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    You Are Here Home » Appetizer Recipes

    Published: Dec 19, 2019 Updated: Jul 25, 2020 by Hilda Sterner | This post may contain affiliate links 6 Comments

    Easy Filipino Lumpia Recipe

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    lumpia on a blue plate over a striped dish towel

    These Filipino Lumpia are light, crispy, and have a juicy ground meat and vegetable filling. Filipino Egg Rolls are easy to prepare and take less than an hour to make. Serve Filipino Lumpia with Oil and Vinegar Coleslaw, Easy Fried Rice, and spicy Bibimbap Sauce for a quick, tasty meal.

    dipping lumpia in chili sauce

    Besides being delicious, lumpia can be assembled up to a day in advance and fried as needed.

    A total crowd-pleaser, Lumpia is always the first to disappear at any potluck or party.

    Why This Recipe Works

    It's true, I'm not Filipino, but I do love Filipino food and have been known to make a mean Pancit, Pork /Chicken Adobo, and lumpia.

    I first fell in love with Filipino Egg Rolls while spending time in the Philippines when I was in the Navy. They are so much better than egg rolls!

    I got reintroduced to lumpia years later when a sweet Filipino nurse brought them to work. I still have the recipe she jotted down for me back in the early '90s.

    As you can see from the picture below, she didn't give me exact measurements. I use her recipe as a guide and have developed my own recipe over the years.

    lumpia recipe written on paper

    What Goes into This Recipe

    lumpia ingredients

    How to Make This Recipe

    1. Begin by browning pork, beef, or chicken in a large pan or wok.

    ground beef in a pan

    2. Add celery, chestnuts, onions, and scallions. Saute for a few minutes longer.

    3. Next, add the garlic, coleslaw mix, salt, pepper, soy sauce, and Sriracha. Cook for a few more minutes. Allow the filling to cool completely.

    meat and veggies sautéed in a pan

    4. Before rolling the lumpia, whisk an egg with 1 tablespoon of water to make a thin eggwash. The eggwash acts as a glue to keep the lumpia wrappers from opening while being fried.

    egg wash and lumpia filling

    How to Roll Lumpia (Filipino Egg Rolls)

    There are a few different ways to roll lumpia. One way is to cut the wrapper in half so that you have two triangle-shaped wrappers.

    The uncooked filling is then shaped into a long and thin strip and placed on the bottom edge of the wrapper. Finally, the sides are folded over the filling and the lumpia is rolled up to seal.

    kids making lumpia
    Even kids can make lumpia! These kids learned how to make lumpia in a weekly cooking class I used to teach at my church. Notice I still use the same dollar store platter; t's the perfect size for lumpia.

    For the purpose of this recipe, we will be cooking the filling first and rolling the lumpia similar to rolling Egg Rolls.

    Place wrapper with one of the corners facing up.

    lumpia wrapper on a white plate

    Dab eggwash on all four corners of the wrapper. Alternatively, you can dab the top corner only.

    Add up to two tablespoons of filling towards the bottom of the wrapper. Shape into a strip and roll up part of the way; fold in the sides.

    brushing egg on egg roll wrapper
    adding filling inside egg roll wrapper
    filling on eggroll wrapper
    eggroll wrapper folded
    partially folded lumpia
    lumpia wrapper folded like an envelope

    Finish by rolling tightly all the way up until the lumpia is sealed. Place seam-side down onto a platter and continue until you use up all the wrappers and filling.

    rolling lumpia on a plate
    rolled up lumpia on a plate

    Frying the Lumpia

    Heat oil in a skillet until it reaches 375-degrees F.

    If you don't have a digital thermometer, you can tell that the oil is ready if it begins to bubble as soon as the lumpia is placed in the hot oil.

    If the oil does not bubble right away, keep heating it then try again. Using a tong, carefully add 3 to 4 lumpia into the hot oil.

    lumpia being fried in a pan
    lumpia being fried in a pan

    Roll the lumpia as necessary so that all the sides are browned. This should only take a few minutes.

