Champorado Recipe (Filipino Chocolate Rice Porridge)
Champorado is a Filipino chocolate rice porridge made by simmering glutinous rice with cocoa until thick and creamy. It’s a traditional breakfast, naturally gluten-free, and ready in under 30 minutes.
My Filipino babysitter made this for me and my brother on weekday mornings, and we lost our minds over it every single time.
Champorado is a traditional Filipino chocolate rice porridge made by simmering glutinous rice with cocoa or tablea until it goes thick, dark, and creamy. You eat it warm, usually with a drizzle of milk on top, and it tastes like chocolate pudding decided to become breakfast.
This is the accessible version I make at home with cocoa powder you already have in the cupboard, no special trip required. It comes together in under 30 minutes and it’s naturally gluten-free, since glutinous rice doesn’t actually contain any gluten.
If you’re into Filipino sweets, my Easy Biko Recipe is the next one to make. It’s a sticky rice cake with coconut caramel and it’s so good.
What Is Champorado?
Champorado, also spelled tsampurado, is a Filipino chocolate rice porridge eaten for breakfast or as an afternoon snack (meryenda). It’s glutinous rice cooked down with chocolate and sugar into a thick, spoonable porridge that you serve warm.
Traditionally it’s made with tablea, which are pure cacao tablets, though plenty of home cooks reach for cocoa powder for an everyday version. It’s naturally gluten-free, since glutinous rice is just sticky rice and has no gluten in it despite the name.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Glutinous rice — also called sticky rice or malagkit. This is what gives champorado its thick, slightly chewy body. Regular rice won’t get you the same texture.
- Cocoa powder or tablea — cocoa powder is the everyday option you probably already have. For the traditional, deeper flavor, use tablea (Filipino cacao tablets), found at Filipino or Latin markets and online.
- Sugar — white or brown. Brown adds a little molasses depth. Sweeten to taste as you go.
- Evaporated or condensed milk — not cooked in, but drizzled over the top at the end. This is the part that makes it.
How to Make Champorado
- Cook the rice. Rinse the glutinous rice, then add it to a pot with water. Bring it to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the rice softens and absorbs most of the liquid.
- Add the chocolate and sugar. Stir in the cocoa powder (or tablea) and the sugar until fully dissolved and the porridge turns smooth and dark. Add a splash more water if it thickens up before the rice is done.
- Adjust and finish. Taste and add more sugar if you want it sweeter. Cook until it reaches a thick, spoonable porridge.
- Serve. Ladle it into bowls and drizzle evaporated or condensed milk over the top. Eat it warm.
Tips for the Best Champorado
- It thickens as it cools. Pull it off the heat while it still looks a little loose, because the rice keeps drinking up liquid as it sits.
- Stir often. Glutinous rice loves to stick to the bottom of the pot, so keep it moving, especially as it thickens.
- Sweeten to taste. Add the sugar gradually and taste as you go. You can always add more, but you can’t pull it back out.
How to Serve Champorado
The classic finish is a drizzle of evaporated or sweetened condensed milk swirled in right before eating. Traditionally champorado is also served with tuyo, salted dried fish, on the side.
The salty, savory fish against the sweet chocolate rice is the contrast that makes the dish, and it’s worth trying at least once. A piece of pandesal for dipping is the other classic pairing.
Storing and Reheating
Let leftover champorado cool, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. It firms up a lot when cold, almost like chocolate pudding, and some people love it that way straight from the fridge. To reheat, warm it on the stove or in the microwave and stir in a splash of milk or water to bring it back to a loose, spoonable porridge.
Champorado FAQs
Can I use regular rice instead of glutinous rice? You can in a pinch, but the texture won’t be the same. Glutinous rice has the high starch content that makes champorado thick and creamy. With long-grain or jasmine rice you’ll get a thinner, soupier result. To thicken it up, whisk a little rice flour with water and stir it in.
Can I make champorado in a rice cooker? Yes. Add the rice and water to the rice cooker and run a cycle, then stir in the cocoa and sugar and let it sit or run a second cycle until thick. It’s a hands-off way to make it on a busy morning.
What’s the difference between champorado and champurrado? They share a root but they’re different. Mexican champurrado is a thick chocolate drink made with masa (corn). Filipino champorado adapted that idea using rice instead of corn, so it became a spoonable porridge rather than a drink.
Champorado Recipe (Filipino Chocolate Rice Porridge)
Ingredients
- 1 cup glutinous rice
- 3 cups water
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup white sugar
- Evaporated milk optional
Instructions
- In a medium size pan, add the glutinous rice and water. Cook on medium-high heat until bubbling, and rice has absorbed most of the moisture. This should take around 5-7 minutes.
- Add cocoa powder and sugar. Stir consistenly until they are fully mixed in. Add more water if the mixture gets too thick or the rice isn't cooked through.
- Remove from heat and laddle the chocolate rice into small bowls. Serve with evaporated milk on top if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided is calculated based on industry-standard software and should be used as a general guide only. The information may vary depending on ingredient substitutions, cooking techniques, and individual serving sizes. It is the responsibility of the reader to ensure the accuracy and appropriateness of the nutritional information provided. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalized medical or nutritional advice.
Other Chocolate Recipes To Try
- Chocolate Hazelnut Protein Ice Cream
- Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Overnight Oats
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Shake
- Snickers Chocolate Protein Ice Cream
- Gluten Free Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Protein Bars
If you make this champorado, leave a star rating and a comment below so I know how it turned out. And tag @basicswithbails on Instagram or pin it on Pinterest, I’d love to see your bowl.
About Bailey
I love to bake, cook, exercise, and document all of the above. Nutrition is not low fat. It is not low calorie. It’s not feeling deprived or being hungry all the time. It’s nourishing your body with real, whole foods so that you are consistently satisfied and energized to live your life to the fullest! Read more…
