Corned Beef Egg Rolls

Corned Beef Egg Rolls: shatteringly crispy egg roll wrappers stuffed with tender corned beef, sauerkraut, & melted nutty Swiss cheese. You’ve never had leftover corned beef that was so spectacular! 

Do you have leftover corned beef from your St. Patrick’s Day celebration? Have a pound or two of deli corned beef you need to use up?

This delicious recipe is our own take on the classic post St. Paddy’s Day reuben. It’s just what you need to do with your leftover St. Patrick’s Day party food.

Whether or not you dunk these reuben egg rolls in Thousand Island dressing, spicy brown mustard, or horseradish sauce is entirely up to you! These are utterly irresistible any which way.

Of course, these make the perfect appetizer for an Irish pubs themed evening, but they’re also a killer main dish on busy evenings. Because they’re made with fully cooked corned beef, you only have to fry, air fry, or bake them long enough to melt the cheese, get the corned beef hot, and crisp up the egg roll wrappers.

They’re just so good. And given the wow factor they bring to the table, they take surprisingly little time to make! 

The corned beef is already fully cooked when it’s chopped up for the filling, so it’s really just a matter of chopping the beef, sauerkraut, and cheese then rolling it up in the egg roll wrappers. Three to five minutes of cooking time is all it takes ‘til these are crispy and crunchy on the outside and melty and flavourful on the inside.

Reuben Egg Rolls

The ingredients list for these reuben egg rolls is pretty short and everything but the egg roll wrappers is pre-cooked. That plants this recipe firmly in the convenience food category in my book.

Reuben Egg Roll Recipe

Ingredients

1. Leftover Corned Beef
2. Sauerkraut
3. Swiss Cheese
4. Dijon Mustard
5. Egg Roll Wrappers (not spring roll wrappers)
6. High Smoke Point Oil or Non-Stick Cooking Spray
7. Optional but tasty: Thousand Island Dressing or Dip

You can use purchased Thousand Island or Russian Dressing or make homemade Thousand Island Dip or homemade Russian dressing. If you make the dip, you’ll need these ingredients as well. 

1. Plain Greek Yogurt
2. Mayonnaise
3. Sweet Pickle Relish
4. Sweet Onion
5. Ketchup
6. Cayenne Pepper

Whether you use corned beef leftovers that you cooked yourself or chop some deli corned beef is entirely your choice. I’ve made these both ways and loved them.

The key (as with the Swiss cheese) is to dice the corned beef into small cubes; about ¼-inch on each side. This makes the insides of the egg roll heat up at the same rate as the outside crisps up.

You can, of course, omit the sauerkraut if you’re not a fan, but that definitely does away with the reuben sandwich flavour of these egg rolls. Then you’d be talking about strictly corned beef egg rolls which are delicious, if different.

You’ll note that I do not specify how much oil to use in the recipe. This is because it will depend largely on the size of the frying pan or deep fryer you use.

If you opt to use the air fryer or bake ather than fry egg rolls, you’ll use far less oil. Keep in mind, though, that the total fat that is absorbed by your egg rolls is not high if your oil is at the correct temperature.

If you do pan fry or deep fry, please use peanut oil, canola oil, rice bran oil, or another neutral or neutral-ish high smoke point oil. In other words, don’t use an unrefined oil that will smoke before it gets up to the right temperature.

Not only does smoking oil make the cooking process unpleasant, but it also gives a bitter, burnt flavour to your finished product.

Speaking of oil, let’s go over the equipment list now. It’s also brief, but you have options to mull over.

Equipment

1. Chef’s Knife
2. Cutting Board
3. Medium Bowl
4. Cast-Iron Skillet, High-Sided Frying Pan, Air Fryer,  or Deep Fryer
5. Tongs

I’m a big fan of pan frying these crave-worthy corned beef egg rolls in my massive cast-iron pan. I’ve also used a high-sided frying pan when my cast iron skillet is already in use, my air fryer, and a deep fryer. 

They all yield delicious end results so I’ve included instructions on how to make them using each of these cooking methods. Use what moves you!

Are you looking for more party-ready, fun, non-traditional egg rolls? Check out these fantastic Cheesy Barbecue Chicken and Bacon Egg Rolls and Southwestern Egg Rolls.

Corned Beef Egg Rolls

To Assemble the Corned Beef Egg Rolls:

Place the sauerkraut in a colander and rinse over the sink. Squeeze as much excess liquid from the sauerkraut as you can, then transfer it to a cutting board and coarsely chop it so the largest pieces are 1/4-inch big. Put this in a large mixing bowl.

