Ube turon is a simple twist on classic banana turon.
It's made with saba bananas and ube halaya, wrapped and fried until crisp with a light caramel coating.
If you already like turon, this is an easy one to try!
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Ingredients You'll Need
Notes and Substitutions
- Saba bananas: Use ripe bananas. The riper they are, the sweeter your turon will be. Frozen saba or ripe plantains also work.
- Ube halaya (purple yam jam): A sweet, thick ube spread made with mashed ube, milk, and sugar. You can use homemade or store-bought.
- Lumpia wrappers: Best for a thin, crisp texture. Spring roll wrappers work too. Don't use egg roll wrappers - they're thicker and won't get as crisp.
How to Make Ube Turon (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Slice the bananas
Peel 5 saba bananas. Slice each lengthwise into 3-4 pieces, depending on its size.
Step 2: Wrap
Separate the wrappers gently. Keep them covered with a slightly damp paper towel so they don't dry out.
Place a lumpia wrapper on your work surface.
Add a banana slice near the bottom edge and about 1 tablespoon of ube halaya next to it.
Fold the bottom corner over the filling, then fold in both sides.
Roll snugly toward the top corner.
Moisten the corner with water or beaten egg and press to seal.
Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers.
Fry right away, or freeze before frying.
Step 3: Fry and coat with sugar
Pour about 1 inch of oil into a pan. Heat over medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the turon with the sealed side down.
Fry in batches, leaving space between them. Turn as needed until lightly golden.
Lower the heat slightly, then sprinkle in the sugar.
Keep turning the turon until the sugar melts and sticks to the wrappers.
Remove when golden brown and crisp. Lower the heat if the sugar darkens too quickly.
Step 4: Drain and serve
Transfer the turon to a wire rack set over a tray.
Leave space between the pieces so they don't stick together.
Let them cool for a few minutes. The filling and melted sugar will be very hot.
Serve your ube turon warm while the wrappers are still crisp. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Ube Turon
- Use ripe bananas so they're sweeter.
- Don't add too much ube - about 1 tablespoon is enough so it doesn't leak out.
- Roll tightly so they stay sealed while frying.
- Fry in batches so they turn crisp, not greasy.
- Add the sugar once they start to brown so it melts evenly and doesn't burn.
- Don't rush the frying - medium heat helps it stay crisp longer.
How to Store and Reheat
- Store: Best eaten fresh. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2-3 days.
- Freeze: Wrap and freeze before frying. Fry straight from frozen when ready.
- Reheat: Heat at 350°F until crisp. Avoid the microwave.
Recipe FAQs
Ube turon is a version of banana turon with ube halaya added. It's wrapped and fried until crisp with a caramel coating.
You can, but saba bananas are best. They hold up better and don't get too soft when fried.
Ube halaya is a thick, sweet ube spread usually made with mashed ube, sugar, and coconut milk.
This usually happens if the oil is too hot or the pan is crowded. Fry in batches and don't rush it.
Too much ube or loose wrapping can cause this. Use about 1 tablespoon and roll tightly.
If you want to learn more, I have another post with more turon FAQs you can check out.
More Lumpia Recipes to Try
- Turones de mani: Sweet lumpia filled with crushed peanuts and sugar.
- Cheese lumpia: Filled with cheese and fried until crisp.
- Lumpiang shanghai: Crispy spring rolls with ground pork and vegetables.
- Lumpiang gulay: Fried vegetable lumpia with a garlic-vinegar dip.
- Lumpiang ubod: Fresh rolls with heart of palm, shrimp, pork, and vegetables.
- Lumpiang sariwa: Fresh rolls with sautéed vegetables, served with a sweet garlic sauce.
- Lumpiang togue: Fried lumpia filled mostly with bean sprouts.
- Lumpiang bangus: Filled with deboned milkfish and fried until crisp.
- Lumpiang hubad: The filling served without the wrapper.
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📖 Recipe
Ube Turon (Banana Lumpia with Ube Halaya)
Equipment
- Frying pan or shallow pot
Ingredients
- 5 ripe saba bananas sliced lengthwise
- 1 cup ube halaya
- 20 lumpia or spring roll wrappers
- ½ cup sugar
- Water or beaten egg (for sealing)
- Neutral oil (for frying)
Instructions
- Peel the bananas and slice each lengthwise into 3-4 pieces, depending on the size.
- Place a banana slice and about 1 tablespoon ube halaya near the bottom edge of a wrapper. Fold the bottom over the filling, fold in both sides, and roll snugly. Seal with water or beaten egg.
- Heat about 1 inch of oil in a pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the turon with the sealed side down. Fry in batches, turning until lightly golden.
- Lower the heat slightly and sprinkle in the sugar. Keep turning until the sugar melts and coats the turon and the wrappers are golden and crisp.
- Drain on a wire rack. Let cool for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- Saba bananas: Use ripe bananas. The riper they are, the sweeter your turon will be. Frozen saba or ripe plantains also work.
- Ube halaya (purple yam jam): A thick, sweet ube spread. Homemade or store-bought works.
- Lumpia wrappers: Use thin lumpia or spring roll wrappers for a crisp coating. Avoid thick egg roll wrappers.
Ryan says
Yummy!!!!
Nora Rey says
Thank you! Ube really does add a yummy twist to the classic turon. Hope you get to try making it yourself! 😊🍠🍌
Christine says
Ube is my favorite! I have to make to make this. When is the perfect time to add the sugar without burning them?
Nora Rey says
So glad to hear you're a fan of ube! It's best to sprinkle the sugar when the turon is starting to brown to make sure it's crisp all the way through. Keep an eye on it after adding the sugar, as it caramelizes really fast. Enjoy! 🍠🍌