The Exact Difference Between Spring Rolls And Egg Rolls
You'll spot spring and egg rolls on the menus of countless restaurants around the world. The principle of each is similar: Filling that's bundled up in a wrapper to make a food roll. But if you have two plates in front of you, and one has spring rolls and the other egg rolls, you'll immediately spot a few differences. For one, the spring rolls will have a thinner wrapper than the egg rolls, with the latter giving you a heartier crunch. And typically, once you've taken a bite out of each one, spring rolls will have a more veggie-focused filling – despite some spring rolls also including meat from time to time. Egg rolls, on the other hand, should have a heartier portion of meat inside.
These are only the most glaring differences between them, though. The two recipes also differ in many other ways — not just in the ways that they're made, but also in their respective histories.
The history of the rolls
While both spring rolls and egg rolls are generally seen as Asian recipes, only one of them actually came from Asia — spring rolls. They've been around since as far back as the third century during the Jin Dynasty. Back then, they were made from a mixed filling of vegetables and minced meat wrapped up in a thin wheat-based wrapper. The recipe hasn't changed that much since then, only that spring rolls nowadays are usually wrapped with rice paper, instead. These rolls are usually cooked up and stacked on plates during the Chinese New Year feasts that mark the arrival of spring (hence the name "spring rolls.")
In contrast, egg rolls' origins are more recent — and a bit more mysterious. They are believed to have been created by Chinese immigrants in the United States who drew inspiration from traditional spring rolls. The exact origins of egg rolls are uncertain, with little evidence pinpointing the first recipe or creator. However, they first appeared on menus in the New York City area in the 1920s and 1930s. Unlike spring rolls, which were traditionally reserved for special occasions, egg rolls became known as a delectable everyday comfort food option.
Where spring and egg rolls differ
The most notable distinction between the two rolls is undoubtedly the wrapping material. Spring rolls, as previously mentioned, have remained largely unchanged in this regard for centuries, utilizing thin and translucent rice paper. When fried, the wrapper takes on a golden-brown hue and firms up slightly, resulting in a crunchy and crumbly outer shell.
There are also non-fried versions of spring rolls, known as summer rolls or gỏi cuốn in Vietnamese. Thanks to the sheerness of spring and summer rolls' rice paper, you can get a good glimpse at the filling inside. That's why from time to time, people also line the outside of the filling with cooked shrimp to add some color and intrigue to the rolls!
On the other hand, egg roll wrappers are thicker and made from wheat flour and fortified with cornstarch, which fries more effectively. (Despite their name, egg rolls don't actually use literal eggs as wrappers.) As mentioned earlier, while both types feature a vegetable filling comprising shredded cabbage, carrots, and mushrooms; egg rolls often boast a heartier filling, sometimes with a greater emphasis on cooked meat than spring rolls.