Coarsely chop the corned beef so that the largest pieces are no bigger than 1/4-inch. Transfer the corned beef to the mixing bowl with the chopped sauerkraut, add the shredded Swiss cheese and the Dijon mustard. Use your hands or a spoon to toss the ingredients together so that everything is evenly combined.

Set the mixing bowl next to a clean cutting board that is set up on a flat surface with a small bowl with a little water in it (for moistening the edges of the wrapper) and your pile of egg roll wrappers. On the other side of the cutting board, you should have a clean pan to hold your rolled-but-not-yet-cooked egg rolls.

Place a single egg roll wrapper on your clean work surface with one point facing toward you and one away. Dip your finger in the bowl of water and moisten the two edges of the egg roll wrapper farthest away from you.

Scoop 1/4-cup of the filling onto the egg roll wrapper just slightly closer to you than the center of the wrapper. You can use your hands to slightly compress the filling together if you find it is too loose.

Lift the bottom edge of the wrapper closest to you and fold it up and over the filling. Use this to help compress the filling but do it gently so you don’t spring a leak in your wrapper.

Fold the points on either edge toward the center like an envelope, then -using your hands to tuck in the edges as you go-, roll the egg roll away from you until the whole thing is a tight cylinder.

Try to avoid holes in the wrapper as they can cause leaking melted cheese and therefore splattering during the frying process. Gently press the final edge to help seal it and place egg rolls on the clean pan you prepared for it. Repeat until the filling and remaining wrappers are used up. Cover the rolls lightly with plastic wrap or a clean tea towel to prevent them from drying out.

You will get about 24 egg rolls depending on how consistent you are with filling the wrappers and how much snacking you do of the filling while you roll them.

To Pan Fry the Corned Beef Egg Rolls (Preferred Method): (See notes)

Put about 1 to 2 inches of oil in your skillet or frying pan, being sure that it rises no more than halfway up the side of your pan.

Bring the frying oil to 350°F. (*See Notes) When it reaches temperature, carefully lower as many egg rolls into the oil as you can fit without overcrowding the pan.

The egg rolls should be able to move around the pan as they cook. Cook the egg rolls for about 3 to 5 minutes, flipping once or twice with tongs during the cooking, or until they are golden brown.

Keep in mind they will darken somewhat when removed from the oil, so don’t cook them until they’re dark golden brown. You may find some of them don’t want to stay flipped when you flip them which would prevent one side from cooking to crispy perfection. If this happens, use the tongs to hold the uncooked side in the oil for a few seconds to help the process.

Transfer the cooked egg rolls to a pan lined with several layers of paper towels. Let rest for at least a minute before serving with Thousand Island Dip or the dressing or sauce of your choice.. While these are definitely best hot, they are also good at room temperature.

To Bake the Corned Beef Egg Rolls:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray both sides of the finished egg rolls with non-stick cooking spray and lay them -not touching- on a baking sheet. Bake until the wrappers are golden brown and the Swiss cheese is melted inside. While these are definitely best hot, they are also good at room temperature.

Leftovers can be frozen on a sheet pan then transferred to a freezer bag and reheated in a 350°F oven until heated through.

To Air Fry the Corned Beef Egg Rolls

Preheat your air fryer for 5 minutes.

Spritz both sides of your egg rolls and arrange them in a single layer with space surrounding them so they do not touch each other on all sides. This will likely mean you need to do this in 2 or 3 batches, depending on your air fryer’s size.

Air fry at 360ºF for 9 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking, or until golden brown and crispy.

Notes

*If you have a deep fryer you can definitely use it for this recipe, just set the oil temperature to 350°F and fry when it comes to temperature!

Corned Beef Egg Rolls

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Rebecca Lindamood

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 35 minutes mins

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

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In an irresistible twist on the classic Reuben sandwich these Corned Beef Egg Rolls feture shatteringly crisp egg roll wrappers stuffed with salty corned beef, briny sauerkraut, nutty Swiss cheese and a little Dijon mustard. Dunk in homemade Thousand Island Dip or serve with horseradish, wasabi, or spicy brown mustard.

The recipe includes instructions for pan frying, air frying, and baking the egg rolls.

