Champorado: Filipino Chocolate Rice Porridge
Dan
Filipino breakfast | Chocolate rice | Comfort bowl
Champorado is thick, chocolatey rice porridge served sweet, milky, and sometimes with salty tuyo on the side.
Why make it: This version uses tablea or cocoa powder options so the bowl works with Filipino market finds or pantry cocoa.
Fresh From the Kitchen
These photos show the colors, textures, and serving style to look for when making Champorado.
What Is Champorado?
Champorado is a Filipino chocolate rice porridge made with glutinous rice, chocolate, sugar, and milk.
Why You Will Love It
- Practical for U.S. kitchens: the recipe uses ingredients and substitutions a home cook can realistically shop for.
- Built for the table: the serving notes match how the dish usually lands in Filipino-American homes, from weeknights to merienda to parties.
- Flexible without erasing the dish: swaps are named clearly so the original idea stays visible.
- Easy to cook through: the shopping list, timings, and storage notes make the recipe straightforward to test and adjust.
Ingredient Notes
For chocolate
Tablea gives traditional depth. Unsweetened cocoa powder works with sugar adjustments.
For rice
Glutinous rice gives champorado its thick, sticky body.
Champorado Recipe
This version uses tablea or cocoa powder options so the bowl works with Filipino market finds or pantry cocoa.
Shopping List
- glutinous rice
- tablea or cocoa powder
- sugar
- salt
- evaporated milk
- condensed milk optional
- tuyo optional
Ingredients
Porridge
- 1 cup glutinous rice
- 5 cups water
- 4 tablea tablets or 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup sugar, to taste
- Pinch of salt
Milk Finish
- Evaporated milk
- Condensed milk, optional
For Serving
- Tuyo or crispy bacon, optional
Instructions
- Rinse glutinous rice briefly.
- Simmer rice with water until grains soften.
- Add tablea or cocoa and stir until dissolved.
- Add sugar and salt.
- Cook, stirring often, until thick and glossy.
- Rest 5 minutes to thicken.
- Serve with evaporated milk and optional salty side.
Tips For The Best Champorado
- Stir often: Sticky rice can catch on the bottom.
- Adjust sugar: Tablea bitterness varies.
- Thin as needed: Add water or milk for a looser bowl.
- Try salty contrast: Tuyo is classic for many families.
How To Serve And Store
Serve warm for breakfast or merienda. Refrigerate up to 4 days and reheat with water or milk.
Common Questions
Can I use regular rice?
Yes, but the texture will be less sticky.
Can I use cocoa powder?
Yes. Use unsweetened cocoa and adjust sugar.
Why serve fish with chocolate rice?
The salty contrast is beloved in many Filipino breakfasts.
Can I make it dairy-free?
Use coconut milk or another milk you like.
Do you eat champorado with tuyo or keep it sweet? Share your family version or testing notes in the comments.
Recipe inspiration and technique reference: Filipino dessert and bakery source research from Panlasang Pinoy, Kawaling Pinoy, The Dusky Kitchen, and Filipino-American dessert sources in the site roadmap.
