried Appetizers
Pork and Sauerkraut Egg Rolls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 large egg roll wrappers
- 2 cups pork and sauerkraut , cold and coarsely chopped
- 1 cup cheddar cheese , shredded
- 2 quarts peanut oil
- 1 egg , lightly beaten
- Mustard Aioli Sauce , for dipping
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients around a work space, like a cutting board or plate.
- Baste the edges of a large egg roll wrapper with the egg. Fill with about 2 tablespoons cold and chopped pork and sauerkraut mixture and 1 tablespoon of cheese.
- Fold over one edge, then the sides to look like an open envelope. Roll into an egg roll. Don’t wrap it too tonight, you need a little room for expansion while frying.
- Continue with the remaining egg roll wrappers.
- Place the completed rolls onto parchment or wax paper and into a container to freeze. You can also use a baking sheet if you plan to fry them later that day. Avoid the rolls touching because they will stick.
- Freeze the egg rolls for a minimum of 1 hour, but up to 6 months.
- When ready to fry, heat the oil in a large, high-sided Dutch oven or pot. Using thermometer, make sure oil is 325°F.
- Place 3-4 egg rolls (depends on size of your cooking vessel) into the hot oil, making sure to not crowd the pan. Fry for 1-2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned, but before the cheese melts and starts to escape.
- Remove to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or a paper towel lined baking sheet. Place in a warm oven until the other batches are completed.
- Repeat with remaining egg rolls. Serve immediately with mustard aioli dipping sauce.
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or star ratings.
YOU ARE A GENIUS! These egg rolls were DELICIOUS!