Tex Mex Egg Rolls with Avocado Lime Crema

Have you ever been craving multiple different types of food at once? That’s what inspired me to cook this dish. I was in the mood for egg rolls, but also wanted some sort of Mexican, so I decided to combine them for a delicious and cheap snack! 

NOTE: I will be including the ingredients I used for the filling as “essential ingredients,” but everything is optional and to your own liking. This recipe makes about 10-13 egg rolls depending on how heavily you fill them. A serving is probably 3-4 egg rolls depending on your appetite and if you make them as an appetizer, size dish, or a main entree. 

Ingredients (Egg Rolls)

• 1 lb of Ground Beef
• 1 Packet of Taco Seasoning
• 1 Pack of Egg Roll Wraps 
• 1 Pack of Spanish Rice
• 1 Bag of Mexican Style Shredded Cheese
• 1 Can of Golden Sweet Whole Kernel Corn
• Tortilla Strips 

Ingredients (Avocado Lime Crema)

• Sour Cream
• 1 Avocado
• Lime Juice

Prices & Where I Got the Ingredients:

• Ground Beef → Walmart for $6.33
• Taco Seasoning → Walmart for $0.47
• Egg Roll Wraps → Walmart for $2.68 
• Spanish Rice → Walmart for $1.42
• Mexican Style Shredded Cheese → Walmart for $1.97
• Canned Golden Sweet Whole Kernel Corn → Walmart for $0.68
• Tortilla Strips → Walmart for $1.54
• Sour Cream → Walmart for $1.97
• Avocado → Walmart for $0.96
• Lime Juice → Walmart for $0.98 

Total cost for all ingredients (or about 10-13 egg rolls): $19.00

Total cost for one serving (or about 3-4 egg rolls): $4.75

Instructions:

1. First, gather all ingredients, as well as 2 pans and some paper towels. 

Cooking the Taco Meat

2. Set your stovetop to medium – high heat and place in your raw ground beef. 
3. Using a spatula, break down the large chunks of ground beef until all pieces are small and as evenly sized as possible.
4. Brown the meat (aka cook until there is no pink left in the ground beef).
5. Drain the liquid in the pan. 
6. Add ¾ cup of water to the drained meat, as well as the entire packet of taco seasoning. 
7.  Allow the beef to boil, then reduce to medium – low heat for 10 minutes and allow the beef to simmer. 

Making the Filling

8. Break down the large chunks of rice through the bag, and tear the bag about 2 inches in at the top.
9. Stand up the rice bag in the microwave, cooking for 90 seconds. 
10. Remove the rice from the microwave, and add all of the cooked rice to a large bowl. 
11. Open the canned corn and drain the liquid, add about half of the drained corn to the rice. 
12. Once the taco meat is done simmering, add all of it to the rice as well.
13. Add the cheese and tortilla strips to the mixture (however much you’d like of each), and stir, making sure all ingredients are evenly distributed in the filling.

Assemble the Egg Rolls

14. Get a small bowl of room temperature water.
15. On a plate, lay out a single egg roll wrap flat so that one point is facing you.
    1. The wrap should be a diamond shape, rather than a square. 
16. Using a spoon, scoop a small portion of the filling onto the flat egg roll wrap.
    1. You can use however much or little filling you prefer, but no more than the size of your palm once flattened.
17. Fold the pointed end closest to you over the filling, then tuck the sides in and continue rolling.
18. Once the other pointed end is overlapping the roll, dip your finger into the bowl of water and gently rub over the ends of the egg roll wrap.
    1. You’ll notice the wrap attaching to itself from the water.
19. Repeat steps 15 through 18 until you run out of filling.
    1. You will likely have leftover egg roll wraps. 

Cooking the Egg Rolls

Note: Hot oil can easily splash and cause severe burns, so exercise extra caution during the following steps.

20. Once you have your egg rolls prepared, set the stovetop to medium – high heat.
21. Grab your other pan and add vegetable oil to coat the bottom of it. 
22. Once the oil is beginning to bubble, using tongs, carefully place your egg rolls flat in the oil.
    1. Each side cooks quickly (under about a minute), so keep an eye on them. 
23. Flip your egg rolls after about 45 seconds and cook each side, making sure to get the ends as well. 
24. Once each egg roll is done, place them on a paper towel-lined plate.
    1. This will allow excess oil and grease to dry off. 
25. Repeat steps 22 through 24 for all the prepared egg rolls.

Making the Crema

26. Cut open your avocado, remove the pit, and mash it in a bowl.
27. Add about 2-3 spoonfuls of sour cream, to taste, to the mashed avocado. 
28. Add lime juice, again to taste, to the sour cream and avocado mixture. 

Enjoy!

29. Plate up your Tex Mex Egg Rolls and drizzle the Avocado Lime Crema over top. Garnish with extra tortilla strips and enjoy!