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    Urban Bliss Life » All Recipes » Asian Recipes » Filipino Recipes » Authentic Filipino Lumpia Recipe (Filipino Egg Rolls)

    Published: November 8, 2013 / Updated: May 28, 2022 by Marlynn Jayme Schotland · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Authentic Filipino Lumpia Recipe (Filipino Egg Rolls)

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Filipino lumpia with text overlay
    Filipino lumpia recipe

    Filipino Lumpia are crispy, delicious Filipino egg rolls that are perfect to serve at parties. They also freeze well and are perfect to make for snacks, lunch, dinner, or for last minute guests!

    This post was originally published on November 8, 2013. It was updated on November 27, 2021 with new photos, updated step-by-step instructions, helpful answers to frequently asked questions, and updated recipe.

    Tray of several stacked Filipino lumpia, egg rolls.
    Jump to:
    • What is lumpia?
    • Recipe ingredients
    • How do you make lumpia from scratch?
    • Make the filling
    • Assemble the lumpia
    • Frying fresh lumpia
    • Cooking tips to make the best lumpia
    • Freezing lumpia and cooking frozen lumpia
    • What to serve with lumpia
    • Kitchen tools and equipment
    • Wine pairings for Filipino food
    • Recipe FAQs
    • More Filipino recipes
    • Lumpia (Filipino spring rolls)

    Growing up in a Filipino family, food was a huge part of my life. I gained my passion for cooking from watching my Lola -- my great-grandmother, who lived with us -- make magic in the kitchen morning, noon, and night.

    My parents entertained A LOT. We were constantly going to relatives' houses. Family and friends were always in and out of our own home. The Pancit Bihon, Filipino Adobo, and Filipino Pork BBQ were always flowing.

    But the one single food that you could always, ALWAYS find at all of our homes: Lumpia.

    What is lumpia?

    tray of Filipino lumpia

    Lumpia is a Filipino egg roll (or Filipino spring roll, if you prefer to make it without the meat). This popular Filipino food is filled with a mixture of ground meat (usually beef, pork, and/or shrimp) and tons of chopped vegetables. Then the lumpia are wrapped using paper-thin lumpia wrappers.

    Anyone who has eaten lumpia before LOVES it. And if you haven't yet, I'm here to share the best lumpia recipe, packed with Filipino flavors!

    This recipe is my twist on the lumpia recipe that has been passed down to me from my Lola and my mom. I hope you'll love it as much as we do!

    Recipe ingredients

    ingredients to make Filipino Lumpia

    Ground meat - The best lumpia recipes call for a mix of ground or chopped meats. I find the combination of ground beef and ground pork to be the most delicious.

    Onions and garlic - Use yellow or white onions, diced finely. The recipe calls for 5 cloves of garlic, minced, but you can adjust this amount to your personal taste preference.

    Soy sauce - (not pictured) this adds some liquid and deep flavor to the meat as it cooks.

    Chicken broth - (not pictured) this adds flavor and moisture to the filling ingredients as they cook.

    Potatoes - Peel and dice potatoes into very small cubes, about the same size as the carrots. This helps them cook evenly.

    Carrots - Peel and chop the carrots into very small cubes, about the same size as the potatoes.

    Green beans - You're going to slice the green beans on the bias, creating diagonal cuts.

    Cabbage - I use green cabbage, chopped very finely. But you can use green or purple cabbage, or a combination of both.

    Celery - Dice the celery into very small pieces, just a little bigger than the finely diced onions.

    Seasoning - Johnny's Seasoning Salt is a MUST for our family's lumpia recipe. I buy the ginormous 42-ounce container at Costco.

    Lumpia wrappers - It's important to use lumpia wrappers like the one pictured above. This kind is great because they have separating sheets between each wrapper, making it easier to separate without breaking. Lumpia wrappers break easily, so handle gently with care!

    If you can't find the exact Lumpia wrappers like this, then these spring roll wrappers are a good substitute. These particular wrappers are super thin, just like lumpia wrappers. Do not try to use traditional egg roll wrappers - they are usually too thick for lumpia.

    How do you make lumpia from scratch?

    I've got a step-by-step cooking guide to making Filipino lumpia from scratch. Be sure to read through these steps before you start cooking, then print out the recipe card below with full ingredient measurements and instructions.

