Lumpia in the Air Fryer
Deep-fried lumpia are crackly and golden, but they also mean a pot of hot oil and a lot of cleanup. Air fryer lumpia come out just as shatteringly crisp with a thin brush of oil, and a basket cooks 10 at a time in about 10 minutes. This recipe covers a classic pork filling for lumpia shanghai, plus how to cook frozen and leftover lumpia.
- Temperature
- 375°F190 °C
- Total time
- 1:10hrs
- Prep time
- 40min
- Servings
- 6
- Internal temp
- 160°F71 °C
- Per serving
- 400kcal
Why the air fryer works for lumpia
Lumpia wrappers are paper-thin, so they crisp quickly when hot air circulates around them. In a deep fryer the wrapper blisters in oil. In an air fryer the same crispness comes from fast air and a light coat of oil, which is enough to brown the wrapper without soaking it. The pork filling steams inside the roll and stays juicy, as long as you roll the lumpia thin and tight.
The thinness matters for safety too. Lumpia filled with raw ground pork must reach 160 °F inside. A roll about as thick as your finger cooks through in 10 to 12 minutes at 375 °F, which is exactly when the outside turns golden. Fat rolls brown on the outside long before the center is done, so aim for slender ones.
How to make lumpia in the air fryer
Tap a time to start a timer.
- Mix the filling In a large bowl, combine the pork, carrot, onion, garlic, scallions, soy sauce, salt, pepper and egg. Mix well with your hands until the filling looks sticky and even. Fry a teaspoon of it in a skillet to taste for seasoning.
- Roll the lumpia Cover the wrappers with a damp towel so they do not dry out. Place a wrapper with a corner toward you, spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of filling in a line across the lower third, fold the bottom corner over, tuck in both sides and roll tightly. Seal the final corner with a dab of water. Keep the rolls about as thin as a finger; thick lumpia stay raw in the middle.
- Brush with oil Lay the lumpia on a tray and brush all sides lightly with the oil. Dry wrappers need this coating to turn golden.
- Preheat Preheat the air fryer to 375 °F for .
- Cook in batches Place about 10 lumpia in a single layer with a little space between them, seam side down. Cook for 10 to , turning them over after , until deep golden and crisp. Repeat with the remaining batches.
- Check and serve Cut one open or insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest roll. The filling must reach 160 °F because it is ground pork. Let the lumpia cool for , then serve with the sweet chili sauce.
Times and temperatures
| Lumpia | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Homemade pork lumpia, rawTurn halfway | 375 °F (190 °C) | 10–12 min |
| Frozen homemade, uncookedCook from frozen | 375 °F (190 °C) | 12–14 min |
| Frozen store-bought | 375 °F (190 °C) | 12–14 min |
| Reheat leftovers | 350 °F (180 °C) | 4–5 min |
| Vegetable lumpia (lumpiang gulay)No meat, so no thermometer needed | 375 °F (190 °C) | 8–10 min |
Times are a guide and depend on the size and wattage of your air fryer. Done at 160 °F (71 °C) in the center. See also air fryer cooking times for all foods.
Tips
- Keep wrappers covered. Thin wrappers dry and crack in minutes. Work with a few at a time and keep the stack under a damp towel.
- Roll tightly, not thick. Use about 1 tablespoon of filling per lumpia. Overfilled rolls burst and cook unevenly.
- Freeze extras raw. Arrange rolled, uncooked lumpia on a tray in one layer until firm, then bag them. They cook straight from the freezer, which makes them ideal for meal prep or game day.
What to serve with lumpia
Serve lumpia with sweet chili sauce, or a quick dip of 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp rice vinegar and a pinch of sugar. A bowl of steamed rice and a cucumber salad make it a dinner, and a plate of lumpia works on a party table next to chicken wings. If you like crispy rolls, see also spring rolls in the air fryer, which are thicker and use a different wrapper.
Storing and reheating
Refrigerate cooked lumpia in a sealed container for up to 3 days. For the best crunch, reheat them in the air fryer at 350 °F for 4 to 5 minutes, turning once, until the filling is 165 °F in the center. A microwave makes the wrapper soft, so avoid it. Uncooked rolled lumpia keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.
Variations
- Vegetable lumpia: Replace the pork with 3 cups of finely shredded cabbage, carrot and bean sprouts mixed with the soy sauce. Cook 8 to 10 minutes.
- Chicken or turkey: Use ground chicken or turkey and cook until the filling reaches 165 °F.
- Lumpia chips: Cut leftover wrappers into triangles, brush with oil and air fry at 350 °F for 3 to 4 minutes until crisp for a snack with the same dip.
If it does not turn out right
- The wrappers are pale and chewy
- They were not oiled enough or the basket was crowded. Brush every side lightly and keep the rolls in one layer with a gap between them.
- The lumpia split open while cooking
- They were rolled loosely or sealed poorly. Roll as tightly as you can, tuck the sides in and seal the end with water. Keep wrappers covered so they do not crack.
- The filling is dry
- The pork was too lean or the vegetables were squeezed dry. Use regular ground pork and leave the grated carrot and onion as they are, so their moisture stays in the filling.
Questions and answers
How long do you cook lumpia in the air fryer?
Homemade pork lumpia take 10 to 12 minutes at 375 °F, turned halfway. Check that the filling has reached 160 °F.
How do you cook frozen lumpia in the air fryer?
Cook frozen lumpia straight from the bag, with no thawing. At 375 °F they take 12 to 14 minutes for store-bought frozen lumpia, turned halfway. For raw homemade lumpia you froze yourself, allow 12 to 14 minutes as well.
How do you reheat lumpia in the air fryer?
Heat leftover lumpia at 350 °F for 4 to 5 minutes, turning once, until they are crisp and hot in the center.
How many calories are in air fryer lumpia?
About 400 calories for 5 lumpia made with pork, including the sweet chili sauce, based on this recipe. The number depends on the amount of filling and oil, so treat it as an estimate.
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