This amazing quinoa porridge is packed with superfood ingredients to keep you fueled and energized all day long. It's easy to make, tasty and good for you!
You know I'm a big smoothie bowl fan, but lately, I haven't been able to do it. I don't like waking up when it's cold out and eating something cold. It just doesn't make me feel good.
So instead I've been making bowl after bowl of this amazing stuff: Superfood Quinoa Porridge!
It's a cozy, warming, soul-nourishing bowl of goodness that is packed with good-for-you ingredients. We've got protein, we've got fiber, we've got healthy fats. And we've even got some natural sweetness. This quinoa porridge is better than your standard oatmeal in so many ways and it tastes just as good as it looks!
Superfood Ingredients in this Quinoa Porridge
What makes this porridge a bit different is that we're using a blend of oats and quinoa, as well as some other goodies that get stirred in at the end. I tried to jam as much nutrition into this bowl as possible by using some “superfood” ingredients.
Here's what you'll find inside:
- Quinoa: quinoa makes up the bulk of this porridge and is one of my favorite breakfast foods! Quinoa is high in protein, fiber and has all nine essential amino acids. If you want to learn more about it, check out my page for quinoa nutrition facts!
- Oats: another staple for most breakfast, oats are a fantastic source of fiber! They're not as high in protein, but they are complex carbohydrates so they digest more slowly, helping to keep you fuller for longer.
- Hemp seeds: also known as hemp hearts, these are powerhouse ingredient that are full of plant-based protein. 3 tablespoons of hemp hearts contain 10g of protein! They're also a good source of healthy fats and trace minerals.
- Chia seeds: chia seeds are most well-known for being full of omega-3s. But in addition to those, they also have protein! Chia seeds are also easy to digest and full of other vitamins and minerals.
- Flaxseed meal: flax is another source of omega-3s, and similar to chia and hemp, contains protein and healthy fats. It's important to make sure that you eat flaxseed meal instead of whole flaxseeds as those are much harder to digest.
- Cinnamon: my all-time favorite spice, and not just for flavor! Cinnamon is an amazing spice to add to carb-heavy recipes because it helps support our body's blood sugar regulation.
And we've also got our toppings, as well as some water and almond milk for cooking!
How to Make Quinoa Porridge: 3 Ways
I'll start by saying I haven't personally tested these three cooking methods, but from experience cooking quinoa, I'm pretty darn sure they will all work. So here are the three ways I think you can make quinoa porridge:
Stovetop: this is my preferred method because it's quick and painless. You add your quinoa and your oats together in the pan, along with the almond milk and water. Then bring the mixture to a boil, cover and reduce it to simmer for about 10 – 15 minutes.
Slow Cooker: similar to how you would make a soup/stew, you basically just add your ingredients to a slow cooker and cook it up! For this recipe, I'd recommend using either thick-cut rolled oats or steel-cut oats because they have a longer cooking time and thicker texture. You'll add all these ingredients into the slow cooker, stir it up and cook it on high for 2 – 3 hours. And just stir in the extras at the end!
Instant Pot: I have yet to make quinoa successfully in the Instant Pot, but I know it's possible, so I'm including it here. Similar to the slow cooker, I'd recommend that you use thick oats or steel-cut so that it doesn't turn to mush after cooking. If you're using thick-cut, add the liquid and set the IP to high for 1 minute. Then do NPR for about 10 – 15. And again, just stir in the add-ins at the end.
What's Better: Oats or Quinoa?
The most common breakfast cereal in the world is definitely oatmeal, but over the last few years, quinoa has been nipping at its heels. And I think the question on a lot of peoples' minds is: what's better for you: oats or quinoa?
As we mention in the ingredient section of this post, there are some nutritional differences between oats and quinoa:
- Quinoa has more protein than oats (1 cup cooked: 8g vs. 5g)
- Quinoa and oats have the same amount of fiber (5g)
- Oats have fewer carbohydrates that quinoa (1 cup cooked: 29g vs. 37g)
- Oats have fewer calories than quinoa (1 cup cooked: 170 vs. 220)
- Quinoa and oats have the same amount of fat (4g)
- Quinoa has more trace minerals than oats
So…what's better?! I'd personally say it's based on what you're looking for nutritionally. Is protein a goal? Then choose quinoa. Are calories or carbs your goal? You might want to choose oats. Getting in your vitamins and minerals? Quinoa is the winner.
Essentially: both quinoa AND oats are amazing ingredients – both are great for breakfast – and you can't go wrong with either!
How to Store Quinoa Porridge
The best way to store quinoa is in your fridge. You can keep it in a large container as one portion, or if you want to meal prep this recipe, you can portion it out into individual containers. I love these little weck jars for meal prepping breakfasts like this.
To reheat your quinoa porridge, either pop it in the microwave or if you have access to a stove you can put it back in a small saucepan and heat it up with a bit of almond milk. Or if you don't have options for either, this can totally be eaten cold too!
Ways to Serve Quinoa Porridge
I personally love serving this warm, but it all honesty, it's about the toppings! Here are some of my favorite topping options:
- Fresh berries: I love blueberries, but raspberries or sliced strawberries would also be great
- Sliced fruit: I'd go for some banana or sliced peaches if they're in season
- Nuts/seeds: I'm all about the crunch factor, so I love using sliced almonds, chopped walnuts or even pumpkin seeds
- Nut butter: a good drizzle of almond or peanut butter is fabulous on top of quinoa porridge
- Yogurt: if you can have dairy, a dollop of Greek yogurt would be a great way to get in some extra protein, but if you're vegan, opt for some coconut yogurt
- Raw honey or maple syrup: and lastly, sweetness! I love to drizzle on some honey (like I did in this recipe) or maple syrup – it just gives it a touch of decadence!