    Make the filling

    You start by chopping the vegetables: garlic, onions, potatoes, carrots, celery, green beans, cabbage.

    sauteing garlic and onions to make lumpia
    cooking the meat for Filipino lumpia

    Once all of the veggies are chopped and prepped, add vegetable oil or olive oil to a large stockpot or large skillet and heat over medium to medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and onions and sauté 2 to 3 minutes, just until the onions and garlic are soft and translucent.

    Once the garlic and onions are translucent, add the ground beef, ground pork, salt, black pepper, soy sauce, and sauté until the beef is browned.

    Drain the excess oil from the pan, add chicken broth and bring to boil. Add the potatoes and carrots, Johnny's Seasoning Salt, and simmer for 5-10 minutes.

    Then, add the green beans, cabbage, and celery and simmer for another 5 minutes. The vegetables should be slightly crisp.

    cooking the meat and vegetables for Filipino lumpia

    Drain excess fats and liquid mixture, which you could do by pouring the pot over a strainer in the sink.

    Or, you could use my mom's method and use a large slotted spoon to scoop out the solids into a separate large bowl, and then draining the remaining liquid in the pot.

    Allow the mixture to cool at room temperature.

    Assemble the lumpia

    Now it's time to assemble these beautiful Filipino spring rolls.

    Separate individual sheets of Lumpia wrappers very carefully, so as not to tear them.  Do not allow them to dry out and become brittle, or you will be dealing with sad broken wrappers.

    adding the filling to lumpia wrappers
    rolling lumpia

    Place 1 heaping tablespoonful of the filling diagonally near one corner of the wrapper, leaving a 1.5 inch edge of space at both ends. If you find that the lumpia can use more filling, go ahead and add more to each lumpia. Just be careful not to overfill the lumpia. Too much filling can cause the wrappers to tear before or during frying.

    Fold the corner along the length of the filling over the filling, tuck in both ends so that it almost looks like an envelope, and roll neatly and tight. Moisten the other side of the wrapper with water to seal the edge.

    homemade Filipino lumpia ready to fry

    The egg rolls can be fried immediately or frozen for later use (see Frying Tips below).

    If frying them immediately, cover them with plastic wrap or a moist towel to keep the wrappers from drying out while you are frying the rest.

    Frying fresh lumpia

    frying lumpia

    Heat a skillet over medium heat, add vegetable oil to about 1 inch depth, and heat for 5 minutes. Once the oil is hot, fry the egg rolls for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until all sides are golden brown and they have a crispy wrapper. 

    You may need to work in batches so as not to crowd the pan. Place on paper towels to drain excess oil.

    Enjoy immediately.

    Cooking tips to make the best lumpia

    • For the best lumpia, use the specific Lumpia Wrappers pictured above in the post. Or, use these specific spring roll wrappers. These spring roll wrappers are thinner and are part of what make these egg rolls AWESOME. You could try other spring roll wrappers, but make sure they are thin enough.
    • You can keep the lumpia wrappers moist and pliable during assembly by storing them in a plastic bag, or under moist towel.
    • Make sure you chop all of the vegetables up the same size so they cook evenly.
    • Be sure to wrap the lumpia wrappers tightly around the filling. If you roll them too loosely, they won't cook the same way.

    Freezing lumpia and cooking frozen lumpia

    Yes, you can freeze lumpia! Any respectable Filipino has at least one bag of frozen lumpia in the freezer at all times. You can assemble a huge batch of lumpia. Then freeze them, uncooked.

    Uncooked lumpia that is frozen will keep in tightly sealed freezer bags or an airtight container for up to three months.

    When you are ready to cook the lumpia rolls: take the frozen lumpia out of the freezer and fry them right away. You do NOT need to thaw frozen lumpia before frying.

    In fact, it's so much better when you fry lumpia frozen straight from the freezer. They are crispier and the flavor is locked in. SO GOOD!

    What to serve with lumpia

    Filipino lumpia with spam fried rice

    We love eating lumpia with everything. Not only do they make the perfect appetizer, they really go with almost every kind of Asian-inspired meal imaginable! Most of the time, my family enjoys it simply with some rice and an easy cucumber salad.

    If you want to serve an authentic Filipino meal, you can serve lumpia shanghai rolls as a side dish to go with Filipino Adobo Chicken, Filipino Pancit Bihon, or Filipino Fried Rice. And don't forget the Filipino Macaroni Salad!

