This recipe came to life thanks to one of my chiropractic patients. She, like many others, had recently started milling her own flour, and asked me about making egg rolls. I had never made egg rolls before, but after a little research, I realized something: egg roll wrappers are basically just pasta dough with salt. That’s when it hit me—I can do that!
Since I’m not a huge fan of traditional egg rolls, I wanted to put my own spin on it. And being a Pennsylvania native, what better filling than Philly cheesesteak? I didn’t have ribeye on hand, but I found shaved beef in the freezer (thanks to a sale), so I decided to clean out my freezer and get creative. The result? A batch so good that my six-year-old son devoured most of it, leaving me to whip up more for my fella, Ray, the very next day.
As someone who mills my own flour, I’ve learned that freshly milled flour needs to be treated a little differently than refined flour. The bran and germ slow down liquid absorption, so when making dough, starting with a wetter mix is key. It might seem too sticky at first, but trust me—by the time you’re done rolling it out, the dough will be just right. And the secret to perfect egg roll wrappers? Roll them thinner than you think, and then roll them even thinner. That’s the trick!
Why Fresh Milled Flour?
When it comes to these egg rolls, you wouldn’t even guess that the dough is made from freshly milled whole grain flour. Unlike the nutty, dense taste people often expect with whole grains, these wrappers are so light and smooth that they could easily pass for a refined flour version. But the beauty of using freshly milled flour is that you get the whole package—the nutrition, the flavor, and a texture that’s perfect for this recipe.
Here’s the secret: freshly milled flour absorbs more water than refined flour because of the bran and germ. That’s why you need to start with a wetter dough—it allows the flour to absorb the liquid over time without drying out while you’re rolling and working with it. Plus, the extra hydration keeps the dough soft and flexible, making it easier to roll the wrappers paper-thin. By the time you’re ready to cook them, the dough has settled into the perfect consistency for crisp, golden egg rolls.
Philly Cheesesteak Filling
As a Pennsylvania native, I knew I had to nail the Philly cheesesteak filling, and it doesn’t get more classic than shaved beef, onions, green peppers, and cheese. Traditionally, ribeye is the steak of choice, but I used shaved beef from the grocery store since it was on sale and conveniently sitting in my freezer (because let’s be real, it’s all about using what you have).
For the cheese, I went with Cooper —a local favorite that melts into that perfect, ooey-gooey goodness you want in a cheesesteak. It binds the filling together without being too runny, keeping everything moist but not soggy. You can cook the beef, onions, and peppers together in one pan, and once the cheese melts in, you’ve got a creamy, savory filling that’s the ideal match for crispy egg rolls.
And in case you were wondering, these were such a hit in my house that my six-year-old nearly wiped out the entire first batch. So, of course, I made another batch today so Ray didn’t lose out on the deal!
The Secret to Thin, Perfect Egg Roll Wrappers
One of the key steps to getting these egg rolls just right is rolling the dough paper-thin. Egg roll wrappers are essentially pasta dough with a bit of salt added for flavor, but unlike traditional pasta dough, they need to be rolled even thinner. This is what gives you that perfect, crispy bite on the outside, while keeping the inside soft and full of flavor.
If you’re using a pasta roller, it helps you get a consistent thickness, but you’ll still need to take it one step further by rolling the dough by hand afterward. You want the dough thin enough that light can pass through it. This is what makes the wrapper crisp up beautifully when cooked, without feeling too heavy or doughy.
Another important trick is to start with a slightly wetter dough. Since freshly milled flour absorbs more water over time, a wetter dough will dry out as you work with it, giving you more control over rolling it thin. Starting with a dry dough makes it tough to handle and roll to the right thickness.
Don’t have a pasta roller? No problem! You can still do this by hand. Just divide the dough into smaller portions and roll each piece individually. By the time you finish the first round of rolling, the dough will have relaxed enough for you to roll it even thinner on the second go. And for meal prep convenience, you can freeze the wrappers between layers of parchment or freeze assembled egg rolls for a quick snack or dinner later on.
Recipe Adaptability: Make It Your Own
One of the best things about this recipe is how flexible it is. Once you’ve mastered the technique for rolling out the egg roll wrappers, the possibilities are endless. While my version is packed with Philly cheesesteak goodness, you can switch up the filling based on what you have on hand or what flavors you’re in the mood for.
For a veggie-packed version, try stir-frying some mushrooms, cabbage, and carrots with soy sauce and ginger for a savory, plant-based twist. Or, go the sweet route with an apple pie filling, cinnamon, and a touch of brown sugar—crisping up in the fryer or oven for a dessert-style egg roll. You can even experiment with global flavors like adding a curry-spiced chicken or a taco filling with seasoned ground beef and cheese.
Whether you’re making a batch for a weeknight dinner or prepping a variety of flavors for entertaining, these egg rolls freeze beautifully. Simply freeze the uncooked rolls in a single layer on a baking sheet, and once they’re solid, transfer them to a bag for easy meals on busy days. When you’re ready to enjoy them, fry or bake them straight from frozen—no need to thaw!
