Lumpia Shanghai, filled with ground chicken, water chestnuts, carrots, and green onions, is a hearty and tasty appetizer or main dish that will surely be a crowd-pleaser. Golden, crunchy, and in fun bite-size, these Filipino-style meat spring rolls are addictive!
Lumpiang Shanghai is one of my favorite make-ahead meals. Every other weekend, I roll up my sleeves and roll up a few dozen, along with siomai, longganisa, and kikiam, to freeze for when I am too busy or tired to spend more than thirty minutes in the kitchen.
With these food items already prepped in the freezer, a home-cooked dinner is just a matter of quick frying.
What is lumpia shanghai?
Lumpiang Shanghai is Filipino-style spring rolls made of ground pork, chicken, or beef filling wrapped in thin crepes called lumpia wrappers. The meat-stuffed wrappers are rolled into thin cylindrical shapes, cut into bite-size lengths, and deep-fried to golden perfection.
This recipe yields roughly five dozen 3-inch pieces depending on how thick you make the spring rolls. Although you can easily halve the amount, I suggest making the whole batch.
They're so tasty and addictive that you'd be hard-pressed to eat just one. Plus, they can be frozen for any time lumpia fix!
How to store
- Store in resealable bags and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To freeze, arrange the lumpia in a single layer with some space in between on a baking sheet. Wrap tightly with cling wrap and freeze for about 1 to 2 hours or until firm. This step will prevent them from sticking together. Transfer in resealable bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
- To fry, do not thaw. Heat about 2-inch deep of oil to 350 F and carefully add the rolls. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until golden, crispy, and fully cooked.
Helpful tips
- I like to use ground chicken with chopped water chestnuts, shredded carrots, green onions, and garlic for extra flavor and crunch. Feel free to substitute ground pork or beef and add minced shrimp if you like. You can also use jicama (singkamas), diced bell peppers, celery, onions, and raisins.
- Do a taste test! Fry a small amount of the meat mixture and adjust seasonings as needed before wrapping.
- Use fresh spring roll wrappers. Check manufacturing dates on packages, as the older the wrappers get, the less pliable and harder they are to roll.
- While rolling, cover the rest of the wrappers with a damp cloth to prove them from drying out.
- Do not overfill wrappers to ensure quick cooking. Roll the logs as tight as possible to prevent grease from seeping in.
- Lumpia are best deep-fried. Use enough frying oil to cover the rolls fully. Watch your temperatures! If too low, the lumpia will absorb more grease. If too high, the wrappers will burn before fully cooked.
- Cook in batches to prevent the oil from plummeting, and bring the oil back up to the optimal 350F to 375 F range before adding the next round. Skim the oil in between batches to remove any burnt bits.
- Do not drain on paper towels, or they'll get soggy with the steam. Drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet or in a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl to catch oil drips.
- If transporting them to a party, leave the container partially open to keep the lumpia crispy as long as possible.
How to serve
- Lumpia shanghai is a popular mainstay in Filipino gatherings and celebrations alongside pancit guisado, spaghetti, and other party fares. They're also commonly served as the main dish for breakfast, lunch, or dinner with steamed or fried rice.
- The crispy spring rolls are traditionally enjoyed with dipping sauces such as sweet and sour, lechon sarsa, banana ketchup, and sweet chili.
More lumpia recipes
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken or pork
- ยฝ cup green onions, finely chopped
- 1 can (8 ounces) water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ยฝ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 20 pieces spring roll wrappers
- canola oil
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine ground chicken, green onions, water chestnuts, carrots, garlic, soy sauce, salt, and pepper until well distributed.
- Separate wrappers into individual sheets and lay on a flat working surface.
- Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon of meat mixture on the lower end of the wrapper, closest to you.
- Fold the bottom of wrapper over filling and continue to roll tightly into a thin log about ยพ-inch thick. Wet the remaining edge of the wrapper with a dab of water to completely seal.
- Repeat with the remaining mixture. Using scissors, cut each lumpia roll into about 3-inch lengths.
- In a pan over medium heat, heat about 2-inch deep of oil. Add lumpia in batches and cook turning on sides as needed, for about 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown and crisp and meat is cooked through.ย
- Using a slotted spoon or tongs, remove from the oil and drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Serve immediately with sweet and sour sauce or banana ketchup.
Notes
- Do a taste test! Fry a small amount of the meat mixture and adjust seasonings as needed before wrapping.
- Use fresh spring roll wrappers. Check manufacturing dates on packages, as the older the wrappers get, the less pliable and harder they are to roll.
- While rolling, cover the rest of the wrappers with a damp cloth to prove them from drying out.
- Do not overfill wrappers to ensure quick cooking. Roll the logs as tight as possible to prevent grease from seeping in.
- Lumpia are best deep-fried. Use enough frying oil to cover the rolls fully. Watch your temperatures! If too low, the lumpia will absorb more grease. If too high, the wrappers will burn before fully cooked.
- Cook in batches to prevent the oil from plummeting, and bring the oil back up to the optimal 350F to 375 F range before adding the next round. Skim the oil in between batches to remove any burnt bits.
