Buko Pandan
Ahh, buko pandan—a delicious Filipino dessert salad, perfect for cooling down from the summer heat! It consists of sliced coconut pulp, sago, sweetened condensed milk, and delicious, chewy jellies. It’s very easy to make and a definite crowd pleaser!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 471kcal
Equipment
- medium pot
- 1 large serving bowl
- Ladle for serving
Ingredients
- 1 packet buko pandan jelly mix
- ¾ cup small tapioca pearls
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk adjust to taste
- 7 ½ ounce can table cream
- 1-2 teaspoons buko pandan extract adjust to taste
- 15 ounce can young coconut meat canned, drained, cut into slices
- 12 ounces nata de coco (coconut jelly) drained
Instructions
Make the buko pandan jelly:
- Prepare 1 packet buko pandan jelly mix according to package instructions. This normally consists of boiling water, dissolving the powder, pouring the mixture into a heat-safe container, and chilling in the fridge for 1-2 hours until firm. While it sets, cook the tapioca pearls.
- Once set, cut into cubes.
Cook the tapioca pearls:
- In a medium pot, bring about 5 cups of water to a rolling boil. Stir in ¾ cup small tapioca pearls. Slightly lower heat and gently boil uncovered for 10 minutes, or until tapioca turns from white to mostly translucent.
- Turn off heat and cover pot with lid. Let tapioca sit for 10 minutes, or until pearls are fully translucent. If the pearls still have small white dots in the center, cover pot with lid again and let sit for another 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer tapioca pearls in fine mesh strainer. Rinse with cold water to stop them from cooking and get rid of excess starch. Drain and set aside.
Assemble:
- In your large serving bowl, mix together 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk, 7 ½ ounce can table cream, and 1-2 teaspoons buko pandan extract (adjust to taste).
- Add cubed buko pandan jelly, cooked tapioca pearls, 15 ounce can young coconut meat, and 12 ounces nata de coco (coconut jelly). Stir until fully combined. Taste and add more sugar or milk to your liking.
- Cover and chill in fridge for at least 3 hours. Divide among serving glasses. If you'd like the buko pandan sago even colder, add ice. Enjoy!See notes for storage information.
Video
Notes
Variations and substitions:
- Add different mix-ins, like diced lychee, berries, etc.
- Swap out the sweetened condensed milk for another sweetener, like brown sugar, granulated sugar, honey, agave, etc.
- Use a different type of milk/cream, like coconut, whole, soy, or oat.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 471kcal | Carbohydrates: 73g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 89mg | Potassium: 186mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 65g | Vitamin A: 132IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 144mg | Iron: 0.3mg
