Name: Quinoa Pudding (Dairy free)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 4 cups of coconut milk; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 cup of quinoa; 1 tsp of vanilla powder (or extract); 1/4 tsp pink salt; sweetener of your choice (coconut sugar, agave, monkfruit etc...)

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Move over rice pudding and say hello to this quinoa pudding. This tasty dessert is made with plant based milk, spices and is so versatile that it doubles up as breakfast and an after dinner treat.

Quinoa pudding? Things just got awesome up in here with my latest recipe. I couldn't wait any longer with dropping this badboy.

I seriously want everyone to know how fantastic this recipe truly is and guess what? You only need 6 ingredients too, yup! That's right!

I'm a sucker for some rice pudding or Jamaican Rice Porridge namely because I ate it a lot during my youth.

Nowadays I seldom eat grains in fact I don't really consume grains as much as I did before, with so many alternatives out there.

One of my favourite ways to channel some of my recipes from the past is using quinoa (pronounced Kween wah).

Quinoa is a pseudograin, hailing from the beautiful south America, just like chia seeds.

I haven't been this excited about a pudding since discovering how to make Instant Pot Brown Rice Pudding.

Quinoa? Is it a seed or a grain?

Presently the verdict is still out with this pseudo grain, some classify it as a seed which behaves like a grain while others disregard the great pseudo debate and consider quinoa a seed.

Whatever the case the good news is this edible seed is wheat free and a perfect rice alternative hence how I stumbled upon this recipe.

You can double up the recipe and eat it for breakfast instead, it's an ambiguous treat, though I tend to have this as an after dinner treat.

It's relatively easy to cook, unlike rice which sends the nation into a troubleshooting frenzy, it won't burn. It even pairs so well with some Homemade Quinoa Milk as well!!

You may even want to switch things up by experimenting with an instant pot and making some Black Rice Pudding or Rice Pudding made with brown rice to optimise nutritional value.

Ingredients you will need

Reasons to make this pudding

It's so versatile, serve it for breakfast or dessert.
It's a great grain free alternative to rice
Makes a change from using tapioca
It's plant based
Quinoa is relatively affordable and accessible
It's wholesome and highly nutritious
It's a child friendly recipe

How to make quinoa pudding

Leave the quinoa to soak in some water for about 5 minutes before rinsing off the quinoa using a fine mesh strainer.
Add the coconut milk in a medium sized saucepan, along with the cinnamon stick, quinoa and give everything a stir.
Bring the milk to a boil, reduce the heat to low to simmer (uncovered).
Simmer until the quinoa starts to thicken, stirring occasionally so it doesn't stick until most of the liquid is absorbed. This should take about 25-30 minutes, add a splash of water or milk if the pudding is too thick.
Stir in the sweetener of your choice, vanilla and pink salt
Serve hot or cold

Can you freeze the pudding?

Yes, I would advise doing so by placing your quinoa in individual containers, then thaw it out in the fridge (for up to several hours) when you are ready to eat it (serve hot or cold)

You may need to add some milk to the pudding to rejuvenate it.

Can I make this pudding overnight?

Yes, but keep in mind, unlike oats, you will need to cook the quinoa in some water first of all before adding the desired amount of milk and then leaving it to absorb overnight.

Notes and tips

Make sure to thoroughly rinse off the quinoa. I used a fine mesh strainer so the quinoa doesn't fall through. For best results, leave the quinoa to sit in water for 5-10 minutes to remove debris and any bitterness.
For a creamy/rich quinoa pudding I used coconut milk but you are more than welcome to use another plant based milk i.e almond, cashew etc...
In terms of sweetener you can use granulated i.e coconut sugar or liquid like agave nectar, maple syrup.
Keep an eye on the quinoa as it cooks and stir it occasionally throughout given time to ensure it doesn't stick or dry out (add more milk if required).
If you are looking for a low/zero calorie sweetener use stevia, monkfruit, erythritol
Refrigerate any leftover for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

More dessert recipes to try

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