Equipment

• 1 chef's knife
• 1 cutting board
• 1 mixing bowl
• 1 Cast-Iron Skillet, Deep Frying Pan, or Deep Fryer
• 1 tongs
• Measuring Cups
• measuring spoons

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the Reuben Egg Rolls:

• 24 egg roll wrappers not won ton sized
• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds leftover baked or thickly sliced deli corned beef
• 1 packed cup sauerkraut preferably not canned, rinsed and squeezed dry
• 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2-3 inches peanut oil canola or vegetable oil or shortening in a high-sided, heavy-bottomed pan

For the Thousand Island Dressing Dip:

• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
• 1/4 cup minced sweet onion
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• a pinch of cayenne pepper

Instructions

 

To Prepare the Thousand Island Dipping Sauce:

• Use a fork or whisk to combine all of the dressing ingredients. Scrape into a container with a tight fitting lid and let it rest in the refrigerator while you prepare the egg rolls.

To Assemble the Corned Beef Egg Rolls:

• Place the sauerkraut in a colander and rinse over the sink. Squeeze as much excess liquid from the sauerkraut as you can, then transfer it to a cutting board and coarsely chop it so the largest pieces are 1/4-inch big. Put this in a large mixing bowl.
• Coarsely chop the corned beef so that the largest pieces are no bigger than 1/4-inch. Transfer the corned beef to the mixing bowl with the chopped sauerkraut, add the shredded Swiss cheese and the Dijon mustard. Use your hands or a spoon to toss the ingredients together so that everything is evenly combined.
• Set the mixing bowl next to a clean cutting board that is set up with a small bowl with fresh water in it (for moistening the egg roll wrapper edges) and your pile of egg roll wrappers. On the other side of the cutting board, you should have a clean pan to hold your rolled-but-not-yet-cooked egg rolls.
• Place a single egg roll wrapper with one point facing toward you and one away. Dip your finger in the bowl of water and moisten the two edges farthest away from you.
• Scoop 1/4-cup of the corned beef filling onto the egg roll wrapper just slightly closer to you than the center of the wrapper. You can use your hands to slightly compress the filling together if you find it is too loose.
• Lift the tip of the wrapper closest to you and fold it up and over the filling. Use this to help compress the filling but do it gently so you don't spring a leak in your wrapper.
• Fold the points on either edge toward the center like an envelope, then -using your hands to tuck in the edges as you go-, roll the egg roll away from you until the whole thing is a tight cylinder.
• Try to avoid holes in the wrapper as they can cause leaking melted cheese and therefore splattering during the frying process. Gently press the final edge to help seal it and lay it on the clean pan you prepared for it. Repeat until the filling is used up.
• You will get about 24 egg rolls depending on how consistent you are with filling the wrappers and how much snacking you do of the filling while you roll them.

To Pan Fry the Corned Beef Egg Rolls (Preferred Method): (See notes)

• Put about 1 to 2 inches of oil in your skillet or frying pan, being sure that it rises no more than halfway up the side of your pan.
• Bring the frying oil to 350°F. (*See Notes) When it reaches temperature, carefully lower as many egg rolls into the oil as you can fit without overcrowding the pan.
• The egg rolls should be able to move around the pan as they cook. Cook the egg rolls for about 3 to 5 minutes, flipping once or twice with tongs during the cooking, or until they are golden brown.
• Keep in mind they will darken somewhat when removed from the oil, so don't cook them until they're dark golden brown. You may find some of them don't want to stay flipped when you flip them which would prevent one side from cooking to crispy perfection. If this happens, use the tongs to hold the uncooked side in the oil for a few seconds to help the process.
• Transfer the cooked egg rolls to a pan lined with several layers of paper towels. Let rest for at least a minute before serving with Thousand Island Dip or the dressing or sauce of your choice.. While these are definitely best hot, they are also good at room temperature.

To Bake the Corned Beef Egg Rolls:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray both sides of the finished egg rolls with non-stick cooking spray and lay them -not touching- on a baking sheet. Bake until the wrappers are golden brown and the Swiss cheese is melted inside. While these are definitely best hot, they are also good at room temperature.
• Leftovers can be frozen on a sheet pan then transferred to a freezer bag and reheated in a 350°F oven until heated through.

To Air Fry the Corned Beef Egg Rolls

• Preheat your air fryer for 5 minutes.
• Spritz both sides of your egg rolls and arrange them in a single layer with space surrounding them so they do not touch each other on all sides. This will likely mean you need to do this in 2 or 3 batches, depending on your air fryer's size.
• Air fry at 360ºF for 9 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking, or until golden brown and crispy.

Notes

*If you have a deep fryer you can definitely use it for this recipe, just set the oil temperature to 350°F and fry when it comes to temperature!

Nutrition

Calories: 451kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 24gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 1690mgPotassium: 396mgSugar: 3gVitamin A: 235IUVitamin C: 30.7mgCalcium: 173mgIron: 2.9mg

Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Originally published March 13, 2013. Republished March of 2023 with improved instructions and new photos.