Lumpia Recipe

Name: Lumpia Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 50 pieces lumpia wrapper; 3 cups cooking oil; 1 1/2 lbs ground pork; 2 pieces onion (minced); 2 pieces carrots (minced); 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1/2 cup parsley (chopped); 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 1 tablespoon sesame oil; 2 eggs

By: Vanjo Merano 93 Comments Updated: 6/14/26

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My kids ask me to cook lumpia almost every week. They like to eat it with rice and no dipping sauce, so I make sure that the pork filling is seasoned well. This is the fried pork lumpia that we also call lumpiang Shanghai.

I usually make a big batch so we can freeze some for later. Dey helps me with the wrapping. She works faster than I do, and her lumpia always look more even.

Make sure that the oil is not too hot when frying. The wrapper can turn brown quickly while the pork inside is still undercooked. I usually watch the first batch and lower the heat when the lumpia starts browning too soon.

What is Lumpia?

Lumpia came to the Philippines through Chinese cooking, especially from Hokkien communities. The word is Hokkien: lun means moist and pia means pastry.

Lumpia can also be made with vegetables or served fresh instead of fried. Lumpiang sariwa uses a soft wrapper and peanut sauce, lumpiang gulay is packed with vegetables, and turon is the sweet kind made with banana.

Ingredients

I use mostly ground pork for the filling, with a little onion and carrot. It is not loaded with vegetables, and I keep each roll thin so it cooks fast.

Ground pork – Use regular ground pork, not the leanest kind. A little fat keeps the filling moist.
Onion and carrot – Mince them small so they cook through with the pork and do not poke through the wrapper.
Garlic powder – I use the powder because it spreads evenly through the filling.
Eggs – Two go in the filling to bind it. Beat one more to seal the wrappers.
Parsley – Chop it fine.
Sesame oil – Just a little. The flavor gets strong quickly.
Salt and pepper – Season it properly so the lumpia tastes good even without sauce.
Lumpia wrappers – The thin kind if you can find them.
Cooking oil – Enough for deep frying.

Use the thin lumpia wrappers if you can find them. They come out lighter and crisper than the thick kind. When we first moved to the US I could not find them, so we used TYJ. It works, but the wrapper is thicker and you feel it when you bite in. The first time a store near us carried the thin ones, I grabbed them and never went back. Filipino and Asian stores keep them in the freezer aisle, and I sometimes order mine online.

Vanjo’s Advice

Wrap them tight. A loose roll traps air and can pop open or soak up oil.
Do not overfill. One tablespoon looks like too little, but it is enough. A fat roll takes longer to cook and can stay soft in the middle.
Keep them the same size. Dey is better at this than I am, and rolls that are the same size finish frying at about the same time.
Keep the wrappers under a damp towel while you roll so they do not dry out and crack.
Drain on a rack, not paper towels. On paper the bottoms steam and go soft
Mince the vegetables small. Big pieces stay raw and can tear the wrapper.

How to Cook Lumpia

Mix the Filling

Put the ground pork, minced onion and carrot, garlic powder, parsley, sesame oil, salt, pepper, and the two eggs in a bowl.
Mix everything well with your hands.

Fry a teaspoon of the filling and taste it. Adjust the salt or pepper before you start wrapping.

Wrap the Lumpia

Lay a wrapper flat and put about a tablespoon of filling near one edge.
Spread it into a thin line and fold the sides over.
Roll it up tight from the filling end.
Brush the far edge with beaten egg and press to seal. Repeat with the rest.

For a big batch, set up an assembly line. One person can spread the filling while the other rolls and seals.

Fry Until Crispy

Heat about 2 inches of oil to 325°F. The oil should bubble steadily around the lumpia without browning the wrapper right away.
Fry in batches, turning, until golden and cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Ground pork should reach 160°F inside.
If the wrappers brown too quickly, lower the heat.
Lift them out and drain on a rack.

Serve them hot. I like mine with sweet and sour sauce, and banana ketchup is good too.

You can also cook them in an air fryer. Brush a little oil on the wrappers and cook at 370°F for about 12 minutes. Cut one open from the first air fryer batch to make sure the pork is cooked through.

What to Serve with Lumpia

Sweet and sour sauce – What I usually put out.
Banana ketchup – Straight from the bottle, no work.
Spiced vinegar – Good if you want something sour and garlicky.
White rice – Lumpia and rice make a full meal.
Pancit canton – We usually have both on the table at a party.

Storage

Refrigerator – Keep cooked lumpia in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer – Freeze them uncooked in a single layer until solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Fry them straight from frozen and add a couple of minutes to the cooking time. Brush off any frost first so the oil does not spit.
Reheating – For leftovers I use the air fryer. It makes the wrapper crisp again.

More Lumpia Recipes

Lumpiang Ubod – Fresh lumpia filled with hearts of palm and vegetables.
Dynamite Lumpia – Chili peppers stuffed with cheese, then wrapped and fried.
Lumpiang Togue – Bean sprout rolls, cheap and good.
Longanisa Lumpiang Shanghai – Made with sweet Filipino sausage.
Cheesy Lumpia – Filled with cheese. My kids pick these first.

Substitutions

Ground pork – Swap in ground chicken to make chicken lumpia, or use a pork and beef mix. For a different filling, try fish lumpia.
Lumpia wrappers – You can use egg roll wrappers if that is all you have, but they come out thicker.
Parsley – Green onions work too.
Sesame oil – Skip it if you do not have it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between lumpia and egg rolls?

Lumpia uses a thinner wrapper, so the fried roll is lighter and crisper. The American egg roll is thicker and chewier, with more cabbage. My egg roll recipe uses that thicker wrapper.

Can I cook the pork before wrapping it?

You can cook the filling first, but it is not necessary for this recipe. Keep each roll thin and fry at 325°F so the pork has time to cook before the wrapper darkens. If you do cook it first, let it cool before wrapping.

Is lumpia gluten free?

Regular lumpia wrappers contain wheat, so this recipe is not gluten free. Rice paper is gluten free, but it fries differently and is not a direct replacement for a regular lumpia wrapper. Check your dipping sauce too, since some contain soy made with wheat.

Do I need to thaw frozen lumpia before frying?

No. Fry them straight from the freezer. Thawing makes the wrappers soggy and they can fall apart in the oil. Frozen rolls just need a couple of extra minutes, so brush off any frost first and keep the heat steady.

Can you bake lumpia in the oven?

You can, though they will not be as crisp as deep frying. Brush or spray the rolls with oil and bake at 425°F for about 20 to 25 minutes, turning once, until golden. Cut one open to make sure the pork is cooked through. An air fryer gets you closer to the fried texture.

Having a frozen batch ready saves time, since the kids ask for lumpia often in our house. Serve a fresh batch with rice, sweet and sour sauce, or banana ketchup.

Vanjo Merano

Vanjo Merano is the creator of PanlasangPinoy.com. His goal is to introduce Filipino Food and Filipino Cuisine to the rest of the world. This blog was the first step that he took.

Lumpia Recipe

What is Lumpia?

Ingredients

Vanjo’s Advice