Cornmeal Porridge – A Blissful Vegan Breakfast (Quick and Gluten-Free)

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First-time cornmeal porridge conversations tend to go something like this, at least in my experience.
‘Hmm, that’s… interesting.’.
Followed by:
‘That’s quite nice actually, I’m starting to enjoy this. I like the way the sweet and savoury mix in naturally together’.
And finished with:
‘Ar that was delicious! Do you have any more? Give me the pan!’.
Gobble, gobble, lick, lick.
Cornmeal porridge is an old-fashioned, lovingly-made breakfast that gets better with every bite. It’s sweet yet savoury, smooth yet slightly grainy. It’s a soft porridge bursting with tangy fruits.
We love taking classic breakfasts and putting our own twists on them. Generally our twists involve making recipes quicker and more nutritious.
Our take on breakfast
While we would never argue with the Jamaican grandmas who’ve been making this porridge for years (their cinnamon and nutmeg spices are spot on), we will swap the condensed milk for another variety.
Condensed milk is usually massively high in sugar, and honestly the cinnamon, vanilla and saucy fruits make the dish more than sweet enough.
As much fun as early-morning sugar buzzes are, they’re not something we try to make a habit of. Call us boring but that’s the way we roll.
The best ingredients
We opt for oat milk in our cornmeal porridge, though coconut milk, soy, and even dairy work well (though we’d rather keep it vegan if it’s up to us).
For toppings, our favourite by far is frozen fruits. They’re practical, easy to heat up and you can get your faves at any time of the year – they don’t need to be in-season. Plus, when you heat them up well they become really juicy and saucy, too.
To be even more specific, my favourite frozen fruits are a red berry mix – raspberyy, strawberry and red/black currants, for example. Use whatever you like most – tinned fruits work as well.
With regards to the cornmeal itself, (also known as polenta in some countries), you can get it in fine, medium or coarse varieties. All are fine for breakfast – we used medium.

How to make cornmeal porridge
It’s an easy recipe that doesn’t take much practice to make well. A couple of things to keep in mind – don’t let it burn – the milk means it heats up and boils really quickly. Turn the heat back to low as soon as you see bubbles in the porridge.
I’ve also found a whisk is by far the greatest thing to stir the porridge with. A spoon or fork will do in a pinch, but if you’ve got a whisk, use it.
And a final note – go easy on the nutmeg! A tiny pinch is plenty. The same goes for all of the spices – start small and add more if necessary. The flavours are delicate and add up quickly. Especially the nutmeg.
And a final, final note – cornmeal porridge is also awesome as a dessert! Yep, we said it!

Still hungry?
You’re in luck! Right over here we’ve got 22 Protein-Packed Vegan Breakfasts.
And just over this way are 22 Protein-Packed Vegetarian Breakfasts.
You’re welcome.

Ingredients
- 1 cup mixed berries, frozen
- 3 cup milk of choice
- ⅓ cup cornmeal
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (vanilla oat milk is also an option)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Salt to taste
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 2 tbsp flax seeds
- 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds
Instructions
- Pour milk into a saucepan over Medium-high heat.3 cup milk of choice
- Stir in cornmeal, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, vanilla , flax seeds, pumpkin seeds and sugar.⅓ cup cornmeal, 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp cinnamon, Salt to taste, 1 pinch nutmeg, 2 tbsp flax seeds, 3 tbsp pumpkin seeds
- Continue stirring until mixture starts to thicken.
- Lower heat and stir until porridge is thick and creamy. The porridge should cook for a total of 12-15 minutes.
- Heat the berries in a pan or give a quick blast in the microwave.1 cup mixed berries, frozen
- Spoon the porridge into bowls and then drizzle with fruits and fruity sauce.
- Yummy. Enjoy 🙂
NOTES
- Healthy start to the day Bulgur Porridge
- Incredibly easy The 2 Ingredient Banana Egg Pancakes
- Super-delicious Gingerbread Pancakes
- High in protein Coconut Flour Pancakes
- Refreshing and filling Peachy Blinders Overnight Oats
- Full of health benefits Vegan IRONMAN Oatmeal
- Mega-addictive Chickpea Pancakes #2 – Caramelized Onion & Feta
This recipe rating really should be 5-star because it’s soooo delicious, healthy, and not hard to make! I chose 4-star because the ingredient list above doesn’t match the video ingredients and quantity. I was glad to have the video which between the written recipe and video I was able to make a great breakfast. The quantity of milk is inaccurate in the recipe ingredient list – 4 cups is too much for 1/3 c cornmeal, and the ingredient recipe list says pumpkin seeds but the instructions say almonds. The flaxseed meal listed in the written recipe are a great addition – made for a nice stickier porridge texture, but I don’t think flax was one of the ingredients in the video. If these things could be clarified in the written recipe ingredients and directions, that would help. Thanks for a yummy new breakfast recipe – I’m thrilled because I was getting tired of my usual oatmeal and other common breakfast items I make.
Hi Leola, thanks so much for making the recipe and taking the time to comment! Your points make sense. I’ve added a text bit underneath the video now to use the recipe card for updated amounts and ingredients. We update our recipes regularly with new ideas. So, at some point the video is slightly outdated. Regarding the milk – in the recipe it says only 3 cups. That should be fine. but will re-test 🙂
Thanks for the heads up regarding the pumpkin! Glad you liked the added flax seeds. Nuttier taste and ups the nutritional profile of the recipe.
This sounds really yummy! Would this freeze well? I don’t have a lot of energy due to chemo for breast cancer and I need things I can freeze and grab.
Hi Jess! Yes, this should be fine to freeze – cornmeal should act like normal porridge. I would freeze it in little freezer bags or vacuum bags if possible, then reheat in the microwave (after taking it back out of the bag). You might need to add a little more milk as you reheat, and kind of mash it a little with a fork. But it should still be yummy and tasty 🙂
All the best to you and a speedy recovery!