Savory, slightly sweet egg-roll–spiced ground beef tossed with tender-crisp, caramelized cabbage and finished with toasted sesame and scallions. Served hot from the skillet as a hearty low-carb main or alongside cauliflower rice for an extra side.
One‑Pan Egg‑Roll Beef & Cabbage
A fast, low‑carb skillet that channels all the savory-sweet, garlicky notes of an egg roll—without the wrapper—finished with toasted sesame and bright scallions.
If you crave takeout flavors but want to keep things low‑carb, this skillet does the trick. Ground beef is seasoned like the filling of an egg roll—ginger, garlic, tamari, a touch of rice vinegar and a little sweet-savory balance—then tossed with thinly sliced green cabbage until the edges caramelize and the leaves stay tender-crisp. The contrast of buttery, browned beef and slightly sweet, wilted cabbage is exactly the kind of comforting, crunchy-sweet dinner I reach for on a busy night.
Practical choices make this work: use 80/20 ground beef so the pan has enough flavor, brown it hot in a large skillet and leave a tablespoon or two of fat for cooking the aromatics, then coax the cabbage into caramelization rather than steaming it to preserve texture. A splash of tamari and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil at the end lift everything into that unmistakable egg‑roll profile, while crushed red pepper adds a gentle kick if you want it.
Serve it straight from the skillet as a hearty, low‑carb main or pile it over cauliflower rice for extra heft. It reheats beautifully, so it’s an easy option for weekday meal prep—just finish with scallions and sesame seeds right before serving for the freshest crunch and aroma.
Ingredients
How to Make Egg Roll Beef Cabbage Skillet
- Core the cabbage and thinly slice or shred it (about 6–8 cups shredded). Slice the green onions, mince the garlic, and grate or mince the ginger.
- Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add the avocado oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the ground beef, break it up with a spatula, and cook until well browned, about 6–8 minutes.
- Season the beef with the kosher salt and black pepper as it browns; if the pan releases a lot of fat, spoon off and discard 1–2 tablespoons (leave enough for flavor).
- Push the beef to one side of the skillet, add the garlic and ginger to the empty side and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, then stir into the beef.
- Add the shredded cabbage to the skillet, toss to combine, then pour in the tamari and rice vinegar. Stir frequently and cook until the cabbage is tender-crisp and slightly caramelized, about 6–8 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the toasted sesame oil, crushed red pepper, and half the sliced green onions. Cook 1–2 more minutes to meld flavors.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with additional tamari or salt if needed. Remove from heat and sprinkle with sesame seeds and the remaining green onions before serving.
Recipe Card
Egg Roll Beef Cabbage Skillet
Savory, slightly sweet egg-roll–spiced ground beef tossed with tender-crisp, caramelized cabbage and finished with toasted sesame and scallions. Served hot from the skillet as a hearty low-carb main or alongside cauliflower rice for an extra side.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Core the cabbage and thinly slice or shred it (about 6–8 cups shredded). Slice the green onions, mince the garlic, and grate or mince the ginger.
- Heat a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add the avocado oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the ground beef, break it up with a spatula, and cook until well browned, about 6–8 minutes.
- Season the beef with the kosher salt and black pepper as it browns; if the pan releases a lot of fat, spoon off and discard 1–2 tablespoons (leave enough for flavor).
- Push the beef to one side of the skillet, add the garlic and ginger to the empty side and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, then stir into the beef.
- Add the shredded cabbage to the skillet, toss to combine, then pour in the tamari and rice vinegar. Stir frequently and cook until the cabbage is tender-crisp and slightly caramelized, about 6–8 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the toasted sesame oil, crushed red pepper, and half the sliced green onions. Cook 1–2 more minutes to meld flavors.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with additional tamari or salt if needed. Remove from heat and sprinkle with sesame seeds and the remaining green onions before serving.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 13
- Saturated Fat
- 15
- Sodium
- 640
- Fiber
- 5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 26.5
- Protein
- 33
- Fat
- 42
- Cholesterol
- 132
- Trans Fat
- 0.5
- Calories
- 560
- Sugar
- 3.5