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Quinoa porridge is a delicious alternative to oatmeal, with extra protein to help keep you satisfied. Made with creamy coconut milk and a touch of maple syrup, it cooks in just 15 minutes, and can be made ahead of time for a fast morning.
Why You’ll Love It
Quinoa is considered a gluten-free superfood, because it contains the 9 amino acids that your body can’t make on its own. As a result, it’s considered nearly a complete source of protein, and is a great option for those following a vegan or vegetarian diet.
It even has more fiber than oatmeal!
Similar to oats, you can cook quinoa with water or milk to make a breakfast porridge. Quinoa is quite absorbent, so it will soak up the liquid that you cook it with, but you can serve it with even more milk, like a breakfast cereal.
Store it in meal prep jars for an easy chilled breakfast on the go (almost like overnight oats!), or reheat it in the morning for a warm option.
Ingredients You’ll Need
What’s in quinoa porridge?
- Soaked quinoa
- Milk of choice
- Maple syrup or honey
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla extract
I typically make this recipe with canned coconut milk to make it extra creamy and filling, but you can use regular milk, almond milk, hemp milk, or even oat milk, if you like.
Top it with your favorite fruit, almonds or walnuts for crunch, and a drizzle of maple syrup, for a flavorful breakfast bowl.
How to Make Quinoa Porridge
1. Soak the quinoa. Like many other grains and seeds, quinoa contains anti-nutrients, like saponins and phytic acid. These give the quinoa a bitter flavor, and can hinder nutrient absorption.
To help reduce these, place the quinoa in a large bowl and cover it with 2 inches of water. Let it soak for at least 1 hour. You can also place the bowl, covered, in the fridge to soak overnight.
When the quinoa is done soaking, pour it through a fine mesh strainer to drain off the soaking liquid, and rinse well with fresh water.
Note: If you’re in a hurry, you can reduce the bitter flavor of the quinoa by rinsing it under running water in a fine mesh strainer for 1 to 2 minutes. It won’t quite have the same benefits as soaking the quinoa, but it does help with the taste.
2. Cook. Add the drained quinoa to a small saucepan, and add in the coconut milk, water, cinnamon, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. It’s okay if the coconut milk has separated in the can, because it will turn to liquid quickly as it warms up.
Bring the liquid to a boil on the stove top over high heat. As soon as the liquid is bubbling, stir well and lower the heat. Cover the pot with a lid, and let the quinoa gently simmer until it’s tender, about 15 minutes.
When the quinoa is tender, remove it from the heat, so it won’t stick to the bottom of the pan. This quinoa porridge may look creamier than traditionally cooked quinoa, but it will continue to absorb more of the liquid as it cools.
Add in the maple syrup, and adjust the seasoning to taste.
3. Serve. Divide the quinoa between 4 serving bowls (or meal prep jars) and serve with additional milk, and your favorite toppings.
Leftover quinoa can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cook this in the Instant Pot? I love cooking quinoa in the Instant Pot, but I think it’s more fool-proof when you use water as the cooking liquid, rather than milk, if you want to avoid triggering a burn error.
To make this breakfast quinoa in the pressure cooker, cook it according to my Instant Pot Quinoa tutorial (using soaked quinoa and a 1:1 ratio of quinoa to water) and then add milk, as desired for serving.
How can I make it more filling? Anything you would normally add to oatmeal, you can add to quinoa porridge. Try adding a tablespoon of chia seeds to help thicken it up, a sliced banana, or a handful of nuts on top.
I hope you’ll enjoy this easy breakfast recipe soon. Let me know in the comments below if you try any fun toppings. I plan on trying a PB&J flavor, pumpkin spice, and more!
Looking for more quinoa recipes? Try my favorite Quinoa Salad, hearty Quinoa Soup, or Quinoa Pilaf, if you haven’t yet!
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry quinoa
- 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
Optional Toppings
- Extra milk , for serving
- fresh berries
Instructions
- To remove any potential bitterness, add the dry quinoa to a large bowl and cover it with 2 inches of water. Let it soak for 1 hour, or overnight in the fridge if you want to plan ahead.
- When the quinoa is done soaking, pour it into a fine mesh strainer to drain off the soaking liquid. Rinse with fresh water, then add the drained quinoa to a small saucepan.
- Add in the canned coconut milk (it's okay if it's separated), water, cinnamon, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, stirring often, then lower the heat and cover with a lid to let the quinoa gently simmer until it's tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, so the quinoa won't stick to the bottom, and add in the maple syrup.
- The quinoa may look creamier than usual at first, almost like oatmeal, but it will continue to absorb the liquid even after you remove it from the heat. For a runnier consistency, serve it with extra milk, almost like a regular breakfast cereal. Divide the quinoa into 4 portions, and serve with fresh fruit, sliced almonds, or any other toppings you love.
- Leftover quinoa porridge can be stored in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. I like to portion out individual servings, so I can add milk and toppings in the morning for a fast grab-and-go option.
Notes
Nutrition
If you try this quinoa porridge recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like it!
Hey! I’m going to try this!! Do you know if flaked quinoa needs soaking too? Or will it have the same anti nutrients in it?
I have made this at least twice now. The second time I did 1/2 can coconut milk and 1/2 almond milk to lessen calories. It worked and I’m so pleased! This is like dessert for breakfast! I top mine with granola. Thanks again, Megan!
I made this again but this time with buckwheat groats. Just as yummy but maybe instead of an overnight soak, buckwheat only needs 4 or 6 hours. Thanks again!
What kind of quinoa do you use? mine never looks that good!
Can this recipe be made with almond or soy milk instead of coconut?
Yes, definitely!