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    BLANK » Recipe Index » Caribbean Dishes

    Jamaican Rice Porridge (Vegan, GF)

    Last Updated December 26, 2022. Published June 25, 2017 By Charla 22 Comments

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    This is my vegan style rendition of a classic porridge made with nutritious brown rice. It is super creamy made with plant based milk, spices and packed with an abundance of flavour.

    porridge in a black bowl on a plate

     I'm so excited to share this sweet rice porridge with my lovely readers because it is an absolute favourite of mine. This Caribbean breakfast is packed with tons of energy thanks to the slow releasing carbohydrates.

    Have this for breakfast and I promise you that this amazingly tasty porridge is guaranteed to sustain or as island people say "hold you" until the lunch time.

    The Caribbean is known for it's variants of porridge - cornmeal, cream of wheat, green banana, cassava, plantain, hominy etc..

    However, with that being said, rice porridge is the least popular but don't let that deter you from making it. We are simply more partial to the former (no reason why just preference).

    My beloved grandmother would fix us a bowl of rice porridge especially during the harsh UK winter time and boy was I happy to drink a bowl or two.

    It felt as if I had to wait forever for her to cook it because granny made sure the rice was extremely soft.

    Despite having to wait a lifetime for some Jamaican rice porridge I have to admit, it certainly was worth the wait.

     I would stand by her side and watch her prepare this huge pot of rice before adding the remaining ingredients - milk, condensed milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and a pinch of salt.

    My rice porridge recipe is a vegan rendition of what my grandmother taught me.  It is plant based inspired and even I took the liberty of using brown rice and using my trusty vegan Coconut Condensed Milk.

    porridge in a bowl on a small plate

    A far more healthier choice of grain as opposed to using white rice which contains zero nutritional value. I also omitted the use of flour, a common ingredient that you will find featured in most of the traditional rice porridge recipes.

    Prior to preparing this recipe dairy free I never felt the need to include flour (used as a thickening agent).

    My grandmother made her porridge without flour and she would only use it if she become heavy handed with the liquid to grain ratio but this was seldom.

    How to make Jamaican rice porridge

    The key to making a good plant based style rice porridge is to ensure the brown rice is cooked thoroughly then add my homemade coconut condensed milk.

    I am a huge fan of using this in all my recipes and adjusting grain recipes with brown rice.

    Unlike white rice, brown has the germ and bran in tact giving it a nutty taste and texture. Furthermore, brown rice also takes a little longer to cook.

    Rice porridge benefits

    • It's super filling and delicious
    • Gluten/wheat free and safe for vegans since it is dairy free
    • You can make a big batch to eat for breakfast throughout the week.
    • A great alternative to oatmeal or smoothies in the morning
    • It's a rice porridge breakfast with a taste of the Caribbean

    Notes and tips

    • Presoak the rice grains in warm water - a few hours or preferably overnight add 1tbsp of lime to remove the starch and ease digestion (this is an optional step).
    • The porridge may thicken even more as it cools down so add some more water/milk to loosen it up.
    • Use any plant based milk you want to Coconut Milk, Almond, Cashew etc...
    • The porridge should be soft but slightly nutty in texture
    • Aim to cook the rice for quite some time 20-25 minutes (approx)
    • Be careful not to over saturate the rice with liquid. If the liquid levels seem low add a ¼ cup at a time. Remember the finishing product should look similar to risotto.

    porridge with spoon

    Other porridge recipes to try

    • Green Banana Porridge
    •  Cornmeal Porridge
    • Peanut Porridge
    • Hominy Corn Porridge
    • Jamaican Oats Porridge
    • Yellow Plantain Porridge

    **Don't forget to comment below and star rate if you have tried my recipes. Let's be friends and engage on Facebook and Instagram I also like to pin on Pinterest, where you can find more amazing recipes.**

    Close up of the porridge

    Jamaican Rice Porridge (vegan)

    Delicious Jamaican rice porridge - Gluten free, dairy free, vegan
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: Caribbean
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 55 minutes
    Servings: 2 servings
    Calories: 445kcal
    Author: Charla

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup of brown rice
    • 3 ½ cups of water
    • 1 ½ cups of almond milk
    • ½ cup of coconut milk optional can use just one plant based milk
    • 1 teaspoon of nutmeg
    • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
    • ¼ of himalayan pink salt
    • 1 jar of coconut condensed milk see post for recipe link, sweeten to taste

    Instructions

    • Presoak the brown rice grains in lukewarm water mixed with 1 tablespoon of lime. Leave this for a few hours or preferably overnight to soften. This is an OPTIONAL step!!
    • Drain off the lime water and rinse the grains several times.
    • Pour the rinsed off rice grains into a large saucepan with 3 ½ cups of water and bring to the boil.
    • Reduce the heat to a low simmer for 20-25 minutes (approx) with the pot covered.
    • During this time the water level will reduce so check periodically as you don't want the liquid to completely recede (add more water if needed). You only need ¼ worth of liquid leftover which should happen 20 minutes into the cooking time.
    • Add the milk after 25 minutes and allow to simmer for a further 10-15 minutes, stir occasionally so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the saucepan (check the consistency of the porridge as you may want to add more milk if it's too thick).
    • Finally stir in the spices - cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and pink salt.
    • Carefully pour in the coconut condensed milk and sweeten according to taste.
    • Serve accordingly

