Southwestern Egg Rolls with Guacamole

These Southwestern Crispy Egg Rolls are filled with seasoned chicken, black beans, and corn, then fried (or baked/air-fried) until golden and crunchy. Serve them sliced on the diagonal with guacamole or Thai Dipping Sauce for a restaurant-style appetizer that’s perfect for game day or parties. With fresh ingredients that are packed with flavor, easy to make, and please everyone, you can’t go wrong.

I home-make a lot of things. Like everything. I mean, I do Homemade Vanilla Syrup, Homemade Chocolate Sauce, and DIY Taco Seasoning, for goodness sake! There is very little in this world that I would prefer to buy store-bought over homemade. Guacamole is one of my very, very few exceptions. And not just any store-bought guacamole (because there are some really gross ones out there … trust me, I’ve made that mistake a time or two before!). But WHOLLY GUACAMOLE (Batman)!!!

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Wholly Guacamole

Here’s the truth of it. Yes, Wholly Guacamole is sponsoring this post, BUT that is not the reason I’m about to say some really nice things about them. It is actually the other way around. I’ve been a huge fan of Wholly Guacamole for YEARS!! So, anytime they offer up an opportunity for me to share the love, I jump on it! We love Wholly Guacamole because it tastes great, comes in tons of varieties, is packaged perfectly for snacks/family meals/storage, and it is very reasonably priced!

Personally, we buy the bulk-sized packages from Costco & freeze them. It is so easy to just pull out a package, put it in the fridge, and have an instant flavor-kick to any meal. For example, guacamole hamburgers, BLTGuac sandwiches, or as an appetizer for last-minute guests! We also buy the snack-sized portions and often put those in our kids’ lunches. They LOVE guac! In short, Wholly Guacamole helps make our favorite meals extra-easy. For example, our beloved Chicken Tostadas with Guacamole & Pico de Gallo.  Seriously, we’re card-carrying, kool-aid drinking, guac-stalking lovers of Wholly Guacamole!!

Southwestern Egg Rolls

If you’ve ever ordered Southwestern egg rolls at a restaurant and wondered if they could be made at home, the answer is yes. And they’re even better fresh from your own kitchen! These crispy egg rolls are loaded with seasoned chicken, black beans, corn, and cheese, then fried until perfectly golden and crunchy. Cut them in half and serve them with your favorite dipping sauce (ours is obviously guacamole) for an appetizer that always disappears fast.

See the recipe notes for how to customize your egg rolls to your preference: vegetarian, baked, or even air-fried.

Game Day Appetizer Ideas

If you’re planning a game-day menu, these Southwestern egg rolls are just the start. Try pairing them with our Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches, which are perfect for feeding a crowd, or keep things lighter with our cripsy Baked Egg Rolls for another homemade appetizer option. No matter how you serve them, they’re sure to be a hit!

Tips for Perfect Southwestern Egg Rolls

Here are few of my best tips for ensureing your egg rolls come out crispy and delicious:

• Don’t overfill the wrapper. Just 2-3 tbsp of filling is best. Ideally, you want a bit of overlap with the wrapper – this allows the inner wrapper to serve as a moisture barrier while the outer wrapper crisps up nicely.
• Be sure you seal the edges well. Especially if frying, you want that seam sealed tightly. A little water wiped on with your fingertip is usually plenty, though you could also use an egg wash. See our step-by-step instructions for how to roll an egg roll.
• Use a thermometer and ensure your oil is 365°F before you drop the rolls in. Allow the oil to get back up to temperature before frying the next batch. Oil not being the right tempurature is usually the reason fried egg rolls don’t come out crispy.

Can These be Baked or Air-Fried?

Yes! While Southwestern egg rolls are traditionally fried for that extra-crispy restaurant-style texture, this recipe can absolutely be altered. You can easily bake or air-fry them if you prefer a lighter option. (Baked is our preferred method.)

To Bake:

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place the assembled egg rolls seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Then, spray them lightly and evenly with cooking spray (or brush them with oil). Bake for 15-20 mins, turning once halfway through, until the wrappers are golden brown and crispy.

To Air Fry:

Preheat your air fryer to 375°F. Lightly spray the egg rolls with cooking spray and arrange them in a single layer in the basket (you may need to cook them in batches). Air fry for 8–10 minutes, turning halfway through, until crispy.

Keep in mind that frying will give you the crispiest texture, but baking and air frying still produce delicious results with less oil.

