This Filipino-style Arroz Caldo without Chicken is a hearty and savory rice porridge made with rice as our main ingredient. Pack with flavorful and aromatic spices such as garlic, onion, and ginger, with boiled eggs, and fried toasted garlic as a topping.
Arroz Caldo is one of my childhood favorite breakfasts. But it is not just for breakfast, it is also a perfect anytime snack. I remember my parents cooking a huge batch of Filipino arroz caldo without chicken for breakfast and snacks. We call this "Lugaw".
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Ingredients
The simplicity of this dish stands out from the crowd. With simple ingredients that we use regularly in the kitchen, we can make an arroz caldo in the comfort of our home whenever we have a craving. Check the recipe card for the full measurement of the ingredients.
- Rice - Use 1:1 ratio of jasmine rice or basmati rice, and Glutinous rice. Glutinous rice is stickier and has more gluten than regular white rice. You can make this recipe with any white rice.
- Vegetable broth - Flavor enhancer and liquid to cook and season our soup. You can use other types of broth or stock, such as chicken, beef, or fish stock. Or plain water works too.
- Ginger, Garlic, and Onion - I call this trio because they are an essential aromatic and flavor puncher. And it would be best if you had extra garlic to make fried toasted garlic for toppings.
- Salt and Black pepper - These seasonings enhance the flavor of this chicken congee. Fish sauce adds a robust, savory flavor to the dish. Use regular kosher or sea salt if you are plant-based diet.
- toppings such as:
- boiled eggs Skip this if you are vegetarian or vegan. Substitute it with pan-fried tofu.
- chopped green onion
- sliced lemon
- fried toasted garlic
Instructions
Step 1. Prepare all the ingredients to make this super easy and yummy rice porridge without meat. Start by rinsing the rice with water. I wash the rice in a bowl until the water is almost transparent, about three times. Chop your ginger, garlic, and onion.
Step 2. In a large pot over medium heat, pour cooking oil and saute onion, garlic, and ginger until fragrant and translucent.
Step 3. Pour the vegetable broth or water, rice, salt and pepper. Stir and cover the pot. Bring it to a gentle boil and simmer on low to medium heat until the liquid thickens and the rice softens. Occasionally stir the porridge to cook it evenly and avoid burning the rice from the bottom. Check to see if it needs more broth or water.
Step 4. Taste and adjust your seasonings accordingly. Cook until you get a thick soup consistency. Serve in a bowl, and top with boiled eggs (if you are using any), toasted garlic, chopped green onions, and a slice of calamansi or lemon.
Storage and Reheating Tips
- Storage: Making arroz caldo is super easy, so I recommend doing large batches. Allow the chicken porridge to cool completely and transfer it into a large bowl with a tight-fitting lid. Store in the refrigerator for 5 days. You can freeze Filipino arroz caldo in a freezer-friendly container for 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight or countertop for an hour.
- Reheating: To reheat this arroz caldo without chicken, transfer it into a saucepan, add some water if the rice porridge is too thick, and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir and reheat in medium heat until warm through. You can use the microwave to reheat it, just simply transfer it to a bowl and cover it with a paper towel on top to keep it from drying out. Microwave for 30-second intervals, and stir in between until warm thoroughly.
Helpful Tips
- Vegan and Vegetarian Option. For a plant-based diet, use mushrooms or tofu. Try my sauteed garlic, leek, and mushrooms to add at the very end. It will give tons of flavors. If you made fried tofu, add it before serving as a protein source.
- Leftover rice is the perfect addition to this dish. If leftover rice is the only rice you are using, simmer it with less liquid since it doesn't need a lot of water and is already cooked. If you are adding it with uncooked rice, you should add it at the end when the newly cooked rice is soft and tender.
- If you want to achieve the yellowish color of this soup, a pinch of turmeric powder is perfect to add at the end of cooking.
- If the liquid is too thick, add more water or broth to the dish.
What is Arroz Caldo?
Arroz is the Spanish word for rice, and Caldo means chicken. Arroz Caldo is a Filipino version of rice porridge or congee in Chinese terms. The main ingredients of the dish are rice and chicken, flavored with lots of aromatic such as ginger, garlic, and onion, and simmered in broth. The main difference between Arroz Caldo from other Filipino rice porridge, like Goto or Lugaw, is that it uses chicken meat and sometimes chicken liver.
While an authentic arroz caldo has chicken, this arroz caldo that I'm sharing doesn't contain any meat. It tastes delicious and it cooks faster since you don't have to cook any meat.
Questions and Answers
Arroz caldo is a glutinous rice porridge that contains glutinous and regular rice with chicken and is loaded with aromatics such as ginger and garlic. For a vegan version, arroz caldo is cooked without any chicken. Both of these versions are absolutely delicious!
Lugaw: Lugaw is a basic rice porridge made with rice and water. It is typically flavored with some salt and ginger. It is often considered a plain and simple comfort food and serves as a blank canvas that can be customized with various toppings or condiments.
Arroz caldo: Arroz Caldo, on the other hand, is a heartier and more flavorful rice porridge. It is usually made with chicken and rice simmered together in a flavorful broth. It is seasoned with garlic, ginger, and sometimes with turmeric powder with fish sauce for added depth of flavor. Arroz caldo is typically more savory and has a richer taste compared to lugaw.
Arroz Caldo without Chicken
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup glutinous rice
- ½ cup jasmin rice or any white rice
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 medium yellow onion sliced thinly
- 2 inches ginger sliced thinly
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 8 cups vegetable broth more if needed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Other Toppings
- 4 large eggs hard-boiled
- ½ cup green onion chopped
- 1 whole lemon slices
- ¼ cup toasted garlic
Instructions
- Rinse the glutinous and jasmine rice several times until the water is transparent.
- In a large pot over medium heat, saute onion, garlic, and ginger until translucent.
- Add the rice, broth or water, salt and black pepper. Let it bring to a gentle boil and simmer until the rice is tender and the liquid has thickened, occasionally stirring to avoid burning the bottom. Adjust the seasonings accordingly.
- Serve with a garnish of green onion, boiled egg, and toasted garlic.
Notes
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Recipe Notes:
- Leftover rice. Leftover rice is the perfect addition to this dish. If leftover rice is the only rice you are using, simmer it with less liquid since it doesn't need a lot of water and is already cooked. If you are adding it with uncooked rice, you should add it at the end when the newly cooked rice is soft and tender.
- Vegan and Vegetarian Option. For a plant-based diet, use mushrooms or tofu. Try my sauteed garlic, leek, and mushrooms to add at the very end. It will give tons of flavors. If you made fried tofu, add it before serving as a protein source.
- If the liquid is too thick, add more water or broth to the dish.
- Storage. Allow the dish to cool down, transfer it to a bowl with a lid, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in a microwave or saucepan until warm through.
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