Cheeseburger Egg Rolls in Air Fryer

Name: Air Fryer Cheeseburger Egg Rolls
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1-2 tsp oil; ½ cup onion (diced); 16 oz ground beef; salt & pepper (to taste); 2 cloves garlic (minced); ½ cup pickles (chopped); 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese; 1 cup shredded lettuce; ½ cup chopped tomatoes; 16-20 egg roll wrappers; 1 egg, beaten ((for sealing)); ketchup; mustard; mayonnaise

posted by Alyssia Sheikh on April 20, 2022 (updated February 27, 2023)

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Air Fryer Cheeseburger Egg Rolls

How to Make Cheeseburger Egg Rolls in an Air Fryer

This cheeseburger egg rolls air fryer recipe is the REAL DEAL. Crunch into one of these meaty, cheesy delights, and you won’t believe they’re not deep-fried! Savory ground beef, cheddar cheese, sweet pickles, lettuce, and tomato—all wrapped into egg roll wrappers and air fried to a crave-able crisp. Learn how to make cheeseburger egg rolls in an air fryer in just 12 minutes!

I’ve heard about the cheeseburger egg rolls at Disney parks and Cheesecake Factory, but I’ve never tried them. Since they’re deep-fried, I’m guessing they’re pretty freaking tasty. Still, I have eaten my fair share of deep-fried restaurant egg rolls and, I’ve gotta say—these air fryer cheeseburger egg rolls are just as delicious! And you don’t even have to make a trip to Disney to enjoy them.

All the irresistible goodness of a cheeseburger, wrapped in a crispy egg roll “bun”—perfect for dipping into ketchup and mustard. Plus, they’re super easy to prepare. Just cook your cheeseburger mixture, roll into egg roll wrappers, pop into the air fryer, and that’s it! Learn how to make cheeseburger egg rolls in the air fryer for a sure-fire crowd favorite appetizer.

What are egg rolls?

Egg rolls (also known as eggrolls) are like deep-fried, savory pastries filled with meat and veggies. They’re wrapped in a sturdy dough made of flour, water, and eggs, which is perhaps how they got their name. Pork egg rolls with cabbage are a classic dish at American Chinese restaurants, served fried to a bubbly crisp. Of course, there are plenty of other egg roll fillings, like chicken, shrimp, even cheeseburger egg rolls!

What is the difference between egg rolls and spring rolls?

Typically, egg rolls are wrapped in a thicker, crunchier dough made with eggs, and they’re deep-fried. Spring rolls have a lighter, crisper texture since the dough contains no eggs. They’re sometimes served fried or baked, but they’re also served cold in a raw rice paper wrapper. (Check out my Cheeseburger Summer Rolls for a fun rice paper roll recipe!)

Can you air fry egg rolls at home?

Yes, you can air fry egg rolls for a simpler, healthier alternative to deep frying! Instead of hot oil, these air fryer cheeseburger egg rolls are cooked by the hot air circulating in the air fryer. And, thanks to the perforations in the air fryer basket, your air fryer egg rolls get perfectly crispy in a matter of minutes. (For more ideas, check out my Air Fryer Pork Egg Rolls and Buffalo Chicken Egg Rolls!)

How to Make Cheeseburger Egg Rolls in Air Fryer

Air Fryer Cheeseburger Egg Rolls Ingredients

Onion & Garlic. Aromatic vegetables like onion and garlic can add some tasty, savory flavor to your meat mixture. Of course, if you don’t have garlic or don’t like it, feel free to omit.
Beef. An essential ingredient for this cheeseburger egg rolls air fryer recipe! For an alternative to beef, you could just as easily make this recipe with ground chicken or turkey if preferred.
Pickles. The sweet, tangy goodness of pickles is iconic on a burger! I like to add chopped pickles to my cheeseburger mixture, but you can skip them if you’re not a fan.
Cheese. Some shredded cheddar cheese gives these air fryer egg rolls a true cheeseburger feel. You’re welcome to use a different variety of cheese if desired, or you can leave out the cheese and make hamburger egg rolls instead.
Lettuce & Tomato. A bit of refreshing lettuce and cool tomato completes the burger flair! Of course, leave out any of these burger ingredients that you don’t enjoy, and feel free to add any burger toppings that you do love.
Egg Roll Wrappers. You can find several brands of egg roll wrappers available in grocery stores—I used Dynasty Egg Roll/Spring Roll Wrappers and they worked perfectly. If you eat gluten free or have a gluten sensitivity, unfortunately I haven’t yet encountered a gluten free option.
Egg. To seal homemade egg rolls, brush some egg wash onto the inside and outside of the wrapper. If needed, you could also try other options for sealing, like using a mixture of cornstarch and water, or brushing oil onto your egg rolls.
Condiments. Like any burger, these air fryer cheeseburger egg rolls are best served with your favorite condiments! Ketchup, mustard, and mayo are my go-to’s, but use whichever you enjoy.

