Because I am half Filipino, I get a lot of inquiries about my ethnicity. I look kind of Asian, maybe a little Latina, but not quite enough for people to guess. When I explain my Filipino background, many people then ask if I know how to make lumpia.
Apparently lumpia is to Filipinos what tacos are to Mexicans and pasta is to Italians.
If you claim to be Filipino and answer no when asked if you can make lumpia, I’m pretty sure you get added to a watchlist somewhere where a Filipino with great authority is just looking for a reason to revoke your Filipino race card.
Even my mother who hates to cook can whip up this national culinary treasure.
Well, after years of lying, I decided it would probably be easier to actually make lumpia than to continue to come up with excuses about why I never make it.
Plus, my teenage son had a date where the girl’s family taught him to make chimichangas (one of their family’s traditional dishes) and for some reason, it seemed logical to me that we should invite her over to learn the Filipino equivalent, nevermind the small detail that I’d never made them before.
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My Mom’s Secret Recipe
I consulted with my mother to learn her secret recipe. “Pork sausage and green onions.” Um, I know I’m the novice here, but I knew enough to know that the recipe should involve a few more details than two ingredients, quantities unknown.
On the box of the lumpia wrappers was a recipe that called for the same two ingredients plus some shredded carrots, garlic, and soy sauce. Now I had some measurements, but I still felt the recipe was lacking.
Recipe From The Lumpia Wrapper Box
So, I embellished the recipe from the box and tweaked all the measurements so I could work in more of the ingredients I wanted to include and ended up with some darn good lumpia!
It’s stuffed with vegetables so I felt like I scored a nutritional coup with the kids and they felt like they were getting spoiled because they got a rare treat–something that was deep-fried.
Next time I might just spray them with a little olive oil and bake them to take the health factor up a notch, but I’m not going to recommend it until I’ve tried it and had success.
Here’s the recipe I came up with.
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๐ Recipe
Lumpia (Filipino Egg Rolls)
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork sausage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup broccoli slaw
- 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
- 1 bunch of green onions diced
- 1 T garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 cups vegetable or canola oil
- 1 pkg lumpia wrappers or spring roll wrappers
Instructions
- Brown pork sausage in 10 inch skillet. Drain fat.
- Add remaining ingredients except oil to skillet and stir well.
- Cook pork and vegetable mixture for 5-6 minutes to soften vegetables. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- To form lumpia, lay out a wrapper and place 3-4 tablespoons of the sausage/vegetable mixture lengthwise across the wrapper about 1-inch from the bottom edge, making sure to leave at least 1/2-inch on each end clear.
- Fold the bottom edge over the filling, then fold in each side.
- Roll the wrapper slowly towards the top edge, keeping the roll as tight as possible.
- Moisten the top edge with water to seal the roll closed.
- Place oil in a heavy skillet so it is about 1/2 inch deep. Heat over medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Add 4-5 lumpia rolls to the oil and fry for 1-2 minutes on each side.
- Remove lumpia to paper towel lined plate to drain.
- Serve with soy sauce and/or rice wine vinegar.
- Heat oil in a separate skillet over medium heat.
What type of pork sausage do you use? The breakfast one? Or do you mean ground pork?
Ground pork.
love this recipe!
Thank you!
Have you ever used an airfryer to make lumpias?
I haven’t. I don’t have an air fryer! Have you tried it? I’ve been on the fence about getting one. Love the idea!
Most ovens have a Convection Bake setting, use 350 degrees and watch for browning.
Thanks for the great tip!
That’s what we used last night for Olympia and it was a disaster I don’t know what happened
What kind of wrapper are you using? I’m not familiar with Filipino food, so I would guess a spring roll wrap? It is not listed in your ingredients, aad just says wrapper in the ddirection.
Can’t wait to try them! Thanks.
It’s best if you use actual lumpia wrappers (available in the asian frozen food section of many grocery stores or in Asian food markets). If you have a hard time finding them though, you can use spring roll wrappers which are very similar. Here’s a link to some available on Amazon – http://amzn.to/2dPSq9u
Just made these today and they’re delicious!!!! Thanks for the recipe!
I’m glad you liked them! They are a favorite in my house.
Just stopping by to check out your recipe from The Pinterest Party.
Just pinned!!
Have a great weekend, Karren
Thank you! Love your party and I really appreciate that you take the time to stop by and visit when I link up. ๐
I grew up eating lumpia in Hawai’i, but I’ve never made them myself. Can’t wait to try your recipe (but there’s no way I’ll do anything but fry them.
I have a feeling my kids feel the same way. If I manage to trick them into loving a baked version, I might make you try it. ๐
Okay so these look really delicious but I have a question. Where do I get the wrapper papers to make the lumpia? Thank you for linking up to the Bloggers Brags Pinterest Party. I have pinned to the Bloggers Brags Board and my Appetizer board.
Hi Brandi–Great question! I buy my lumpia wrappers at my local grocery store. They have them in the freezer section. If your local grocer doesn’t have them, most Asian markets will. Thanks for pinning my recipe and for hosting the party. Soooo many great posts there!
I haven’t had lumpia in SO long, I will have to try to make this myself. Thank you for sharing your recipe with us at the MMBH.
XOXO
I hope you do make them and enjoy them as much as we did. LOVE your link party!
These look really good and I love that they can be eaten with my fingers! I think that makes them a perfect weekend food. I have been seeing these on the internet and am glad to have an authentic recipe!
I agree–finger food is somehow always more fun to eat. I don’t know if my recipe passes the Filipino authenticity test, but is tested on and approved by my family. ๐