Vegan Arroz Caldo (Filipino Rice Porridge)

Arroz Caldo (aroskaldo) is a hearty and wholesome comfort food meal you need to try. If you’re not familiar with the dish, it’s a Filipino rice porridge traditionally made with chicken. We are swapping the animal protein for a plant-based alternative to make this dish vegan. Don’t worry, it’s just as flavorful and cozy as the classic!  

Here’s What You Need to Make this Arroz Caldo

• Oil: The oil used in this recipe is to cook down our aromatics. We prefer olive oil, but you can also use safflower, avocado, or any other oil. 
• Aromatics: The aromatics in this recipe are straightforward. A medium yellow or white onion, 6 garlic cloves, 4 inches of fresh ginger—1/2 thinly sliced and 1/2 finely chopped, bay leaf, and finely chopped green onion or scallions with the white and green parts separated. 
• Spices: The spices required for this recipe are minimal. We need red and black pepper and salt. Whole black peppercorns can be used, but we prefer to use ground black pepper. 
• Vegan Chicken: A “grilled” style vegan chicken is best for this recipe, which would be anything that isn’t breaded or a nugget. We like to use the Daring Foods original plant chicken, but if you have another brand that you prefer, that works too. 
• Vegan Fish Sauce: This is an optional ingredient but will help add some additional flavor. If you can’t find any, you can omit them. Some brands sell vegan fish sauce online if you’re unsure where to find vegan fish sauce. You can also find recipes online if you want to make your own. Here’s one worth trying! 
• Glutinous Sweet Rice: Also known as malagkit or sticky rice, glutinous sweet rice is excellent for this recipe because it provides the perfect thick porridge-like texture. It has a slightly sweet taste but has a deliciously chewy and sticky texture. If you don’t have glutinous sweet rice, feel free to use any white on hand. 
• Vegan Chicken Broth: Believe it or not, chickenless chicken broth is a thing! It has all of the flavors of chicken broth but without the chicken. We like to use the Better than Bullion No Chicken paste, but there are a few other brands. 
• Citrus: A spritz of citrus juice helps take the flavor of this dish to the next level. We like calamansi, but lemon or lime also works.
• Crispy Garlic Bits: The directions to make this are down below. It’s so easy and so freaking good! Crispy golden brown garlic is the perfect garnish and will take the flavor of your arroz caldo to the next level. 
• Green Onions (Scallions): We cook the white and light part of the green onions into the arroz caldo, and then top it with the greens when serving.

Equipment Needed:

• Large Pot
• Cutting Board
• Measuring Cups + Spoons

A Little Bit About Arroz Caldo

• The name is derived from the Spanish arroz caldoso, translating to the phrase “brothy rice.”
• Despite the above tidbit, arroz caldo is an adaptation of congee (a type of rice porridge) brought to the Philipines by Chinese immigrants. 
• It’s traditionally served with toppings such as hard-boiled eggs, scallions, crispy garlic, and calamansi, but since we are making this dish vegan today, we are omitting the eggs. 
• Arroz Caldo is typically eaten as a breakfast food but is also enjoyed as an afternoon or evening snack. 
• It’s also a popular dish to serve when someone is sick or feeling under the weather.

If you enjoyed this Filipino picadillo recipe, you might also like: 

• Filipino Adobo Inspired Jerky
• Vegan Filipino Barbecue
• Ube Pichi Pichi (Filipino Sticky Cassava Snack)
• Fluffy Ube Pandesal (Filipino Purple Yam Bread Rolls)
• Vegan Siopao Asado (Filipino Steamed Buns)
• Suman Malagkit (Filipino Steamed Rice Cakes)

Make sure you tag us on Instagram @sweetsimplevegan and @consciouschris and hashtag #sweetsimplevegan if you recreate any of our recipes, we love to see your photos!

Vegan Arroz Caldo (Filipino Rice Porridge)

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5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Sweet Simple Vegan
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 5 servings

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Description

Arroz Caldo is a hearty and wholesome comfort food meal you need to try. If you’re not familiar with the dish, it’s a Filipino rice porridge traditionally made with chicken. We are swapping the animal protein for a plant-based alternative to make this dish vegan.

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 onion, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 green onions, chopped with green and white parts separated
• 1 (2-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into 3 chunks
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 4 ounces vegan chicken, cut into small pieces (we used Daring)
• 6 cups vegan chicken broth
• Optional: 1 tablespoon vegan fish sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup glutinous sweet rice (malagkit)
• Salt, to taste
• Calamansi, lemon or lime

Crispy Fried Garlic Bits

• 1/3 cup oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced

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Instructions

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the oil. Once heated, add the bay leaf and fry until golden.
2. Add onions, garlic, white and light parts of the green onion, ginger and red pepper flakes. Cook until the onions are soft and the garlic is fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add in the vegan chicken and cook until it begins to brown, about 4 minutes. If the vegan chicken is in large chunks, use kitchen shears to finely cut it in the pot. 
4. Add the vegan chicken broth, vegan fish sauce, black pepper, and rice. Stir and bring to a boil, lower to simmer, and cover. Simmer for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom to prevent the rice from sticking, until the rice is creamy.
5. As the rice cooks, make the crispy garlic. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a small heat-proof bowl or cup. Heat oil in a small pan. Once heated, add in the garlic and fry until it is golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes. Immediately pour the mixture through the strainer, then transfer the crispy garlic to a paper towel-lined plate to cool.
6. Once the arroz caldo has finished cooking, remove and discard the bay leaf and ginger slices. Add salt if desired.
7. Serve topped with crispy garlic, scallion greens, and calamansi wedges.

Notes

• Store leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Entree
• Method: Stove Top
• Cuisine: Filipino

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