    Lumpia would also be an excellent side dish to easy, unfussy Homemade Ramen Noodles.

    As far as dipping sauces go, we always enjoy lumpia with sweet chili sauce. You can make your own Sweet Chili Sauce, or enjoy lumpia with my favorite store-bought sweet chili sauce.

    Kitchen tools and equipment

    To make lumpia, you'll need:

    Cutting board and knife - much of the time spent making lumpia is spent chopping the vegetables for the lumpia filling. Use a sturdy cutting board and a very sharp knife to make the task easier and faster.

    Large stockpot or skillet - I've made this lumpia recipe using a large stockpot or Dutch oven, and I've also made it using a large skillet. Both work. If you're using a large skillet, make sure it has high sides to help contain the ingredients while cooking.

    Strainer - use a strainer or collander to strain out the excess liquid once the filling ingredients have cooked through.

    Wine pairings for Filipino food

    Broadbent Vinho Verde white wine
    Brown family vineyards Sauvignon Blanc

    Choose a light, bright white wine that can cut through the richness of lumpia and complement the Asian flavors of the dish.

    Pair lumpia with either a Vinho Verde from Portugal or a Sauvignon Blanc. Both of these light, refreshing white wines have notes of green apple, lime, and passionfruit that complement the Filipino spices well.

    Recipe FAQs

    Tray of Filipino lumpia egg rolls stacked with dipping sauce in a bowl.
    What's the difference between lumpia and egg rolls?


    The main difference between Filipino lumpia and Chinese egg rolls are the wrappers. Lumpia is made with paper-thin wrappers consisting of just flour, water, and salt. The thinness of the wrappers result in lumpia's signature super crispy crunchy texture when fried.

    Are lumpia a Filipino food or Chinese food?

    Lumpia are Filipino egg rolls. Throughout Filipino cuisine, you'll find influence of Chinese and Spanish settlers. It's said that Chinese immigrants from the Fujian region of China brought over egg rolls with them to the Philippines between 900-1565 AD. Filipinos put the local spin on this dish and lumpia has been a popular Filipino food ever since!

    Are lumpia wrappers different than egg roll wrappers?

    Yes! Lumpia wrappers are thinner than egg roll wrappers. This helps them fry up beautifully and give you that classic lumpia crunch when you bite into them.

    What is the difference between lumpia and lumpiang Shanghai?

    These terms are often used interchangeably, but technically they are different types of lumpia. Typically, thinner, meatier rolls are known as Lumpiang Shanghai, or Lumpia Shanghai. Whereas the fatter rolls are referred to as Lumpia.

    More Filipino recipes

    • Filipino Pancit Bihon Recipe
    • Filipino Pork BBQ
    • Filipino Macaroni Salad
    • Instant Pot Chicken Adobo

    Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!

    Tray of Filipino lumpia

    Lumpia (Filipino spring rolls)

    5 from 7 votes
    Prep Time: 30 mins
    Cook Time: 30 mins
    Total Time: 1 hr
    Recipe by Marlynn Schotland
    Filipino lumpia - or lumpia Shanghai - are delicious Filipino spring rolls that are the perfect side dish to any Asian-style meal. Or great as a snack on their own!
    Servings: 25 lumpia
    Calories: 157kcal
    PRINT PIN RATE

    Ingredients

    • 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
    • 5 garlic cloves, minced minced
    • ½ cup finely diced yellow onions chopped
    • 1 pound ground beef
    • 1 pound ground pork
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
    • 1 can (14.5 ounce) chicken broth
    • 2 large Russet or baking potatoes, peeled and finely diced
    • 1 cup finely diced or julienned carrots
    • 2 teaspoons Johnny's Seasoning Salt
    • 1 cup sliced green beans, cut diagonally
    • 1 cup finely chopped green cabbage
    • ½ cup celery
    • 20-30 frozen Lumpia wrappers

    Instructions

    Cook the lumpia filling

    • Add oil to a skillet and heat over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, sauté the garlic and onions, stirring constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the onions are translucent. Add the ground beef and ground pork, salt, pepper, soy sauce, and sauté until the beef is browned.
    • Drain the excess oil from the pan, add chicken broth and bring to boil. Add the potatoes and carrots, sprinkle in the Johnny's Seasoning Salt, and simmer for 5-10 minutes.
    • Add the green beans, cabbage, and celery and simmer for another 5 minutes. The vegetables should be slightly crisp. Remove the pan from heat and drain excess fats and liquid mixture. Allow the mixture to cool at room temperature.

