Freezer To Table: 12 Frozen Egg Rolls Ranked And Reviewed

Since I was a child, my favorite style of takeout has been Chinese-inspired cuisine. Fried rice, lo mein, boneless spare ribs — there is no end to my love of Chinese-American foods. So, what I'm here to do is take a look at its most iconic staples: the egg roll.

Unlike other varieties, the American egg roll is known for having a particularly thick and doughy wrapper compared to more traditional spring rolls. If I'm honest, that's one of the things I like most. Something about the crunchy outside and chewy interior of seasoned vegetables and bits of meat has always been so satisfying. If it's done well, that is, which sadly isn't the case for all frozen egg rolls.

Whether made with classic fillings, steak and cheese, or even cream cheese and strawberries, a good egg roll is a treat. However, that doesn't mean all egg rolls are good. You can always tell the difference in quality, flavor, and texture when a restaurant is using cheap bulk rolls. I've seen egg rolls for sale for exactly that purpose in my time working in restaurants, and my biggest hope here is that the quality of these frozen take-home versions would be worth their cost.

Made with white meat chicken with savory cabbage, carrots, and onions, InnovAsian chicken egg rolls had the exact appearance I'd expect from an egg roll. Small bubbles formed in the doughy wrapper as it was fried before being frozen and packaged. At only 140 calories per egg roll and packing 5 grams of protein, I have to admit I was feeling pretty good going in, even if the 480 milligrams of sodium seemed daunting. 

The cracking of the flaky and crisp egg roll wrapper was exactly what I was hoping to find in a frozen egg roll. Sometimes cooking a frozen fried product in an air fryer or oven can dry out the dough and leave it hard rather than crunchy, but this brand had a great outer texture as you bit into it. It also had a satisfying ratio of filling for its size.

Unfortunately, I don't have any more positive things to say. For me to say something is too salty, it has to be salty to the point of seawater. Despite a light spice and a touch of sweetness, the only flavor I could discern was that of salt. I gave it my best effort, but just couldn't enjoy it enough to finish the last bite and had to give up one bite away from the end.

The visual appeal of the InnovAsian pork egg rolls fresh from the air fryer was tantalizing. Despite having just eaten its brother, only to be driven away by salt, its aesthetic left me hopeful that the pork version would prove itself to be drastically better.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. It was undeniably tastier than the chicken, but not by much. Despite having a similar level of sodium, these were more palatable. The change in protein, which clearly had an impact on the flavor, was tough to tell simply by looking at the filling, but could be tasted clearly. As I ate, I was able to pick out the carrot flavor, and with a little searching, the onion as well. When it came to taste, the pork was better, but it lacked in texture.

The outer wrapper was satisfying, but the inside was wet. I don't even know if another adjective would be a better fit. The filling was less salty, and the nuances of sweet carrots and onions came through with the savory pork flavor, but going from crispy exterior to damp center was far from pleasant. I don't think I'll be picking up the brand again any time soon, but if I did, I'd pick the pork over the chicken any day.

I don't know why I'm such a sucker for packaging, but the dragon design on the box of the Tai Pei vegetable egg rolls left me excited. The ingredient list mentioned they contained less than 2% of bamboo shoots, shiitake mushrooms, garlic, and green onions, which I found odd for something meant to showcase vegetables.

While I don't enjoy being harsh when writing these reviews, the truth is that the flavor of these egg rolls was just outright unpleasant. I couldn't distinguish the flavors present, despite my efforts. I know it's not easy to make frozen vegetables hold their texture, but the soft and homogeneous wad of plant matter that filled these tasted the opposite of fresh, maybe even stale.

Despite a good wrapper on the outside, it was a bit too doughy within due to the waterlogged filling, and the filling had a potent, unpleasantly aromatic flavor. While they weren't as bad as the InnovAsian offerings, I can't see myself willingly spending money on them again.

Despite almost identical ingredients, the chicken and pork flavor varieties of the Pagoda egg rolls boasted drastically different textures. (We'll get to the chicken version a bit later in this ranking, but, spoiler: These weren't quite as good.) Both options came with a satisfyingly crunchy exterior, but the pork egg roll was simply less flavorful.

The ingredients were easier for my palate to separate compared to the InnovAsian brand. I could pick out the celery and onion flavors, even though the actual pork flavor was lacking. There was a taste, however, that seemed mildly off-putting in both Pagoda brand rolls, but I noticed it more strongly in these than in the chicken version, which ranked higher for this very reason. 

