Lumpiang Shanghai Recipe (Filipino Spring Rolls)

You know that tray of lumpia at a Filipino party that somehow ends up half-empty before everyone has even finished getting their food? That’s Lumpiang Shanghai!

This Lumpiang Shanghai recipe makes crispy Filipino spring rolls filled with seasoned ground pork, vegetables, and simple aromatics. They’re crunchy on the outside, savory on the inside, and really hard to stop eating once you start.

There’s a reason you’ll see Lumpiang Shanghai at birthdays, holidays, family gatherings, and just about every Filipino celebration with a big table of food. They’re easy to serve, perfect for sharing, and always one of the first dishes to disappear.

This recipe makes about 50 spring rolls, which sounds like a lot until you put a tray in front of a crowd. I recommend making the full batch. If you have extras, you can freeze them uncooked and fry them whenever the craving hits.

→Read the Lumpiang Shanghai Story

What Is Lumpiang Shanghai?

Lumpiang Shanghai is a Filipino fried spring roll filled with a savory mixture of ground pork, vegetables, and seasonings. The rolls are made small and thin, then fried until the wrappers are crisp and golden.

You’ll find Lumpiang Shanghai at birthdays, holidays, and almost every Filipino celebration. A tray can disappear surprisingly fast—especially when it’s served with sweet chili sauce or banana ketchup.

Despite the name, Lumpiang Shanghai is considered a Filipino dish. If you’re curious about its history and how it became such a well-loved party favorite, you can read the Lumpiang Shanghai story here.

Why You’ll Love This Lumpiang Shanghai

• Crispy and flavorful: Every roll has a golden, crunchy wrapper and a savory pork filling.
• Perfect for sharing: This recipe makes a large batch for birthdays, holidays, and family gatherings.
• Easy to prepare ahead: You can roll the lumpia in advance and refrigerate or freeze them until you’re ready to fry.
• Freezer-friendly: Keep a batch in the freezer so you can fry only what you need.
• Always a crowd favorite: Place a platter on the table with dipping sauce and watch how quickly it disappears.

Ingredients You’ll Need

This Lumpiang Shanghai recipe uses a generously seasoned ground-pork filling and makes approximately 50 crispy Filipino spring rolls.

For the Lumpia

• 2½ lbs ground pork
• ¾ cup carrots, finely minced
• 1 large onion, finely minced
• 2 whole bulbs garlic, peeled and finely minced
• ¼ cup parsley, finely minced
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 packages lumpia wrappers, 25 wrappers per package
• Cooking oil, for frying

For Sealing

• 1 large egg, beaten

For Serving

• Sweet chili sauce

Yield: Approximately 50 spring rolls

How to Make Lumpiang Shanghai

1. Prepare the vegetables. Finely mince the carrot, onion, garlic, and parsley. I use a food processor to save time when making this large batch, pulsing just until everything is finely minced but not puréed. You can also mince everything by hand.
2. Make the filling. Add the ground pork, minced vegetables, eggs, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, salt, and oyster sauce to a large mixing bowl. I use my stand mixer on low speed to combine everything evenly, but you can also mix it thoroughly by hand.
3. Cook a tester roll. Before rolling the entire batch, make and fully cook one lumpia. Let it cool slightly, taste it, and adjust the seasoning in the remaining filling if needed.
4. Add the filling. Lay one lumpia wrapper flat on a clean surface. Place about 1 tablespoon of filling near one edge and shape it into a thin, even line.
5. Roll the lumpia. Fold the sides of the wrapper over the filling, then roll tightly toward the opposite edge.
6. Seal it. Lightly brush the final edge of the wrapper with beaten egg. Finish rolling and press gently to seal.
7. Keep rolling. Repeat until you have used all the filling. You should get approximately 50 spring rolls, depending on how much filling you place in each wrapper.
8. Fry until golden and crispy. Heat the cooking oil until a small piece of lumpia wrapper sizzles when added without browning immediately. Fry the lumpia in batches, turning as needed, until the wrappers are evenly golden brown and crispy and the pork filling is completely cooked. I judge them by the color and crispness of the wrapper, then cut open or taste one from the first batch to check the filling.
9. Let them drain. Transfer the cooked lumpia to a cooling rack. I prefer a rack instead of paper towels because air can circulate underneath, helping the bottoms stay crispy instead of becoming soggy.

Serve them hot and crispy with sweet chili sauce on the side.

A Few Tips Before You Start Rolling

Don’t overfill them. About a tablespoon of filling is enough. Too much filling makes them harder to roll and can make it harder for the pork to cook evenly.

Try to keep them around the same size. They definitely don’t need to look perfect, but similar-sized lumpia will cook at about the same rate.

Roll them tightly. You want them snug enough that they don’t unravel in the oil, but don’t roll so tightly that the wrapper tears.

Keep the wrappers covered. Lumpia wrappers can dry out pretty quickly. I like to keep the stack covered and just take out what I need as I go.

Don’t overcrowd your pan. Fry them in batches so the oil stays hot and your lumpia actually gets crispy.

And yes, rolling 50 pieces takes a little time. Put something on to watch or listen to and just keep rolling. 😂

Can You Make Lumpiang Shanghai Ahead of Time?

Yes! If I’m making Lumpiang Shanghai for a party, I actually prefer preparing it ahead of time.

Roll the lumpia, place them in a covered container, and refrigerate them if you plan to fry them within one to two days. Keep them refrigerated at 40°F or below until you’re ready to cook.

If you need to prepare them further in advance, freeze them instead. It’s much easier than trying to roll a large batch while everyone else is already eating.

How to Freeze Lumpiang Shanghai

Place the uncooked lumpia in an airtight plastic container and close it securely before putting it in the freezer. I usually keep mine frozen for several weeks or up to one month for the best texture and flavor.

When you’re ready to cook them, fry the lumpia directly from frozen—there’s no need to thaw them first. Carefully add them to the hot oil and fry in batches. Frozen lumpia will take longer to cook than fresh ones, so make sure the wrappers are evenly golden and crispy and the pork filling is completely cooked before serving.

This is why I don’t mind making a batch of 50. Having homemade lumpia ready in the freezer is never a bad thing.

What Dipping Sauce Goes With Lumpiang Shanghai?

I usually serve ours with sweet chili sauce. I’ve tried different ones, and I have a favorite that I keep coming back to. I’ve included the one I use in my Lumpiang Shanghai essentials below.

Banana ketchup is also really good with lumpia, or you can serve it with a vinegar-based dipping sauce if you prefer something tangier.

Honestly, when they’re freshly fried and still super crispy, the first one usually doesn’t even make it to the dipping sauce.

What to Serve With Lumpiang Shanghai

Lumpiang Shanghai can be an appetizer, party food, or part of a full Filipino meal.

I like serving it with steamed rice, Pancit Canton, Pancit Bihon, Filipino spaghetti, Pork Adobo, or whatever else happens to be on the table.

For parties, just put a big platter down with dipping sauce on the side and let everyone help themselves.

Don’t expect the platter to stay full very long.

Lumpia doesn’t have to be saved for parties! → Find more ways to enjoy it with these Filipino lunch ideas for easy family meals.

Want More Easy Filipino Dinner Ideas?

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Shop My Lumpiang Shanghai Essentials

These are some of the ingredients and kitchen tools I use or recommend for making Lumpiang Shanghai, including the sweet chili sauce I’ve tried and serve with ours.

In my Lumpiang Shanghai Essentials list, you’ll find things like my recommended sweet chili sauce and oyster sauce, along with useful tools for prepping, rolling, frying, and keeping the lumpia crispy.

→ Shop My Lumpiang Shanghai Essentials

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