This recipe for Southwestern Crispy Egg Rolls was inspired by Nathan Lippy.

Southwestern Crispy Egg Rolls

These Southwestern Crispy Egg Rolls are filled with seasoned chicken, black beans, and corn, then fried (or baked/air-fried) until golden and crunchy. Serve them sliced on the diagonal with guacamole or this Thai Dipping Sauce for a restaurant-style appetizer that’s perfect for game day or parties.

5 from 24 votes

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Course: Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Asian-American, Asian-Inspired, Chinese, Mexican

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings (2 whole egg rolls ea)

Calories: 242kcal

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Ingredients

For the Egg Rolls:

• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• ½ c. White Onion, chopped
• 1 c cooked shredded Chicken (rotisserie works great) (or 1 c. sliced and sautéed mushrooms for vegetarian option)
• ⅓ c Corn, cooked (canned or frozen is fine)
• ⅓ c Black Beans, cooked (canned is fine)
• 2 tsp Garlic, minced
• 3 tsp ground Cumin
• 2 tsp ground Coriander
• ½ tbsp Chili Powder
• 1 tsp smoked Chipotle Powder
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 Wholly Guacamole, for serving
• 1 pkg Egg Roll Wrappers
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 quart Vegetable Oil (Avocado) for frying

Thai Dipping Sauce (optional):

• ½ c Thai Chili sauce
• 2 tbsp Hoisin sauce
• 2 tbsp Ponzu sauce
• Juice of half of a Lime
• 2 tsp Sesame Oil

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

Make Egg Roll Filling:

• In a large pan, heat a 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add onions (& mushrooms, if using). Cook for 2-3 mins until softened.
• Stir in shredded chicken, corn, black beans, garlic, cumin, coriander, chili powder, and chipotle powder. Cook for 3-4 mins, until everything is heated through and fragrant.
• Remove from heat, and stir in lime juice. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Assemble the Egg Rolls:

• Working one at a time, lay an egg roll wrapper on a clean surface so it forms a diamond shape. (Keep the other wrappers covered so they don't dry out.)
• Place about 2 tbsp of filling in the center of the wrapper.
• Fold the bottom corner over the filling, then fold in the left and right sides.
• Roll tightly toward the top corner, sealing the edge with a little water.
• Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.

Fry the Egg Rolls:

• Heat vegetable oil in a large stock pot over medium heat, until it reaches 365°F.
• Carefully add the egg rolls in batches and fry 3-4 mins, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy.
• Remove with tongs or a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
• Slice each egg roll diagonally before serving. Serve with guacamole or Thai Dipping Sauce (recipe below).

For Thai Dipping Sauce:

• In a medium bowl, combine all dipping sauce ingredients & whisk with a fork until well incorporated. Cover & chill in the fridge until you’re ready to serve the egg rolls.

Notes

Vegetarian Option:
For a vegetarian version, replace the shredded chicken with ½ cup sliced shiitake mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms with the onions until softened before adding the remaining filling ingredients. The mushrooms add a savory, umami flavor that works well with the Southwestern spices.

Baked Option:
To bake instead of frying, preheat your oven to 400°F. Place the assembled egg rolls seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet and lightly brush or spray them with oil. Bake for 15–20 minutes, turning once halfway through, until the wrappers are golden and crisp.

Air Fryer Option:
Preheat your air fryer to 375°F. Lightly spray the egg rolls with cooking spray and arrange them in a single layer in the basket. Air fry for 8–10 minutes, turning halfway through, until crispy and heated through.

Storage:
Store leftover egg rolls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheating:
For the best texture, reheat egg rolls in an oven or air fryer at 350°F for 5–7 minutes until warmed through and crispy again. Avoid microwaving if possible, as it can make the wrappers soft.

Freezing:
Egg rolls freeze well before or after cooking. To freeze uncooked egg rolls, place them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Cook directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the cooking time. Cooked egg rolls can also be frozen and reheated in the oven or air fryer until hot and crisp.

This recipe was inspired by Nathan Lippy’s Southwestern Crispy Egg Rolls.

Photo Credits: Wholly Guacamole HOMEGATING

Nutrition

Serving: 2egg rolls (whole) | Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.8g | Protein: 9.3g | Fat: 11g | Fiber: 1.9g

* This is a sponsored post. Wholly Guacamole sent me a cooler full of products to review & provided a giveaway winner with their prize. All opinions are 100% my truthful assessment. No other compensation was provided.

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