Video
Nutrition Information
โThis website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.โ
jack burton says
I always give my Anglo friends fair warning that lumpia shanghai is about as addicting of a food as one can find. Eat it once and you'll crave it the rest of your life. They never listen to me though. ๐
Lalaine says
Yes, it's hard to stop at just one ๐
Lynda Martinez says
What brand of spring roll wrappers are the best. Also, is there a trick of pulling apart the wrappers?
Lalaine says
I usually just buy whatever is on sale, most brands are pretty similar in my opinion. Unfortunately, I don't have a magic trick to pulling the wrappers apart easier, just go about it carefully so they don't tear. ๐
Ghen says
Hi miss lalaine..been ur fan since I saw ur recipe for leche flan..and I also tried ur lumpiang shanghai coz ever since I am making lumpia I have never made my customers(sa bahay namin:) ) satisfied.when I was making the recipes,I was so sure I did everything u had said,except I used pork and singkamas as ingredients..so excited to cook my lumpia thinking it will turn out just how delicious u had made them. The mouth-watering and the wanting to taste it again feeling..but...it turned out SALTY!literaly,maybe because as u said 1 1/2 tbs of salt I was making it heaped tbs..and it's really salty now...what should I do?pls bring some help..I wanna cry over the dismay and disappointment..huhu!
Tnx..ghen
Lalaine says
Hello Ghen
I am sorry I missed this comment and wasn't able to reply the soonest! Are they all wrapped up?
The amount of salt is perfect for my taste and I've never had complaints of this recipe being too salty. Were the amount of ground meat and chopped veggies followed?
monica says
maybe because you used heaping tablespoon and soy sauce also has sodium. my daughter in law just taught me how to make lumpia and she doesn't measure but what she does after she seasons she will cook up some of the meat in a pan and taste then add more seasonings if she thinks she needs it. Try again because they are so good. Just add less salt cook a little bit of meat to taste to see if you need more salt
Margot says
If you're measuring by volume (Tbsp) rather than weight (grams), salt especially gets tricky. 1 Tbsp of kosher salt or coarse salt is much less than 1 Tbsp of fine sea salt!
Christopher Bryan Casala says
Hi Ms. Lalaine,
Ipapagiling pa po ba yung chicken breast/meat?
Regards,
Waslag
Bony Bengwayan says
You know what Lalaine, with all the help you are giving us trying to make a living, you are a DEAR, And we thank you for everything. May you blossom more.
Lalaine says
Aww, thank you. I really appreciate your feedback and warm wishes ๐
Ally says
Hi, instead of chicken can it be substituted to ground pork?
Lalaine says
Yes, you can ๐
Jack says
I made these for my wife and she was in heaven, she has been craving Filipino food lately and we found this website, and have stared making some of the recipes it has made her very happy.
Lalaine says
I am so glad she enjoyed it. Kudos to you doing all the small things to make your wife happy ๐
Gale says
Thank you for the recipe! I made the mixture exactly as you recommended. Then brushed them with oil and baked in a 425 oven for 20 minutes, turning lumpia and rotating the tray half way. These were very delicious!
Lalaine says
I've never tried this baked, thanks for the tip! I am excited to try this method as I eat a LOT of these spring rolls and it would be great to save myself a few calories ๐
Bony Bengwayan says
How can you make chicken bola-bola and what are the ingredients?
Lalaine says
Hi Bony
I use the filling for this lumpia for my chicken bola bola. Instead of wrapping in lumpia wrappers, I shape the mixture into balls. ๐
Bony Bengwayan says
Thank you very much. You gave me a very good idea.
Randolf j delos santos says
How much po lalalgay na minced garlic for 2 kilo as well ung green onion po? Tnx so much
Lalaine says
Hello Randolf
2 kilos is about 4-1/2 pounds so doble the amount ok na. Try 2 cups green onions and about 1 head of garlic. Hope this helps ๐
Mary says
Can I prepare and freeze this and just cook on the day I need it?
Lalaine says
Hi Mary
Yes, you can. Just store them in zip lock containers and they keep well for weeks.
katie says
hi if I were to fry these and the next day put them in the oven o reheat them will they have the same texture as when I fried the day before
Nina Inocencio says
Love ur shrimp lumpia post and step by step fotos!
stop plagiarism says
Just like to let you know that somebody has copied your picture on facebook
Lalaine says
Thanks ๐
stephanie says
Hi, gusto ko lang po sana itanung kung same pa rin po ba ang lasa kung walang water chestnuts.
Lalaine says
Hello Stephanie
Ang water chestnuts ay for texture only, Hindi magiiba ang lasa kung wala. You can substitute singkamas kung gusto mo ๐
sterling hooker says
is the chicken uncooked or cooked before assembly.
Lalaine says
Hello. The chicken is uncooked. The spring roll "logs" will be about 3/4-inch in a diameter and the meat will cook as you fry. Just adjust heat if the wrappers are browning before the meat is cooked through.