Stovetop Cinnamon-spiced Millet Breakfast Porridge

This cinnamon-spiced millet porridge is a cozy vegan breakfast that will leave you feeling energized. The porridge simmers on the stovetop while you do other things…just add your favourite toppings and enjoy! Naturally low FODMAP, so it’s easy on an irritated tummy.

I love a good bowl of oatmeal in the morning, in all its forms. Whether it’s a bowl of my comforting apple pie oatmeal or a jar of brownie batter overnight oats when I’m in a hurry, oatmeal is a staple in my kitchen and many of my plant-based recipes.

I’ve always been a porridge girl but growing up, I didn’t actually eat oatmeal – I know, shocker! – instead, my grandmother used to make me Cream of Wheat with a pat of butter and plenty of brown sugar and it was just about the most comforting cold weather breakfast I can imagine.

So while I LOVE oats, I know they’re not the only game in town… and it’s so easy to incorporate nutrient-dense grains like millet into a cozy breakfast porridge.

You just bring a combination of water and plant-based milk to the boil on the stovetop, add the millet, simmer and enjoy. All in less than 30 minutes! Millet makes a really great breakfast, which if you’ve tried the golden breakfast millet in Eat More Plants, you know all about!

Plus, it really lights up my nerdy dietitian brain to introduce my clients to diverse whole grains like farro, quinoa and millet. Millet is eaten like a grain but technically, it’s a seed so it’s naturally gluten free and even low FODMAP for my IBS friends on a low FODMAP diet. When cooked, it has a fluffy yet still al dente texture that’s so comforting and enjoyable.

How to make a creamy, comforting millet porridge

The main difference between cooking a millet porridge versus preparing millet as a side dish is the ratio of liquid: instead of the typical 2:1 ratio of water to grain, this is a 4:1 ratio. In fact, millet is a thirsty grain…it will soak up almost any amount of liquid if you give it enough time. I chose this ratio to yield a creamy and tender yet slightly al dente porridge because I like a bit more texture here.

Step One: grab these four ingredients: millet, plant-based milk, cinnamon and vanilla. Yep, that’s it. Everything else is optional to top and customize the porridge to your taste. I like to use a higher protein milk choice like soy or hemp milk, which will also add to the creaminess of the porridge.

Step Two: Cook the millet. Bring the water and milk to a boil in a medium pot. Whisk in the millet and salt, reduce heat to medium and cover with lid ajar. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step Three: Take the lid off and add the flavorings. Whisk in a splash of vanilla and sprinkle of cinnamon and continue to simmer, with the lid off, until the millet is tender and liquid is mostly – but not totally – absorbed, about 5-7 minutes.

Step Four: Choose your toppings! I like to stir in a pat of vegan butter at the end to make it extra creamy and then I divide between bowls and serve with your favourite toppings. I typically go for brown sugar, walnuts and pears plus a little extra soy milk but anything goes!

A fun little variation on this recipe: if you want a more cream of wheat style cereal, add an extra cup of water (3 cups total) and at the end of cooking, use an immersion blender to puree into a smooth porridge, adding more liquid as necessary to achieve your desired texture.

Because the porridge reheats so well (in a pot with a bit of extra water), you can meal prep it on Sunday evening and portion it out for breakfasts during the week.

Why millet is so so good for you

Millet is such a nutrient-dense and sustainable plant food that the FAO/United Nations actually declared 2023 the International Year of Millets! Proso millet is common here in North America but there are many types of millet grown around the world, including the grains we call sorghum and teff. Millet is an important staple in cuisines across Africa and Asia, from Kenya to India and China because it grows well in many challenging climates and provides a valuable source of nutrition:

Just a quarter cup of dry millet (makes one serving of this recipe!) contains about 6 grams of plant-based protein and 4.5 grams of fibre along with an impressive amount of vitamins and minerals like 1.5 mg of plant-based iron, 0.9 mg of zinc as well as some magnesium, copper, manganese, selenium and folate.

When combined protein-rich vegan milks like soy milk – or homemade hemp milk for extra omega 3 fatty acids! – and some fruit, it’s an affordable and comforting way to start the day for the whole family.

More warm vegan breakfast recipes:

• 15 Minute Vegan Apple Pie Oatmeal
• Easy Protein-Packed Chickpea Scramble (5 Min!)
• Vegan Sweet Potato Waffles
• Vegan Black Bean Breakfast Burritos

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Stovetop Cinnamon-spiced Millet Breakfast Porridge

This cinnamon-spiced millet porridge is a cozy vegan breakfast that will leave you feeling energized. The porridge simmers on the stovetop while you do other things…just add your favourite toppings and enjoy! Naturally low FODMAP, so it’s easy on an irritated tummy.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword millet, porridge

Dietary Preference dairy free, Gluten-Free, low FODMAP, nut free, vegan, vegetarian

Prep Time 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time 22 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Author Desiree Nielsen, RD

Ingredients

• 2 cups soy milk or your favourite plant-based milk
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup millet
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch salt

Optional Topping Ideas

• 1 tablespoon vegan butter I like to stir this in at the end of cooking!
• your favourite sweetener I like brown sugar
• something crunchy any chopped nut or seeds
• your favourite fruit fresh or dried

Instructions

• Bring water and milk to a boil in a medium pot. Whisk in millet and a pinch of salt, reduce heat to medium and cover with lid ajar. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. If boiling too vigorously, lower heat to medium low but you want to keep it bubbling.
• Remove lid, whisk in vanilla and cinnamon and let simmer, lid off until liquid mostly – but not totally – absorbed and millet is al dente, about 5-7 minutes.
• I like to stir in a pat of vegan butter here, but it’s up to you! Divide among 4 bowls and serve with your favourite toppings.

Notes

This porridge keeps well for up to 3-4 days in the fridge. To reheat, add a portion to a small pot with a generous splash of water and warm over medium until steaming, adding more liquid as needed.

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