Lumpiang Labong is a delicious vegetarian spring roll filled with bamboo shoots wrapped in a crunchy shell. It's a crispy, customizable snack that's surprisingly easy to make!
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Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Labong: These are the tender shoots of the bamboo plant, with a crisp texture and mild flavor. Canned or vacuum-packed shoots are usually precooked and should be rinsed before use. If using fresh labong, it needs to be boiled first to remove any bitterness. Ubod or hearts of palm can be a suitable substitute with a similar texture and flavor.
- Lumpia wrappers: Use lumpia wrappers or spring roll wrappers available in the freezer or refrigerated section of Asian markets and some international grocery stores. Thaw frozen wrappers overnight in the refrigerator.
- Dipping sauce: Choose between sweet chili sauce or spiced vinegar with vinegar, garlic, red onion, chilies, sugar, salt, and pepper.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Sauté aromatics
In a wok or sauté pan, heat a bit of oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion, sautéing until softened, about 1-2 minutes.
Step 2: Add carrots
Add the carrots and turn up the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are tender-crisp for about 2 minutes.
Step 3: Add bamboo shoots and seasonings
Add the precooked bamboo shoots to the pan. Cook for an another 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until heated through.
Season with fish sauce, salt, and pepper, adjusting according to your preference. Then, turn off the heat.
Step 4: Add scallions and cilantro
Add the scallions and cilantro, then toss them together. Remove the pan from heat and let the mixture cool. If it appears watery, place it in a colander to drain excess liquid.
Step 5: Wrap the lumpia
Carefully peel off each wrapper one at a time. They tend to dry out fast, so it's important to work quickly. To prevent drying, cover unused wrappers with a damp paper towel.
Lay a wrapper in a diamond shape. Place about ⅓ cup of filling on the lower half, forming a 3.5-inch long shape. Fold the bottom of the wrapper snugly over the filling. Then, fold in the sides to enclose the filling.
Roll it tightly from the bottom to the top, then seal the end of the wrapper with water or eggwash to secure the roll.
Step 6: Fry the lumpia
Heat oil in a saucepan or wok over medium-high heat, about 350° F (177° C). Make sure there's enough oil to completely submerge the spring rolls. Deep-fry them in batches until golden brown, turning as needed, for 5-6 minutes.
PRO TIP: To keep lumpia crispy, start by frying at a high temperature. Once they begin to sizzle, reduce the heat slightly. This method allows the lumpia to fully crisp without browning too fast, maintaining their crunchiness for a longer period.
Step 7: Drain the lumpia
Place your lumpia on a wire rack or a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
As an option, make your spiced vinegar dipping sauce by combining vinegar, garlic, shallots or red onion, salt, pepper, sugar, and chilies.
Serve and enjoy your Lumpiang Labong with your favorite dipping sauce.
Recipe FAQs
Lumpiang Labong is a Filipino spring roll filled with bamboo shoots (labong), sometimes mixed with meat, shrimp, and various seasonings. It's wrapped in thin lumpia wrappers and fried until crispy.
Yes, you can freeze them on a tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Fry them directly from frozen, adjusting the cooking time as needed.
Start frying the lumpia at a high temperature to quickly seal in the crispiness, then reduce the heat to allow them to cook through without browning too quickly. This technique keeps the exterior crispy while ensuring the inside is fully cooked, without over-browning the outside.
Explore more lumpia varieties
- Lumpiang Shanghai: Spring rolls filled with a mixture of ground pork and vegetables.
- Lumpiang Gulay: Also known as vegetable lumpia, this version is packed with sautéed vegetables like bean sprouts, cabbage, jicama, carrots, and green beans.
- Lumpiang Ubod: Made with ubod (heart of palm) as its main filling, along with pork, shrimp, and a sweet garlic sauce. It can be served fresh, wrapped in a soft, crepe-like wrapper, or fried for a crispy texture.
- Lumpiang Sariwa: Known as fresh lumpia, this version is filled with a combination of vegetables and meat wrapped in a soft, egg wrapper, then topped with peanuts and garlic sauce.
- Lumpiang Hubad: Literally meaning "naked lumpia," this is a deconstructed version of Lumpiang Sariwa without the wrapper, often served as a salad with a similar sweet and savory sauce.
- Shrimp Lumpia (Rellenong Hipon): This variety contains shrimp as the primary filling, often combined with ground meat for added flavor and texture.
- Dynamite Lumpia: Spicy whole green chili peppers stuffed with cheese and sometimes minced meat, wrapped in lumpia wrappers and deep-fried.
- Cheese Lumpia: These are lumpia wrappers filled with cheese that becomes gooey and melty once fried.
Other appetizers and sides you may like
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📖 Recipe
Lumpiang Labong
Equipment
- Wok or Sauté pan (for sautéing)
- Saucepan or wok (for deep-frying)
Ingredients
- 1 pound labong (bamboo shoots) see note
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- ½ onion finely chopped
- 1 small carrot julienned
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce more to taste
- 2 stalks scallions sliced
- ½ cup chopped cilantro more to taste
- 12 lumpia or spring roll wrappers 8" squares; thawed, if frozen; see note
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Neutral oil for sautéing and deep-frying
- Spiced vinegar or sweet chili sauce dipping sauce
Instructions
- Heat a bit of oil in a wok or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion, sautéing until softened, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add the carrots and turn up the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they are tender-crisp for about 2 minutes.
- Add the precooked bamboo shoots to the pan. Cook for an another 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until heated through.
- Season with fish sauce, salt, and pepper to taste, adjusting according to your preference. Then, turn off the heat.
- Add the scallions and cilantro, then toss them together. Remove the pan from heat and let the mixture cool. If it appears watery, place it in a colander to drain excess liquid.
- Carefully peel off each wrapper one at a time. They tend to dry out fast, so it's important to work quickly. To prevent drying, cover unused wrappers with a damp paper towel.
- Lay a wrapper in a diamond shape. Place about ⅓ cup of filling on the lower half, forming a 3.5-inch long shape. Fold the bottom of the wrapper snugly over the filling. Then, fold in the sides to enclose the filling. Roll it tightly from the bottom to the top, then seal the end of the wrapper with water or egg wash to secure the roll.
- Heat oil in a saucepan or wok over medium-high heat, about 350° F (177° C). Make sure there's enough oil to completely submerge the spring rolls. Deep-fry them in batches until golden brown, turning as needed, for 5-6 minutes.PRO TIP: To keep lumpia crispy, start by frying at a high temperature. Once they begin to sizzle, reduce the heat slightly. This method allows the lumpia to fully crisp without browning too fast, maintaining their crunchiness for a longer period.
- Place your lumpia on a wire rack or a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
Notes
- Labong: These are the tender shoots of the bamboo plant, with a crisp texture and mild flavor. Canned or vacuum-packed shoots are usually precooked and should be rinsed before use. If using fresh labong, it needs to be boiled first to remove any bitterness. Ubod or hearts of palm can be a suitable substitute with a similar texture and flavor.
- Lumpia wrappers: Use lumpia wrappers or spring roll wrappers available at Asian markets and some international grocery stores. Thaw frozen wrappers overnight in the refrigerator.
- Dipping sauce: Choose between sweet chili sauce or spiced vinegar with vinegar, garlic, red onion, chilies, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Minnie says
I have never had these but they look so good. I’ll try making it if I can get bamboo shoots from my Asian store. Keep making delicious recipes, thanks!
Nora Reyes says
Hi Minnie,
Thanks! If you find bamboo shoots, give it a shot. Happy cooking!