Cheeseburger Egg Rolls—an easy appetizer with juicy ground beef, sharp cheddar, and a crispy shell. A Cheesecake Factory-inspired treat perfect for game nights, family dinners, or any occasion that craves a fun twist!
It’s copycat month at the Plan to Eat blog! Truth be told, I had a hard time choosing a restaurant recipe to deconstruct, finally leaving it up to my teen. Let’s just say, he’s happy to have a freezer full of Cheeseburger Egg Rolls to enjoy after school for his “second lunch”. Also, these are way easier to make than what I originally planned: a 3-hour, 5-component, 21-ingredient, vegetarian extravaganza from one of our local spots that I can’t get out of my head…maybe another time?
So, here’s my take on the Cheesecake Factory favorite that brings the best of cheeseburgers and crispy egg rolls to your kitchen. Juicy ground beef seasoned with umami-packed flavors, mingling with sharp cheddar cheese, all wrapped up in a crispy crunchy egg roll wrapper. It’s a fun & tasty combo!
Whether you’re hosting a game night or watching the big game, having a laid-back family dinner, or a casual get-together with friends, these Cheeseburger Egg Rolls are a crowd-pleaser!
Ingredients for Your Shopping List
Substitutions appear in parentheses to help you tailor this recipe to your needs or personal taste.
- Avocado oil – (or vegetable oil) for sautéing the onion and garlic.
- Aromatics – yellow onion and fresh garlic.
- Ground beef – I prefer grass-fed, 93% lean. (Try it with ground turkey instead.)
- Umami builders – ketchup, coconut aminos (or low-sodium soy sauce), and Worcestershire sauce.
- Sharp cheddar cheese – shredded off the block for the best meltability. (Feel free to use American cheese or another type; also see Flavor Variations below.)
- Egg roll wrappers – like Nasoya (these usually come in 20 to a package). I haven’t tested this recipe with spring roll wrappers, which are thinner. Having used them for Vietnamese spring rolls, my experience is that they need to be fried soon after wrapping because they get soggy and fall apart if they sit too long.
- Beaten egg – used to seal the wrappers. (You can also use water.)
- Cooking spray or frying oil – this will depend on your cooking method. Cooking spray is great for air or oven frying.
- Dipping Sauce ingredients – mayonnaise, pickle relish (dill or sweet, your preference) ketchup, yellow mustard, lemon juice (or white vinegar), onion powder, and paprika.
Steps to Make Cheeseburger Egg Rolls
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you on your way.
- Sauté the aromatics – Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent, about 4 minutes.
- Brown the beef – Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the ground beef; break the meat into crumbles as it cooks.
- Complete the filling – When the meat is no longer pink and the moisture has boiled off, stir in the ketchup, coconut aminos and Worcestershire sauce. Cook together for another minute. Remove from the burner and stir in the shredded cheese.
- Roll the cheeseburger egg rolls – Place an egg roll wrapper on a flat surface with one corner facing you (like a diamond). Spoon 3 level tablespoons of the meat mixture onto the bottom half of the wrapper. Fold the bottom point up and over the filling, snugging the filling in. Fold the right and left side corners toward the center to create what now looks like an envelope. Brush some egg wash (or water) on the exposed area above the bundle. Roll the bundle tightly toward the top point to seal it up. Set aside and repeat.
- Cook the egg rolls – choose your preferred method to cook the egg rolls until they are hot and melty on the inside and crispy and golden brown on the outside.
- Make the dipping sauce – Combine the ingredients for the dipping sauce in a small bowl and serve on the side.
Cooking Methods
I tested the air fryer method using a countertop air fryer/toaster oven, starting with higher heat and shorter cooking time. However, lower heat and slightly longer cooking time had better results! With that said, results may vary depending on the style of air fryer you have, so please reference the instructions that came with your air fryer for brand-specific tips, or test-fry 1 or 2 egg rolls before forging ahead.
I did not test this recipe using a deep fryer. Needless to say, take extra caution when working with hot oil.
- Air fryer directions – Preheat an air fryer at 350°F. Brush the egg rolls with oil or spritz with cooking spray. Air fry for 7 to 8 minutes on each side.
- Oven directions – Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush the egg rolls with oil or spritz with cooking spray. Bake on a sheet pan for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Pan fry directions – Heat about 1/2-inch of oil in a skillet over medium heat. When hot, add a few egg rolls to the pan without overcrowding. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Recipe Tips For Satisfyingly Crispy Cheeseburger Egg Rolls
- Grab your largest skillet – Use a large skillet to brown the meat. This allows excess moisture to evaporate. The pan should be mostly dry when you add the ketchup, coconut aminos, and Worcestershire to cook during the last minute. If there’s still excess moisture after the beef is completely cooked, drain off the excess before adding in the umami-building ingredients.
- No dry egg roll wrappers – To keep egg roll wrappers moist and pliable, don’t open the package until you are ready to roll. Keep the stack of wrappers under a damp towel for added insurance.
