Name: Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 large green bell pepper (seeds and membranes removed, diced small); 1 medium onion (diced small); 2 cloves garlic (pressed); 18 ounces thin sliced steak (Steak-Umms or something similar, cut into small pieces); 1 tablespoons steak seasoning; 1 large egg; 8 ounces Provolone cheese (slices cut in half rounds); 1 package egg roll wrappers

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Philly cheesesteak egg rolls have all the flavors of classic Philly cheese steak sandwiches. This is a great recipe for football game day, movie night, or any party. Tender steak, sautéed onions and peppers, and Provolone cheese are wrapped up in a crispy shell and baked in the oven or in the air fryer. This easy recipe is going to be your go to appetizer or snack when you want to impress your guests!

When I was 18 or 19, I planned a big trip to Philadelphia for my mom, my sister, my niece, and myself. We were going to see all the monuments including the Liberty Bell, then walk to Ben Franklin's grave, Betsy Ross's house, and then Elfreth's Alley which is the oldest block in the city.

The whole route looked very small and very walkable on the map.

It was neither small nor walkable for 4 extremely out of shape fat people in the middle of summer. We were dying by the time we got back to the car.

Near the end of the journey, we walked through Philly's Chinatown and asked a local (who was hauling a mattress up through a second story window) for a restaurant recommendation. He told us Ho Sai Gai was the best, so that's where we went.

At Ho Sai Gai, we had cheesesteak egg rolls, and they were amazing. It's been more than 20 years since that dinner, and I have never forgotten those egg rolls.

So at long last, I made them at home.

a close up of the inside of a philly cheesesteak egg rolls

What you'll need to make Philly cheesesteak egg rolls

Equipment

You'll need measuring cups and spoons, a sharp knife and cutting board, a large skillet, mixing bowls, and a whisk or fork. You'll also need a baking sheet that's lined with parchment paper, a garlic press or microplane zester, and a basting brush.

Ingredients

Olive oil - You'll use this to sauté the onions and peppers. You could use butter instead, avocado or sunflower oil, or even bacon grease if you have some.
Green bell pepper - You could use any color pepper, although green is traditionally used in Philly cheesesteaks. You'll want to remove the seeds and membranes from the pepper and dice it into very small pieces.
Onion - I like to use sweet Vidalia onions, but you could use any onion you have. As with the pepper, you'll want to finely dice the onion.
Fresh garlic, pressed - If you don't have a garlic press, I would recommend grating the garlic on a microplane grater.
Thin sliced steak such as Steak-Umms or something similar - A package is usually 9 ounces, so this is 2 boxes. These are paper thin slices of beef that are frozen uncooked and pink. When you cook them, they turn brown and release a lot of grease. You'll want to drain the grease before adding the filling to the egg roll wrappers.
Steak seasoning - Traditional Philly cheesesteaks use steak seasoning which you can buy in the baking aisle of the grocery store. It includes quite a bit of salt, so I would not recommend adding additional salt to the steak when you cook it. If you aren't tied to the traditional cheesesteak flavor, you could try fajita seasoning, taco seasoning, cajun seasoning, or BBQ seasoning instead.
Egg - This is for an egg wash to seal the egg rolls shut.
Provolone cheese - This is typically sold in a circle. You'll want to cut those circles in half to make half rounds.
1 package egg roll wrappers - These can typically be found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.

How to make Philly cheesesteak egg rolls

Oven instructions

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add pepper and onion and sauté until soft. Press garlic into the skillet and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
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Reduce heat to medium. Add steak and seasoning to the vegetables and cook until the steak is done.
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Remove filling from the heat and dump onto paper towels to drain off the grease. Allow the mixture to rest and cool for 10-15 minutes.
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Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush egg wash onto the edges of all the egg roll wrappers.
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Immediately add ¼ cup of filling mixture to the center of each wrapper, top with a half round of Provolone cheese, then fold and seal with additional egg. Place wrapped egg rolls on the prepared baking sheet.
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When all egg rolls are wrapped, spray the tray with nonstick spray and bake for 10-15 minutes or until wrappers are golden brown.
Serve immediately with dipping sauce. See notes below for sauce recommendations.

