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Quick-Cooking Millet Breakfast Porridge

20 min

Breakfast

This porridge variation is a nice change from the usual oatmeal breakfast. It uses millet, a naturally gluten-free ancient grain.

Servings

Total

20 min

Prep

5 min

Cook

15 min

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soy

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peanut

Treenut symbol

tree nut

Sesame symbol

sesame

Gluten symbol

gluten

Ingredients

Porridge

  • ⅓ cup (67 g)
    uncooked millet, soaked overnight
  • 1½ cups (360 mL)
    unsweetened soy milk
  • ½ tsp
    ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ tsp
    pumpkin spice mix (optional)
  • 1
    banana, sliced
  • 1 Tbsp (7 g)
    ground flaxseeds

Toppings

Directions

  1. Add the drained millet, milk, and spices to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
  2. Then add the banana and flaxseeds and cook for an additional 5 minutes. The banana dissolves in the porridge as it cooks, making it naturally sweet and creamy.
  3. The millet is ready when soft and chewy to your liking*. Add desired toppings and enjoy!

Notes

  • If unable to soak the millet overnight, cook according to the package instructions, as more water will need to be needed. Keep in mind we are also cooking the millet in plant milk, so subtract this from the amount of water listed on the package directions. Learn more about the benefits of soaking in our PUL article.
  • * Add more milk if a thinner consistency is preferred, or remove the lid and simmer on low if a thicker consistency is desired.

Storage

  • This porridge is best when enjoyed immediately.
  • Store leftovers for up to 1 day in the fridge in an airtight container. Reheat on the stove and add some additional plant milk to bring it to desired consistency.

Let us know what you think

Plate method

The Plate Method is a visual tool that helps us ensure our dietary needs are on track. Touch the image below to see how this recipe measures up.

Grains & Starches 31%

uncooked millet

Proteins 42%

unsweetened soy milk

ground flaxseeds

Fruits & Veggies 27%

banana

fresh mixed berries

Calcium

unsweetened soy milk

Fat

uncooked millet

ground flaxseeds

Nutrition info

We believe that focusing on numbers can harm our relationship with food. Instead, our philosophy is to Nourish the Cells & the Soul. If you require specific nutrition information due to a medical condition, please consult with a dietitian or physician. The nutritional information provided is composed with the utmost care. However, we cannot guarantee the correctness of the displayed values, see also our disclaimer.

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Discussion & Rating

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Elyse - Jan. 3, 2024, 8:29 p.m.

Delicious and a nice change from oatmeal or steel cut oats, if you wanna change it up a bit. I like that it’s a bit higher in protein, too! Quick question - and not sure if this is being too nitpicky- but does it matter when soaking things overnight if you refrigerate it or let it soak at room temp on the counter ? ❤️

PUL Team - Jan. 4, 2024, 1:26 a.m.

Hey Elyse, so happy that the millet porridge was enjoyed! As for soaking, either the fridge or on the counter is fine for overnight soaking :)

Elyse - Feb. 6, 2024, 3:17 a.m.

Thank you!! ❤️


Joanna - Oct. 28, 2023, 1:07 p.m.

I am so happy to report that this was today's breakfast and it was oh so satisfying 😁 With yoghurt, super seed mix and peanut butter. I can't wait to make this again (and again...) with different toppings. Thank you for a great recipe ☺️🧡

PUL Team - Oct. 28, 2023, 11:43 p.m.

Whoop whoop! It means so much, Joanna - thank you 😊


Stephanie - Oct. 25, 2023, 8:25 a.m.

The recipe was very easy and uncomplicated to follow. Soaking the millet overnight made for a really nice texture 🤩 I had no pumpkin spice, so I made a golden milk version 😋
I would love to try out more altenatives to oat porridge ☺️ Thank you PuL-Team for the amazing content! ❤️

PUL Team - Oct. 25, 2023, 11:50 p.m.

Oh we're so excited to hear, Stephanie, thank you! In case you haven't already seen, we have a chocolate quinoa (https://www.pickuplimes.com/r…) and a buckwheat (https://www.pickuplimes.com/r…) porridge recipe. We have more non-oat porridges on our iOS mobile app as well, with Android coming soon if you're interested 💛

Stephanie - Oct. 26, 2023, 7:31 p.m.

You're welcome 🤗 and thanks for the tips. By the way, I just had an amazing vegan creamy Halva at a restaurant. Could you try this out in the PUL headquarters? I am excited to see your more healthy turn on this.

PUL Team - Oct. 26, 2023, 8:12 p.m.

Mmm sounds lovely, Stephanie! We have a Blueberry Pistachio Halva recipe posted on our mobile app but we'll note down the request for another tasty twist 🤗

Stephanie - Oct. 27, 2023, 9:34 a.m.

Ok, you convinced me that I need the App 😂😂😍


Elyse - Feb. 16, 2023, 3:40 p.m.

Super delish, Sadia and PUL! I love changing up the grains in my morning grain bowl. Quick nutritional question, though (for any grain, not just this dish): If I decide in the morning that I want to make this but haven't soaked the grains the night before, would you still recommend going ahead with it? Or should I hold off until the grains have been adequately soaked? What I did this morning was soak them for an hour before cooking, but I don't know if that was enough. Thanks!

PUL Team - Feb. 18, 2023, 5:02 p.m.

Hey Elyse, great Q! You can definitely still cook the grains, even if unsoaked. You'd just need to increase the cooking time and amount of liquid added. The nutrition value of grains is still great, but indeed our bodies are able to absorb more nutrients when the grains are first soaked if possible. Some sources say a 2 hour soak is already sufficient to yield positive results, but ideally an overnight soak is best. Again, soaking isn't necessary, but it is nice when you've got the time for it 🤓 I hope this helps!

