Voodoo Egg Rolls
These Voodoo Egg Rolls are a crunchy, golden appetizer packed with a creamy, spicy Cajun filling of crawfish, smoky andouille sausage, bell peppers, and melty cheese. A fun mashup of Louisiana flavors and the classic Chinese takeout shape, they deliver big flavor in every handheld bite and disappear in minutes at any party.
Equipment
- Large skillet For cooking the filling
- Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot For frying
- Deep fry thermometer Clip-on style recommended
- Spider strainer or tongs For lifting the egg rolls
- Wire cooling rack Set over a baking sheet
- Rimmed baking sheet For the cooled filling and rolled egg rolls
- Small bowl and pastry brush For the egg wash
- Cutting board and sharp knife
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cooked crawfish tail meat 340g, thawed, drained, and roughly chopped
- 8 ounces andouille sausage 225g, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 28g
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper about 75g, finely diced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper about 75g, finely diced
- 1/2 cup red onion about 75g, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 cup heavy cream 120ml
- 1 cup Colby Jack cheese shredded, about 115g
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded, about 115g
- 12 egg roll wrappers
- 1 large egg beaten, for the egg wash
- 1 tablespoon water mixed into the egg wash
- 6 cups peanut oil or another neutral high-heat oil, for frying
Instructions
- Finely dice the bell peppers, red onion, and andouille; mince the garlic; drain, pat dry, and roughly chop the crawfish; and shred the cheeses.
- Cook the diced andouille in a large skillet over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until browned, leaving the flavorful fat in the pan.
- Melt the butter into the sausage, then cook the bell peppers and onion for 4 to 5 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add the crawfish, Creole seasoning, smoked paprika, and cayenne, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes until warmed through and coated in the spices.
- Pour in the heavy cream and simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes until thickened and clinging to the filling, then remove from the heat.
- Let the filling rest 2 minutes, fold in both cheeses, then spread on a baking sheet and cool at least 20 minutes (or chill 10 minutes) until thick enough to scoop.
- Whisk the egg and water for the egg wash. Lay a wrapper in a diamond shape, add about 1/3 cup filling, fold the bottom corner up and tuck, fold in the sides, brush the top corner with egg wash, and roll tightly to seal. Repeat with the rest.
- Pour about 2 inches of peanut oil into a Dutch oven, clip on a thermometer, and heat over medium to medium-high until the oil reaches 350°F.
- Lower 3 or 4 egg rolls into the 350°F oil and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally, until deep golden and blistered. Let the oil return to 350°F between batches.
- Drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet, rest 3 to 5 minutes since the center is very hot, and serve warm, halved on the diagonal if desired.
Notes
- Cool the filling completely before rolling; warm filling steams the wrapper from the inside and causes tears and leaks.
- Dice everything small (about pea-sized) so chunks do not poke through the wrapper and rolling stays easy.
- Roll tightly and seal the final corner firmly with egg wash so the rolls do not open in the oil.
- Keep the oil close to 350°F and fry in small batches of 3 or 4 so the temperature stays steady and the rolls stay crisp, not greasy.
- Keep unused wrappers covered with a damp towel so they do not dry out and crack while you roll.
- Make-ahead: the filling can be cooked and chilled in an airtight container for up to 2 days; cold filling is actually easier to scoop and roll.
- Variations: swap crawfish for chopped cooked shrimp, lump crab, or shredded chicken; use Pepper Jack for extra heat; add 1/2 cup finely diced celery; bake at 400°F for 18 to 22 minutes or air fry at 375°F for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping once.
- Storage: refrigerate cooled egg rolls in an airtight container up to 3 days; freeze cooked rolls up to 2 months, or freeze rolled unfried rolls and fry straight from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes.
- Reheat in the oven at 375°F for 10 to 12 minutes on a wire rack or in the air fryer at 350°F for 4 to 6 minutes; avoid the microwave, which makes the wrapper soft and chewy.
- Adjust the heat: start with the cayenne listed for medium Cajun warmth, then add more next time if you like it hotter.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Egg RollCalories: 340kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 17gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 760mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2g
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