I grew up watching my mother make turon in our kitchen. But it wasn’t until I started cooking for my own family that I came up with this ube version. What makes this recipe special is how it takes our favorite ube halaya and turns it into crispy spring rolls that everyone loves.
The first time I made these for my kids’ birthday party, my titas couldn’t believe it wasn’t the traditional banana filling. The purple center isn’t just pretty, it’s packed with that sweet ube flavor we Filipinos can’t resist.
You know what’s great about this recipe? It’s actually easier to make than regular turon because you don’t have to worry about ripening bananas. Just mix your ube filling, wrap it up, and fry until golden brown.
Whether you’re craving something sweet or want to impress your family with a new twist on turon, this recipe is for you. And yes, it tastes even better with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfectly crispy exterior with a creamy, purple yam filling
- Make-ahead friendly for parties and gatherings
- Customizable with various add-ins
- Great way to use leftover ube halaya
- Perfect balance of textures and sweetness
- Impressive presentation with minimal effort
Ube Turon (Filipino Purple Yam Spring Rolls)
Equipment
- Medium saucepan for cooking the ube mixture
- Fine mesh strainer (pangsala) for achieving smoother ube texture
- Deep frying pan or wok (kawali) for achieving even frying
- Candy/oil thermometer for maintaining proper oil temperature
- Paper towels for draining excess oil
- Small bowl of water for sealing wrappers
- Wooden spoon (sandok na kahoy) for stirring without damaging the ube
- Spider strainer or slotted spoon (sandok na may butas) for removing turon from oil
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 2 cups cooked/mashed ube purple yam / ube
- ¼ cup sugar asukal
- ¼ cup condensed milk kondensadang gatas
- ¼ cup butter mantikilya
For Assembly and Frying:
- 10 pieces spring roll wrappers lumpia wrapper, cut in half
- Vegetable oil for frying mantika
- 2-3 tablespoons sugar for caramelization asukal
Optional Add-ins:
- Macapuno strings preserved young coconut
- Langka jackfruit strips
- Quick-melt cheese keso
Instructions
- Begin by melting butter in a medium saucepan over low heat (140°F/60°C). Add your condensed milk, sugar, and mashed ube, then stir continuously until everything is well combined. Cook this mixture for 5-10 minutes until it thickens nicely. For an extra smooth texture, you can press it through a fine-mesh strainer. Let this mixture cool completely before moving forward.
- While waiting for your ube mixture to cool, cut your spring roll wrappers in half diagonally. Once the filling has cooled, place about 1½ tablespoons of the ube mixture in the center of each wrapper. If you’re using any add-ins like macapuno or langka, place them on top of the ube filling now.
- To wrap your turon, fold the bottom corner over the filling, then fold in both side corners. Roll everything upward tightly, making sure to keep the filling secure. When you reach the top corner, dab it with a little water to seal it closed. Repeat this process with all your wrappers.
- Now heat your vegetable oil in a deep frying pan or wok until it reaches 350°F (175°C). You can test if the oil is ready by dipping the handle of a wooden spoon in it – if small bubbles form around the handle, your oil is ready. Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons of sugar over the surface of the oil.
- Carefully place your turon in the hot oil, working in batches to avoid overcrowding. Fry them for about 3-4 minutes per side until they turn a beautiful golden brown color. Keep the heat at medium to prevent the sugar from burning.
- Remove your turon with a slotted spoon or spider strainer and place them on paper towels to drain any excess oil. Let them cool for just a minute or two – they should still be warm when served.
- Serve your ube turon right away while they’re still hot and crispy. You can enjoy them plain, drizzled with condensed milk, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side. For the best experience, eat them within a few hours of frying while the wrapper is still crispy.
Tips from Lola’s Kitchen
- Allow ube mixture to cool completely before wrapping to prevent wrapper tears
- Don’t overfill the wrappers – less is more!
