Lumpia (Filipino Spring Rolls)
Lumpia are the slim, shatter-crisp fried spring rolls that anchor every Filipino party table, filled here in the classic Shanghai style with garlicky ground pork, carrot, and green onion. Rolling them thin and tight — no wider than your thumb — is the secret: the raw pork filling cooks through in the same few minutes it takes the wrapper to blister deep golden, so you get juicy meat inside a wrapper that audibly crackles.
Mix 450 g (1 lb) ground pork with grated carrot, minced onion, green onion, garlic, soy sauce, one egg, salt, and pepper, then pan-fry a teaspoon of the mixture to taste-check the seasoning before you roll. Spread 2 level tablespoons of filling in a thin log across the lower third of a lumpia wrapper, fold the bottom corner over, tuck in the sides, and roll into a tight, slender cigar about thumb-thickness, sealing the tip with beaten egg. Deep-fry in 175 C (350 F) oil for 4-5 minutes until deep golden and cooked through to 71 C (160 F) inside, drain upright on a wire rack, snip each roll in half, and serve hot with sweet chili sauce or garlicky spiced vinegar.
- Roll thin and tight: 2 level tablespoons of filling per wrapper and no air pockets, so the pork cooks through before the wrapper over-browns and nothing bursts in the oil.
- Hold the oil between 165-175 C (330-350 F); cooler and the rolls soak up grease, hotter and the wrapper darkens before the center hits 71 C (160 F).
- Drain fried rolls upright on a wire rack, never flat on paper towels — trapped steam is what turns a crackly wrapper soggy.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Box grater
- Wok, Dutch oven, or heavy deep pot
- Deep-fry or instant-read thermometer
- Tongs or spider strainer
- Wire rack set over a sheet pan
- Small bowl and pastry brush for the egg seal
מצרכים
Pork filling
- 450 g ground pork, 80/20, not lean — the fat keeps the filling juicy
- 100 g carrot, finely grated, about 1 medium; squeeze out excess moisture
- yellow onion, finely minced
- green onions, thinly sliced
- garlic cloves, minced
- 30 ml soy sauce
- large egg
- 4 g fine salt
- 2 g ground black pepper
Wrapping
- lumpia or spring roll wrappers, 20 cm (8 in), thawed if frozen; keep the stack under a damp towel
- large egg, beaten with 1 tbsp water, for sealing
Frying and serving
- 1 L neutral oil (canola or vegetable), for deep-frying; amount varies with pot size
- 120 ml sweet chili sauce or spiced vinegar, for dipping
אופן ההכנה
- שלב01
Squeeze the grated carrot in your fist or a clean towel to wring out excess juice, then combine it in a large bowl with the ground pork, minced onion, green onions, garlic, soy sauce, egg, salt, and pepper. Stir vigorously in one direction with a fork or your hand for a minute or two until the mixture turns slightly sticky and cohesive — this helps the filling hold together in a neat log.
- שלב02
Flatten a teaspoon of filling and cook it in a small oiled skillet for about a minute per side. Taste and adjust the raw mixture with more salt, pepper, or soy sauce. This 3-minute check is the only way to season a raw pork filling with confidence.
- שלב03
Gently peel the wrappers apart one at a time — they tear if you rush — and restack them under a lightly damp kitchen towel so they stay pliable. Beat the second egg with 1 tablespoon of water in a small bowl and set it by your work surface with a pastry brush or your fingertip.
- שלב04
Lay a wrapper in front of you like a diamond. Spread 2 level tablespoons of filling into a thin log, about 12 cm (5 in) long, across the lower third. Fold the bottom corner up and over the filling, roll once to snug it, fold both side corners in like an envelope, then roll firmly to the top, brushing the last corner with egg wash to glue it shut. Aim for rolls no thicker than your thumb with no trapped air, and rest them seam-side down under a towel. Repeat with the remaining filling.
- שלב05
Pour 5 cm (2 in) of oil into a wok, Dutch oven, or deep heavy pot and heat over medium to 175 C (350 F) on a thermometer. While it heats, set a wire rack over a sheet pan next to the stove.
