Lugaw (Filipino Rice Porridge)

Lugaw is one of the many variants of rice dishes in the Philippines. This is a plain rice porridge flavored with aromatics and topped with toasted garlic, scallions, and a boiled egg.

Watch the Lugaw Recipe Video Below!

Fall is fast approaching and it always makes me want to cozy up with a cup of cocoa and a warm blanket wrapped around my shoulders…or, of course, cook myself a nice hot meal.

Lugaw can be comparable to Congee, a Chinese rice porridge consisting of rice, water, and salt. It’s Asian comfort in one of its purest forms.

Whether rain or shine, Filipinos know this porridge to be the classic comfort food.

My mom would always make this for us during particularly snowy days or rainy seasons here in Canada.

Sometime’s she’d even use leftover rice to clean out the fridge as the perfect excuse to make lugaw. I always complained about it as kid, but growing older really helps you learn to appreciate the beauty in simplicity, and how resourceful this dish can actually be.

It’s also easy to digest and easy to eat. While other kids ate chicken noodle soup when down with a cold, I was munching on lugaw.

My dad’s signature touch is to add a couple dashes of safflower herb to give our lugaw a distinct aroma and a slight reddish hue. I’ve seen other recipes also opt for a bit of turmeric powder or annatto powder/oil, which could also work.

The best part about lugaw is that you can top it with whatever you wish. The most popular Filipino toppings include: boiled eggs, green onions, lemon wedges, toasted garlic, crushed chicharron (crispy pork rinds), and maybe even a couple spoonfuls of chili oil for a bit of kick.

What is Lugaw?

In the Philippines, lugaw is more of an umbrella term for a wide range of savory and sweet rice porridge dishes, each with its slight variations.

Inspired by China’s congee, lugaw, in a similar fashion, maintains simplicity. It omits mix-ins and relies on toppings like toasted garlic and chicharron to further develop its flavor and to provide texture.

The basic version itself is actually rarely spiced, using only water and a tad bit of salt. Modern versions nowadays include the use of onion, ginger, garlic, and different broths.

Contrary to popular belief, Lugaw is not the same as Arroz Caldo! Arroz caldo is more of a congee influenced by the Spaniards, containing chunks of chicken and has a deeper, heartier chicken flavor.

Lugaw is more straightforward and, in my opinion, way easier to prepare. The base for lugaw contains three main aromatics: onion, ginger, and garlic. The rice is then drenched with chicken stock before being seasoned with black pepper and fish sauce for an umami kick.

Ingredients (and substitutions!)

Onion, garlic, ginger: You cannot go wrong with these three, they’re guaranteed flavor!

Rice: Any long or short-grain white rice should work. For reference, my family typically uses Jasmine. You could also use sticky/glutinous rice, just be sure to adjust the liquid content accordingly (adding more as needed) if the porridge becomes too sticky or thick.

Chicken stock: Simmering the rice grains in the stock will ensure every bite is perfectly savory and hearty.

• Substitutions: Feel free to use plain water, vegetable stock, or even mushroom stock if you’d like. I wouldn’t recommend pork or beef broth, as this would be an entirely different dish (i.e., Goto, or Beef Rice Porridge).

Black pepper, fish sauce, salt: You can adjust these seasonings according to preference.

• Substitutions: Fish sauce can be omitted if allergic or if you have no access to it. Simply replace this with salt to taste (I’d start with about half a teaspoon of kosher salt and adjust accordingly). Some may recommend replacing the fish sauce with soy sauce, though the soy may overpower the overall taste of the dish, which is typically more on the fragrant, light side.

Toppings (egg, garlic, green onions, calamansi, chicharron): Apart from the lugaw itself, I truly think that the toppings complete the dish and compliments its mellow flavors perfectly. Not all toppings have to be included if you prefer to omit some of them.

• Substitutions: You can replace the crispy garlic with crispy shallots/onions if you’d like (these can be store-bought). Calamansi can simply be substituted with lemon or lime. Chicharron is a crispy, Filipino pork rind snack that you can purchase in most Filipino or Asian groceries -this can also be omitted if desired.

Instructions

In a pot over medium heat, sauté the onions with oil until translucent, about 2-3 minutes. Then add in the garlic and ginger, and continue to sauté for another 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

Add in the rinsed rice and 3 cups of stock. Season with black pepper and fish sauce. Stir to combine.

Bring to a boil, then simmer with a lid for 30 minutes on medium-low, stirring occasionally to prevent the bottom from sticking/burning.

After 30 minutes, pour in the remaining 1 cup of stock and the safflower. Stir to combine and season with more salt and/or pepper to taste, if needed. Add additional stock or water to achieve your desired porridge consistency.

Scoop portions of the lugaw into serving bowls. Top with the boiled egg, toasted garlic, green onion, and chicharron. Squeeze a generous amount of calamansi juice on top to taste. Enjoy!

Cooking Tips

Prepare your toppings while the lugaw is simmering: To save on time, you can prepare the toppings while the rice is softening, which gives you around 30 minutes of free time to do so. If you’d rather not multitask, you can also do this before or after your lugaw has finished cooking.

Adjust to preference: Once the lugaw is cooked, taste and adjust accordingly. If you’d like it a tad more salty, add more salt or fish sauce accordingly. If you want to change the consistency of the porridge, either add more stock to make it more liquid, or continue simmering for a few more minutes to achieve a thicker consistency.

Customize your lugaw: I like to think of this rice porridge as a blank slate -feel free to experiment with other flavors or toppings to add some variety! Ideas could include chili oil drizzled on top or adding extra aromatics such as lemongrass.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

How do I store leftover Lugaw?

Leftover lugaw can be refrigerated for up to 4-5 days in an airtight container.

To reheat, simply warm the porridge in the microwave or in a saucepan, adjusting with more water or chicken stock if necessary to adjust its consistency.

What’s the difference between Lugaw, Arroz Caldo, and Goto?

I like to think of Arroz Caldo as the more complex sibling of Lugaw. Arroz Caldo is slightly more heartier, containing chunks of chicken in the porridge, and with a deeper, heavier chicken taste.

Goto is essentially the beef version of lugaw. It consists of beef stock and beef tripe as the protein component.

Looking for more easy Filipino dishes? Try some of our favorites:

• Soy Short Ribs
• Filipino Marinated Eggs
• Chili Garlic Fried Rice