Lumpia Shanghai (Filipino Egg Rolls)

Growing up, we had our fair share of both making (and devouring) entire trays of Lumpia.

This classic Filipino appetizer is always a crowd favorite at parties and events, and eating one is the most surefire way to put a smile on anyone’s face!

Lumpia Shanghai (also known as Filipino Egg Rolls) is a traditional Filipino appetizer that is made of ground meat (usually pork or chicken) which is mixed with thinly sliced vegetables and wrapped up in a small egg roll wrapper. The egg rolls are then deep-fried until perfectly golden brown and crispy and is often served alongside a sweet chili sauce or ketchup for dipping.

Each bite is savory, sweet, crunchy, and tasty, and will leave you craving more!

Read on to get the recipe that’s so easy, you can whip up a whole bunch of these in less than an hour! You’ll be the hero of your next family party or event with these delicious lumpia!

If you are looking for a healthier way to make this lovely lumpia dish, try our Air Fryer Filipino Veggie Lumpia recipe!

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Table of contents

The Origins of Lumpia

Ah, lumpia. What a lovely dish. While we were introduced to lumpia at an early age, that may not have been the case for everyone. Where did lumpia even come from?

Lumpia is a type of egg roll, which is in turn a type of spring roll. Spring rolls are a blanket term for a cylindrical pancake (roll) wrapped around a vegetable and meat filling.

Spring rolls are believed to have originated in China over 2000 years ago, though the exact date is often hotly debated. They were often consumed during the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year), leading to its moniker “Spring rolls”.

These delicious appetizers made their way through Southeastern Asia leading to several countries making their own regional versions that highlight ingredients commonly found in their area.

In the Philippines, lumpia was introduced by Hokkien traders and immigrants in the pre-colonial period. The name “lumpia” may be derived from the Hokkien language from the name “lunpia” where “lun” means “wet” or “moist” and “pia” means “pastry”.

Lumpia quickly became one of the most loved and commonly seen dishes at family parties, celebrations, and other types of gatherings due to its easiness of preparation in large batches, quick cook time, and satisfying taste.

Even today, if you go to a Filipino party, it is almost guaranteed someone will be there with lumpia!

What Sauces Should You Serve with Lumpia?

Some may say the best way to enjoy lumpia is by itself. There’s nothing wrong with that at all, but we fall in the camp where we feel that dipping your lumpia in sauce is an integral part of the lumpia experience.

That being said, our recommendations for sauces to serve with lumpia are as follows:

• Sweet chili sauce
• Sweet and sour sauce
• Tomato Ketchup
• Banana Ketchup (or the spicy variant)
• Hot Sauce (Sriracha, Tabasco, etc.)
• Your favorite dipping sauce!

At the end of the day, eat the food you like the way you like! Who’s gonna stop you?

Best Foods to Pair with Lumpia

Lumpia is usually served as a party food or appetizer due to its bite-sized nature as a yummy finger food.

When serving as part of a meal, consider pairing lumpia with a main course dish and an extra side dish or two.

One of our favorite feasts to make when friends are over is Lumpia, Chicken Inasal, Ensaladang Pipino (Filipino Cucumber Salad), and Sinangag (Filipino Garlic Fried Rice).

Refreshing Drinks to Pair With Lumpia

Washing down your lumpia with a cool, refreshing drink is undoubtedly one of the best ways to finish your bite.

While a basic cup of water will get the job done, consider pairing one of these ice-cold drinks with lumpia instead:

• A freshly made boba drink (click here for our homemade boba recipes!)
• Milk Tea (especially creamy ones like this Cheese Brûlée Milk Tea)
• Ube Horchata
• Melon sa Malamig (Filipino Cantaloupe Juice)
• Soda
• Your favorite drink!

While the drink you pair with lumpia isn’t as impactful as the sauces or foods alongside it, it still makes a difference in the flavors that are brought out after a bite. As they say, lumpia is a happy food, so when in doubt, pair it with a drink that makes you happy!

Lumpia Shanghai Ingredients

Lumpia Filling

• 1 whole carrot shredded
• ½ onion minced
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 4 oz water chestnuts minced
• ¼ cup chives finely chopped
• 1 lb ground pork or ground beef
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• salt & pepper to taste

Other Ingredients

• 1 pack square egg roll wrappers
• 1 egg white
• neutral cooking oil for frying

Recipe

Prepare the filling

1. Pan fry the onion and garlic at high heat until browned. Add the ground meat and cook for 5 min or until done. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Mix all filling ingredients in a large bowl.

Wrap the Lumpias

1. Separate an egg white and place it into a small bowl.
2. Unpack the egg roll wrappers and cut each diagonally in half to form 2 triangles. To prevent the wrappers from drying out, keep them in a bowl or tupperware with a slightly damp paper towel laid on top.
3. Grab a spoonful of filling and place it about 1/2 inch from the edge of the triangle. Pack and shape it into a long rod. Fold the sides of the triangle over the ends of the filling. Then starting at the base of the triangle, roll up the lumpia. Use egg white to “glue” the tip of the wrapper. Repeat until all the lumpias are made.

Fry the Lumpias

1. Fill a cast iron pan with vegetable oil to about 1/2 inch depth. Heat to medium-high. Work in batches to shallow fry the lumpia for 3-5 min, flipping at half time, or until golden brown.
2. Let lumpia cool on a cooling rack for 5 min. Dip with sweet chili sauce and enjoy!

Final Thoughts

Whether you love it, or really love it, Lumpia Shanghai is a dish that is sure to delight. With its savory flavor and perfectly crisp exterior, you’ll be hard-pressed to eat only one! Try out the quick recipe below for an easy appetizer or side dish that will win over many hearts and tummies!

Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this recipe, please give a star rating on the recipe card below + share your creations on Instagram and tag us @itsforkandspoon!

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References & Further Reading

https://ricebowldeluxe.com/three-interesting-facts-regarding-spring-rolls/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_New_Year

https://www.thrillist.com/eat/nation/the-differences-between-egg-rolls-spring-rolls-popiah-and-lumpia