Lumpia Shanghai filled with ground chicken, water chestnuts, carrots, and green onions are a hearty and tasty appetizer or main dish that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Golden, crunchy, and in fun bite-size, these Filipino-style meat spring rolls are addictive!
- What is lumpia shanghai?
- How to store
- Helpful tips
- How to serve
- More lumpia recipes
- Lumpiang Shanghai
Lumpiang Shanghai are one of my favorite make-ahead meals. Every other weekend or so, 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 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 are 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 about 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 are 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.