Filipino Lumpia – Barefeet in the Kitchen

Pork, shrimp, and vegetables are folded into a paper-thin lumpia wrapper and then fried to crisp golden perfection in this traditional recipe for Filipino lumpia. Almost 30 years ago, I tasted lumpia for the first time and I fell in love with them at first bite.

Filipino Lumpia

Unfortunately, I lost touch with the friend who introduced them to me. Luckily, I remembered lumpia a few years ago and realized that I might be able to make them at home.

Then I ran into a problem. Where would I find the recipe? I looked online and didn’t find anything that sounded quite right. The lumpia I remembered was not your average eggroll.

There wasn’t cabbage or an abundance of vegetables in them. I simply remembered that there were a lot of different flavors packed into a very thin wrapper.

I mentioned my lumpia craving to a friend, (thanks, Sandra!) who told me to look for one of her friends on Facebook. I did that and proceeded to message back and forth with her friend, Irene, who was happy to chat about lumpia recipes for a bit to make sure I had it right.

The lumpia turned out fabulously and my middle son immediately requested them for his birthday meal the following year. We like to serve lumpia with this simple Asian-inspired Rice and bowls of Egg Drop Soup.

In my house, a birthday request is the very highest of food compliments. Everyone in the family devoured these and my youngest actually cried when they were gone. There wasn’t a single one left or we probably would have eaten more.

Over the years, I’ve made traditional lumpia, Air Fryer Lumpia, Baked Lumpia, and when I’m short on time, this easy recipe for a Filipino Lumpia Skillet is always a hit!

Once you’ve tried the lumpia skillet, you’ll want to try the original Egg Roll Skillet and the Sausage Egg Roll in a Bowl for more fun variations. And definitely don’t miss out on Egg Roll in a Bowl Ramen too!

If you love all the flavors of traditional lumpia and egg roll recipes, but just don’t have the time to roll them each time you’re craving them, the skillet recipes are sure to thrill you.

Dipping Sauce for Lumpia

We like to use a couple of different sweet and sour hot sauces for dipping. My husband enjoys the heat of Lingham’s Sweet & Spicy Hot Sauce and my younger boys and I prefer the sweetness of Mae Ploy Sweet Chili Sauce.

My oldest son mixes the two and declares it perfect. My friend Irene also mentioned that she likes Frank’s Sweet Chili Sauce, however, I didn’t see that one at my store.

Lumpia Recipe

The first time I made these, I misunderstood the original directions and I cooked and crumbled the ground pork prior to mixing it with the other ingredients.

It was supposed to be mixed together in the style of meatloaf with all the other ingredients and then fried and cooked that way. I loved the way mine turned out, so I have chosen to share that particular method.

I’ve also made them as originally intended with raw meat and they’re delicious that way. I find it simpler (with less concern about whether they’re cooked through) to make them according to the recipe as written above.

If you decide to make them with the more traditional method, be certain the meat is fully cooked in the oil. Irene recommends just a teaspoon or so of the mix in each lumpia roll and then cooking them for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown.

Lumpia Wrappers

When it comes to lumpia wrappers, finding the real deal in an Asian market is going to be your best bet. Lumpia wrappers, spring roll, and eggroll wrappers are not the same thing, although they can be used interchangeably in many recipes. 

Filipino lumpia wrappers are typically thinner and more delicate than spring roll wrappers, leading to a crisper and more delicate texture when fried. If you’re unable to find authentic lumpia wrappers in a store near you, spring roll wrappers will work.

Seriously though, try to find the lumpia ones. The lumpia that I’ve made using basic spring roll wrappers were delicious, but the ones in the paper-thin lumpia wrappers are always phenomenal.

What is in Lumpia?

You’ll need the following ingredients for this recipe:

• ground pork
• canned water chestnuts
• sliced mushrooms
• shrimp
• green onions
• yellow onion
• garlic
• salt, pepper, sugar
• soy sauce
• egg
• lumpia wrappers or spring roll wrappers
• oil for frying

Combine all ingredients except for the eggs in a bowl, and mix with your hands. (per Irene, this way it is with love!) After it’s all mixed, cover it and let it sit in the fridge for an hour (or up to 24 hours) before wrapping.

Open the lumpia wrappers and cut in half to form rectangular strips or in quarters to make bite size rolls. The lumpia wrappers are larger than most eggroll or spring roll wrappers. If you are using spring roll wrappers, you can cut them in half or leave them the bigger size.

Carefully peel the wrappers apart and place about a tablespoon of filling on each one. Roll them according to your preference and then dip your finger in the beaten egg and seal the edges. Set the rolls aside until ready to cook. I found it was easiest to roll them all in an assembly line and then cook them in batches.

In a small saucepan, heat about 2 inches of oil over medium-high. Once the oil is hot, use tongs to place a few rolls in the oil at a time. Let cook for about 1½-2 minutes on each side. If the oil covers them completely, just turn as needed to make sure they are cooking evenly.

When the lumpia are lightly golden brown, remove from the oil and place on a paper towel-covered plate. Serve with dipping sauces of your choice.

 If you’re craving more eggroll style recipes, check out these Italian Eggrolls, Chicken Cordon Bleu Eggrolls, Macaroni and Cheese Eggrolls, Southwestern Eggrolls, and don’t miss these Breakfast Eggrolls with Sausage Gravy!

{originally published 1/17/12 – recipes notes and photos updated 6/2/25}