Fresh Mill Egg Roll Wrappers
Equipment
- 1 Mixer (optional)
- 1 Pasta roller attachment (optional)
- 1 Pasta roller machine (optional)
- 1 pastry brush
- 1 tongs
- 1 frying pan or deep fryer
Ingredients
- 125 g wheat berries, Durum hard wheat, Emmer or Kamut work, too!
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tbsp water optional
- 3 g sea salt, celtic grey 1/2 tsp
- 1 pinch nutmeg (optional)
- ½ cup flour (approximate) for dusting the board
For Frying
- 2-4 tbsp beef tallow or whatever fat you use for frying
For Wrapping the Rolls
- ¼ cup water for brushing the wrappers
Philly Cheesesteak Filling
- 1 lb shaved beef
- 1 onion
- 4 mini bell peppers
- ¼ tsp mushroom powder fresh ones would be good, too
- 6 slices cooper cheese
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Mill the flour to the finest setting possible and place in a mixing bowl.
- Crack 2 eggs into the bowl, and add water, sea salt and nutmeg (if using).
- Mix into a dough with a spatula or danish dough whisk.
- Let the dough rest for 1 hour (or more) to absorb the moisture.
Prepare the Filling
- Dice one onion and 4 mini bell peppers, and some mushrooms if you like.
- Saute the shaved beef, and carmelize the onions and other veggies (of your choice)
- Melt the cheese on top of the meat, and then remove from the griddle and place into a mixing bowl.
- Deglaze the pan (I used Worcestershire sauce) to get the flavorful bits off the griddle, and impart extra flavor into the veggies.
- Remove the veggies from the griddle and mix them with the meat in the bowl.
- Cut the meat with food scissors, so they mixture doesn't have large hunks of meat, and set to the side.
Prepare the Dough
- Place the dough onto a floured board, flatten it gently with your hands, and then flip it over to flour the other side.
Machine Rolling
- Roll the dough until it is thin enough to fit through your pasta roller's widest setting, dusting the dough with flour as you go so it doesn't stick to your board or your rolling pin.
- Section the dough into six pieces for easier management when you roll.
- Be sure your flour is not damp or sticky. If it is, dust both sides with flour before rolling. Each piece of dough should go through the machine two times, in opposite directions each time.
- If the dough looks too narrow in some places or longer on the ends, you can fold the dough into thirds, and roll it thin with your rolling pin. Re-process that dough. I usually do this on the next widest number, and then turn the number back down to where you were in the process. My machine has 8 settings, so each piece of dough will run through 16 times, with setting 1 being the last (the thinnest setting).
- Section the dough into squares, and roll each one by hand until it is a 6" x 6" square and paper thin. Roll from the center of the dough towards the edges, then flip and turn the dough and do it in the other direction to maintain a square shape.
- Gather pieces in a pile. Those can be pressed together and rolled out again to make more wrappers. First in the machine, and then by hand. It makes approximately 16 wrappers.
Rolling By Hand
- Section the dough into 16 pieces, shaping each one into a square shape. The process will work best rolling out each piece a little, and letting it rest while you shape the others.
- Continue to repeat this process until the wrappers are 6" squares and paper thin. Separate them with either wax paper or parchment paper (cut to 6" squares for reference) so they don't stick together.
Wrapping the Rolls
- Place a square on your board, and place 2 tbsp. of filling into the center of the wrapper from corner to corner, leaving a gap of approximately one inch.
- Brush the edges of the wrapper with water using your fingers (I won't tell) or a pastry brush.
- Fold the corners over the ends of the filling, then press the sides of the fold into the wrapper to help hold the filling in.
- Pickup one of the other two corners, and wrap it over the filling. Tuck in any filling peeking out, as you roll it over toward the other corner.
- The roll will seal up, thanks to the water!
- Set on parchment, and consider flouring it lightly if your filling is very wet, so they don't stick.
Cooking the Egg Rolls
- Place about 1/2 to 1 cm of oil into a small frying pan, and heat it to at least 350 F. It's important that the oil is hot enough so your egg rolls aren't grease-soaked. The point of frying is to cook and seal the dough, not saturate your food with grease. High heat is required for this step. (Use your instant read thermometer to check).
- Gently add the egg roll to the pan, letting it cook for 30 seconds or so until golden brown, then remove from the pan. Don't forget the ends! Using tongs really helps with this.
- Alternatively, if you have a deep fryer, you could use that. If you wanted to instead use your air fryer, you could brush the egg rolls with melted butter and crisp them up in that (you'll have to experiment, though, I didn't try that.)
Storing
- You can freeze the wrappers, and thaw them later if you don't want to prepare the entire recipe the same day. You may need a little more water when wrapping as the freezer dries them out a little.
- You can freeze your egg rolls on a sheet pan individually, then place them into a bag to store together for quick re-heat meals that are freshly milled and delicious. These would be especially good for entertaining, or for a night you miss ordering out and don't feel like cooking.
Thank you so much, they look so delicious!
No, thank you! We all agreed they were such a win and can be made with many fillings. I want to make them in bulk!