Vegan Lumpia Shanghai

5 from 1 vote

These vegan lumpia Shanghai (Filipino spring rolls) are crispy on the outside and filled with a mouthwatering, meaty filling. Ready in 30 minutes, it’s the perfect appetizer to serve at parties, potlucks, or gatherings.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Chinese, Philipino

Diet: Halal, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: lumpias

Calories: 51kcal

Author: Meesha

Ingredients

1 lb plant-based ground meat or extra-firm tofu (see notes)*
3 cloves garlic minced
1 medium carrot shredded
½ medium yellow onion
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
salt and pepper to taste
24 sheets lumpia wrappers or spring roll wrappers (see notes)**

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

If you have decided to bake them, preheat oven to 200C/400f.

Making filling

In a large bowl, combine together veggie ground, onion, garlic, carrot, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Mix to combine.

Wrapping lumpia

Place the wrapper in such a way that a corner is facing you. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of mixture onto the wrapper, about 2 inches from the edge closest to you.
Fold the corner facing you up, then fold in both edges like making a burrito. Tightly roll it up into a log.
Wet the last inch of wrapper by brushing on some water using your fingers. (I usually keep a small container of water near me to wet my fingers) Repeat for the remaining filling.

To bake

Brush on some oil, or spray lumpia with some cooking spray.
Arrange lumpia onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
Turn them over and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until golden.

Cooking in air fryer

Brush on some oil, or spray lumpia with some cooking spray.
Cook for 10-12 minutes at 200C/400F, or until they are brown and crispy.

Deep-frying

Heat about 1 inch of cooking oil in a frying pan or shallow saucepan over medium heat until small bubbles start to form, or until it reaches a temperature of 180 °C/250°F.
Add a few lumpia into the pan, and fry for around 2 minutes on each side or until golden.
Using a slotted spoon, gently remove them from the pan and transfer them to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain off excess oil.
Let vegan lumpia cool down for 5 minutes or so before enjoying them.

Notes

*Plant-based ground – I am using Omnimeat mince (an Asian brand), but any vegan minced, including Impossible Foods or Beyond Meat ground, would work.

Can be substituted with 1 block of extra-firm tofu. Crumble it finely and season generously with soy sauce, salt, and pepper as it is tasteless on its own.

**Wrappers – Use lumpia wrappers or small spring roll wrappers. If using frozen wrappers, allow them to thaw overnight in the fridge before using.

Helpful tips

Taste testing filling – To ensure the filling is salty enough, you could fry up a small spoonful of the filling. Taste and adjust the seasonings from there.
Avoid overfilling lumpia – Around 2-3 tablespoons of filling per lumpia is the sweet spot. Overfilling will cause it to split open easily during cooking.
Cover unused wrapper – When wrapping lumpia, keep the unused wrappers covered with a damp kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out.
Sealing lumpia with slurry – If water alone does not create a secure seal, use a cornstarch slurry by combining 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water.

Storing suggestions

You can either store lumpia cooked or uncooked.

Fridge – Place lumpia in a sealed container or Ziploc bag. Refrigerate them for 2-3 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer at 200 °C/400°F for 5-8 minutes, or until hot.

Freezer – Arrange vegan lumpia on a lined baking sheet, ensuring they are not touching. Freeze for 1 hour until solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag. They can be frozen for 3 months.

Lumpia can be reheated from frozen at 200 °C/400°F for 10-15 minutes in the oven, or air fryer for 6-8 minutes. Or, you could deep fry them for 2-3 minutes on each side.

Nutrition