18 November 2025
In my recent article about my mom’s birthday celebration, where we enjoyed a simple dinner with relatives, one of the dishes that stood out was the classic Filipino lumpia. No matter how simple the occasion is, lumpia always finds its place on the table. It’s one of those dishes that brings comfort and joy, which is why it’s so special to many Filipino occasions.
If you are not familiar with the term lumpia, perhaps you are familiar with spring rolls. They are the same. In parties, it is the first dish to disappear because everyone loves it, even kids. The crispy, golden wrapper and savory filling make it everyone's favorite.
There are two types of lumpia: the meat lumpia or what we call lumpia Shanghai, usually filled with ground meat, carrots, onions, garlic, and seasonings, and it is often served with sweet or vinegar sauce. And the vegetable lumpia, which is much bigger, is usually filled with bean sprouts, or can be cabbage, carrots, and other veggies.
No matter the type, they are both delicious and bring the same comfort.
I made vegetable lumpia for my mom's birthday. I didn't put other vegetables; instead, I put some meat. The ingredients for this recipe are: lumpia wrapper, bean sprouts, small slices of pork, garlic, onion, and seasonings.
The first thing to do is to cook the vegetable filling. In a wok, saute garlic and onion, then add the pork, and cook until tender. Lastly, add the bean sprouts and keep stirring until everything is cooked.
The next step is to wrap the lumpia. Lay a wrapper on a flat surface or plate. Place 1-2 tablespoons of the vegetable filling near the edge. Shape it into a line, roll tightly, then seal the edges with a bit of water.
Lastly, heat oil in a pan and deep-fry until golden brown. Vegetable lumpia is easier to cook since the fillings have already been cooked beforehand, unlike lumpia shanghai where you use uncooked ground meat.
With those simple ingredients and steps, you can cook delicious lumpia or spring rolls that you can serve with sweet sauce like banana ketchup, or spicy and sour sauce like vinegar with chili, garlic, and onion. That's yummy!
There's no doubt, lumpia is one of the many Filipino comfort foods. So even those abroad miss eating lumpia. But since it's easy to make, they can eat whenever they want to. So, it's more than just a party food. It gives warmth to Filipino gatherings. Every bite feels like a celebration!
Thanks for your time.
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Jane is a Filipina wanderer in a foreign land who finds comfort in nature and freedom in writing. She loves watching raw picturesque landscapes, listening to the symphony of nature, breathing in drops of sunshine, walking through scenic trails and cityscapes, tasting new culinary flavors, capturing pretty little things, venturing into hidden gems, and dancing with the flow of life.
Her new experiences, adventures, challenges, lessons, small successes, and joys are colorful paints that fill up her canvas of life. She hopes to see it beautifully painted while she can.
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