Sweet and creamy Millet Porridge topped with cinnamon apples and banana slices is a delicious vegan and gluten-free breakfast recipe that is both easy and filling. Enjoy a healthy, protein-rich bowl of this delicious porridge in just a few minutes using a handful of simple ingredients.
Ayurvedic Millet Porridge (Easy, Healthy, Gluten-free)
Have you heard of millet before? If you have not but want to try adding it to your meal rotation, then this quick and easy porridge recipe is the perfect way to get started. It is a great alternative to your usual breakfast oatmeal or granola bowl. It is healthy, satisfying, nourishing and delicious – exactly what a great start-of-day meal should be!
What is Millet?
Millets are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses. These ancient small, round grains are a type of cereal crop that grows abundantly in warm-weathered countries, which makes them a staple harvest in Asia and Africa.
When cooked, millet has a tender, slightly chewy texture and a mild nutty and corn-like flavor. Using millet to make porridge is very common in Germany, Russia, and China too. Though the cooking process and add-ons are different, the one that is common in parts of Europe is creamy and milky with either sweet fruits or savory toppings.
Millet Health Benefits
Is millet healthy? Definitely! Millet contains many minerals and trace elements such as silicon (silica), calcium, magnesium, iron, B6, copper, manganese and many more, as well as complex carbohydrates, plant protein, fiber and antioxidants. Along with amaranth, spelt, quinoa and oats, millet is even one of the most protein-rich “grains” and is a good source of essential amino acids.
Millet is ideal for people who eat a gluten-free and balanced diet. The high phenolic content has a positive effect on blood sugar levels and can even help lower cholesterol. A single serving of this porridge is enough to provide you with energy and nutrients throughout the morning!
Ingredients Used
- Millet: there are different types available, however, the most common types of millet that you can find in groceries are sorghum, foxtail, finger, and pearl millet. Always check the package information for cooking instructions on each type as they may vary.
- Water: to boil the millet with.
- Plant milk: this will make the porridge rich and creamy! You can use almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk, soy milk or coconut milk.
- Maple syrup: this is the sweetener used in the porridge base. I also used this to give the fruit toppings a caramelized finish. You can also use agave syrup, rice syrup, coconut sugar or other sugar or syrup as an alternative.
- Cinnamon: add a warm and festive flavor to the dish. If you do not have this, you can sub with vanilla, nutmeg or allspice.
Fruits / Toppings
- Fruits: I used apples and bananas for this millet porridge recipe because it is what we commonly add here in Germany. However, pears, plums, or other seasonal fruit can be used instead of apples in this recipe.
- Almonds: you can also use other nuts like walnuts, cashews or hazelnuts. If you can’t eat nuts you can substitute pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, sesame seeds or other seeds.
- Coconut oil: to sauté the fruits in.
How to make Millet Porridge
As always, I recommend checking out the recipe video and these step-by-step instructions first. Then, you can find the full recipe with the exact measurements in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Cook millet porridge
Put the millet in a fine-meshed sieve and rinse millet thoroughly. Then place in a pot with a cup water. Put a lid on, bring to a boil and simmer over low to medium heat for about 5 minutes.
Once the millet has completely absorbed the water, add plant milk and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add maple syrup and cinnamon to taste.
Step 2: Cook cinnamon apples and caramelized bananas
While the millet is cooking, prepare the toppings. Coarsely chop almonds and toast in a pan until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Chop the apples and slice the banana. Heat coconut oil in the same pan and sauté the apple chunks for 3-4 minutes from all sides. Then add the banana slices and sauté for another minute. Drizzle maple syrup and sprinkle with cinnamon and allow to caramelize a bit.
Step 3: Garnish and serve!
Divide the millet breakfast porridge between two bowls and serve with the caramelized cinnamon apples and bananas. Top with toasted almonds and garnish with fresh tangerines, pomegranate seeds and cranberries if desired. Enjoy!
Toppings Ideas
I like topping the porridge with toasted almonds, tangerines, pomegranate seeds, and cranberries! You can also try garnishing it with seasonal fruits or fresh berries like mango, kiwi, pear, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc. Or add more texture and flavor with coconut flakes, chocolate chips, chia seeds, other nuts, and dried fruits like raisins, chopped dates, apricots, or figs. Also, applesauce, cherry compote or hot raspberries taste delicious on top of the millet porridge!
