For The Best Homemade Lumpia, Choose This Affordable Meat

From delectably crispy whole roasted pork called lechón to a vibrant bowl of stewed chicken adobo, Filipino cuisine skillfully reworks meats into mouth-watering dishes. Another terrific vessel for making meat shine is lumpiang shanghai, often simply referred to as lumpia. Essentially Filipino-style crispy egg rolls, this delicious appetizer arrived on the archipelago's shores from China centuries ago and has since become a classic of the cuisine.

Crafting these crunchy, golden-brown rolls requires a surprising amount of effort, and selecting a tasty yet affordable meat filling is a crucial step. To offer advice on optimal assembly, Food Republic is fortunate to have help from Rose Sioson, a recipe developer from Deliciously Rushed who grew up in a Filipino kitchen.

"When it comes to achieving that classic lumpia combo — juicy, savory filling wrapped in a golden, crispy shell — ground pork is the gold standard," Sioson explains. "Its natural fat content keeps the filling tender and flavorful without weighing down the wrapper, giving you that perfect snap and savory bite every time." While the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED) reported that the cost for a pound of ground beef was around $6.12 in June 2025, ground pork can often be found in the range of $3.00 to $4.50 per pound, depending on your grocery store and location — making it a more budget-friendly meat.

If budget is a primary concern, Rose Sioson points out that for even more savings, there is another option: ground chicken. Just make sure to adjust for the protein's distinct composition. Liquid additions like a "splash of soy sauce, or even a bit of oil," help turn the poultry's texture more pork-like, Sioson explains. To avoid an overly seasoned filling, Sioson also suggests "adding finely chopped veggies" to imbue extra moisture into the mixture. Classic lumpia recipes often include ingredients like carrots, onions, and herbs, so stick to such flavor-packed medleys with the chicken version as well.

Plus, you can always tackle dryness by pairing lumpia with some mouthwatering dipping sauces for a fun twist. Sawsawan — a Filipino vinegar-based dip — is arguably the most iconic choice, but a sweet chili or three-ingredient peanut (satay) sauce would also work. So fry up a platter of these delicious rolls and enjoy them with either a pork or chicken filling.