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shot of Filipino Lumiang Shanghai in a white bowl with dipping sauces by sweet simple vegan

Vegan Filipino Spring Rolls Recipe (Lumpiang Shanghai)


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5 from 7 reviews

  • Author: Sweet Simple Vegan
  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: About 50 lumpia
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

Learn how to make Vegan Filipino Spring Rolls aka Lumpiang Shanghai at home! These fried lumpia have the same taste and texture as the authentic recipe I grew up with, but are made with 10 simple plant-based ingredients. Deep fry or air fry until golden brown and crispy and serve with your favorite dipping sauces. 


Ingredients

  • 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons flaxseed meal + 6 tablespoons water)
  • 1 (8 oz) can water chestnuts, drained
  • 1/2 cup green onions, roughly chopped
  • 1 large carrot, roughly chopped
  • 1 sheet of nori, torn into small pieces
  • 4 cloves fresh garlic
  • 1 pack (3/4 lb.) Impossible Foods plant-based ground beef* (see notes)
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce (or tamari)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • Lumpia or spring roll wrappers * (ours were 5 1/2-inch squares; see notes)
  • Oil, for frying
  • Serve with dipping sauces of choice, such as sweet and sour, banana ketchup or garlic and vinegar

Instructions

  1. If your wrappers are frozen, thaw them according to the package directions, or the night before.
  2. Prepare the flax egg by mixing together the flaxseed meal and water in a small bowl and setting it aside for 15 minutes to thicken.
  3. In the bowl of a large food processor, add in the water chestnuts, green onions, carrot, nori and fresh garlic. Process until everything is very finely chopped and uniform in consistency.
  4. Transfer this mixture to a large bowl along with the vegan ground beef, soy sauce, salt and pepper, along with the prepared flax egg. Mix everything well until evenly combined. Set aside.
  5. Prepare your frying oil. Fill your pot with 2-3 inches of oil and heat it to to 350 degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer, set it over medium-low heat (between 3-4) to start. I like to start the heat low and adjust it later because if it is too hot, it will take a long time to cool down to the correct temperature.
  6. Fill a small cup with water and keep it handy for later. Carefully peel one sheet of wrapper off of the pile and place it straight down (in a square no a diamond) onto a clean work surface. Place 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling towards the bottom of the wrapper (about 1/2 inch from the bottom) and spread it out into a long line (see photos in post). If you have any excess on your fingers you can just wipe it on the inside of the wrapper so you don’t waste it.
  7. Fold the bottom over the filling and tightly tuck it under. Roll the lumpia tightly into a long cigar shape. Dip your fingers into the cup of water and then use that to wet the ends of the wrapper. Roll the lumpia over the end and make sure it sticks. If it does not, you can add more water but if it still does not stick, you may need a cornstarch “glue” which I will put in the notes. Using kitchen sheers or sharp scissors, cut the long roll into 2-3 pieces, depending on how big you want your lumpia. I cut mine into 2 to be about 2 3/4 inches long.
  8. Line a large plate or platter with paper towels and set side. This will be used to drain the oil when the lumpia are fried.
  9. Test the oil with one lumpia to see if it is hot enough. It should take about 4-5 minutes to become golden brown. If it is a lot faster, then it is too hot. If it is a lot slower, then it is too low.
  10. Once the oil is at optimal heat, working in batches, add about 5-8 lumpia to the oil (depending on the size of your pot) and fry the lumpia for 4-5 minutes, or until golden brown. If you are cooking them from frozen, it may take a minute or two longer. Place the lumpia on the paper towel lined plate to drain off excess oil.
  11. Serve immediately with dipping sauce of choice. Enjoy!

Notes

  • Air fryer instructions: You can air fry these from fresh or frozen, both work and there is no need to precook the filling! Coat the outside of the lumpia with a thin layer of cooking oil and place it in a single layer in the air fryer. Air fry at 360°F for 14 minutes, flipping halfway through. Cool before serving to allow it to crisp up and enjoy!  
  • I have tested this recipe with beyond meat and although the recipe did work, it had an overpowering “beyond meat taste” that took away from the recipe, in my opinion.
  • If your food processor is small, you will need to process the vegetables in batches. I suggest doing a mix of everything in each batch. By this, I mean some water chestnuts, green onions, garlic, carrots and nori in each batch. I find that the moisture of the water chestnuts really brings everything together and this will also guarantee that everything is of a similar consistency.
  • Instead of or even along with green onions, white or yellow onions also work well in this recipe.
  • If the spring roll wrapper does not stick with just water, you can opt to make a cornstarch glue instead. To make this, mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch with 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan, bring to a boil over low heat, and stir often until thickened into a glue-like consistency. Allow it to cook until it is easy to handle so that you do not burn your fingertips.
  • I have seen some recipes also add celery which would be tasty! I left it out just because my family doesn’t add that but if you want to use celery, I would add 1 large or 2 small ribs.
  • The lumpia wrappers that we use are found in the frozen section of our local asian market. We like to use the wrappers that say “extra crispy” on the package. Wonton wrappers will work BUT the lumpia will look bubbly on the outside.
  • To make these gluten-free, you can opt to use rice paper instead of lumpia wrappers, just as you would in Vietnamese Spring Rolls. Refer to this youtube video for tips on how to prevent them from splattering and to ensure that you have the best possible results when frying with rice paper. Her recipe is NOT is a vegan recipe, but I am sharing it for the sake of the technique she used to wrap and fry her rolls. 
  • You can keep the lumpia covered in a single layer in the refrigerator with a damp paper towel over top until ready to fry (if you are preparing it the same day) or you can freeze for future use. To freeze it, place all of the lumpia a baking sheet and place that into the freezer until frozen. Once frozen, transfer the lumpia into an air tight container or bag and place back into the freezer until ready to use.
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Appetizer, Snack
  • Cuisine: Filipino