Pork Lumpia Shanghai

Look no further, this is the best Filipino Pork Lumpia Shanghai recipe you’ll ever find–really. Perfect for gatherings, lunch, dinner, midday snack, or make-ahead meal, these little super crispy, extra delicious spring rolls are a mainstay in our home and likely will be yours, too!

If you love Filipino food, then you’ll want to try my Filipino Pork Adobo and Ginisang Monggo with Shrimp recipes, next!

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Pork Lumpia Shanghai

When someone asks me to name a food that was always featured at family parties and at home, my first answer is always: Pork Lumpia Shanghai (also referred to as Lumpiang Shanghai or Spring Rolls).

As a kid, I remember gathering around the table, watching my mom spooning out the filling, forming it into a line across the lumpia skins and rolling up tight sticks that, to me, looked like little flutes. Watching the progression of making the meat mixture, to rolling, and finally frying meant that good eats were well on its way.

Whenever my mom would make lumpia, it was never in small batches; there were times where she and my sister would make so much that we would have a freezer filled with them, leaving little room in the freezer for anything else. This meant that whenever we had guests visiting, needed a quick snack or dinner, potluck contribution, or a parting gift, lumpia shanghai was always there waiting.

There are many variations of lumpia; made with pork, ground beef, chicken and shrimp, vegetables, and even fruit! This recipe serves as a wonderful baseline, you can add or reduce certain ingredients as you please.

What is Lumpia Shanghai?

Lumpia Shanghai is actually Chinese influenced during the arrival of Chinese traders and Spanish occupation that dates back to the ninth century. The blending of cultures had a significant impact on Filipino cuisine, and it is still seen in Filipino foods today.

These crispy, slender beauties are the Filipino version of spring rolls, filled with vegetables and ground meat. There are so many varieties of lumpia, and growing up, every Filipino Tita (Aunt) touted theirs as “the best!”. I’m partial to my momma’s recipe–and for good reason–as her recipe calls for a higher ratio of vegetables, which is excellent for adding the perfect amount of moisture to the filling.

Lumpia Shanghai Ingredients

Round up your ingredients! Here’s the lowdown:

• Ground pork
• Carrots
• White onion
• Garlic
• Eggs
• Celery
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper

How to Make Filipino Lumpia Shanghai

This recipe is straightforward and the reward is definitely worth the mixing, folding and rolling. To make things easy, I always use this vegetable chopper to get the perfect minced-sized vegetables, every time.

Let’s get down to the how-to:

1. Chop the Ingredients: mince carrots, onion, celery, and add to a large mixing bowl
2. Add ground pork, eggs, freshly ground pepper and kosher salt.
3. Mix with one hand (using a spoon or spatula to mix ingredients simply won’t do). It’s essential to thoroughly combine the ingredients using your hand.
4. Place in the refrigerator for one hour to allow flavors to marry.
5. Place 2-3 heaping tablespoons of the filling onto the wrapper and use your fingers to even out the filling, creating a straight line. Reserve 1½ inches space on both ends.
6. Fold in the sides and begin to roll the lumpia neatly. Be sure to keep the roll tight.
7. Misten the edge with water to seal.
8. Place lumpia shanghai under a towel to keep moist.

Lumpia Shanghai Wrapper

While there are a number of wrappers to choose from are Kimbo and Spring Form Spring Roll Pastry wrappers. I am not sponsored to share these brands, rather, sharing what I use as a guide in the event you find yourself overwhelmed with choosing lumpia shanghai wrappers at the Asian market.

How to Cook Lumpia Shanghai

Cooking pork lumpia shanghai is fairly simple; the trick is to make sure the temperature of the oil is 350°F. If the oil is too hot, it will cook the lumpia wrapper too fast, leaving the filling partially raw. If the oil is not hot enough, lumpia will absorb too much oil, causing a lumpy, oil-dense wrapper.

• Heat frying oil to 350°F. Once oil is hot enough, carefully add lumpia and rotate as the lumpia begins to brown.
• Cook for 3-4 minutes. Once the lumpia is golden brown on all sides, remove from oil.
• Drain excess oil. Place on a paper towel-lined bowl to drain excess oil.

How to Cook Frozen Lumpia Shanghai

When cooking frozen lumpia, no need to thaw. Simply remove from the freezer and follow the above cooking steps.

Lumpia Shanghai Sauce

Although typical to pair lumpia shanghai with banana ketchup, growing up, I’ve always used sweet chili sauce (recipe below!) or Sweet and Sour Sauce. Check out my recipes for these beloved sauces that are the perfect accompaniment to lumpia shanghai!

How to Freeze Lumpia Shanghai

What’s great about Lumpia Shanghai is that it freezes incredibly well and makes for the perfect eats when you’re in a time crunch. To store, simply:

• Arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer. Place in the freezer for 1 hour. This step will keep lumpia from sticking together in the freezer bag.
• Transfer to a freezer bag, seal and freeze for up to 4 months.
• When ready to cook, no need to thaw, simply take ‘em straight to the fryer!

Tools Needed

• Vegetable chopper
• Spider strainer
• Dutch oven
• Kitchen thermometer

In the Mood for Filipino Eats?

Then check out my childhood favorites that are also beloved by many:

• Chicken Adobo
• Taho-Filipino Silken Tofu with Sago Pearls
• Sinangag-Filipino Garlic Rice

This Recipe Will Always be our Favorite!

Are you a fan of it, too? Leave a comment below and share your love for this recipe on Instagram and Pinterest. We love to see you get down in the kitchen. Happy eating!