    Drain fried lumpia on paper towels to remove excess oil. Continue until all the lumpia are fried.

    egg rolls draining on paper towels

    Serve immediately, while still hot.

    eggrolls, salad, and sauce for dipping on  blue plate

    Recipe FAQs and Expert Tips

    What to Serve with Filipino Lumpia

    I recommend serving the Lumpia with a sweet chili sauce, like Mae Ploy. You can purchase the sauce at any grocery store, or even on Amazon.

    Even better, if you like a little spice, make your own sauce using one of the many great recipes online. This Sweet and Spicy Chili Sauce recipe happens to be my favorite.

    chili sauce in a bottle on the table

    What are lumpia wrappers made of?

    Lumpia wrappers are made with flour, water, and salt. Some recipes call for rice flour and cornstarch, while others call for all-purpose flour.

    Unlike egg roll wrappers, eggs are not used in the recipe. Lumpia wrappers are almost see-through and much thinner than egg roll wrappers.

    Another visible difference is that lumpia wrappers don't get "bubbly" when fried like egg roll wrappers do. They have a much smoother texture.

    Unfortunately, lumpia wrappers are not as readily available as egg roll wrappers. For this reason, I use egg roll wrappers when I'm craving lumpia but don't feel like going out of my way to purchase lumpia wrappers, or making my own.

    However, if you want to tackle making your own lumpia wrappers, check out this Homemade Lumpia wrapper video.

    lumpia on a plate with sauce and a wedge of lemon

    Can You Freeze Lumpia?

    Lumpia can be frozen either before or after frying. If you plan on freezing unfried lumpia, make sure to first place them on a platter or large tray in the freezer until they are almost frozen.

    You can then store them in a large freezer Ziploc bag. This will ensure that the lumpia does not stick together.

    Frying Frozen Lumpia
    You do not need to defrost frozen lumpia prior to frying them. Just follow the same frying instructions listed in the recipe, with the exception of adding a few additional minutes to the frying time.

    Reheating Cooked and Frozen Lumpia
    If the lumpia are frozen after they are fried, you can microwave them, a few at a time, for approximately one to two minutes. The exact time will depend on the wattage of your microwave.

    For a crispier texture, bake the fried and frozen lumpia for approximately ten minutes in a 350-degrees F oven. Using a toaster oven is even a better option and requires less time.

    dipping lumpia in chili sauce

    • Feel free to use a combination of chicken, pork, or beef in the filling.
    • Besides being a time-saver, using coleslaw allows you to serve the leftover salad on the side.
    • If you prefer, you can replace the coleslaw with a combination of julienned carrots and cabbage to equal 3 cups.
    • Instead of egg wash, you can use a slurry of cornstarch and water for sealing the lumpia.
    • Make sure the oil temperature reaches 375 degrees F. or is hot enough to begin bubbling as soon as the Lumpia is added. This helps to keep the lumpia from absorbing more oil than necessary.
    lumpia and sauce and salad on a blue plate
    Filipino Egg Rolls with Spicy Chili Sauce

    Related Recipes

    • Tom Kha Gai (Thai Coconut Chicken Soup)
    • Bourak (Assyrian Egg Rolls) Recipe
    • Vietnamese Spring Rolls Recipe
    • 8 Traditional Asian Vegan Noodles

    Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments section further down the page.

