Lumpia Shanghai filled with ground chicken, water chestnuts, carrots, and green onions. Golden, crunchy, and in fun bite-size, these Filipino meat spring rolls are addictive!
Lumpiang Shanghai is one of my favorite make-ahead meals. Every other weekend or so, I like to roll up my sleeves and roll up a few dozens, along with siomai, longganisa, and kikiam, to freeze for when I am too busy or too 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 a Filipino-style spring roll made of ground pork, chicken or beef filling wrapped in thin crepes called lumpia wrappers.
The meat-stuffed lumpia is rolled into a thin cylindrical shape, cut into bite-size lengths and deep-fried to golden perfection. It’s traditionally enjoyed with a choice of dipping sauces such as sweet and sour, lechon sarsa, banana ketchup, and sweet chili.
While it’s a popular mainstay in Filipino gatherings and celebrations alongside pancit guisado, spaghetti, and other party fares, it’s also commonly served with steamed or fried rice for breakfast, lunch, or dinner as well as a midday snack.
This recipe makes about 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, 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.
- When frozen, 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 about 3 to 4 minutes or until golden, crispy, and fully cooked.
Cooking tips
- I like to use ground chicken along with chopped water chestnuts, shredded carrots, green onions, and garlic for extra flavor and crunch. Feel free to substitute ground pork or beef as well as add minced shrimp if you like. You can also use a mix of 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 the harder they are to roll. While wrapping, cover the rest of the wrappers with a damp cloth to prevent from drying out.
- Do not overfill wrappers to ensure quick cooking. Roll the logs as tight as possible to prevent grease from seeping in.
- Lumpias are best deep-fried. Use enough frying oil to cover the rolls fully. Watch your temperatures! If the oil is too low, the lumpia will absorb a lot more grease. If too high, the wrappers will burn before fully cooked.
- Cook in batches to prevent the oil from plummeting and make sure to bring the oil back up to the optimal 350F to 375 F range before adding the next round.
- 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.
Lumpiang Shanghai
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground chicken or pork
- 1/2 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
- 1/2 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 3/4-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.
- 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.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Hi! Love your recipes for Lumpia and Pancit – I was stationed in Hawaii for 8 years and fell in love with filipino food while I was there. I wanted to share that I got an air fryer for Christmas and I used that for my last batch of lumpia and it turned out fantastic! The wrappers were crispy airy golden brown. If you have access to one, I highly recommend trying it. I sprayed them very lightly with olive oil – but you’ll have to experiment with the cooking time, based on the size of your lumpia. (I usually use the whole lumpia wrapper for each one – no dainty lumpia for us!) Love your recipes! As one person reviewed – they are addictive and once you taste them you’ll crave them the rest of your life!
Thanks for the tip! I received an air fryer for Christmas and I haven’t used it yet. Will try it for next batch of lumpia 🙂
Are the spring roll wrappers rice wrappers or are the made with wheat flour?
Yes, I believe they’re made of flour.
This is a great base for lumpia Shanghai! We made this tonight with some adjustments for what we had on hand and it came out very well. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for the 5-stars. I am glad you’re able to make the recipe work according to your taste. Happy cooking!
Do you use the whole wrapper? Won’t it be too thick once it’s all rolled up?
Yes, I use the whole wrapper. 🙂
Sana may option kayo na METRIC ang sukat… di nmn pounds ang tinitinda sa palengke eh kundi KILO..
Di namn Ounce ang bentahan eh kundi ML.
Hello Nill,
I live in the U.S. and we use customary units here. The recipe cards on the site have an option for you to convert the measurements to metric; just click it to make it easier for you.
Lol basa basa din kasi may option naman pala eh
Would it be ok to cook the meat halfway through, before putting them in the wrappers. To be certain
that it gets fully cooked through?
Hello Deborah,
You can but don’t won’t be an authentic way to make these spring rolls. Just don’t overstuff the wrappers and roll them really thin so the meat will cook fast and adequately.
Lalaine,
I am so glad I found your site! I am biracial (Black & Filipino) but my grandma doesn’t cook as much since most of us are all grown. I struggle trying to connect to my Filipino side since I grew up being raised as Black. One of my 2018 resolutions is to learn as much about Filipino food & culture as I can as well as learn Tagalog. I’m excited to try different recipes from your site in my journey. Tonight I’ll be doing this lumpia & the ube crinkle cookies 🙂
Thank you! I hope you enjoy the recipes!
Hello Lalaine,
Is it okay to freeze the lumpia rolls before frying? If it is, how long can I keep it in the freezer before it goes bad? I prefer to meal prep our food because I don’t have a lot of time to cook everyday. Thank you!
Hi Eileen,
Yes, you can freeze them. Use airtight containers to prevent freezer burn. They should keep well for up 3 months. No need to defrost, I like to fry them straight from the freezer as I find the wrapper gets soggy when you thaw them first. Just adjust your heat and cooking time as they will take longer to cook when frozen. Hope this helps.
Where can I find the wrappers?
You can buy them at most Asian supermarkets in their freezer section 🙂
Made this tonight for the family! Even ground my own chicken! Just fantastic!! Thanks for the recipe.
Glad they enjoyed them 🙂
Hi Lalaine. I was wondering if you updated this recipe? I was in the mood for lumpia and came to your page but The recipe I remember was for mini rolls (each sheet wrapped was cut into four pieces). Can you please tell me if the ingredients remain the same and only the wrapping/cooking method was different? Or maybe I went to the wrong site?
Hello Josephine
The recipe is the exactly the same. I just changed the wrapping method in the instructions because I had a video. You can still roll the lumpia into very thin log and just cut into four. Enjoy!
If we do this method, will you also fold the sides of the wrapper? If not, won’t the filling come out?
If you roll it without closing the sides, the meat mixture won’t spill as it’s raw (cook filling is what spills out most of the time) and it will “congeal” as it cooks.
yummmy…i must try this one out
Enjoy!
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. 🙂
Yes, it’s hard to stop at just one 🙂
What brand of spring roll wrappers are the best. Also, is there a trick of pulling apart the wrappers?
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. 🙂
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
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?
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
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!
Hi Ms. Lalaine,
Ipapagiling pa po ba yung chicken breast/meat?
Regards,
Waslag
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.
Aww, thank you. I really appreciate your feedback and warm wishes 🙂
Hi, instead of chicken can it be substituted to ground pork?
Yes, you can 🙂
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.
I am so glad she enjoyed it. Kudos to you doing all the small things to make your wife happy 🙂
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!
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 🙂
How can you make chicken bola-bola and what are the ingredients?
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. 🙂
Thank you very much. You gave me a very good idea.
How much po lalalgay na minced garlic for 2 kilo as well ung green onion po? Tnx so much
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 🙂
Can I prepare and freeze this and just cook on the day I need it?
Hi Mary
Yes, you can. Just store them in zip lock containers and they keep well for weeks.
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
Love ur shrimp lumpia post and step by step fotos!
Just like to let you know that somebody has copied your picture on facebook
Thanks 🙂
Hi, gusto ko lang po sana itanung kung same pa rin po ba ang lasa kung walang water chestnuts.
Hello Stephanie
Ang water chestnuts ay for texture only, Hindi magiiba ang lasa kung wala. You can substitute singkamas kung gusto mo 🙂
is the chicken uncooked or cooked before assembly.
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.