a pile of Philly cheesesteak egg rolls on a white plate

How to air fry egg rolls

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add pepper and onion and sauté until soft. Press garlic into the skillet and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
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Reduce heat to medium. Add steak and seasoning to the veggies and cook until the steak is done.
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Remove filling from the heat and dump onto paper towels to drain off the grease. Allow the mixture to rest and cool for 10-15 minutes.
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Whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush egg wash onto the edges of all the egg roll wrappers.
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Immediately add ¼ cup of steak mixture to the center of each wrapper, top with a half round of Provolone cheese, then fold and seal with additional egg.
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Place wrapped egg rolls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
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Preheat your air fryer to 350ºF.
Place the egg rolls in a single layer in the air fryer basket with space between them and spritz with cooking spray. Don't overcrowd them or they won't cook properly.
Air fry the egg rolls at 350º for 7 minutes, then turn the heat up to 395º and air fry for 2 minutes more. When they are done, they will be golden brown and crispy.
Repeat for the rest of the egg rolls, working in batches as necessary.

Air frying tips

Remember that all air fryers are different. I have an Instant Pot air fryer, and it tends to cook a little more quickly than other models. The filling is all precooked, so food safety is not a concern, but you will want to air fry the egg rolls until they are crispy and golden brown. You may need to cook them longer, but do so in 2 minute increments so that they don't burn.

Also, keep in mind that the first batch will require the most time, even if you preheat the air fryer (which you should always do). The air fryer will retain the heat and subsequent batches may need a minute or two less to achieve the same results.

Make sure that you spritz the egg rolls with cooking spray after you put them into the air fryer. If you don't put a little oil on them, they won't brown nicely and will likely stay white even after they've gotten crispy. The oil makes them look nicer.

Tips for the best cheesesteak egg rolls

When you are working with egg roll wrappers, it is best to cover them with a clean and damp (not dripping wet) kitchen towel. They will dry out quickly if left uncovered, and you can't roll them up once they're dried out. They will break.

Don't overfill the wrappers. I like ¼ cup of filling in mine, but if your wrappers are smaller than mine, you will want to use less. If you put too much filling in the egg rolls, they will pop open during cooking. If you're concerned about them popping open, you can always place them on the baking sheet or in the air fryer basket seam side down. That will help them stay together.

How do you roll an egg roll?

As you can see in the photos above, you want to start with your egg roll wrapper in a diamond shape, with a point facing toward you and one facing away from you. Brush all four edges of the wrapper with egg wash.

Place ¼ cup of filling in a line from right to left across the middle of the egg roll wrapper.

Fold the bottom corner of the wrapper up over the center of the filling, pressing firmly to secure the point above the filling.

Fold the side points into the center of the egg roll, wrapping as far as possible over the filling and pulling tightly to secure the filling but not so tightly that the wrapper rips.

Finally, brush a little extra egg wash on the inside of the top point and then fold it down over the egg roll, pressing to secure. In my photos above, I laid all my egg rolls out upside down, but it is best to place them on the baking sheet or in the air fryer basket with the seam side facing down. This helps them to stay together during cooking.

Can you make egg rolls in advance?

You can make the filling ahead of time, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, then wrap and cook the egg rolls later on.

You can wrap and cook the egg rolls and freeze them for up to 3 months. Place the entire baking sheet in the freezer, and once the egg rolls are frozen solid (and dry to the touch), wrap each one individually in foil then put them into an airtight container or zippered freezer bag for up to 3 months.

To reheat frozen egg rolls, I would air fry them at 350ºF for 5 minutes or so, until they are heated through. If you don't have an air fryer, you could bake them at 350º for 10 to 15 minutes or until heated through. There is no need to thaw them before cooking.

What you cannot do is wrap the egg rolls and then put them in the fridge without cooking them. Egg roll wrappers become slimy and gross and fall apart if they are used and then not cooked.

You have to cook the egg rolls right after you wrap them, or you might as well throw the whole thing in the trash.

Sauces for dipping your cheese steak egg rolls

I like to dip these egg rolls in horseradish aioli.

Other dipping sauces that are really nice with Philly cheesesteak egg rolls include:

Lemon Garlic Aioli
Horseradish Aioli
Honey Sriracha Mayonnaise
Cajun Remoulade Sauce
Sweet Chili Sauce
Cheese sauce - I don't have a recipe for this, but queso, nacho cheese, or another flavor of cheese sauce would be tasty.

Philly Cheesesteak Egg Rolls