What's in a Popiah? The 10 Ingredients in a Traditional Roll

A popiah is a fresh, unfried spring roll from Fujian in southern China, long adopted as a Singaporean favourite. A traditional roll has ten ingredients: a soft handmade skin wrapped around slow-cooked turnip, egg, crispy bits, peanuts and a trio of sauces. Here's what goes into every Souperstar Traditional Popiah, and which parts change in the vegetarian version.

The 10 ingredients in a traditional popiah

1. Handmade popiah skin. A wheat-flour wrapper, hand-rubbed onto a hot griddle so it's less than 0.5 mm thin, yet springy enough to hold a tightly packed roll. Read how it's made.
2. Cooked turnip and carrot. The heart of the roll. Fresh turnip is peeled, shredded and slow-cooked with carrot until juicy and sweet. It's the most time-consuming ingredient to prepare, and ours is made from scratch and vegetarian-friendly.
3. Sweet sauce. A dark, sticky sweet sauce brushed onto the skin before filling. It gives popiah its signature sweetness.
4. Sambal chilli. Our own sambal, cooked in-house. It contains dried shrimp, so it's left out of the vegetarian roll. Ask for extra if you like it hot.
5. Minced garlic. Fresh, raw and sharp. A little goes a long way and balances the sweet sauce.
6. Crispy bits. Deep-fried flour crisps made with our own mix. They're what gives popiah its crunch, and for many people they're the most addictive part.
7. Grated peanuts. Roasted and ground, adding nuttiness and a little more texture.
8. Egg. Fresh eggs fried into a thin omelette and shredded.
9. Shredded cucumber. Cool and crunchy, to balance the richness of the sauces and crispy bits.
10. Coriander. A few fresh leaves for a clean, herby finish. It's subtle, not overpowering.

What's in a vegetarian popiah?

Our Vegetarian Popiah keeps the skin, turnip and carrot, sweet sauce, crispy bits, peanuts, cucumber and coriander, and leaves out the three ingredients that aren't vegetarian: egg, garlic and sambal chilli (which contains dried shrimp). It's suitable for vegetarians and for anyone avoiding garlic.

Is popiah healthy?

Popiah is one of the lighter options among Singapore hawker favourites. The skin isn't fried, the filling is mostly vegetables, and a roll is a satisfying snack or light meal rather than a heavy one. The richer elements are the sweet sauce, peanuts and crispy bits, so if you're watching your intake, a traditional or vegetarian roll is the lightest choice. A traditional roll is 244 kcal; see the full popiah calorie guide. We've written more on the health benefits of soup and popiah.

How our fusion popiah differ

Souperstar's fusion rolls keep the handmade skin and turnip base but swap in different fillings: Sesame Chicken, Sweet Thai Chicken and Seafood Wasabi Mayo among them. Each is a full meal in a roll. See the guide to every Souperstar popiah to pick a flavour.

Frequently asked questions

Is popiah the same as a spring roll?
Popiah is a fresh spring roll. It uses a soft, unfried skin and is eaten at room temperature, unlike the deep-fried spring rolls served at many restaurants.

Does popiah contain nuts?
Yes. A traditional roll has grated peanuts. Please tell us if you need a roll without them.

Does popiah contain shellfish?
The sambal chilli contains dried shrimp. The vegetarian roll has no sambal and no shellfish.

How long does popiah keep?
Popiah is best eaten within a few hours of rolling, while the skin is soft and the crispy bits are still crunchy. Keep it chilled if you're not eating straight away.

Ready to order? Choose from the full popiah range, get popiah delivered across Singapore, or read our guide to popiah catering for parties and offices.