But truly no matter what way you serve up this recipe it's going to be delicious! And I really think it's going to become a staple in your morning rotation. Can't wait to hear what you think!
More Healthy Quinoa Breakfast Recipes:
- Strawberry Quinoa Breakfast Bowls
- Caramelized Butternut Squash Quinoa Breakfast Bowls
- Triple Berry Quinoa Breakfast Bake
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Quinoa Breakfast Parfaits
- Healthy Chocolate Quinoa Breakfast Bowl
Ultimate Superfood Quinoa Porridge
Ingredients
for the quinoa porridge:
- 1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 2 cups almond milk (+ more as needed)
- 2 cups of water
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons hemp seeds
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
recommended toppings:
- 1 banana , sliced
- 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/4 sliced almonds
- drizzle of honey
Instructions
- Add the quinoa, oats, almond milk, water, and cinnamon into a small pot. Stir together and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce to low and simmer the porridge until the oats are soft and most of the liquid has been absorbed about 10 - 15 minutes.
- Remove the porridge from the heat and stir in the syrup, hemp seeds, chia seeds, and flaxseed meal. If it thickens up too much, add a splash more of almond milk.
- Divide the porridge equally between two bowls and top with the desired toppings. My recommendations are listed above! Enjoy 🙂
Video
Nutrition
I use steel cut oats and cook this recipe in the instant pot. I add in a tin of stewed apples. Absolutely delicious recipe. Cooked it multiple times now and totally obsessed! Also love how packed full of nutrients it is!
hello, I’ve been making an overnight porridge with all of these ingredients, except the Quinoa!
so would it be ok to soak this overnight or a few days, ,instead of boiling first?? Thanks!
I don’t think the quinoa would puff up without boiling it, they would just be soft
Apologies… I should’ve read through the information better! Ignore my previous question as I can now see you’ve already provided information for the IP!
Can you please advise on if/how this recipe can be made in the instant pot?
Just tried this recipe this morning. It is delicious and I love the fact I’m getting a good amount of fiber. Thank you for the recipe. Delicious!!
Made this today and it came out great. I’m glad to have a new healthy and delicious breakfast option. The recipe says a serving size is 1 cup cooked and it makes 2 servings. Is this a typo? The recipe easily made 4 to 5 one cup servings of cooked porridge.
Thanks for letting me know about the typo!
Your actual recipe still says to simmer for 3 minutes, but the article says 10-15 minutes. That’s a big difference, can you please clarify which time is recommend?
Thanks!
Updated!
For me, this made 5 Cups when done, not 2 cups. The only thing I did differently was to add an apple cut up and to add 1/2 frozen blueberries. So now I have 5 servings. I also omitted the almond milk and just used water. Calories were 244 per cup instead of 557! Big difference
Super delicious though!
Interesting! That seems like a lot, but glad you have plenty of leftovers to enjoy 🙂
Your instructions say to cook for 3 or 5 minutes. That can’t be enough for these hard seeds. The standard time for a dry variant is 15-20 min. I can see why the oat starch is required to thicken the consistency. Quinoa alone doesn’t become porridge after 40 min. I tried Q for the first time, and to me it tastes like poppy seeds. Another good combination is rice & proso millet, although the latter cooks by itself too.
Thanks! We’ve updated the instructions!
Easy. Reheats well. Keeps you feeling full but not heavy. Love it.
Thanks so much for the review!
In the instructions it says to use 1/2 cup cooked quinoa but in the video it looks like it is not cooked. Could you clarify please.
updated! sorry for the confusion 🙂
Like another commenter, I’m wondering if the quinoa is supposed to be cooked or uncooked when you put in it? I made this this morning and I cooked it before but I’m thinking I’d like the crunch of uncooked (maybe?) and it would also save time!
Yes, you can put it in uncooked! 🙂
This is one of my go-to breakfast recipes! It’s super delicious and super satisfying. I am full for hours. The quinoa and seeds add a wonderful texture that regular oatmeal doesn’t have. It’s also super versatile. Any toppings work. I want to try to make it savory. With some pesto and roasted veggies. Maybe some beans. (obviously not added the maple syrup and cinnamon) I don’t know what else to say… other than this is an awesome recipe! Thanks!
Woohoo! It’s one of my favorites also 🙂 SO YUM!
i thought we had to soak chia seeds over night before using it. giving it enough time to expand.
Nope! They go in raw 🙂
Hi, recipe ingredients says “cooked” quinoa. Should it be uncooked that you add to the saucepan? Thanks for all you do, I’m enjoying your recipes.
Oops! Updating. It should be uncooked!
Please update. I just royally messed this recipe up. I hope I can salvage it :/
Can you share what happened?
Wait, the recipe still says “cooked”. So is it cooked or uncooked quinoa?
Cooked quinoa!
I’ll tell you what I do to make the quinoa in the IP, I just use less than called for water. Have you checked out “Pressure Cooking Today”?
THANK YOU! I’ll definitely give this a try 🙂
I would like to see some other grains in breakfast like millet or buckwheat. Also other grains to eat it at lunch or dinner. I am tired of always eat quinoa. Thakn you souch.
You could totally use these instead, but I love the idea of trying to incorporate those into the blog more 🙂
whats the difference between quinoa and quinoa flakes, nutritionally and taste? whats the reasoning to use one over the other. ty
Nutritionally they’re similar, but the texture is totally different. Quinoa flakes are like oats and cook super quickly. They end up being a little mushy too (kind of like cream of wheat). I like the texture quinoa provides in this recipe, but you could also totally use quinoa flakes!