It wasn't enough to ruin them completely, but the odd, bitter, almost floral essence couldn't be overlooked and was present in every bite. As someone who tastes soap when eating cilantro, I found myself experiencing a familiar sensation reminiscent of the sudsy herb, but with a more herbal flavor. Despite the unidentifiable flavor, I wouldn't say these were terrible, but I also wouldn't go out of my way to recommend them.

As unusual as it sounds for someone who loves Chinese-American cuisine, I've only been to P.F. Chang's once in my life. All I had at the time was the wonton soup, which was delicious but not exactly a complicated or nuanced dish. So, when it came to the brand's frozen egg rolls, I was very unsure of what to expect. These veggie egg rolls didn't leave me particularly impressed. 

The serving size of four rolls definitely felt like a larger serving than a single one of any other brand I tried. Surprisingly, the calorie count didn't rise much compared to the serving size. They did pack a whopping 660 milligrams of sodium per serving, but, thankfully, that didn't translate to an oversalted flavor. In fact, it was quite the opposite. The vegetable filling of these egg rolls gave them an almost sweet finish.

After all, that's what these were. The wrappers were an odd combination of a thin, crisp exterior wrap and a heavy, doughy inner layer that reminded my taste buds of underbaked pie dough. Despite a light, fresh vegetal flavor, the filling was too moist, and the ingredients combined into a molten, pureed mass that forced its way out of the roll with each bite. Flavor-wise, I'd definitely eat these again, but maybe I'll try them at the actual restaurant rather than frozen from the store.

The packaging of Pagoda chicken egg rolls is certainly eye-catching. From the moment I saw the boxes, I was excited to dig in. The value of eight rolls for just a few dollars more than many four-packs was also a positive. The Pagoda egg rolls also had the same calorie count as the InnovAsian ones but managed to contain more than 100 milligrams less sodium, which was just another positive for me. I love salt, but too much can hide other flavors.

That buildup of excitement was also what made the letdown even tougher to accept. While more flavorful than some other entries on this list, the Pagoda chicken egg rolls were still a bit mushy and pasty inside. The outer wrap was the second-best of all the brands I tried — this was true of the pork variety, too — but it failed to make up for the soggy interior. The beautiful wrap, covered in little bubbles of crackling goodness, had crisped on the outer layer, but within it had soaked up the excess moisture and become thick and stodgy.

While they clearly had a better flavor than the previous rolls discussed, I was disappointed by the filling's wet texture. But I wasn't wholly disappointed with the Pagoda chicken egg rolls. Despite the drawbacks, I finished them knowing I'd have eaten another if I didn't have to make my way through so many more.

Following the disappointment I felt with P.F. Chang's vegetable egg rolls, I was pleasantly surprised to find these a step up in both texture and flavor. I do still have to deduct points for the wrapper, which remained crispy on the outside but very thick and doughy within. However, the flavor was undeniably much better than the preceding entries on this list. In fact, in many ways, these rolls mark a drastic jump in quality and enjoyment.

Unlike the squishy filling of their veggie brethren, these egg rolls boasted a much more solid and texturally satisfying mixture. While the bits of chicken were tough to distinguish while chewing, the flavor of it was very noticeable. I'm not sure if they used a bouillon, but this was the first of the group where my first bite would have told me what meat the egg rolls contained without having to look. 

I think what won me over most was the fact that I could actually taste cabbage. I'm sure I could in the others to a degree, but where the cabbage previously felt like a filler ingredient, in these, it felt respected. Cabbage and carrots harmonized as a background for the strong chicken flavor. These were the first rolls I ate that I would genuinely consider again, though I'm not sure that the quantity and price quite align for me to call them good value.

I'd never had anything from Chung's before, but this product was exactly what I expected from a frozen egg roll. In fact, it was an almost perfectly average frozen chicken egg roll — a fact I wouldn't fully realize until my full egg roll tasting journey was complete.

When it came to looks, these were almost perfect right out of the package. The outside was covered in the little bubbles of air that you expect to expand while frying a classic American-style egg roll. They were lightly browned, but not so much that they looked like they'd been overcooked in the air fryer. At 500 milligrams of sodium per roll, I had worried the salt would be too much, but thankfully, they were well-balanced.