    Notes

    • Presoak the rice grains in warm water - a few hours or preferably overnight add 1tbsp of lime to remove the starch and ease digestion (this is an optional step).
    • The porridge may thicken even more as it cools down so add some more water/milk to loosen it up.
    • Use any plant based milk you want to Coconut Milk, Almond, Cashew etc...
    • The porridge should be soft but slightly nutty in texture
    • Aim to cook the rice for quite some time 20-25 minutes (approx)
    • Be careful not to over saturate the rice with liquid. If the liquid levels seem low add a ¼ cup at a time. Remember the finishing product should look similar to risotto.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 445kcal | Carbohydrates: 76g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Sodium: 314mg | Potassium: 317mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 1g | Calcium: 322mg | Iron: 3mg
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    About Charla

    I'm Charla. Caribbean foodie & Certified Health Coach. Welcome to the heaven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Nekema

      November 14, 2020 at 8:27 pm

      5 stars
      I used organic brown rice and sweetened with Agave and Organic cane sugar.

      Reply
      • Nekema

        November 14, 2020 at 8:33 pm

        This was remarkable! Thank you!

        Reply
        • Charla

          November 14, 2020 at 9:51 pm

          You are welcome!!

          Reply
      • Charla

        November 14, 2020 at 9:49 pm

        No problem Nekema I have started to use various sweeteners since making this recipe too.

        Reply
    2. VeggieTater

      February 22, 2018 at 8:00 am

      5 stars
      Thanks for sharing your fond memories, so nice to read. I am the weirdo who likes savory better than sweet, so I love me a version of porridge with brown jasmine rice and steel cut oats cooked in herbed veggie broth. or miso and nooch... using the porridge setting in my Instant pot.! So nice to just set it and forget it and it even keeps warm until I am ready to eat. Funny, I never even thought of porridge until I was gifted with the instant pot...but it needs to make a comeback, so simple, comforting and cheap!

      Reply
      • Charla

        February 23, 2018 at 9:55 am

        I don't think you are a weirdo at all. We all have our preferences and I too like savoury foods, infact I never thought of making a savoury version of porridge. What you described sounds like true comfort food 😉 thank you!

        Reply
    3. Roxanne

      June 30, 2017 at 6:49 pm

      5 stars
      After Green Banana (or what we call "green fig" in Trinidad) portidge, this is going to be my favorite morning meal.

      Reply
      • Charla

        July 01, 2017 at 6:46 pm

        Awesome! Glad to hear it Roxanne

        Reply
    4. Hena Jose

      June 30, 2017 at 5:52 pm

      5 stars
      I too make this, but mine is little more runny

      Reply
      • Charla

        July 01, 2017 at 6:47 pm

        I bet your version is just as nice Hena

        Reply
    5. Faisal

      June 26, 2017 at 8:39 am

      It looks fantastic!

      Reply
      • Charla

        June 26, 2017 at 1:38 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    6. Emma @ Supper in the Suburbs

      June 25, 2017 at 7:59 pm

      I'll admit that I know NOTHING about Jamaican cuisine. This looks lovely though. And fab that it's vegan too!

      Reply
      • Charla

        June 25, 2017 at 9:40 pm

        Thanks Emma, you're learnt a tad bit about our culture today 😉

        Reply
    7. Christina Shoemaker

      June 25, 2017 at 7:46 pm

      5 stars
      I can't believe I've never tried rice porridge! This looks like a perfect warm dish for a cold morning. I especially love that you used coconut milk!

      Reply
      • Charla

        June 25, 2017 at 9:40 pm

        Thank you Christina

        Reply
    8. Lynda

      June 25, 2017 at 7:34 pm

      Confession here: I have never had porridge. But your recipe definitely has me tempted. I am looking for more vegan recipes and this one looks like a winner. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Charla

        June 25, 2017 at 7:38 pm

        Thank you I hope you get to try it.

        Reply
    9. Jenn

      June 25, 2017 at 6:58 pm

      This sounds delicious! Total comfort food!

      Reply
      • Charla

        June 25, 2017 at 7:00 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    10. Noel Lizotte

      June 25, 2017 at 5:10 pm

      5 stars
      I love how this recipe is such a connection to your grandmother ... even with the modifications you made, it still sounds like a bowl of happiness! For my family, the breakfast food that does this is pancakes. Memories in every bite!

      Reply
      • Charla

        June 25, 2017 at 5:11 pm

        Thank you so much for commenting Noel.

        Reply

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    I'm Charla. Caribbean foodie & Certified Health Coach. Welcome to the heaven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes. Learn more about me

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