Lumpiang Shanghai (Crispy Filipino Spring Rolls)

Lumpia Shanghai are crunchy, skinny little meat-filled spring rolls. They’re served with a very flavorful sweet & sour sauce spiked with a kick of garlic and ginger.

for some helpful tips before you begin, click here.

Ingredients

Makes 50 lumpia and about 2 cups of sweet & sour sauce.

Lumpia:

3 lbs. (1.4 kg) ground beef
1/2 cup to 10 tablespoons (118 to 147 ml) soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons (4.5 g) onion powder
2 tablespoons (18 g) garlic powder
1 tablespoon (9 g) white pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons (4.5 g) MSG*
3 tablespoons (45 ml) rice vinegar
3 tablespoons (45 ml) toasted sesame oil
1 cup (100 g or about 6 medium) scallions, finely chopped
50 spring roll wrappers – 8″ (20 cm)

vegetable or peanut oil for frying

*I use MSG because it makes food delicious. But if you do not like to use MSG, you can always omit it.

Sweet & Sour Sauce:

6 tablespoons (90 ml) rice vinegar
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) ketchup
3 to 4 tablespoons (45 to 60 ml) soy sauce
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoons (7 g) fresh ginger, grated
3/4 cup (180 ml) pineapple juice
2 tablespoons (15 g) cornstarch

Directions

For the lumpia:

1. Combine the ingredients.

– Combine the ground beef, soy sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, white pepper, MSG, rice vinegar and sesame oil. Knead vigorously until everything is evenly mixed and the meat becomes very soft.
– Then knead in the chopped scallions.

2. Roll up the spring rolls. (See TIPS)

– Have a small bowl of water nearby.
– Lay a wrapper on a flat surface, corner toward you (like a diamond).
– Place almost 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture in the lower third portion of the wrapper.
– Spread the meat mixture across in a thin roll.
– Fold the bottom corner upward over the meat and roll snugly almost to the halfway point.
– Moisten the edges of the wrapper with water.
– Fold the side corners inward.
– Finish rolling the spring roll up nice and snug.
– Seal the final corner with a little more water, if needed.

3. Fry the spring rolls.

– Fill a deep skillet with about an inch of oil.
– Heat the oil to about 350°F (177°C).
– Fry the spring rolls until golden brown, turning over as necessary for even color.
– OR deep-fry in 350°F (177°C) oil until golden brown.
– Remove to a cooling rack or a plate with paper towels to drain the excess oil.

For the sweet & sour sauce:

1. Whisk together the first four ingredients.

– Whisk together the rice vinegar, sugar, ketchup and soy sauce until well-combined.
– Set aside.

2. Cook the garlic and ginger until fragrant and combine.

– In a small saucepan, heat up the vegetable oil over medium-high heat.
– Stir in the garlic and ginger. Cook until fragrant and beginning to brown.
– Add the rice vinegar/ketchup mixture and let it come to a simmer.

3. Thicken the sauce.

– Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the pineapple juice and cornstarch.
– Stir the cornstarch slurry into the saucepan and let it come to a boil.
– Leave the sauce to bubble for 1 minute, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and clears.
– Pour into a serving bowl.

Serve the Lumpiang Shanghai warm with plenty of sauce on the side!

How to store and reheat:

Lumpia:
– Let cool to room temperature then refrigerate in an airtight container.
– To reheat, lay single-layer on a baking sheet at bake at 300°F (149°C) for 10 minutes.

Sweet & Sour Sauce:
– Let cool to room temperature then cover and refrigerate.
– When ready to use, microwave a little bit at a time just until slightly warmed through and loose enough to stir. Or loosen with water, a tablespoon at a time and stir until smooth.

Lumpiang Shanghai in a plastic container

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Lumpiang Shanghai with sweet and sour sauce

About this Recipe

Lumpiang Shanghai is a favorite at our house. I imagine it’s a favorite at many houses. It is pretty simple to make, but can be a little time consuming. Get your kids to help you and it will go much faster.

Tips:

Here are 3 helpful tips:

1) How to roll the Lumpiang Shanghai:

Roll the lumpia nice and snug.
Be sure to generously moisten the edges with water so the lumpia will stay sealed during frying.
While rolling, cover the unused wrappers with a damp paper towel to prevent them from drying out.
If not frying right away, the rolled lumpia can be left at room temperature under a damp paper towel or plastic wrap for up to an hour. Or freeze.

2) How to freeze uncooked Lumpiang Shanghai:

– Lay the uncooked lumpia single-layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
– Freeze for about an hour.
– Place the frozen lumpia in a freezer bag.
– Freeze for up to 2 months.

3) How to cook the lumpiang Shanghai from frozen:

– Do NOT thaw the frozen Lumpiang Shanghai.
– Heat the oil in a skillet or deep fryer to 350°F (177°C).
– Fry from frozen until deep golden brown. (Use a splatter screen!!)