Traditional Filipino Lumpia

• servings: 15
• active time: 40 mins
• total time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 pound ground pork

½ cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, crushed

½ cup minced carrots

½ cup chopped green onions

½ cup thinly sliced green cabbage

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (Optional)

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon soy sauce

30 lumpia wrappers

2 cups vegetable oil for frying, or as needed

Directions

How to Make Lumpia

You'll find the full, step-by-step recipe below — but here's a brief overview of what you can expect:

1. Make the filling: Cook the pork until crumbly and set aside. Drain most (but not all) of the grease. Cook the onion and garlic in the remaining grease. Return the pork to the pan and stir in the veggies, cilantro, and seasonings. Remove from heat and let cool.

2. Assemble the lumpia: Place three tablespoons of the filling on the wrapper and follow the instructions to roll and seal the lumpia. Repeat until all the rolls are assembled.

3. Fry the lumpia: Heat oil in a skillet. Fry the lumpia three to four rolls at a time. Turn until all sides are brown. Drain on a paper towel.

How to Serve Lumpia

Lumpia is often served with a sweet chili dipping sauce (this 5-ingredient Hot and Sweet Dipping Sauce is an excellent choice). If you're sensitive to heat, you could try with a classic Sweet and Sour Sauce.

How to Store Lumpia

Allow the rolls to cool, then transfer the leftovers to an airtight container or wrap them tightly in foil. Store the lumpia in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Can You Freeze Lumpia?

Yes, but it's best to freeze the lumpia before you fry it.

To freeze un-fried lumpia: Arrange the cooled rolls on a baking sheet, then cover with storage wrap. Freeze for a few hours or up to overnight. When the lumpia are frozen solid, transfer the rolls to a zip-top freezer bag (don't forget to squeeze out the excess air) or another freezer-safe container. Wrap in foil for added protection. Lumpia can be frozen for up to three months.

There's no need to thaw — just go ahead and fry the lumpia from frozen.

Gather all ingredients.

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add pork; cook and stir until crumbly and no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove pork from the pan and set aside. Drain grease from the pan, leaving just a thin coating.

Add onion and garlic to the pan; cook and stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Stir in cooked pork, carrots, green onions, cabbage, and cilantro. Season with pepper, salt, garlic powder, and soy sauce. Remove from the heat, and set aside until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes.

To assemble lumpia: Place 3 heaping tablespoons of filling diagonally near one corner of a lumpia wrapper, leaving a 1 ½ inch space at both ends.

Fold the side along the length of the filling over the filling, tuck in both ends, and roll neatly and tightly to close.

Moisten the other side of the wrapper with water to seal the edge. Transfer to a plate and cover with plastic wrap to retain moisture. Repeat to assemble remaining lumpia.

Heat 1/2 inch vegetable oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Slide 3 to 4 lumpia into the hot oil, making sure the seams are facing down. Fry, turning occasionally, until all sides are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat to fry remaining lumpia.

Serve immediately. Enjoy!