Lumpia
Lumpia is a staple at most Chamorro gatherings. There are fried and fresh versions, both of which are extremely popular.
There are so many variations to the types of filling you can use. I’ve used ground beef with vegetables, ground pork with vegetables, added noodles and diced potatoes to the mix, used shrimp (especially when making fresh lumpia), and for dessert, banana-brown sugar lumpia (or Turon).
Lumpia is delicious eaten as-is, without some type of dipping sauce. But while I’m on the subject, let’s talk about some of my favorite lumpia dipping sauces: garlic-vinegar, garlic-lime-sugar-fish sauce (don’t knock this one until you try it), sweet and sour, and the ultimate Chamorro favorite–fina’denne’.
No matter what your filling or dipping sauce, this is sure to be a crowd-pleaser at your next gathering.
Click on the photos below for my recipe and step-by-step instructions for making Fried Meat-and-Vegetable Lumpia.
As other posts, I was stationed there, 2001-2004, and been pulling my hair out trying to find a recipe close/exact to Xuans restaurant. It looks like they are still serving it with the same amazing dipping sauce. Gettin to the point to take the 14-18hr trip to eat LOL!! Any help or point in the right direction would be so great. Thanks
I was in Guam from 84 to 86, the Officers Club had “catering”, around the back, you could get pizzas, sandwiches, and lumpia. The sauce they served has a tomato base, onions, garlic, some sort of oil, (you could see the oil bead up) and something spicy. I have never been able to find a recipe and would dearly love to be able to find one. I now use salsa for my lumpia and egg rolls.
I’m only aware of a sauce for Lumpia Shanghai that has ketchup in the ingredients. You can do a web search for various recipes for it to see what comes closest to what you remember.
So I make a version of this that is more Filipino style but I grew up in Guam and since I’ve left more than a decade ago I still miss the fried lumpia from a well known Vietnamese restaurant in Guam called Hoa Mai that had rice noodles in it and have been searching since for a restaurant here stateside that serves it the same way on bed of lettuce with spouts, noodles and fish dipping sauce and to none avail. Is this version more like the Hoa Mai version?? If so, that’s great as I can now make it at home and I didn’t know they put in potatoes in it as well..? Interesting! Thanks so much!! 🙂
I think the only things about my recipe that are the same as the one you remember are the noodles and lettuce that the lumpia gets served with and perhaps the dipping sauce. In fact, for Chamorro lumpia, we don’t usually serve it that way. As for adding potatoes to the filling, that is uniquely my family’s addition. We have added potatoes to our lumpia for as long as I can remember. Give it a try. It’s so yummy with it.
I will definitely try it with potatoes! I’m currently expecting our third blessing and have been craving lumpia and all foods from Guam I grew up with. Okay perhaps the Hoa Mai version is simply the local version with similar ingredients that you put in as no other Vietnamese restaurant serves their “egg rolls” this way! Thanks again and love all your recipes!!
You’re welcome, and congratulations on your third blessing! Let me know how your lumpia turns out.
These are somewhat similar to Vietnamese egg rolls. I’ve made them since I was a very young girl, along side my mom for as long as I can remember. Since then, I’ve become friends with so many women of different Asian and Pacific Island cultures, and every one of them has “their version” of lumpia. And of course, they’re all delicious! One of my very best friends forbthe past 24 years is from the Philippines, and she was the first person that made these forbme to try. They always bring back good memories for us both. Thank you!
how to prevent the lumpia sauce from getting very sticky when it gets cold? thankyou
Are you referring to the bottled sauce that’s sweet?
How many servings does one batch make?
This makes about 50 lumpia.
This looks delicious, growing up my best friend taught classes for adults working to become American Citizens and he would sponsor a potluck dinner. Students would bring dishes made in their home country and it was always a wonderful experience and then I joined the Army and during nearly 25 years was completely immersed in the international flavors, Italian, German, Korean, Great Britain, so I am always looking for recipes that remind me of earlier times. After these lumpia rolls are made, instead of frying, could they be sprayed with olive oil or another Pam cooking spray and crisped in a convection oven at say 375, 400 F instead of frying?
That would work to crisp the outermost layer, but I’m not sure if that would crisp up all the layers of lumpia wrapper.
That would probably crisp up the outermost layer, but I don’t think it’ll crisp up the inner layers of lumpia wrapper.
Hi Annie, I just found your website and was delighted to see your various recipes from Guam. I lived there when I was a teenager back in 1977-1979… such a fun time and the beaches and many family parties at the lovely beaches! I remember I learned to season my popcorn with Tabasco when I went to the movies living in Guam. I thoroughly enjoyed the food and friendly people… I was always mistaken for Guamanian, I’m filipino. Thank you for creating this website so we can recreate these delicious and authentic dishes! Maraming salamat
I always ate lumpia at the NCO club at Anderson in 1967 and 1968. I loved it. Also attended a pig roast and had red rice. Thank you for the recipies.
Thank you so much for having this on your website I have been looking for something like this. I used to live in Guam in 2006 to 2010. (Military) now trying to find a bok choy and garlic recipe that I used to eat at Lieng’s in Tamuning. The family and the food I will always miss.
Is there anyway you can make lumpia ahead of time and freeze it, and if so what temps would you use to warm them prior to serving. thank you
You sure can freeze them! You can fry them frozen too.
What do i use for banana lumpia
Use cooking bananas or ripe plantains, sprinkled with brown sugar.
Hi Annie is there something I can use to substitute the dashida beef stock I am currently in the states and can’t really find it in groceries stores
You can use regular salt (but a lesser amount; taste as you go). Dashida is a Korean seasoning that you can find in most Asian markets, and of course in Korean grocery stores.
You should put all your recipes in a book. They are delicious. I go to your website all the time, my family loves the dishes I prepare using your recipes.
Thanks, Irma!
So awesome! I love your recipes- so easy to follow and the pictures help to make sure I’m doing it correctly! Before I had to wait until we saw our family to enjoy wonderful Chamorro cuisine- now I can make my favorite dishes by following your instructions! Thank you!
You’re welcome! Thanks for stopping by! If you take pictures of the dishes you make using my recipes, I’d love to see them. You can email them to annie@annieschamorrokitchen.com.
Hi, My Uncle Victor’s party is this coming Saturday and I would like to prepare. We had these a lot growing up. I would like to know if i wanted to make it meatless, what could i substitute for missing 2lbs of meat?
You could firm tofu, or just add lots of vegetables. Make the filling using lots of shredded cabbage, bean sprouts, celery, carrots, onions, potatoes, beans, etc.
My husband grew up in Guam but moved back to the states 10+ years ago he had a couple recipes from the island but then he found your website and is in heaven he’s introducing his new family to foods from his childhood which is wonderful thanks for the recipes
Hi Shellie! I’m happy to hear that! Please stop by again soon and tell me of the dishes /recipes you’ve tried. You can share photos as well via email (annie@annieschamorrokitchen.com). Take care!
I’ve lived off island for a long time and I love bringing some food back home to my family here in the states and thx for the long list of recipes to chose from the only problem I have unless I’m just not seeing it somewhere is the yield..it would be nice to know from the ingredients you’ve placed how much I’m making.
Thanks for stopping by, and for the feedback. I’ll try to remember to add Yield amounts in future recipes.
I am so grateful to you!!!
Thanks, Lydia! You’re welcome in my Kitchen anytime! 🙂