Try a white version of buko salad for Christmas! Perfectly sweet and creamy with loads of young coconut, jelly cubes, and palm fruits, this White Buko Salad is the perfect addition to any holiday celebration!

We’re ten days out to Christmas, and I’m here scrambling to get some new recipes up on the blog. I hope I post them all in time for Noche Buena to help our readers plan their festivities.

If you’re looking for easy party meal ideas with big flavors, Kawaling Pinoy is the place to be this festive season. 🙂 Along with 600 plus yummy dishes you’ve come to love over the years, such as ginataang seafood, morcon, paella, and mango graham, I’ll be sharing with you new favorites these coming days like chicken cordon bleu, crispy palabok, chicken in Sprite, and this white buko salad.

Ingredient Notes

This Filipino dessert salad is made of shredded young coconut (buko), jelly cubes (gulaman), nata de coco, kaong, and sweetened cream. Feel free to add other “white” ingredients, such as sago, cheese cubes (i.e., Swiss, processed cheese food), and canned pears or lychees, to make it more substantial while still keeping with the “winter” theme.

Jelly Cubes

The recipe uses agar agar bars to make the gulaman. Shred them into small pieces before soaking so they’ll dissolve more quickly.
Use coconut juice to make the gulaman for added flavor.
For best results, cook until the agar agar is completely melted and the mixture is clear and no longer cloudy.
You can substitute gulaman powder for ease and convenience. You can also use gelatin but note that it will have a softer texture.

Helpful Tips

Drain the nata de coco and kaong well as they’re usually bottled in heavy syrup.
The sweetness will mellow out when dessert is frozen and thawed, so you might want to make it a tad sweeter than you like.

Serving Suggestion

Although this white salad can be served as soon as the ingredients are combined, it’s best enjoyed cold.
Transfer to a container with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate for about 1 to 2 hours or until well chilled, or freeze for about 4 to 5 hours or until firm.

Storage Instructions

The dessert will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Do NOT refreeze if it has thawed or melted completely for food safety and quality reasons. If it melted outside of the freezer, bacteria causing foodborne illnesses can grow. The thawing and refreezing process also cause ice crystals to form, making the texture grainy.