The most negative thing I can say is that despite the outer look of the wraps, while eating them they felt more like they belonged on a spring roll. The wrappers looked perfect, but they were a bit thin, and didn't have the slightly thicker dough that everyone I asked considered a key identifier. Aside from a slightly too-wet filling, I did enjoy them though. Yes, there are others that would tempt me more, but I wouldn't be surprised to find myself picking up a box in the future.

After being let down by a good box design once, I was far more reserved going into the chicken egg rolls from Tai Pei. I assumed, from their appearance, that the wrapper used was the same as the vegetable variety. I knew at least I'd have that to look forward to. 

Thankfully, these delivered on more than just crunch. My first thought biting in was that the chicken flavor here was even stronger than that of the P.F. Chang's chicken egg rolls. I don't always think of chicken as a flavorful meat, and when you have something where that flavor stands out, you forget why people often describe it as boring. The savory umami of the chicken was a standout feature. 

I was sure they'd end up high in the rankings, and after trying them all, I was happy to be right. Really, the biggest thing holding them back was something many of these frozen egg rolls suffered from: moisture. It seems even among the best rolls I tried, water is the enemy of frozen egg rolls. But if I were going to pick up a box of Tai Pei egg rolls, I'd pick these over the vegetable flavor every time.

Even now, I can't believe that one of the most affordable brands on the market has two flavors that both made it to the top three. I was even more surprised to find them among the lowest in calories at 110 per egg roll. But what really put them up so high was the wrappers.

I only paid $2.98 for a box of four, which is at least a full $2 less than any of the other four-packs I purchased. The filling was juicy and flavorful, but unlike so many others, it wasn't wet or mushy to the touch. Most importantly, I could actually taste clear notes of pork, as well as the cabbage, onion, and carrots.

Going into this piece, I would have put money on these being near the bottom. Once again, Walmart and its store brand Great Value have proven that cheaper doesn't have to mean worse. These were tasty enough that I actually ate another one the next day, despite being relatively burnt out on egg rolls. Great Value really lives up to its name once again.

I'm not surprised that one of our top two spots went to one of the Chung's brand egg rolls. After trying their chicken option, I knew the brand was aware of what worked and didn't. I wasn't prepared, however, for just how much better the flavor of these would be.

Not only was there a slight heat to these that I hadn't noticed in the chicken version, but all of the flavors were clearer and more defined. No other egg rolls brought out the flavor of pork as well as these did, and it was well-balanced with the rest of the filling. True, I did still find the brand's choice of wrapper a bit disappointing, but the overall product was more than satisfying enough to make me forget why that mattered. 

With only one competing roll landing ahead of these in the rankings, it's pretty clear that I'd happily pick up a box of these again. Though I'll always choose a fresh one from my favorite restaurant if it's an option, these are a good third choice. I'd say second choice, but that's yet to come.

I already talked about the surprisingly high quality and good flavor of the Great Value brand. Whether it's Walmart's house-brand ice cream or egg rolls, Great Value has impressed me a few times. It was both surprising and not surprising to me, while digging, that they stood out above almost all the others. I had to go back the next day and try the top four again, just to make sure I wasn't getting myself confused.

Flavor, texture, calorie count, and even a sodium count of 350 milligrams per roll all left me feeling pretty good about these after trying them. While not drastically different from our other frontrunners, I was still just a bit more impressed.

I stand by this pick as my ranking's top option for a frozen egg roll. I'll still choose an egg roll from my favorite Chinese restaurant any day of the week, but next time I go looking for a frozen option, I know where I'm headed. True, making your own egg rolls is surprisingly easy, especially with an air fryer to save you the effort of heating oil, but these almost make it not worth it. The low price, great flavor, and good quality of these make them an easy win among the competition.

Ranking a selection of foods, especially against others of the same type, can come with a few challenges. Keeping my individual preferences and expectations in check is something I work hard to do. My favorite way to do that is to set the criteria I'll use to judge before I take my first bite. 

My first goal was to figure out what makes a good egg roll. I'll admit that was a touch more difficult than I expected. So, I asked for help. Querying others about what made something an egg roll versus a spring roll helped enlighten me. Everyone I asked was quite passionate when it came to the difference between a crispy, puffy egg roll wrap and a smooth, thin spring roll wrap.

To my surprise, the second most important part was the shape. Spring rolls are thinner and longer than their girthier egg roll brethren. With a non-biased expectation of what an egg roll is, I was ready to put that information to use while judging each offering by its shape, wrap style, flavor, and texture. To give every product an equal shot at success, I cooked all rolls at the recommended settings in an air fryer.