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    eggrolls, salad, and sauce for dipping on blue plate

    Easy Filipino Lumpia Recipe

    Light, Crispy, and flavorful Filipino Lumpia that you can make at home. 
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizers
    Cuisine: Asian, filipino
    Prep Time: 30 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 40 Lumpia
    Calories: 93kcal
    Author: Hilda Sterner

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb. ground pork, beef, or chicken (or a combo)
    • 1 stalk celery (minced)
    • 4 oz sliced water chestnuts (julienned)
    • 1 small white onion (minced)
    • 3 scallions (minced)
    • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
    • 3 cups coleslaw mix
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon Sriracha hot chili sauce 
    • 2 packages lumpia or egg roll wrappers (enough to yield approx. 40-45 Lumpia)
    • 1 medium egg (for eggwash)
    • 1 cup oil (for frying)

    Instructions

    Filling

    • Begin by browning some pork, beef, or chicken in a medium-sized pan or wok. 
    • Add celery, chestnuts, onions, and scallions; saute for a few minutes.
    •  Next, add garlic, coleslaw, salt, pepper, soy sauce, and Sriracha. Cook for a few more minutes then allow the filling to cool completely.

    Assembly Instructions

    • Before rolling the lumpia, whisk an egg with 1 tablespoon of water to make a thin eggwash.
    • Place wrapper with one of the corners facing up and another facing down.
    • Dab some eggwash on all four corners of the wrapper. Alternatively, you can dab only the top corner.
    • Add up to a few tablespoons of meat filling towards the bottom of the wrapper. Roll up part of the way, then fold in the sides.
    • Finish by rolling the filling tightly all the way up until it is sealed. Place rolled lumpia seam-side down onto a platter and continue until you use up all the wrappers and filling.

    Frying the Lumpia

    • Heat oil in a deep skillet until it reaches 375-degrees F.
    • Carefully add 3 to 4 lumpia into the hot oil.
    • Roll as needed so that all the sides are browned. This should only take a few minutes.
    • Remove lumpia with tongs and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
    • Serve immediately with sweet and spicy chili sauce.

    Notes

    Calories are for unfried Lumpia since it's hard to estimate how much oil they will absorb when fried.

    Cook's Tips:

    • Feel free to use a combination of chicken, pork, or beef in the filling.
    • Besides being a time-saver, using coleslaw allows you to serve the leftover salad on the side.
    • If you prefer, you can replace the coleslaw with a combination of julienned carrots and cabbage to equal 3 cups.
    • Instead of egg wash, you can use a slurry of cornstarch and water for sealing the lumpia.
    • Make sure the oil temperature reaches 375 degrees F. or is hot enough to begin bubbling as soon as the Lumpia is added. This helps to keep the lumpia from absorbing more oil than necessary.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1lumpia | Calories: 93kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 239mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @HildasKitchenBlog or tag #HildasKitchenBlog!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kelly Methey says

      March 29, 2021 at 3:45 pm

      5 stars
      These are fantastic! So easy and yet so tasty! Yum! It will take a time or two for mine to look like yours do!

      Reply
      • Hilda Sterner says

        March 29, 2021 at 5:39 pm

        When you're ready, we can practice together!

        Reply
    2. Noreen (PictureTheRecipe) says

      January 31, 2020 at 3:36 pm

      So thrilled to see that you like my Sweet and Spicy Chili Sauce recipe. Your lumpia looks fantastic!

      Reply
      • HildaSterner says

        January 31, 2020 at 3:40 pm

        I sure do, thank you Noreen. I always make your sauce to go with my lumpia!

        Reply
    3. Terry Smith says

      December 23, 2019 at 9:16 pm

      My daughter Andrea and I made your Filipino lumpia tonight for the family. My nine year old granddaughter, Ruby helped fold them together for us. She was so excited to help. They tasted great!
      I cooked up ground beef and pork, and added minced carrots to the celery, cabbage, and onion mix.
      I didn’t have all I needed to make the coleslaw dressing. I didn’t have lemon juice or white wine vinegar, so I used apple cider vinegar and threw in a splash of Chardonnay. Don't scream, I didn’t tell anyone. Thanks for the recipe. Terry

      Reply
      • HildaSterner says

        December 26, 2019 at 8:50 pm

        Hi Terry,
        Glad you guys had fun making the lumpia. Did you make the dipping sauce too?

        Reply

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