- Keep wrappers covered with damp cloth while working to prevent drying
- Roll as tightly as possible to prevent oil from seeping in
- Maintain oil temperature between 350-375°F (175-190°C) for optimal crispiness
- Add sugar to oil in small batches to prevent burning
Traditional Serving Suggestions
- Serve hot with vanilla ice cream
- Drizzle with condensed milk
- Pair with hot tsokolate (Filipino hot chocolate)
- Dust with powdered sugar
- Serve as merienda (afternoon snack) with hot coffee or tea
Troubleshooting
- Wrapper Breaking During Rolling
- Solution: Ensure filling is completely cool
- Don’t overfill wrappers
- Handle wrappers gently and keep them covered
- Oil Too Hot/Sugar Burning
- Solution: Maintain medium heat
- Use candy thermometer
- Add sugar in small batches
- Filling Leaking
- Solution: Seal edges well with water
- Don’t overfill
- Roll tightly
Ingredient Alternatives
- Ube halaya can be substituted with mashed purple sweet potato
- Condensed milk can be replaced with coconut cream and sugar
- Spring roll wrappers can be substituted with thin crepe wrapper
- For vegan version: Use plant-based butter and coconut condensed milk
Storage & Reheating
- Store unfried turon in airtight container, separated by wax paper (up to 24 hours)
- Freeze unfried turon up to 1 month
- Store fried turon at room temperature up to 6 hours
- Reheat in oven at 350°F (175°C) for 5-7 minutes or air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 2-3 minutes
Variations
- Ube-Cheese: Add quick-melt cheese strips
- Ube-Macapuno: Include macapuno strings
- Ube-Langka: Add jackfruit strips
- Triple Treat: Combine ube, cheese, and macapuno
- Ube-Coconut: Roll in desiccated coconut after frying
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I make this ahead of time? A: Yes! You can prepare and wrap the turon up to 24 hours in advance. Store unfried turon in the refrigerator, separated by wax paper. Q: Why is my turon not crispy? A: Oil temperature might be too low. Maintain 350-375°F (175-190°C) for optimal crispiness. Q: Can I use store-bought ube halaya? A: Yes, store-bought ube halaya works well. Adjust sugar according to halaya sweetness. Q: How do I prevent the wrapper from getting soggy? A: Serve immediately after frying. For storage, keep at room temperature in a paper-lined container. Q: Can I air fry these? A: Yes! Air fry at 375°F (190°C) for 8-10 minutes, brushing with oil before cooking.
Nutrition
The Story Behind Ube Turon
Let me share how this beloved purple twist on traditional turon came to be. In the bustling streets of the Philippines, you’ll find classic banana turon everywhere – from busy markets to small neighborhood stores. These crispy fried spring rolls, usually filled with ripe saging na saba (cooking bananas) and langka (jackfruit), have been a merienda (snack time) favorite for generations.
But something magical happened when creative Filipino home cooks started experimenting with ube, our cherished purple yam. As ube gained popularity worldwide for its striking color and unique sweet flavor, innovative cooks began wondering: “What if we put ube halaya in turon instead of banana?” This simple question led to the creation of ube turon, perfectly combining two Filipino favorites into one incredible treat.
The beauty of ube turon lies in how it honors traditional Filipino cooking while adding something new. The crispy lumpia wrapper still crackles when you bite into it, just like the original, but instead of banana, you’re surprised with a creamy, violet-colored filling that’s distinctly ube. It’s become especially popular at modern Filipino cafes and restaurants, where chefs serve it with vanilla ice cream or drizzle it with condensed milk for an extra touch of indulgence.
What makes this dessert so special is how it bridges generations. While your lola (grandmother) might have made the classic banana version, this ube adaptation shows how Filipino cuisine keeps evolving while staying true to its roots. Today, you’ll find ube turon at family gatherings, celebrations, and even trendy dessert spots, proving that sometimes the best traditions are the ones that aren’t afraid to change with the times.
Whether you’re discovering Filipino cuisine for the first time or you’re a kababayan (fellow Filipino) looking for a new way to enjoy ube, this recipe captures everything we love about Filipino desserts, it’s creative, comforting, and absolutely masarap (delicious)!
