Shrimp spring rolls inspired these crunchy dinner bowls

Every time I eat a spring roll I swoon over the savory filling, wishing I could make a whole meal of it. But there is only so much you can pack into one of those wrappers, so I decided to un-stuff it, turning the filling into this bountiful bowl and the wrappers into a crispy topper.

There are countless possibilities for spring roll stuffing - here I went with sauté of shredded Napa cabbage and carrot, cooked until just tender with plump shrimp and bits of Canadian bacon. It's a satisfying, vegetable-forward combo, and the interplay of shellfish with a little pork is always a win as far as I am concerned.

That said, there is plenty of room to make it your own: You could skip the bacon all together or use turkey bacon; sub in marinated tofu for the shrimp; and swap in regular green cabbage and thinly sliced bell pepper for the vegetables, for example. Seasoned with fresh ginger, garlic, scallion and soy sauce, along with hints of sesame oil, rice vinegar and crushed red pepper flakes, the result serves up like a cross between a warm, fragrant slaw and a colorful stir-fry.

Crisped wrappers crushed on top add a shattering crunch and drive home the spring roll vibe. To make those you simply brush wonton wrappers with a little oil, sprinkle them with salt and bake until they're crisp and browned. (You can use spring roll wrappers instead, but wonton wrappers are more commonly found in regular grocery stores.) They take all of 8 minutes to cook, so the whole meal is an easy weeknight endeavor, but you can also make the wonton crisps a couple of days ahead and have them on hand for extra convenience. Crushed on top of the heaping bowl of sesame- and ginger- scented "filling," it's a meal that certainly made my spring roll wishes come true.

Total time: 30 minutes

Serves 4.

This recipe turns the savory filling and crispy crunch of a spring roll into a bountiful meal in a bowl. The warm, slaw-like saute of shredded napa cabbage and carrot, cooked until just tender, with plump shrimp and bits of Canadian bacon, is fragrant with sesame and ginger. There's plenty of room to make it your own: You could skip the bacon or use turkey bacon; sub in marinated tofu for the shrimp; and swap in regular green cabbage and thinly sliced bell pepper for the vegetables, for example. Topped with crushed crispy, baked wonton wrappers, it's a vegetable-forward, protein-rich meal with enticing spring roll vibes.

Note: To expedite the recipe, prep some of your ingredients below while the wonton wrappers are toasting.

Make ahead: The wonton chips can be baked and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Where to buy: Wonton wrappers can be found at well-stocked supermarkets or Asian markets.

• 8 square wonton wrappers

• 3 tbsp. neutral oil, such as avocado or canola, divided

• 1 pinch of fine salt

• 2 slices (2 1/2 oz.) Canadian bacon, diced, optional

• 3 scallions, thinly sliced (1/2 c.)

• 1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger

• 3 cloves garlic, minced or finely grated

• 1 lb. medium shrimp, cleaned, deveined and tails removed (26 to 30 count)

• 6 c. (1 lb.) sliced Napa cabbage

• 1 medium carrot, coarsely grated (1/3 c.)

• 1 tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce

• 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

• 1 tsp. rice vinegar

• 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, or more as needed

• 1/4 c. fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.

Place the wonton wrappers on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Brush both sides of each wrapper with oil, using 1 tablespoon of the neutral oil, then season with the salt. Toast for about 8 minutes, or until crisp and golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely in the baking sheet, then crush into large pieces with your hands.

In a very large nonstick skillet (14 inches or wider) over medium-high heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of the neutral oil until shimmering. Add the Canadian bacon, if using, and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the scallions, ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the shrimp and cook, stirring frequently, until they turn pink and are just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Add the cabbage and carrot and cook until the cabbage is slightly wilted but remains crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar and crushed red pepper flakes. Remove from the heat and toss in the cilantro.

Divide among four bowls, top with the crispy wonton pieces and serve.

Nutrition | 277 Calories Per serving: (about 1 1/2 cups): 17g Carbohydrates, 183mg Cholesterol, 13g Fat, 4g Fiber, 26g Protein, 1g Saturated Fat, 456mg Sodium, 5g Sugar