I swapped chocolate for Ube Puree in champorado and now my purple rice porridge is absurdly silky, ridiculously sweet, and impossible to resist at any time of day.
I’m obsessed with this ube champorado because it hits that sticky, sweet spot I didn’t know I needed. I love the way ube halaya gives the rice this deep purple, slightly nutty bite, like dessert had breakfast and won.
It’s messy in the best way, thick and glossy, begging for a drizzle of condensed milk and a pat of butter. I nerd out over Ube Puree textures and clutch any recipe that makes ube feel unavoidable.
Yes, it’s in my rotation with Authentic Filipino Recipes I crave. And I’ll eat it any time of day.
No shame, just seconds always.
Ingredients
- Glutinous rice: Basically the creamy, sticky base that makes champorado comforting and chewy.
- Water: Keeps things cooking and light; lets the rice swell and soften.
- Ube halaya: Adds sweet purple yam goodness and that gorgeous color you’ll love.
- Sugar: Sweetens gently; adjust it so it’s not overly cloying.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and brings out deeper flavors, even in sweet dishes.
- Vanilla extract: Plus a warm, cozy note that makes it taste homemade.
- Coconut or evaporated milk: Makes it silky and rich, like a warm, velvety hug.
- Sweetened condensed milk: Drizzle for decadence; it’s optional but highly recommended.
- Butter or margarine: Adds buttery richness and a glossy finish to the porridge.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 cup glutinous rice (malagkit), rinsed
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup ube halaya (purple yam jam), mashed or chopped
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar, adjust to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup coconut milk or evaporated milk (for creaminess)
- 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk, for serving (optional but recommended)
- 1 tablespoon butter or margarine (optional, for richer flavor)
How to Make this
1. Rinse 1 cup glutinous rice until water runs mostly clear, then put it in a medium pot with 4 cups water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Once it’s boiling, lower heat to a gentle simmer, cover partially and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring every few minutes so the rice does not stick to the bottom.
3. When the rice is soft and slightly thickened, stir in 1 cup mashed ube halaya until it melts into the porridge and the color is even.
4. Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar (start with 1/4 cup, taste later), 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; stir and simmer 3 to 5 minutes more so the sugar dissolves and flavors blend.
5. Pour in 1 cup coconut milk or evaporated milk and keep cooking on low for another 3 to 5 minutes until the champorado is creamy; if it gets too thick, add a little hot water or more coconut milk to loosen.
6. For richer flavor stir in 1 tablespoon butter or margarine at the end so it melts in and makes the porridge silkier.
7. Taste and adjust sweetness or salt, add more sugar if you want it sweeter, but remember condensed milk will add more sugar when serving.
8. Serve hot in bowls, drizzle or dollop about 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk on top if you like extra creaminess and sweetness, or offer it on the side so people can control it.
9. Tips: stir often near the end to prevent scorching, use low heat for creaminess, and if your ube halaya is very firm chop it small so it melts better into the porridge.
10. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 2 to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of milk or water while stirring so it returns to a smooth texture.
Equipment Needed
1. Medium heavy-bottomed pot with lid (for cooking the rice)
2. Measuring cups and spoons (1 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/4 cup, teaspoon)
3. Fine-mesh sieve or large bowl for rinsing the glutinous rice
4. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for stirring so it wont scratch the pot
5. Small sharp knife and cutting board (if your ube halaya needs chopping)
6. Liquid measuring cup or small saucepan for warming coconut/evaporated milk
7. Ladle and serving bowls for portioning the champorado
8. Small bowl or spoon for the sweetened condensed milk topping and tasting adjustments
FAQ
Easy Ube Champorado Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Glutinous rice (malagkit): short-grain sushi rice, or mochiko (sweet rice flour) mixed with a little extra water for stickiness, or even regular medium-grain rice cooked a bit longer if thats all you have.
- Ube halaya: mashed purple sweet potato, or store bought ube powder rehydrated with a little water and sugar, or a combo of plain mashed yam plus a splash of ube extract for color and flavor.
- Coconut milk or evaporated milk: full fat coconut cream for extra richness, or whole milk/half and half (use slightly less water), or a nut milk like almond milk if you want lighter flavor.