    Assemble the lumpia

    • Separate the individual sheets of wrappers, being careful not to tear them.
    • Place 1 heaping tablespoonful of the filling diagonally near one corner of the wrapper, leaving a 1.5 inch edge of space at both ends. Fold the side along the length of the filling over the filling, tuck in both ends, and roll neatly and tight. Moisten the other side of the wrapper with water to seal the edge.

    Fry or freeze the lumpia

    • The egg rolls can be fried immediately, or frozen for later use.
      If frying lumpia immediately: cover them with plastic wrap or a moist towel to keep the wrappers from drying out. Heat a skillet over medium heat, add vegetable oil to about 1 inch depth, and heat for 5-10 minutes. Fry the egg rolls for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until all sides are golden brown. Place on paper towels to drain excess oil.
    • If freezing lumpia: place them in a freezer-safe resealable bag, putting plastic wrap or parchment paper between layers. Store lumpia in the freezer for up to 2 months. Do not thaw the frozen egg rolls before frying them. Just separate them and fry them while still frozen.

    Notes

    MAKES: 20 to 30 lumpia
    Nutritional value is calculated for 25 lumpia. 
    Keep lumpia wrappers moist and pliable during assembly by storing them in a plastic bag, or under a moist towel. Do not allow them to dry out and become brittle.
    SERVE WITH: sweet chili dipping sauce.
    TO FREEZE: assemble and then place uncooked, assembled lumpia in freezer bags. Uncooked lumpia frozen will keep in tightly sealed freezer bags for up to three months.
    COOK FROZEN LUMPIA: When ready to cook, simply fry frozen lumpia in some vegetable oil - no need to thaw before frying. 
     
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a star rating and comment! Then snap a pic of your dish and share it on social media. Tag @UrbanBlissLife and #UrbanBlissLife!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 227mg | Potassium: 240mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 901IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.

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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Maria says

        October 11, 2018 at 6:37 pm

        Is there anyway to prolong the crispness?

        Reply
      2. powerful love spells says

        July 05, 2017 at 10:00 pm

        Hello,I read your blogs named "[Food Bliss] Cooking Class: Learn How to Make Filipino Lumpia - Urban Bliss Life" regularly.Your humoristic style is awesome, keep doing what you're doing! And you can look our website about powerful love spells.

        Reply
      3. Apikaila Dee says

        March 11, 2017 at 3:33 pm

        So loving all the ono(Delicious) Filipino yummy recipes keep up the good work. Will b you cab fan from From the ALOHA State.

        Reply
      4. Big Daddy P says

        January 12, 2017 at 12:06 am

        * OKlahoma

        Reply
      5. Big Daddy P says

        January 12, 2017 at 12:03 am

        My first experience with the heavenly taste of a lumpia was during a food day in elementary school. One bite of the lumpia and the rest is history! I admit, while living in SF,CA I had all the opportunities to learn from Filipino friends how to make amazing lumpias; sadly, I never took advantage of those opportunities :(
        Finding a Filipino restaurant is not an easy task; therefore, I have ventured to research and learn how to make my own!

        I look forward to trying your recipe soon! Thank you for sharing!

        Reply
      6. Clark Pacis says

        May 16, 2016 at 3:37 am

        5 stars
        I still remember making these with my mom when I was little. I would always break the wrap during assembly. lol
        Pinning this so I could surprise the relatives on our next potluck! A great post indeed. :)

        Reply
      7. Peggy says

        May 13, 2015 at 12:28 pm

        Elaine, I live in southeastern Washington! I'm thinking Pendleton, Hermiston, WallaWalla may have them. My sister is married to a Filipino so she taught me. There are different kinds of wrappers, but my sister who lives in Puyallup, WA always brings me her favorite ones which are Menlo brand and they are square, and have gluten. I used large round ones when I lived in Seattle and they were made with rice. They are in the FROZEN food section...

        Reply
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      Marlynn Jayme Schotland 2021 profile pic

      Hi! Thanks for stopping by! I'm Marlynn - a cookbook author, writer, photographer, and mom of two teenagers + a lovable lab retriever. Here you'll find my fast, easy, and delicious recipes, wine pairings, and travel guides. I hold a WSET 2 with Distinction in wine, and am a member of Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

      More about me →

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