Air Fryer Veggie Spring Rolls
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Crunchy spring rolls filled with stir-fried napa cabbage, bean sprouts, carrots, and shiitake mushrooms. Air fried for a crisp exterior without deep frying. Uses green onions, a cornstarch slurry to bind, and a touch of sugar for subtle sweetness. Ideal for busy cooks wanting a healthier twist on takeout. Adjust vegetable oil application to avoid soggy or dry shells.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
18 min
Total:
38 min
Servings:
12 servings
#Asian fusion
#air fryer
#vegetarian
#appetizer
#healthy cooking
Crunch on that snap of napa cabbage mingling with sweet, earthy shiitake—spring rolls that avoid the greasy trap of deep frying. Air fryer magic crisps without sog. I swapped out some soy sauce for brown sugar for subtle depth, no salty punch overwhelming the veggie base. Fingers crossed on the cornstarch slurry acts as glue; wasted too many wrappers in the past. Bean sprouts keep texture alive, crunchy but not raw. Roll tight, or filling escapes mid-cook. Air fry temperature slightly lower than usual to sidestep burnt tips. Toss in scallion sharpness and you get a crowd-pleaser that’s not a slog in the kitchen. Don’t rush cooling or crispness wilts fast.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cups shredded napa cabbage
- 1 ½ cups bean sprouts
- ¾ cup finely julienned carrots
- ½ cup chopped shiitake mushrooms (fresh or soaked dried)
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with ¼ cup water (slurry)
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 12 spring roll wrappers
- Vegetable oil for brushing
About the ingredients
Ditch the usual water chestnuts for shiitake mushrooms here; brings umami and chew. Fresh is best but dried rehydrated saves money and amps flavor—just soak overnight or quick in warm water. Napa cabbage’s moisture is the enemy here—drain well or tossing in cornstarch won’t seal properly. Don’t skip the green onions; their sharp lift adds contrast to mild veg. Adjust sugar modestly if prefer less sweet—some brands of cornstarch slurry mask flavors otherwise. If no air fryer, shallow fry just until golden but beware greasy shells. Wrappers can be brittle if too cold; let them warm to room temp or cover with damp cloth during prep. Vegetable oil is neutral; peanut oil works too but watch smokepoints to avoid burnt shells.
Method
- Heat a large wok or deep skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, wait till it shimmers but doesn’t smoke. Toss in napa cabbage, bean sprouts, carrots, shiitake mushrooms. Keep stirring – constant tossing prevents soggy spots, cooks evenly. Vegetables should soften slightly; watch color change and aroma rise (2-4 minutes). Avoid overcooking – want crunch still intact.
- Stir in green onions, brown sugar, salt, pepper. Pour in cornstarch slurry gradually to coat all veg without clumping. Continue stirring 1-2 minutes till mixture thickens just enough to bind but not glue. If too wet, cook a little longer off heat to firm up. Remove from heat – cool briefly. Filling should be moist but not dripping.
- Set air fryer to 395°F (slightly lower to avoid burning edges). Preheat while assembling rolls.
- Lay spring roll wrapper diamond style with corner toward you. Brush a thin line of cornstarch slurry on the top half corner only. This works as glue when sealing; too much and wrapper soggy, too little and rolls fall apart.
- Spoon about 3½ tablespoons filling in center. Fold bottom corner over filling, then fold in left and right edges snugly. Roll tightly upward like a baton. Seal edge firmly with slurry.
- Repeat for all rolls. Brush both sides lightly with vegetable oil—this mimics shallow frying but without mess. Key is very thin, even coating to crisp shell.
- Place rolls in one layer in air fryer basket spaced half an inch apart. No overcrowding or they'll steam and get limp. Cook in batches if needed.
- Air fry 13-17 minutes flipping halfway. Look for golden brown shells with slight blistering. Listen for crackling, smell toasted aroma. Remove when even color all around. Let cool on wire rack for crispness to set.
- Serve immediately with dipping sauce of your choice. Try chili-garlic or sweet soy.
Cooking tips
Heat oil till shimmering is key—too hot and veg burns, too cool and it steams, soggy pits. Stir constantly to evenly soften, listen for faint sizzling, smell that faint sweet earthiness. The cornstarch slurry thickens filling just enough to keep it contained without gums messily—pour slowly while stirring. When prepping wrappers, be gentle. Too wet slurry makes a glue puddle and shells tear. Brush just enough to seal without oversaturation. Rolling tight helps the filling not slip out during cooking. Air fryer timing varies with your model; if edges brown too fast, lower temp. Flip carefully with tongs halfway to brown all sides. Rest on rack post-cook to let moisture escape, keeps skin crisp longer. Mistakes? Shells too dry—brush again. Filling too wet—cook longer off heat or add small pinch of dry cornstarch.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Heat oil slowly till it shimmers but no smoking. Toss veggies fast, keep stirring to stop soggy spots forming. Napa moisture fights crisp shells—drain well or slurry won’t bind properly. Watch aroma changes for doneness, not just time.
- 💡 Cornstarch slurry is glue. Pour in a bit at a time, stir constantly. Too much slurry makes filling gluey and drying out. If filling feels wet, remove from heat and cook a little longer to firm it up. Cool filling briefly; hot mix sogs wrappers.
- 💡 Use delicate brush strokes applying oil and slurry on wrapper. Too saturated, wrapper tears or sogs; too little and rolls fall apart mid-cook. Thin, even layers mimic shallow frying—skip extra oil or crunchy shell won’t form crisp. Patience with rolling tight.
- 💡 Don’t overcrowd air fryer basket. Half inch gap essential so steam escapes. Clusters lead to limp shells. Flip with tongs mid-cook but careful not to tear seam. Air fry timing varies. Adjust temp a few degrees lower if edges brown too fast before center cooks through.
- 💡 Rest rolls on wire rack post air frying. Moisture escapes, shells crisp longer. Covering or stacking traps steam and ruins crisp texture. If shells dry out later, light brush oil and reheat briefly. Baking or shallow frying work if no air fryer but expect greasy shell.
Common questions
Why does filling get soggy?
Liquid too high, napa water not drained well. Slurry clumps or undercooked. Fix by squeezing cabbage moisture or cook off excess after slurry added. Balance wetness to dry wrapper tolerances.
What if wrappers crack?
Usually too cold or slurry too wet. Warm wrappers on counter or under damp cloth. Apply slurry thinly, avoid puddles. Wrappers brittle if cold storage straight to fold. Can patch tears with little slurry but less sturdy.
How to crisp rolls without oil?
Air fryer needs thin oil coat for crispness, no skipping. Skip oil is more baking, dull texture, chewier shell. Alternative shallow fry but messier and more fat. Oil locks shell crispness while cooking hot air ventilation happens.
Can I store cooked rolls?
Yes but lose crisp with fridge moisture. Store loosely covered on rack not stacked. Reheat air fryer few minutes or oven to revive crisp. Avoid sealed container unless cooled fully or moisture traps ruins shell texture.
