These crispy fried egg rolls with a collard green and cream cheese filling are a delicious way to recycle your leftover cooked collard greens.
I normally prepare an overabundance of collard greens during the holidays so I can use the leftovers in this recipe. These egg rolls are always a welcomed dinner or appetizer for collard lovers… they’re a true southern delicacy!
Ingredients for Collard Green Egg Rolls
- Cooked collard greens (with or without pork)
- Cream cheese – Increase the amount of cream cheese for a creamier consistency, if desired
- Egg roll wrappers
- Beaten egg
- Peanut oil
- Sweet chili sauce (or sauce of your choice), for dipping
Tips for Preparing Collard Egg Rolls
- Drain off as much of the pot liquor from the collards as possible – I drain the collards in a colander and press with the back of a spatula.
- Work with egg roll wrappers one at a time. Place a dampened paper towel over egg rolls while the oil is heating to prevent them from drying out.
Enjoy!
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Collard Green Egg Rolls
- Total Time: 26 minutes
- Yield: 7 egg rolls
Description
Crispy fried egg rolls filled with a collard green and cream cheese filling – A delicious way to recycle your leftover cooked collard greens!
Ingredients
- 2 cups very well drained fully cooked collard greens (cooked with pork, if desired)
- 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 7 egg roll wrappers
- 1 egg, beaten
- Peanut oil, for frying
- Sweet chili sauce (or sauce of your choice), for dipping
Instructions
- Stir together collard greens and cream cheese in a medium bowl until combined. Set aside.
- Place an egg roll wrapper on a clean, dry surface with a corner pointed towards you (work with one egg roll wrapper at a time).
- Place ¼ cup of collard greens mixture onto the bottom third of the wrapper.
- Brush beaten egg over outer edges of wrapper.
- Roll the corner pointed towards you over the filling. Fold left and right corners towards the center and roll over tightly.
- Repeat with the remaining wrappers and collard mixture. Cover egg rolls with a dampened paper towel to prevent from drying out while oil is heating.
- Pour 2 to 3 inches of peanut oil in a stock pot or deep fryer and heat to 350 degrees F over medium high heat.
- Carefully fry egg rolls in batches (3 to 4 at a time) for approximately 3 minutes, or until a deep golden brown color all over. Using tongs, carefully turn egg rolls a few times during frying.
- Remove from oil and place on a baking rack over a rimmed baking sheet or a plate lined with paper towels.
- Serve with sweet chili sauce (or your favorite dipping sauce).
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Fry
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: collard egg rolls, collard green egg roll recipe
Originally published February 2012. Updated with new photographs, recipe revised and republished December 8, 2019.
I used frozen collards when I did mine. They were absolutely amazing.
Thank you for sharing, Katrina! So glad you enjoyed the egg rolls! 🙂
gonna try this. has anyone tried baking instead of frying?
Hi, I’ve never personally baked these so I can’t give any advice with 100% certainty. Let us know how it turns out if you try it!
Can I use canned greens?
Hi Rolanda, I’ve never used canned greens in this recipe so I can’t say with 100% certainty, but I definitely wouldn’t hesitate to try it! Be sure to drain them well and let us know how it turns out for you. Hope you enjoy the egg rolls!
Rolanda, I modified the recipe to be able to use canned greens and they came out amazing. I added diced country ham to mine and paired it with sweet chili sauce. I also made diced sweet potatoes and candied pecan egg rolls to go with it!
where can i find the egg roll wraps?
Hi Michael, I always find them in the produce section. Hope you enjoy them! 🙂
Oh Amy! I can’t wait to try this! I love eggrolls & I love collards, but have never thought of anything like this! You are so very creative! And your Mama’s collards are beautiful! She certainly does have a green thumb! I’m like you….everything I try to grow turns out horrible. I’m gonna have to cook these for some get together and can’t wait until I’m asked where I got the recipe!!!!
Thanks so much! I was so skeptical at first but these are amazing! 🙂
Holy Cow! I grew up in Morehead City and was just surfing the ‘net looking for something different for a friend’s dinner party! Gotta try these!
Hi Tom! I live in Morehead…small world! Hope you enjoy them! 🙂
Oh my I found this recipe and I can’t wait to try it for our christmas party pray it turns out I am also from a little town called Otway just past Beaufort , N.C
Hi Nancy, hope you enjoy them! I totally need to update the photos on this recipe. I grew up in Beaufort, my parents now live in Williston! 🙂
Wow just tried these at our Christmas party and they were hit of the party keep posting recipes like this I loved hearing the compliments only cooking think I will try some bacon bits in it next time just a thought
★★★★★
Thanks so much, Nancy… so happy to hear everyone enjoyed them. Merry Christmas! 🙂
Amy, These look absolutely delicious. I am used to eating collards in NC, but in Alabama, everyone eats turnip greens, which are okay, but still not as good as collards. I have never been able to eat the traditional egg rolls, but I can tell, just by the picture that these are going to taste yummy. Now I just have to track down some collards, surely somebody around here eats them. If I can’t find collards, I may substitute turnip greens. I’ll let you know how they turn out. Good job you’re doing here, everything looks great! Your fan, Sonjia P.
Amy, these look awesome! I love any type of greens. Being from NC, greens are a definite must. Seeing this gives me an idea of going a little Greek. Thanks for the inspiration. Can’t wait to try this one!
OMG – these look wonderful! I will definitely be making this dish soon. Thanks for being the brave food-tester. 🙂
Thanks Shari! I hope you enjoy it! 🙂
Yummy ! Awesome looking recipe !
Thank you! Had fun with it! Still wiping my brow over not screwing up a good mess of collards! LOL
Sounds awesome! I’d never have thought of adding the cream cheese but that is awesome. Sriracha sauce (we call it rooster sauce) was a great idea!
I’ve made BBQ egg rolls and they are awesome but collards? I can’t wait!
Thanks Al! I’d love to try your BBQ egg rolls! The sriracha was a last-minute thought but really was good! I was worried about that too! 🙂
I will have to try this.. Looks very good !!!!
Thanks Tabatha! Sounds crazy I know but you should try them! 🙂 I hope Billy likes them too!