These are cheeseburger egg rolls — seasoned ground beef, caramelized red onions, crumbled bacon, and blue cheese, all wrapped in an egg roll skin and pan-fried until golden. They make 8 rolls in 30 minutes, which means they work just as well as a party appetizer as they do a weeknight dinner. The filling is compact, the wrappers seal tight, and the whole batch fits in one pan.
The short version of why this works
Two things matter most here. First, drain the fat aggressively after cooking the beef — any pooled grease inside the wrapper will steam the egg roll from the inside and blow out the seam when it hits the hot oil. Second, oil temperature is everything: keep it between 320°F and 340°F. Too low and the wrapper absorbs oil and goes soggy; too high and the outside burns before the center is hot through. A clip-on thermometer takes the guesswork out, especially when you’re running multiple batches for a crowd.
Smart swaps
- Blue cheese: It’s the sharpest flavor in the roll. If your crowd is mixed on blue cheese, gorgonzola is milder and melts similarly. Feta works in a pinch but stays drier.
- Red onions: Yellow onions caramelize just as well and are usually cheaper when you’re scaling up. White onions work but go softer faster.
- Egg roll wrappers: Spring roll wrappers are thinner and crispier but tear more easily — handle them gently and seal edges well. Won ton wrappers are too small for this filling amount.
- Montreal Steak Seasoning: If you don’t have it, a pinch of smoked paprika plus a little extra black pepper gets you close enough.
If something goes sideways
- Rolls are bursting open in the oil: The filling is either overpacked or the seams weren’t pressed firmly. Use no more than 1 tablespoon of filling per roll and press the water-dampened edges flat before rolling. A tight roll holds better than a loose one.
- Wrappers are coming out pale and greasy: Oil temperature dropped, likely from adding too many rolls at once. Cook in smaller batches — 3 or 4 at a time max — and let the oil come back up to temperature between rounds.
- Filling is watery inside the finished roll: The onions or beef weren’t drained thoroughly before assembly. Spread the cooked filling on a paper towel for a minute before wrapping.
- Egg rolls are browning unevenly: The pan isn’t level or the oil depth is inconsistent. Make sure you have enough oil to reach at least halfway up the roll, and rotate them rather than just flipping once.
- Blue cheese disappeared into the beef: It melts fast. Add it last during assembly, on top of the beef, so it stays in a distinct pocket rather than blending into the meat before the wrapper seals.
Make-ahead notes
You can assemble the uncooked rolls up to 24 hours ahead — place them seam-side down on a parchment-lined tray, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Don’t stack them or the wrappers will stick together. For longer storage, freeze assembled rolls on the tray until solid (about 2 hours), then transfer to a zip bag; they keep for up to 2 months. Fry from frozen at the same temperature, adding about 90 seconds to the cook time and checking that the center is piping hot throughout. Already-fried rolls reheat best in a 375°F oven or air fryer for 5–6 minutes — microwaving makes the wrapper rubbery.
Amazing Bacon Blue Cheeseburger Egg Rolls
Ingredients
- 8 medium egg roll wrappers
- 4 slices bacon
- 1 cup red onions sliced
- ½ cup blue cheese crumbled
- 1 small bottle olive oil
- ⅛ cup water to help shape the egg rolls
For The Beef:
- 1 cup ground beef lean
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon Montreal Steak Seasoning
- ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Mix together all of the ingredients for the beef. Set aside.
- Cook bacon over medium heat. Remove from the pan and drain off excess fat.
- Heat some olive oil and sauté onions until lightly browned. Remove onions from the pan and set aside.
- Cook the ground beef and drain off excess fat. Chop bacon into small pieces and add back to the beef along with the cooked onions.
To Assemble The Egg Rolls:
- Lay one egg roll wrapper in front of you, so it is in a diamond shape.
- Put about 1 tablespoon of the beef mixture near the center of the diamond, but slightly closer to the corner nearest you. Add a few onions and a bit of blue cheese on top of the beef.
- Line the outside edges of the wrapper with water. Fold the bottom corner nearest you over the filling. Gently press and seal around the filling. Fold the left and right corners of the wrapper towards the middle. Roll the wrapper forward, ensuring that the filling is firm and fully sealed inside.
- Add olive oil to a pan, ensuring that you have enough oil to cover at least half of the egg roll. The amount of oil will depend on the size of your pan. Heat the oil to between 320°F and 340°F. Cook each roll for about 45 seconds, flipping halfway or until golden brown. Drain excess oil on a paper towel.
- Serve immediately with your favorite condiment. Sriracha, ketchup, mustard, and sweet chili Thai sauce all work great.
Nutrition
Your questions, answered
How do I know the ground beef is fully cooked inside the egg roll?
The beef needs to reach 160°F (71°C) internal temperature — use an instant-read thermometer inserted through the end of the roll into the center of the filling. Because the beef is pre-cooked and drained before wrapping, this is mostly about confirming the center is hot through, not raw.
Can I bake these instead of frying?
Yes, though the wrapper won’t get as uniformly crisp. Brush assembled rolls lightly with oil and bake at 400°F for 15–18 minutes, flipping once halfway through. An air fryer at 390°F for 10–12 minutes gets closer to the fried result.
How many rolls do I need per person if I’m serving these as an appetizer at a cookout?
Plan on 2 rolls per person as an appetizer alongside other food, or 3–4 if they’re the main event. The recipe scales cleanly — just keep your batches small when frying so the oil temperature stays steady.
What dipping sauces work best with the blue cheese flavor?
Buffalo sauce or sriracha cuts through the richness of the blue cheese well. Sweet chili Thai sauce is a good contrast if your crowd finds blue cheese intense on its own.
Can I use turkey or chicken instead of beef?
Yes, but ground poultry must be cooked to 165°F (74°C) internal temperature — no pink at all. Ground turkey is leaner than beef, so drain it carefully and consider adding an extra splash of Worcestershire sauce to keep the flavor from tasting flat.
More burger recipes to try
- Perfect Bacon Double Cheeseburger
- Angus Bacon Guacamole Burger
- Five Guys Bacon Cheeseburger
- Ultimate Avocado Bacon Smash Burger