I love eating porridge for breakfast – even in this weather! When I’ve got a busy day on my feet (usually when I’m onsite shooting food photography for clients), I need something a little more robust than a smoothie or a cereal bar.
With more bite than traditional porridge, millet is a great gluten-free alternative to oats. Millet has a deeper flavour than oats, which is why I’ve added other strong flavour components in this recipe. Vanilla, maple syrup & dried fruit make the porridge sweet overall. Tart berries & zesty mint in my quick compote cut through that sweetness for a well-rounded breakfast dish.


Just a quick FYI: My intentions with this blog are to help people who eat vegan & gluten-free. This is not diet, health or nutrition advice. Go and see a qualified medical professional for that sh*t, take care of yourself, & see my full liability policy here.
Is millet gluten-free?
Yes, millet is gluten-free. Its a small grain from grass used the world-over in everything from breads to beers.
As with many other grains, there is always some risk of cross-contamination during harvesting or processing millet. To be safe, make sure to look for millet specifically marked as gluten-free, and carrying the crossed-grain symbol if possible.
Millet porridge
Millet is a great alternative to oats in porridge recipes. While oats are gluten-free, there is a high risk of cross-contamination. Many people with coeliac disease or other non-coeliac gluten-sensitivity find that they also react badly to oats – even oats certified as gluten-free.
Millet grains are tougher than oats though, so they require a longer cooking time. In this recipe, they’re simmered for 20+ minutes. While this gives the millet a softer texture, more similar to oat porridge, the grain does still have more of a ‘bite’ than traditional porridge does.
Do you need to pre-soak millet?
You don’t have to pre-soak millet, but it does make it softer and easier to digest. If you remember to, soak millet overnight in cold water, or for a couple of hours in hot water. Whether or not you pre-soak the millet before starting the main recipe, make sure to rinse it thoroughly.
If you haven’t pre-soaked the millet at all, you may want to cook it for longer. Make the 15-minutes simmering (before the fruits & nuts are added) 20-25 minutes, if your millet hasn’t been pre-soaked.


Millet porridge
Ingredients
For the millet porridge
- 0.5 cup Millet (dry)
- 0.5 cup Mylk (I used almond but any is fine)
- 1 cup Water
- 1 tsp. Maple syrup
- 0.5 tsp. Vanilla essence
- 1 tbsp. Chopped nuts (preferably mixed but single variety is fine)
- 2 tbsp. Dried fruit (raisins, currants or sultanas)
For the quick berry compote
- 1 cup Frozen berries (preferably mixed but single variety is fine)
- 1 tbsp. Chia seeds
- 3 tbsp Water
- 2-3 sprigs Fresh mint (plus more to garnish)
Instructions
- soak millet overnight in cold water, or for a couple of hours in hot water
- horoughly rinse the millet and put it into a medium saucepan
- Add the wet ingrdients (mylk, water, maple syrup & vanilla essence) to the saucepan with the millet
- On the hob, bring the mixture to a boil, then turn down the heat & simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has mostly evaporated
- IF you have not pre-soaked the millet, add an extra half-cup of water and cook for longer (20-25 minutes)
- When most of the liquid has evaporated, add the chopped nuts and the dried fruits
- Keep the heat low and continue stirring and cooking the millet porridge for a further 5-7 minutes
Meanwhile, make the quick berry compote
- Put the chia seeds, frozen berries & water into a small saucepan and heat over a medium-high hob
- Finely chop most of the fresh mint & add it to the pan with the berries
- Stir and lightly smash the berries with a large spoon, until they have formed a thick sauce
- Serve the millet in two portions, with the quick berry compote and a sprig of minto to garnish, if you're feeling extra fancy
Notes





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