What Are Lumpia Wrappers?

Choosing wrappers to make your own spring rolls can prove somewhat daunting since most Asian markets offer several different styles of wrappers. For lumpia, the Filipino version of spring rolls, you can choose from two different wheat-based wrappers. Either wrapper can be used for fried lumpia, but only one wrapper style is intended for fresh lumpia.

Fresh lumpia wrappers are thin, round skins similar to crepes. These wrappers are precooked, so they do not need to be fried. However, you can also use fresh lumpia wrappers to make fried lumpia with smooth, crispy exteriors. Instead, many cooks make fried lumpia with square, Chinese-style spring roll skins similar to thin sheets of pasta. The square skins are slightly thicker than fresh lumpia skins, and they must be cooked after they are stuffed.