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Lumpia shanghai with rice and sweet and sour sauce

Lumpia shanghai are small fried Filipino rolls stuffed with pork, carrots and onion, served with rice and a sweet and sour sauce. For 4 people, it takes about 1 hour and medium difficulty, for around €2.90 per serving. The key is rolling them thin and tight, sealed with a bit of water.

Tonight, crispy little Filipino rolls stuffed with pork, with a sweet and sour sauce that wins everyone over.

Lumpia shanghai with rice and sweet and sour sauce
Total time
1 h
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€2.90
Calories per person
650 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

Lumpia shanghai are all about crunch. The golden wrapper shatters under your teeth and reveals a well seasoned pork filling, fragrant with garlic and onion, with the quiet crunch of shredded carrots. The sweet and sour sauce balances everything out, somewhere between sweet and tangy, a contrast that wins over kids and adults alike.

This is a recipe for an evening when you have a little extra time, or a Sunday when you enjoy cooking with your hands. Rolling works well as a group activity, and kids love getting involved. Mon Chou suggests it as a change from everyday meals, with plain rice to soften every bite.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Ground pork 500 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Carrots 2
  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 3 cloves

Dairy

  • Egg 1

Pantry

  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Spring roll wrappers 20
  • Frying oiloften in the pantry 50 cl
  • Sweet and sour sauce 8 tbsp
  • Riceoften in the pantry 250 g
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Gluten, Eggs, Soy

The step by step recipe

  1. Shred the carrots and finely chop the onion and garlic.

    Chop everything finely, the filling needs to be fine for small rolls.

  2. Mix the ground pork with the vegetables, egg, soy sauce, salt and pepper.

    Fry a small patty to taste the seasoning before rolling.

  3. Place a spoonful of filling in a strip on each wrapper, fold in the sides and roll up, sealing with a little water.

    A bit of water on the edge of the wrapper makes the roll stick together.

  4. Fry the lumpia in hot oil until golden, then drain them. 12 min

    Don't overcrowd the pan, the temperature drops and they turn greasy.

  5. Cook the rice and serve with the lumpia and the sweet and sour sauce. 12 min

    The lumpia stay even crispier if you set them on a rack right out of the fryer.

Our tips to get it right

  • Drain the shredded carrots well before mixing them into the filling, otherwise the lumpia release water while frying and end up less crispy.
  • Keep the spring roll wrappers under a damp towel while you roll, they dry out fast and crack if left exposed to air.
  • Fry in several batches over medium high heat, two rounds in the pan beat one overcrowded batch that cools down the oil.

The variations

  • Swap the ground pork for ground chicken for a milder flavor, the seasoning stays the same.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the meat with chopped mushrooms and crumbled tofu, well drained before mixing.
  • To save time, bake the lumpia at 200 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, flipping halfway, brushed with a little oil.

What to serve it with

  • Crunchy pickled vegetables
  • Hot green tea
  • Vinegared cucumber salad

Storage

Uncooked lumpia keep for 1 day in the fridge, well covered, before frying. Once fried, they freeze very well and can be reheated straight from frozen in the oven or a pan. Cooked rice keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a closed container.

Questions about this dish

Can you make lumpia ahead of time?

Yes, you can roll them the day before and keep them covered in the fridge without frying. Fry them just before serving so they stay crispy.

Can you use rice paper or egg roll wrappers instead of spring roll wrappers?

Yes, both work, but spring roll wrappers give a thinner, crunchier result. Egg roll wrappers are a bit thicker and brown faster.

How do you keep lumpia from falling apart while frying?

Seal each edge well with a bit of water before dropping them in the oil. Let them rest in the fridge for a few minutes if you have time, it helps the seal hold.

Can kids help make this recipe?

Yes, rolling the lumpia is a perfect task for them to join in safely. Just leave the frying to the adults.

How long does it take to make lumpia shanghai with rice and a sweet and sour sauce?

Count 1 h in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in lumpia shanghai with rice and a sweet and sour sauce?

About 650 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does lumpia shanghai with rice and a sweet and sour sauce cost?

About €2.90 per serving, or €11.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, eggs, soy. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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