What is the wrap of egg rolls made of?

Made from scratch, egg rolls are wrapped in a dough made of flour, water, and eggs. For a simpler option, I use pre-made egg rolls wrappers, which are square sheets of dough cut to size for homemade egg rolls. These wrappers are typically made with flour, water, corn starch, oil—but ironically no eggs. For this cheeseburger egg rolls air fryer recipe, I used a brand called Dynasty Egg Roll Wrappers.

Cook ground beef and prepare cheeseburger egg roll filling mixture.

Once filling mixture has cooled, scoop onto egg roll wrapper and roll up tightly. Keep unused wrappers covered with a damp cloth to prevent drying out.

How to Make Cheeseburger Egg Rolls

Cook cheeseburger filling mixture. Saute onions, then add beef and cook through, seasoning to taste. Add garlic and pickles for flavor, then remove from heat. After cooling 10-20 minutes, stir in cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes.
Assemble egg rolls and wrap tightly, sealing with egg wash. Keep unused wrappers and completed rolls covered with damp cloths while you finish assembling. (Yields ~16 egg rolls.)
Cook cheeseburger egg rolls in air fryer for 10-12 minutes at 380°F (195°C), until browned and crispy. For the best texture, cook air fryer egg rolls in batches of 6-8 at a time.
Serve cheeseburger egg rolls with ketchup, mustard, mayo, or your favorite condiments.

How do you wrap and seal an egg roll?

Lay egg roll wrapper flat, so it’s oriented in a diamond shape.
Place 3 Tbsp of cheeseburger filling mixture near the top corner. Fold the top corner over the filling, and then press down the sides of the fold tightly.
Fold in the side corners tightly, keeping the mixture contained. Then begin rolling down towards the bottom corner, forming a cigar shape.
Before completing the roll, brush the remaining length of wrapper with egg wash, then continue rolling until sealed.
Finally, brush additional egg wash on the outer edge to seal.

How to wrap cheeseburger egg rolls for air fryer — Fold in corners of the wrapper, rolling tightly into a cigar shape and sealing with egg wash.

Cover assembled egg rolls with a damp cloth to prevent drying out.

How to Cook Egg Rolls in Air Fryer

Do you need to preheat an air fryer?

Just like an oven, you want the air fryer fully preheated before you start cooking, so the food cooks evenly. My air fryer automatically preheats after I set the temperature, and it has an indicator light that changes color when it’s ready to cook. Or, if your machine doesn’t automatically preheat, you can manually set the temperature and wait at least 3-5 minutes.

Can you use cooking spray or PAM in an air fryer?

Yes, you can use some types of cooking sprays in an air fryer. However, typical aerosol sprays (like PAM) are not ideal—the harsh propellants may damage the coating in your air fryer basket. Instead, fill your own oil mister bottle, or use a propellant-free spray with 100% oil. I use a 100% avocado oil spray for this cheeseburger egg rolls air fryer recipe and it works great!

How do you make homemade egg rolls crispy?

When making an air fryer egg rolls recipe, cook in smaller batches of 6-8 at a time. With some space between them in the air fryer, the heat can circulate better so they’ll turn out crispier. Also, brush a bit of oil or spray the tops of your cheeseburger egg rolls with cooking spray before closing the air fryer to cook. This will also help them get browner and crispier!

Spray basket with cooking spray, then add 6-8 air fryer egg rolls. Spray tops of rolls with cooking spray before closing air fryer.

Cook cheeseburger egg rolls in air fryer at 380°F (195°C) for 10-12 minutes.

When browned and crispy, carefully remove from air fryer. Allow to cool briefly then enjoy immediately!

How Long to Air Fry Egg Rolls

In my experience, the best air fryer egg rolls time and temp is 10-12 minutes at 380°F (195°C). You don’t even need to flip them halfway through! But, it’s a good idea check on them in the last 1-2 minutes to make sure they’re not browning too much. Be careful: these air fryer cheeseburger egg rolls are very hot fresh out of the air fryer. After giving them a minute to cool, enoy immediately!

Can I reheat these cheeseburger egg rolls in the air fryer?

If you end up with leftover air fryer egg rolls, the air fryer is the best way to reheat them. Store leftovers in the fridge for a few days as needed. (Storing longer than this can lead to soggier egg rolls.) Then, you can reheat at 350° (180°) in your air fryer (or oven or toaster oven) for 3-5 minutes. When they’ve crisped back up to your liking, they’re ready!