Dynamite Lumpia

Dynamite Lumpia will give you an explosion of cheesy, spicy, and crunchy goodness in every bite. These quick, easy, and budget-friendly appetizers made using only 3 ingredients are a blast! They're so deliciously good--they'll be gone before you know it!

Fried spring rolls or lumpia is one of the most popular Filipino food around the world. They are great finger foods and appetizers, like Tuna Spring Rolls, Lumpiang Shanghai, and Lumpiang Togue. They are portable, packed with flavors, and easy enough to make a big batch and satisfy a large crowd. And this dynamite lumpia recipe is possibly one of the easiest to make among them. Just stuff the chilies with cheese, roll them in the wrapper, and then deep-fry. You can even prep the lumpia ahead of time and store them in the fridge. You'll have them ready for frying when the craving strikes!

What is Dynamite Lumpia?

Dynamite Lumpia are long green chilis stuffed with cheese and wrapped in spring roll wrappers, deep-fried until golden. Making them crunchy on the outside, but gooey, melty cheese inside. They are cleverly named not only for the explosion of spiciness you get when you eat them but also for how they are formed. The pepper stems peeping out the sticks imitating dynamite wicks.

Contrary to what you might think, they are not overly spicy. This is because the chili peppers are deseeded before being stuffed with cheese. The chilis will also soften and sweeten up a bit as they cook. You might get an odd one that is hotter than the rest, but the spice level is most often tolerable if you use this kind of chili.

Ingredients

• Green chilis (Siling haba)- select long, straight and wide ones so you can easily stuff the cheese inside.
• Cheese- I used processed cheese/ cheddar cheese for this recipe. You may also use any quick-melt or American processed cheese you prefer.
• Spring roll wrapper- You can use square or round wrappers.
• Water +cornstarch – for sealing
• Oil-for frying

Recipe Video

Cooking Tips when making Dynamite Lumpia

• Place the stuffed pepper in the center of the wrapper with the stem outside of the wrapper. Fold the bottom and left sides over the chili. This will ensure that the cheese will not leak out as it melts.
• Wrap them snuggly and seal them properly so they do not come apart in the pan.
• Fry in batches and don't overcrowd the pan! This will allow you to use less oil and cook the dynamites evenly.
• Remove them from the heat when they turn golden brown and crisp. This will only take a few minutes, so keep an eye on them and move them around the pan now and then.
• Place the fried dynamite rolls on a wire rack or colander set over paper towels to remove excess oil after frying.
• Let them cool a bit before serving. The melted cheese will be very hot and may scald your tongue if eaten right away.
• If you like to make your dynamite lumpia more substantial, stuff them with additional cooked ground pork or beef.

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Serving and Storing Notes

These yummy fried treats are great as they are, but can be enjoyed much more with dipping sauces. You can simply dip them in ketchup or try my homemade sweet chili sauce! They can be served as snacks, appetizers, or booze food.

If you want to make them ahead, place uncooked dynamite rolls in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze them for up to 3 months.

If you plan to freeze them, place a layer of parchment paper between each piece so they do not stick together. To cook, fry while frozen until crisp and golden.