Amaranth porridge is super nutritious, satisfying, simple and easy to make. It is high in protein and fibre and has a pleasant mild nutty flavour. It's really versatile and you can serve it with lots of different toppings for added flavour and texture.

One of the easiest ways of incorporating amaranth into your diet is to occasionally vary your breakfast routine and make amaranth porridge instead of oatmeal. It's super nutritious and simple to make.

What is amaranth

Amaranth is an ancient crop which for thousands of years was grown in Mexico by the Mayan and Incan civilizations. Today it is grown all over the world.

Amaranth is the common name for over 60 species of the Amaranthus plant. Some species are grown for their edible leaves, some for decorative purposes, others for their nutritious seeds. Amaranth (the seed) is exceptionally high in protein, dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals. It is also naturally gluten free.

Like quinoa, amaranth is really a 'pseudo' cereal as it belongs to a different plant species than oats, wheat and other 'true' cereals. However, because of their similar nutritional profile as well as culinary uses amaranth is typically treated as a whole grain.

Does amaranth need to be soaked

Although some recommend doing this step I personally never soak amaranth and certainly for this recipe you don't have to do this. Amaranth cooks quite quickly and all you need to do is rinse it before making the porridge.

If, however, you prefer to soak it and have done so for other amaranth recipes it's absolutely fine to do it for this recipe too. Soak in cold water for 4 hours then rinse in a fine mesh sieve and make the porridge.

Ingredients

All porridge recipes are straightforward and this one is no exception. You only need 3 ingredients to cook amaranth porridge - raw amaranth, milk (or water), as well as a bit of salt. Once cooked you can either serve it as it is or top with fruit, seeds etc (see Serving Suggestions below).

How to make amaranth porridge

1.Place the amaranth in a medium saucepan, add half the milk and the salt. Bring to the boil stirring frequently.

2. Once it starts bubbling up turn the heat down to a simmer and continue cooking until most of the liquid has been absorbed stirring frequently. This will take 10-15 minutes.

3. Add most of the remaining liquid and continue cooking for another 15 minutes or so until the porridge thickens further and the amaranth is fully cooked. Top up with more milk if needed. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

Serving suggestions

Amaranth porridge is delicious with creamy yogurt, fruit compote (as in the photos), a drizzle of maple syrup or honey, or a touch of spice, such as cinnamon, ground ginger or cardamom. You can also sweeten your porridge with mashed banana or mango puree (stir through after you've cooked the porridge).

Raisins (or other dried fruit), fresh berries, toasted sunflower seeds or crushed nuts are also great optional extras.

What to do with leftovers

Amaranth porridge leftovers can be used in different ways. You can simply reheat the porridge with a bit of milk or water (either in the microwave or on the stove top) and serve with your favourite toppings.

But you can add your porridge leftovers into smoothies, flavoured yogurt for more substance and protein, salads or use to thicken soups and stews (especially if you cooked it with water rather than milk).

Top tip

If you don't want to serve amaranth as porridge boil it in water instead of milk. You can also rinse cooked amaranth to get rid of the stickiness and once cooled refrigerate for up to 5 days. Use as per suggestions above.

Top tips and FAQs

Amaranth must not be eaten raw. Cooked amaranth retains a bit of crunch but is soft on the inside.
Cook the porridge with either milk (any, though I do not recommend coconut milk as it's very calorific) or water (or try a bit of both).
Adjust the amount of liquid to get the consistency you want.
It is important to stir the porridge frequently as it cooks to prevent it sticking to the pot.
The porridge will thicken as it cools so add milk/water when reheating it.
Once cooled refrigerate it, covered, for up to 4 days.

Keep in touch!

If you make this amaranth porridge recipe I'd love to know how it turned out for you. What did you serve it with? Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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