Arroz caldo is a savory rice porridge made with chicken, garlic, and ginger – think of it as a Filipino congee! It’s the perfect thing to make when you’re feeling sick or when you just want something comforting and hearty. Now, with this easy Vegan Arroz Caldo (Filipino Congee) recipe, you can continue to have your favorite Asian comfort meal while keeping it 100% plant-based.

As the name implies, arroz caldo is a “rice soup” made with chicken. Variations of this rice porridge are more commonly known as congee in Chinese and other East Asian cuisines, and it’s typically enjoyed at breakfast. 

Arroz caldo is more specifically a Filipino version of congee. While I can’t recall eating arroz caldo for breakfast that often, it’s certainly an all-around comfort food that can be enjoyed at any time of the day.

Arroz caldo separates itself from other variations of congee by really amping up the ginger and garlic, plus adding a squeeze of calamansi or lemon on top. All the more reasons to eat this whenever you’re feeling ill.

This recipe veganizes arroz caldo by taking advantage of vegan “chicken” products that can easily be found in most grocery stores like Whole Foods, and they perform and taste just like the real chicken. 

This vegan arroz caldo recipe seriously tastes the exact same as when my mom used to make it for me as a kid – and it’s even easier to achieve.  

Because the amount of veggie Filipino dishes are extremely limited, it’s important for me to find ways (with the help of my mom) to “veganize” the foods I love and grew up with to remain close to my culture. 

With the amount of amazing plant-based alternatives we have available to us, no cuisine (no matter how meat-centered it is!) should be off-limits to vegans.

If you’re worried about going vegan because you’re not sure how your family will take it, I encourage you to pick your favorite dish and come up with a vegan version with your family together. It’s actually really fun (and easy) to get creative with plant-based products to recreate your favorite meat dishes and trust me, it’s so much more satisfying the vegan way.

To make this recipe you’ll need…

• 1 whole garlic head finely minced
• 3 inch piece of ginger minced
• 1 large onion diced
• 2 cups white rice uncooked
• ½ cup sweet rice uncooked
• 8 oz vegan chicken strips (used Sweet Earth Mindful Chick’n)
• 5 cups water (plus more for preference) 
• 3 tbsp Better than Bouillon Vegetarian Chicken
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings:

• Squeezed calamansi or lemon
• Crispy fried garlic
• Green onion

First, prepare your ingredients by finely mincing the garlic and peeled ginger, then dice the onion. 

Next, heat up the oil on medium heat in a large pot. Add the garlic, ginger, and onion to the pot and saute for about 5 minutes until fragrant. Stir frequently so they don’t burn!

Then add the vegan chicken, white rice, and sweet rice to the pot and continue to saute for another 5 minutes. 

Add 5 cups of water and mix in the vegan chicken bouillon. Bring the soup to a boil and continue boiling while the rice cooks completely until soft. Add salt and pepper to taste, then remove from heat.

Finally, top off each serving with a generous squeeze of calamansi or lemon, crispy fried garlic, and green onion! The soup will thicken the longer it sits, so add more water to desired consistency.

Make these must-try recipes next:

• The Best Vegan Lumpia
• Vegan Egg Drop Soup
• Vegan Spicy “Tuna” Recipe
• Vegan “Spam” Musubi

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