- שלב06
Slide in 6-7 rolls seam-side down and fry, turning occasionally with tongs, for 4-5 minutes until deep golden brown and blistered all over; a probe into the center should read 71 C (160 F). Keep the oil between 165-175 C (330-350 F), letting it recover between batches, and never crowd the pot — crowding drops the temperature and makes greasy lumpia.
- שלב07
Stand the fried rolls on the wire rack to drain and rest for 2 minutes — they crisp further as they cool slightly. Snip or slice each roll in half on the diagonal and pile them on a platter with sweet chili sauce or garlicky spiced vinegar for dipping. Serve hot; the crunch is at its peak in the first 20 minutes.
Make ahead
Roll the lumpia up to a day ahead and refrigerate in a single layer on a parchment-lined tray, lightly covered. For longer storage, freeze the raw rolls on the tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Fry straight from frozen — do not thaw, or the wrappers turn gummy — at 165 C (330 F), adding 2-3 minutes to the frying time.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover fried lumpia in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Re-crisp in a 200 C (400 F) oven or air fryer for 6-8 minutes until hot and crackly again; the microwave turns the wrapper leathery. Avoid holding raw rolled lumpia in the fridge for more than a day — the moist filling slowly softens the wrappers — and freeze them instead.
Variations
Pork and shrimp lumpia
Swap 150 g (1/3 lb) of the pork for finely chopped raw shrimp, a classic combination for fiestas and holidays. The shrimp adds sweetness and a bouncier bite; note this adds a Shellfish allergen.
Vegan lumpiang gulay
Saute 300 g shredded cabbage, 100 g grated carrot, 150 g mung bean sprouts, and 200 g crumbled firm tofu with garlic and 2 tablespoons soy sauce until just wilted, then cool completely and drain before rolling — a wet filling ruptures wrappers. Skip the egg and seal with a paste of 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water. Most spring roll pastry wrappers are egg-free, but check the label.
Air-fryer lumpia
Brush or spray the rolls generously with oil and air-fry at 190 C (375 F) for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and the pork reaches 71 C (160 F). The wrapper blisters a little less dramatically than deep-fried but stays impressively crisp with a fraction of the oil.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
שאלות נפוצות
What wrappers should I use for this lumpia recipe?
Look for thin, crepe-like wrappers labeled lumpia wrappers or spring roll pastry in the freezer aisle of an Asian market — they're what give lumpia their signature glassy, shattering crust. Thicker egg roll wrappers will work in a pinch, but they fry up bubbly and bready rather than delicately crisp, so it's worth seeking out the thin ones.
Can I freeze lumpia before frying?
Yes, and it's the best make-ahead move in any lumpia recipe: freeze the raw rolls in a single layer on a tray until solid, then bag them for up to 2 months. Fry them straight from frozen at 165 C (330 F), adding 2-3 minutes — thawing first makes the wrappers gummy and prone to tearing.
Why did my lumpia turn out greasy or burst open in the oil?
Greasy lumpia almost always mean the oil was too cool, usually from crowding the pot — fry in small batches and hold 165-175 C (330-350 F). Bursting comes from overfilling, loose rolling, or trapped air pockets that expand in hot oil; stick to 2 level tablespoons of filling, roll firmly against the filling as you go, and seal the final corner well with egg wash.
Is this the same as lumpiang Shanghai?
Yes — this fried, meat-filled style is called lumpiang Shanghai in the Philippines, and it's what most people mean when they search for a lumpia recipe. Lumpia is actually the umbrella term, which also covers fresh, unfried lumpiang sariwa and vegetable-filled lumpiang gulay.
How do I know the pork inside is fully cooked?
Keep the rolls slender — about thumb-thickness — and fry at 175 C (350 F) for 4-5 minutes until deep golden, which times out almost exactly with the pork reaching a safe 71 C (160 F). For peace of mind, probe one roll with an instant-read thermometer or cut a roll from your first batch in half; the filling should be uniformly opaque with no pink.
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