Cornmeal Porridge – A Blissful Vegan Breakfast (Quick and Gluten-Free)
- Updated on Jun 08, 2020
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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
Nutrition
Comments
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18 comments
I made with Masa Harrina and drizzled with honey instead of adding sugar. Added mashed berries and almonds and I’m in love. So satisfying. Thank you.
Awesome sounding substitutes! Really glad you enjoyed it, thank you for writing Deborah!
I’m so excited to try this. My mom used to make something like this for me when I was a kid and I haven’t thought about it for decades. Bringing back many memories!
That’s awesome, Dianne! Enjoy!
I especially like mace ( the outer covering of nutmeg) with peaches. Mace is a little milder.
Sounds great, I will have to try!
Fantastic recipe. Just making it for the second time now. Had a packet of maize meal that we hadn’t used and had a faded label on it. Wanted to use it up, but since I tried to this recipe I love it so much I’m going to keep doing it. Enjoy it more that oat porridge and it’s gluten free too.
Awesome to hear, Steve! Glad it worked out so well, and thanks for writing!
I really like having this for breakfast! I found your recipe when trying to use up some cornmeal I was tired of having in the freezer, but now I’m thinking I’ll have to buy more just for this.
What an inspirational comment! Glad you liked it!
I didn’t wait for brekkie! It’s evening here and I’m enjoying a bowl of this right now, hot and fresh out of the pot. Yummy! Made a big batch using oat milk for a few days’ worth of breakfasts and pre-workout boosters. I didn’t bother adding the salt and sugar, but padded the porridge with other extras. I keep a container in the fridge with a mix of hemp seeds, chia seeds, shredded coconut, ground flax and cinnamon (I wing the quantities). Added a few tablespoons of that into the pot once the porridge was cooked, and then sprinkled walnut pieces onto the serving in my bowl. I totally agree with using a very light hand with the nutmeg. It can easily overpower a dish. Of course, this lesson was learned the hard way. Thank you so much for feeding my sudden craving for cornmeal!
Haha true, yes any time is good for this porridge :D! You’re not alone with the nutmeg, even when I knew I shouldn’t use too much I’ve still managed to overdo it. Funny how such a tiny amount can make such a difference. The extra seeds are a great idea, I add them to anything I can and will definitely the next time I make this. Love it. Thanks for writing, Sandra!
Loved it. Can’t WAIT to make this tomorrow morning.
Woohoo! Thank you Sunny, a lovely compliment and I’m really happy you enjoyed it! So tasty this brekkie 🙂