Elyse - Feb. 20, 2023, 3:33 p.m.

Thanks so much for the helpful info! :)


Zoe Carey - Jan. 27, 2023, 4:15 p.m.

Really delicious, almond butter goes really well in this as well! Nutty and a perfect hearty breakfast.


Balbina - Oct. 23, 2022, 1:43 p.m.

n Poland (where I live) millet is one of most popular grains. Yet, I never thought of soaking it! I find the recipe for 1 person makes serving for two once you add chocolate/nut butter and fruits. ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS!
TIPS:
- to get rid of bitter aftertaste millet often has
- rinse well with cold and then with boiling hot water - I advise to wait 5 minutes after this millet porrige is done to let it cool slightly - it'll get creamier! (or add a bit of extra soy milk to your bowl)

PUL Team - Oct. 23, 2022, 8 p.m.

Love the tips, Balbina, and we're so glad to hear! Sending hugs to Poland 🤗


Sandhiya Selvaraj - Oct. 22, 2022, 7:32 p.m.

Always looking for millet based healthy recipes, I got one here and I love the simplicity & taste of it. thank U

PUL Team - Oct. 23, 2022, 7:43 p.m.

Aw we're so happy to hear, Sandhiya, thank you!


Christine - April 12, 2022, 8:12 a.m.

I don't think I had come across millet before watching the YT video some years ago and have been making this lovely porridge on and of ever since. More recently I've been having it everyday for breakfast but have now seen articles on the internet indicating that this might not be such a good idea. I never really know which websites are to be believed and which to avoid! I wondered if the PUL Team knew anything about this?

PUL Team - April 13, 2022, 2:40 a.m.

Hey Christine, so glad it's being enjoyed and thanks for the question! It can be so confusing with all of the mixed messaging out there, hey? When possible, we encourage checking the sources of such claims. For example, where are they getting this information from, is it a source that can be trusted, or which research papers have they come from? It does require a bit of hunting sometimes, but it can also help us better decide which sources we can trust 😊

We suspect the articles may be referring to the phytates in whole grains (including millet) or the potential impact of millet on thyroid function. You can learn more about the benefits of soaking whole grains here: pickuplimes.com/article/benef… You can also visit a dietitian near you for personalized insight and perhaps some ideas to promote dietary variety if thyroid function is of concern. We hope this helps for now, Christine!


Amanda - April 8, 2022, 6:35 p.m.

Oh goodness, thank you so much for this recipe! It was amazing and enjoyed by the whole family! Also incredibly filling, my boys weren't hungry again for a few hours after this for breakfast...which is quite the accomplishment!

PUL Team - April 10, 2022, 9:43 p.m.

Oh, so lovely to hear, Amanda! We love a filling breakfast 😍


Callie - Jan. 27, 2022, 12:47 a.m.

We love this recipe thank you!! I'm thinking about trying it with quinoa since that's more accessible than millet where I am. Do you foresee any problems or modifications I may have to make? Thanks for your content!

PUL Team - Jan. 27, 2022, 7:58 p.m.

Hey there, Callie, that's a lovely idea! We haven't tested it out, although imagine it could work out well. The texture of quinoa would resemble steel-cut oats more whereas quinoa flakes may be more desirable if you prefer a softer texture. We hope you enjoy it 😊


Sofiya - Dec. 23, 2021, 2:58 p.m.

Thank you for the recipe! In Russia we cook millet with milk and pumpkin, it`s actually the best millet variant ever, especially when substituting whole milk with full fat coconut milk. Highly recommend you to cook it like this.

PUL Team - Dec. 24, 2021, 12:11 a.m.

Thank you for the insight, Sofiya, it's so appreciated! Hugs to Russia 🤗


Charlotte - Oct. 6, 2021, 6:47 p.m.

Thank you so much for introducing me this type of porridge! I had never tried millet before I made this recipe and I find it makes a nice alternative to oats from time to time. I found millet flakes at my local store which also speed up cooking time! Usually enjoying it topped with colourful fruit and a little dark chocolate. ❤🥣

PUL Team - Oct. 7, 2021, 8:48 p.m.

Aw we appreciate this so much, Charlotte! Thank you for sharing your experience with the porridge ✨


Ainsley K Rawlings - Aug. 9, 2021, 11:20 a.m.

We are big oatmeal eaters in my house, so this was our introductory millet recipe. It was delicious and filling. My littles really enjoyed putting chocolate chips on the top!

Also I love the serving size feature. It was really helpful!

Thank you!

PUL Team - Aug. 10, 2021, 2:56 a.m.

So thrilled you enjoyed the recipe and the new website feature, Ainsley!


Cris S - June 10, 2021, 12:44 p.m.

A very welcome and tasty alternative to oatmeal which can be made in advance and last a few days! 😊

PUL Team - June 11, 2021, 1:16 a.m.

We love the change-up from oatmeal too, Cris! Thank you 🤗


Sorana - May 23, 2021, 7:35 a.m.

This recipe was amazing! So nourishing and satiating. I'm so grateful for your work!

PUL Team - May 24, 2021, 7:14 a.m.

We're even more grateful for the review, Sorana, thank you! 😀


Rowena Ravenclaw - May 11, 2021, 2:08 a.m.

This is so easy and satiating! Recently, I tried cherries and chocolate — it was so good. Personally, I find that a quarter of a cup of millet is just the right amount for me in the morning. Nevertheless, thank you for the recipe!

PUL Team - May 11, 2021, 5:38 a.m.

Thank you for sharing this, Rowena, and so glad you enjoyed the porridge!