Millet porridge is a wholesome and nutritious way to start your day. This easy-to-make breakfast millet porridge has a satisfying texture. It is perfect for those looking to enjoy a healthy, satisfying meal that's also gluten-free and versatile.
After converting to a gluten-free diet, I started incorporating millet into my diet more. My family enjoys the delicious combination of dates, cinnamon, and proso millet, and this is my favorite gluten-free breakfast recipe with millet.
Ingredients & Substitutions
These simple yet flavorful ingredients create a warm and satisfying porridge. Check the recipe card for exact quantities.
- Millet: I used Proso millet, the most common available millet. But this recipe will also work for any small millet, like browntop millet, little millet, foxtail millet, or barnyard millet.
- Water: I used water and milk to cook this breakfast porridge, but you can also cook entirely with milk.
- Milk: I used cow's milk for this recipe. It adds richness and enhances the flavor and texture of the porridge. For a vegan version, you can substitute dairy milk with plant-based milk. I sometimes use coconut milk, which makes the porridge creamy and rich. You can also use almond milk or oat milk.
- Cinnamon: This fragrant spice can enhance the taste of porridge, making it more comforting and delicious. Sometimes, I like adding nutmeg, cardamom, or a bit of vanilla extract to my millet porridge other than cinnamon.
- Dates: Dates will naturally sweeten and add a chewy texture to your porridge. Other than dates, you can use various sweeteners like agave syrup, maple syrup, honey, jaggery, brown sugar, and coconut sugar for different flavors. I sometimes use other dried fruits like raisins, apricots, or figs chopped into small pieces to give the porridge a naturally sweet taste and chewy texture.
How to Make Millet Porridge
Add the soaked or rinsed millet, water, milk, and cinnamon to a cooking pot. Place the pot over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Now add the pitted dates. Now reduce the heat to low and cover the pot.
Let it simmer for about 20-25 minutes or until the millet becomes tender and the porridge reaches your desired consistency.
Check the porridge consistency and adjust by adding more milk if you prefer a thinner consistency.
Before serving, remove the cinnamon stick from the porridge. Ladle the warm and creamy millet porridge into bowls and top it with your favorite toppings.
Millet Porridge Toppings
Enjoy warm, freshly prepared breakfast millet porridge for the best taste and texture. Here are some of my favorite toppings that will enhance the taste and texture of the porridge.
- Fruit Toppings: I enjoy adding fresh fruits like strawberries, blueberries, mangoes, or sliced bananas to my morning porridge.
- Nuts: To add crunch, sprinkle chopped nuts such as almonds, walnuts, pistachios, or pecans over the porridge.
- Seeds: Seeds like chia seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, or flaxseeds also provide a nice texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Soaking is optional, but it can help reduce cooking time. Soaking also softens the grains, resulting in a creamier porridge texture.
You can double or triple the recipe to make a larger batch. Store any leftover porridge in the refrigerator and reheat it with a splash of milk before serving.
You can adjust the sweetness by adding or reducing the number of dates or incorporating your preferred sweeteners, such as honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar.
For a savory option, skip the sweeteners and add salt to taste. I also add herbs to flavor the savory porridge. You can add red chili flakes or pepper powder to make it spicy.
Creamy Proso Millet Porridge Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup millet I used proso millet, any small millet works
- 1.5 cups water
- 1.5 cups milk
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 6 dates
Instructions
Prep the Millet
- Rinse the millet thoroughly under cold water to remove any impurities.
- Optionally, soak the millet for reduced cooking time.
Cook the Porridge
- Combine soaked or rinsed millet, water, milk, and cinnamon in a pot.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- Now add chopped dates and reduce heat. Cover and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes until the millet is tender.
Seasoning and Serving
- Adjust the porridge consistency by adding more milk if desired.
- Optionally sweeten with honey, maple syrup, or your preferred sweetener.
- Remove the cinnamon stick before serving.
- Ladle the warm porridge into bowls and add toppings like fruits, nuts, or seeds as desired.
Notes
- The porridge tends to thicken upon cooling. To adjust the consistency, reheat it with a splash of milk or water before serving.
- To make this breakfast porridge using an Instant Pot, add all ingredients to the inner pot and cook for 8 minutes on high pressure.
- This porridge keeps well in the refrigerator for about two days. You can also freeze it for about three months.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and freeze them in portion-sized containers in the freezer.
- Thaw the frozen porridge and reheat with a splash of milk when serving leftovers.
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