- Give them space – When placing egg rolls in the air fryer basket, allow for a bit of space in between so hot air can circulate all around them. The same applies to oven frying. You can place a wire rack inside your baking sheet to elevate the egg rolls, but I find the heat of the baking sheet does a decent job of toasting and browning the underside.
Flavor Variations
Want to add your own spin to this copycat version? Here are a few ideas to kickstart your creativity…
- Bacon & Blue – Add chopped crispy bacon and use blue cheese crumbles instead of cheddar.
- Mushroom & Swiss – Add chopped sautéed mushrooms and use shredded Swiss cheese instead.
- Veggie Burger – Sub in a plant-based ground beef alternative.
- BBQ Burger – Sub in BBQ sauce for the ketchup, coconut aminos and Worcestershire in the filling, and for the ketchup in the dipping sauce.
- California Burger – Use ground turkey instead of beef, add fresh diced tomatoes to the filling, and dunk them in guacamole.
- Burger Bowl – Make a chopped salad with crisp lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, and pickles; toss together with some dipping sauce. Top with a halved egg roll (or two) and extra cheese.
Storing and Reheating
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Store the dipping sauce in a separate container in the fridge. To freeze, arrange cooked egg rolls on a baking sheet and pop it in the freezer for an hour, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 2 to 3 months.
To reheat refrigerated cheeseburger egg rolls, bake for 6-7 minutes or air fry for 3-4 minutes at 375°F. To reheat frozen cheeseburger egg rolls, double those times but keep an eye on them!
Linda Feller has been a Plan to Eat superfan since 2013 and will gush about the app with anyone who expresses the least bit of interest. She is a recipe developer, food photographer and the gal behind Sip + Sanity, recipes for entertaining and celebrating.
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Cheeseburger Egg Rolls (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)
Cook Time will vary based on the method you choose: air fryer, oven fry, or pan fry. Given differences between air fryer styles and brands, you may also need to make adjustments to the temperature or time.
Source: Sip + Sanity | Linda Feller for Plan to Eat
Course: Snacks and Sandwiches
Prep Time: 20 min
Cook Time: 30 min
Total Time: 50 min
Yield: 20 egg rolls
Serves:
Ingredients
- Cheeseburger Spring Rolls
- 2 tsp avocado oil or vegetable oil
- 1 small onion minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 lb grass-fed ground beef 93% lean
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos or low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 6 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 20 egg roll wrappers like Nasoya
- 1 large egg scrambled up in a bowl (or use water)
- cooking spray or frying oil
- Dipping Sauce
- 3⁄4 cup light mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp pickle relish dill or sweet, your preference
- 2 tbsp ketchup
- 2 tsp yellow mustard
- 1 to 2 tsp lemon juice or white vinegar (to taste, depends what type of pickle relish you choose)
- 1⁄2 tsp onion powder
- 1⁄2 tsp paprika
Directions
- Mise en Place: Mince the onion and garlic, shred the cheese, whisk the egg in a small bowl, and squeeze some lemon juice. Grab a large skillet, measuring cup, measuring spoons and a bowl for the dipping sauce. Arrange all other ingredients near your workspace.
- Heat oil in large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook until the onions are soft and translucent.
- Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the ground beef; break the meat into crumbles as it cooks. When the meat is no longer pink, stir in the ketchup, coconut aminos and Worcestershire sauce. Cook together for another minute. Remove from the burner and stir in the shredded cheese.
- Place an egg roll wrapper on a clean work surface with one corner facing you (like a diamond). Spoon 3 level tbsp of the meat mixture onto the bottom half of the wrapper. Fold the bottom point up and over the filling. Fold the right point over toward the left; fold the left point over toward the right to create what now looks like an envelope. Brush some egg wash (or water) on the exposed area above the bundle. Roll the bundle tightly toward the top point to seal it up. Set aside and repeat with the remaining filling.
- Air fryer directions: Preheat an air fryer at 350°F. Brush the egg rolls with oil or spritz with cooking spray. Air fry for 7 to 8 minutes on each side.
- Oven directions: Preheat oven to 400°F. Brush the egg rolls with oil or spritz with cooking spray. Bake on sheet pan for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Pan fry directions: Heat about 1/2-inch of oil in skillet over medium heat. When hot, add a few egg rolls to the pan without overcrowding. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
- Combine the ingredients for the dipping sauce and serve on the side.
- Storing leftovers: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Store the dipping sauce in a separate container in the fridge. To freeze, arrange cooked egg rolls on a baking sheet and pop it in the freezer for an hour, then transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for 2 to 3 months.
- Reheating instructions: To reheat refrigerated cheeseburger egg rolls, bake for 6-7 minutes or air fry for 3-4 minutes at 375°F. To reheat frozen cheeseburger egg rolls, double those times but keep an eye on them!
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