Lumpiang Shanghai (Filipino Springrolls)

Lumpia is a crispy Filipino spring roll made with ground pork, shrimp, and minced veggies. Served with a side of dipping sauce, these spring rolls are an absolute crowd pleaser for your next meal or potluck.

What is lumpia?

Lumpiang shanghai or lumpia, for short, is a Filipino springroll made with primarily pork, shrimp, minced veggies, and seasonings. It’s one of the many dishes influenced by Chinese settlers in the Philippines.

While very similar to egg rolls, lumpia utilizes not only a different filling, but the pastry used for wrapping is also thinner, and almost crepe-like. The resulting spring roll is light and crispy, perfect for encasing the juicy pork filling inside.

It’s also typically served with a sauce of some sort. My personal favorite is a sweet chilli sauce, which you can either purchase from the grocery store or make your own at home. Some also like dipping theirs in vinegar-based sauces, or even banana ketchup.

Lumpia is almost always guaranteed to be at any Filipino gathering since they’re small, crispy, and overall a crowd pleaser. I’ve honestly had way too much of these growing up, and I’d groan at the sight of seeing them everywhere! Now that I’m older, and after seeing all the time and care it takes to make these spring rolls, I’ve learned to appreciate them a bit more and it’s become one of my go-to items to bring for potlucks.

This recipe makes approximately 70-75 spring rolls, so you’ll be covered if you plan on bringing this to your get-togethers. If not, simply pop the rest into your freezer and you can conveniently fry it whenever you get a craving for future eats.

Lumpia Variations

Lumpia is an umbrella term for many variations of spring rolls in the Philippines. That’s why, technically, it’s more appropriate to call this particular recipe lumpiang shanghai. Despite the name, this version of lumpia did not originate from the city of Shanghai, but it was rather thought to have been named after it.

Other versions you’ll most commonly find in the Philippines include:

• Dynamite Lumpia (dinamita): These are chili peppers stuffed with ground meat and cheese, all rolled into a lumpia wrapper to resemble a dynamite stick. Serve this one in particular with beer or some other fizzy drink for a great appetizer.
• Fresh Lumpia (lumpiang sariwa): Like the name suggests, this version of lumpia doesn’t require deep frying at all. Sautéd vegetables and meat/seafood are encased in a Filipino-style crepe, and it’s typically accompanied with a thick, peanut based sauce for dipping.
• Banana Lumpia (turon): A sub-variant of lumpia, turon consists of Filipino bananas and jackfruit that are rolled in brown sugar, wrapped in lumpia wrapping, and deep fried until golden and caramelized. It’s a delicious snack or dessert, and so dangerous since I can probably eat 10 of these in one sitting.

How to Roll Lumpia

If you’re not already familiar with how to roll spring rolls, it’s becomes very easy after some repetition:

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine together all the ingredients for the filling. Take a teaspoon of the filling and microwave for about 20-30 seconds until fully cooked-through and give it a taste. Adjust and season the filling to your preference, if desired.

To roll (visual instructions are above), add about 1 tablespoon of the filling onto your spring roll wrapper and shape it into a log. Fold the bottom corner upwards to cover filling, then fold the left and right-hand corners to the center.

To finish, tightly roll upwards, making sure to keep the lumpia tight and cylindrical so it doesn’t unravel. At about 1-2 inches from the top, spread a small amount of the cornstarch-water mixture to help seal the lumpia. Continue this same process for the rest of the remaining filling.

Fry the lumpia in batches for about 5-6 minutes, or until the filling is fully cooked-through and the outside is golden.

Let cool on a wire rack. Enjoy with a side of sweet chili sauce.

Freezing Lumpia

Lumpia freezes incredibly well. My family would make lumpia in batches and simply freeze the rest to fry for later.

To freeze, you can either place them in an airtight container or inside large Ziploc bags. They keep for about 3-4 months!

To fry from frozen, there’s no need to defrost. Simply just pop them in the hot oil and fry until the filling is cooked and the outside is golden.

Final Tips

• Taste your filling before wrapping: After mixing all the ingredients for your filling, take about a teaspoon and microwave it for about 20-30 seconds or until cooked-through in a bowl. Give it a taste, and adjust accordingly with either more salt, pepper, or other seasonings to your preference.
• Keep your spring roll wrappers covered: While rolling, I like to keep a damp paper towel over the stack of wrappers to prevent them from drying out. The towel helps keep their moisture, since the wrappers tend to become brittle and difficult to roll when dry.
• Maximize crispiness: To ensure your lumpia remains crispy, fry them in batches to prevent your oil temperature from dropping (I usually go around the 350-375 F mark). Drain the lumpia on a wire rack (instead of paper towels) to prevent them from going soggy when cooling as well.

Other recipes you might love:

• Crab Rangoon
• Tofu Cabbage Rolls
• Shrimp Toast
• Fish Sauce Chicken Wings