Lumpia Shanghai (Filipino Pork Spring Rolls)
No Filipino party table is complete without a big platter of lumpia shanghai. These are slim, cigar-shaped spring rolls with a savoury ground pork filling, fried until the wrapper shatters when you bite it. The filling takes 10 minutes to mix. Rolling 40 of them takes longer, so put on some music or get the family to help, and freeze whatever you don't fry today.
By Mei Lin Tan
Published
- Prep Time
- 45 mins
- Cook Time
- 20 mins
- Total Time
- 1 hr 5 mins
- Servings
- 40 rolls
How do you make Lumpia Shanghai (Filipino Pork Spring Rolls)?
To make lumpia shanghai, mix 500 g ground pork with grated carrot, onion, garlic, green onions, water chestnuts, an egg, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Roll a thin log of filling in each half spring roll wrapper and seal with water. Fry at 175°C (350°F) for 4-5 minutes until deep golden and the filling reaches 71°C (160°F). Serve hot with sweet chilli sauce.
- Total time
- 1 hr 5 mins
- Calories
- 370 per serving
- Protein
- 14 g
- Yield
- 40 rolls
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Method
- Deep-frying
Ingredients
Filling
Wrapping and frying
Equipment
Large mixing bowl · Box grater · Heavy pot or deep skillet · Deep-fry or instant-read thermometer · Slotted spoon or spider · Wire rack set over a tray
Quick Directions
Mix the filling
Mix the pork, vegetables, egg and seasonings; fry a little to taste.
Prepare the wrappers
Separate the wrappers, cut them in half and keep them covered.
Roll the lumpia
Roll a thin log of filling tightly in each wrapper and seal with water.
Heat the oil
Heat the oil to 175°C (350°F).
Fry in batches
Fry 4-5 minutes per batch until golden and the filling reaches 71°C (160°F).
Serve
Serve hot with sweet chilli sauce or banana ketchup.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these detailed steps to make the perfect lumpia shanghai (filipino pork spring rolls).
Mix the filling
Squeeze the grated carrot in a clean tea towel to remove excess juice. Put it in a large bowl with the pork, onion, garlic, green onions, water chestnuts, egg, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Mix with your hands or a spoon until evenly combined and slightly sticky. To check the seasoning, fry a teaspoon of the filling in a small pan until cooked through, taste, and adjust.
Prepare the wrappers
Peel the wrappers apart carefully, then cut the stack in half to make 40 rectangles. Keep them covered with a damp tea towel while you work, because they dry out and crack quickly.
Roll the lumpia
Lay one wrapper with a long side facing you. Spread a heaping tablespoon of filling in a thin, even log along that edge, stopping about 1 cm from each end. Roll it up tightly, pressing out any air as you go. Brush the far edge with a little water and press to seal. Set it seam side down on a tray and repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
Heat the oil
Pour the oil into a heavy pot or deep skillet to a depth of at least 3 cm and heat it over medium heat to 175°C (350°F). If you don't have a thermometer, a cube of bread should turn golden in about 30 seconds.
Fry in batches
Fry 6-8 rolls at a time, turning occasionally, for 4-5 minutes until deep golden and crisp all over. Cut one open from the first batch: the filling should be cooked through with no pink, and read 71°C (160°F) on an instant-read thermometer. Lift the rolls onto a wire rack to drain, and let the oil come back to temperature between batches.
Serve
Serve the lumpia whole or cut in half on the diagonal, while they are hot and crackly, with sweet chilli sauce or banana ketchup for dipping.
Recipe Tips
- Keep the rolls thin, about the width of a finger. Thin lumpia fry quickly, so the wrapper turns crisp at the same time the filling cooks through.
- Squeezing the carrot dry stops the filling from leaking moisture into the wrapper, which causes soft, oily rolls.
- Lumpia wrappers are paper-thin and sold frozen. Thicker egg roll wrappers work, but the rolls will be chewier and less crackly.
- Drain the rolls on a wire rack rather than paper towels. They stay crisp underneath instead of steaming.
Variations
- Air fryer lumpia: brush or spray the rolls with oil and cook at 200°C (400°F) for 10-12 minutes, turning halfway, until golden and the filling reaches 71°C (160°F).
- Use half ground pork and half finely chopped raw shrimp for a lighter, sweeter filling.
- Swap the pork for ground chicken and cook until the filling reaches 74°C (165°F).
- Serve with a garlic vinegar dip: 1/4 cup cane or white vinegar, 1 minced garlic clove, a pinch of salt and pepper, and sliced chilli.
Nutrition (per serving)
| Calories | 370 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 14 g |
| Carbs | 22 g |
| Fat | 24 g |
| Saturated fat | 6 g |
| Fibre | 1.5 g |
| Sugar | 2 g |
| Sodium | 510 mg |
Estimated from the listed ingredients; values vary by brand.
Related Recipes
Storing & Reheating
- Fridge
- Keep fried lumpia in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Uncooked rolls can be covered and chilled for up to 1 day before frying.
- Freezer
- Freeze uncooked rolls in a single layer on a tray until firm, then bag them for up to 3 months. Fry straight from frozen at 175°C (350°F), adding 2-3 minutes, until the filling reaches 71°C (160°F).
- Reheat
- Reheat fried lumpia in a 200°C (400°F) oven or air fryer for 5-8 minutes until crisp and hot all the way through. The microwave makes them soft.
Lumpia Shanghai (Filipino Pork Spring Rolls) FAQs
What is the difference between lumpia shanghai and egg rolls?
Lumpia shanghai are much thinner, rolled in paper-thin spring roll wrappers with a raw ground pork filling that cooks as they fry. Egg rolls use thicker, bubbly wrappers and usually a cooked cabbage-heavy filling, so they are fatter and chewier.
Can I make lumpia ahead and freeze them?
Yes, and many Filipino families always keep a bag in the freezer. Freeze the rolls uncooked on a tray, then bag them for up to 3 months, and fry from frozen with 2-3 extra minutes.
Can I bake or air fry lumpia shanghai?
Yes. Brush them with oil and air fry at 200°C (400°F) for 10-12 minutes, or bake on a rack at 220°C (425°F) for 18-20 minutes, turning once, until the filling reaches 71°C (160°F). They are crisp but less blistered than deep-fried lumpia.
What sauce do you serve with lumpia shanghai?
Sweet chilli sauce is the most common dip. Banana ketchup is a favourite in many Filipino homes, and a sharp garlic vinegar dip cuts through the richness of the pork.
Disclaimer
- Nutrition information is an estimate based on the listed ingredients. It changes with the brands, portion sizes and swaps you use.
- Read ingredient labels for allergens and for diet claims such as gluten-free or vegan. Products and their ingredients can change.
- Cooking times are a guide, since ovens, air fryers and slow cookers all run differently. Use a food thermometer and cook meat, poultry and fish to the safe internal temperatures in government food safety guidance.
- This recipe is general information, not medical or nutrition advice. If you have an allergy, a health condition or a special diet, check with a qualified health professional.
