Spiced Rice Porridge

Here's a lovely hot breakfast that's gluten and dairy free - just the thing to warm you up on those cooler mornings. Boil up one cup of dry brown rice, and you'll have enough cooked rice to last you the week!

The cinnamon and ginger give this brekkie an extra punch of warmth, and leave you with a canvas to add fresh or dried fruits, nuts or seeds and build this into a delicious, hearty start to the day. I love a big bowl topped with crushed activated almonds to create that perfect texture balance with the soft, silky rice.

I also love this recipe on the thicker side - with more silky rice, and less liquid - but porridge is a very individual thing, and if you like yours with a little more liquid, you could absolutely add a little more milk once you've finished the cooking process. Just allow the equal parts rice and milk to reduce down together first so you don't miss out on that beautiful texture. 

Even if you don't have a massive sweet tooth, I would still suggest putting just a little raw honey or maple syrup in this recipe - it really does bring all the flavours together. Alternatively, some sliced fresh banana on top would do the job just as well!

Tip: Make your own almond milk rather than using the pre-packaged stuff for an extra creamy texture. Otherwise, try finding an almond milk brand that's fresh (i.e. found in the chilled section, with the regular milk) rather than the boxed variety, and with an almond % of at least 10% (or as close to it as possible). 

Makes a single serve.


  • 1/2 cup cooked brown rice (boil one cup of dry rice to have multiple serves on hand)*
  • 1/2 cup almond milk (try making your own for an extra creamy result)
  • One big pinch of good-quality ceylon cinnamon, plus extra for dusting
  • One big pinch of ground organic ginger
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp raw honey or organic pure maple syrup
  • Toppings of your choosing (fruit, nuts and seeds would all be lovely) 


  1. Combine the rice, almond milk, spices and vanilla in a small saucepan.
  2. Heat until almost boiling, then reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer for 7-10 minutes, or until the mixture is smooth and silky. Stir frequently to encourage off the boil. 
  3. Transfer to a bowl and drizzle with the honey/maple syrup, and top with chosen toppings.

*To get perfectly fluffy brown rice, your best bet is the absorption method. Rinse one cup of rice, then add to a small saucepan with two cups of water. With the lid on, bring to the boil then reduce to simmer. Leave the lid on and allow to cook for around 30 minutes, or until all the liquid has absorbed (you can take a peek, but keep the lid on as much as possible). You can amend the quantities to suit what you need - just make sure there's one part rice and two parts water, and remember the cooking time will also change accordingly.