Tips when cooking Millet Porridge
- The longer you cook the porridge, the more it will become thick. If it becomes too thick to your liking, just add a splash of milk to give it a better consistency.
- Take note that millet is a starchy crop, so it will continue to absorb liquid as it cools, so take it out of the heat while it is still a bit watery and stir before serving in bowls.
- If you are having a hectic morning, you can pulse millet in a coffee grinder or blender into coarse flour to reduce the cooking time. You can also skip cooking the apples and bananas and just add them fresh. Or you can make them the night before and just reheat them in the morning.
- If you have only millet flakes at home, you can use those instead of whole grains. However, you may need to adjust the water ratio and shorten the cooking time (similar to cooking oatmeal or polenta).
- To make a savory millet porridge for lunch or dinner, skip the sweetener, cinnamon and fruits and add salt and hearty toppings like roasted vegetables, crispy chickpeas snd toasted cashews.
Storing Notes
You can make a big batch of Millet Porridge to enjoy all week long. Just place leftover millet porridge in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. I recommend storing the cinnamon fruit topping separately and just adding it before serving. You can reheat your portions in the microwave, instant pot or on the stove-top and just add plant milk when needed.
This Millet Porridge recipe is:
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
- Budget-friendly
- Nutritious
- Hearty
- Creamy
- Sweet
- Perfect for meal prep
- Done in 10 minutes!
More vegan sweet breakfast recipes
- Baked Oats
- Apple Carrot Muffins
- Granola
- Scrambled Pancakes
- Banana Pancake Bites
- Pancake Cereal
- Chocolate Brioche Buns
- Croissants
- Crêpes
- Waffles
- Semolina Pudding
- Blueberry Scones
- Chocolate Pancakes
- Granola Bars
- Chocolate Granola
- Banana Bread
If you try this vegan Millet Porridge recipe, feel free to leave me a comment and a star rating! And if you take a photo of your creamy dish and share it on Instagram or Facebook, please tag me @biancazapatka and use the hashtag #biancazapatka because I love seeing your creations! Enjoy! 🙂
Millet Porridge with Cinnamon Apples, Bananas and Almonds
Author:Ingredients
- 1 cup (150 g) millet fine-grained
- 200 ml water
- 200 ml plant milk e.g. almond, oat, cashew, coconut or soy milk
- 1-2 apples
- 1 banana
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1.5 tbsp maple syrup or to taste
- 2 tsp cinnamon or to taste
Optional toppings
- ¼ cup (30 g) almonds
- tangerines
- pomegranate seeds
- cranberries
Instructions
*Note: Check out the step-by-step pictures and recipe video above!
- Put the millet in a fine-meshed sieve and wash thoroughly. Then place in a pot with 200 ml of fresh water. Put a lid on, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes.
- Once the millet has completely absorbed the water, stir in the plant milk and simmer for another 5 minutes. Finally, stir in 1 tablespoon maple syrup and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
- While the millet is cooking, prepare the toppings. Coarsely chop almonds and toast in a pan without oil until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Core the apples and chop into pieces. Peel the banana and cut into slices. Now heat the coconut oil in the same pan and sauté the apple pieces for 3-4 minutes from all sides. Then add the banana slices and sauté for another minute. Add ½ tablespoon maple syrup and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and allow to caramelize a bit.
- Divide the millet porridge between two bowls and serve with the cinnamon apples and bananas. Sprinkle the toasted almonds and garnish with fresh tangerines, pomegranate seeds and cranberries if desired.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Fine-grain millet has a shorter cooking time than coarse-grain millet. Therefore, please always check the package instructions of the product. For faster preparation, you can also use millet flakes and cook them like oatmeal or polenta (you may need to adjust the water ratio).
- Nutritional values are for 1 serving without toppings.
- More tips and information about the recipe, such as ideas for other ingredients and toppings, as well as instructions for make-ahead and storage are mentioned in the blog post above!
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