- Sweetened condensed milk (for serving): coconut condensed milk for a dairy free option, or drizzle of honey or maple syrup plus a little extra cream if you prefer less cloying sweetness.
Pro Tips
– Stir like you mean it toward the end, but dont go crazy. Glutinous rice sticks fast once it thickens, so keep a wooden spoon moving and scrape the bottom now and then. If you see paste forming on the pot, turn the heat down more and add a few tablespoons of hot water or milk.
– Warm the ube halaya first. If its cold and chunky it wont melt evenly and you’ll get streaks of purple. Microwave it a few seconds or mash it with a fork before adding so the color and flavor blend right into the porridge.
– Use coconut milk for creaminess but add it last and on low heat. Boiling coconut milk can separate and get oily, making the texture grainy. If it gets too thick, a little hot water or extra coconut milk loosens it without losing flavor.
– If you want a richer finish, stir in the butter off the heat so it melts gently, then let the porridge sit covered for 2 minutes before serving. And always taste before adding condensed milk, some ube jams are already pretty sweet so you might overdo it.
Easy Ube Champorado Recipe
I swapped chocolate for Ube Puree in champorado and now my purple rice porridge is absurdly silky, ridiculously sweet, and impossible to resist at any time of day.
6
servings
384
kcal
Equipment: 1. Medium heavy-bottomed pot with lid (for cooking the rice)
2. Measuring cups and spoons (1 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/4 cup, teaspoon)
3. Fine-mesh sieve or large bowl for rinsing the glutinous rice
4. Wooden spoon or silicone spatula for stirring so it wont scratch the pot
5. Small sharp knife and cutting board (if your ube halaya needs chopping)
6. Liquid measuring cup or small saucepan for warming coconut/evaporated milk
7. Ladle and serving bowls for portioning the champorado
8. Small bowl or spoon for the sweetened condensed milk topping and tasting adjustments
Ingredients
-
1 cup glutinous rice (malagkit), rinsed
-
4 cups water
-
1 cup ube halaya (purple yam jam), mashed or chopped
-
1/4 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar, adjust to taste
-
1/2 teaspoon salt
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
1 cup coconut milk or evaporated milk (for creaminess)
-
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk, for serving (optional but recommended)
-
1 tablespoon butter or margarine (optional, for richer flavor)
Directions
- Rinse 1 cup glutinous rice until water runs mostly clear, then put it in a medium pot with 4 cups water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once it’s boiling, lower heat to a gentle simmer, cover partially and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring every few minutes so the rice does not stick to the bottom.
- When the rice is soft and slightly thickened, stir in 1 cup mashed ube halaya until it melts into the porridge and the color is even.
- Add 1/4 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar (start with 1/4 cup, taste later), 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; stir and simmer 3 to 5 minutes more so the sugar dissolves and flavors blend.
- Pour in 1 cup coconut milk or evaporated milk and keep cooking on low for another 3 to 5 minutes until the champorado is creamy; if it gets too thick, add a little hot water or more coconut milk to loosen.
- For richer flavor stir in 1 tablespoon butter or margarine at the end so it melts in and makes the porridge silkier.
- Taste and adjust sweetness or salt, add more sugar if you want it sweeter, but remember condensed milk will add more sugar when serving.
- Serve hot in bowls, drizzle or dollop about 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk on top if you like extra creaminess and sweetness, or offer it on the side so people can control it.
- Tips: stir often near the end to prevent scorching, use low heat for creaminess, and if your ube halaya is very firm chop it small so it melts better into the porridge.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 2 to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of milk or water while stirring so it returns to a smooth texture.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 303g
- Total number of serves: 6
- Calories: 384kcal
- Fat: 12.5g
- Saturated Fat: 9.2g
- Trans Fat: 0.08g
- Polyunsaturated: 0.5g
- Monounsaturated: 1.3g
- Cholesterol: 9.2mg
- Sodium: 217mg
- Potassium: 267mg
- Carbohydrates: 66g
- Fiber: 1.3g
- Sugar: 36.3g
- Protein: 4.8g
- Vitamin A: 150IU
- Vitamin C: 2mg
- Calcium: 68mg
- Iron: 0.6mg
