Amaranth Recipes - Breakfast Porridge with Bluebery Compote (2024)

(updated May 3, 2023) // by Phoebe Lapine // 12 comments

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Earlier this fall I started doing some recipe development for Roland Foods. My mom and I have been longtime fans of their strong Dijon mustard – something that’s hard to find outside of France, and often leads to a suitcase full of jars every time one of us returns from Europe. Though I probably would accept payment in the form of hot, sinus-clearing mustard, they were plenty of other perks to the job. One of them was getting to play around with specialty grains I’ve never worked with before – things like Einkorn wheat, turanicum, and farro. Of course, I couldn’t really taste more than a small nibble of these gluteny things. So my favorite part of the project was the amaranth recipes.

I grew up eating a lot of quinoa and millet, but for whatever reason, amaranth didn’t quite get as much attention in my mom’s gluten-free pantry. It’s slightly smaller and finer than its other seedy step sisters, which makes for a nice crunchy coating for chicken or fish, without having to grind it into flour. This was one of the recipes I experimented with. But the more popular use for amaranth is as a porridge, either savory or sweet.

I’ve never been much of a warm breakfast cereal person. But my dad is the oatmeal king. It’s one of the two things he’ll make for himself (the other is a smoothie). And he takes endless pride in his fruit and oat combinations. I’ve often woken up to my house guest or boyfriend being force-fed dad’s fiber-rich oatmeal at the dining room table. My mom and I have never been the most consensual oatmeal eaters (even pre-gluten free), so a captive audience for his breakfast creations is something to be seized with gusto.

Breakfast is of course a relative term when you suffer from insomnia and Ambien eating. My dad’s oatmeal is usually prepared anywhere between the hours of 2 and 10am. And it’s a sure sign of a bad night’s sleep when I wake up at 7am and see a dirty oatmeal pot in the sink, though it’s better than finding an entire box of my gluten-free cookies laying empty on the counter.

For someone who doesn’t like breakfast porridge, I’ve sure made a lot of it over the last few months. My blueberry oatmeal is a favorite of my weekly client. And in addition to this amaranth breakfast porridge, I also developed 10 oatmeal recipes for Food & Wine’s website this fall. My mom certainly takes the gluten-free cake when it comes to most of my recipe inspiration, especially at breakfast. But whenever I’m standing alone over the stove, watching my oatmeal slowly simmer away in milk, I always think of my dad.

It’s his 65th birthday tomorrow and we’ll be celebrating many years of life, love, and 4am oatmeal. Perhaps as a gift this year, I’ll agree to one day letting him feed me some.

xo
Phoebe

Amaranth Breakfast Porridge with Blueberry Compote

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Phoebe Lapine

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces fresh or frozen blueberries about 2 cups
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 cup amaranth
  • 2 cups milk
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • ¼ cup finely chopped toasted walnuts

Instructions

  • In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, sugar, zest and two tablespoons water. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the blueberry skins have popped and the mixture has reduced slightly, about 10 minutes.

  • Meanwhile, combine the amaranth and milk in a medium lidded saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the grains are tender and thick, about 15 minutes. Stir in the maple syrup.

  • Serve the amaranth pudding in bowls and top with the blueberry compote and walnuts.

Nutrition

Serving: 2g

Amaranth Recipes - Breakfast Porridge with Bluebery Compote (8)If you make this, tag @phoebelapine and #feedmephoebe - I'd love to see it!

Amaranth Recipes - Breakfast Porridge with Bluebery Compote (9)

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Comments

  1. Amaranth Recipes - Breakfast Porridge with Bluebery Compote (10)Liz @ Virtually Homemade says

    This looks so yummy and healthy! I’ve never cooked with amaranth but definitely want to give it a try.

    Reply

  2. Amaranth Recipes - Breakfast Porridge with Bluebery Compote (11)amanda says

    ohhhh this looks really good. i’ve been experimenting some with other grains and it really is so fun to discover how delicious so many of them are!

    Reply

  3. Amaranth Recipes - Breakfast Porridge with Bluebery Compote (12)Jeanette | Jeanette's Healthy Living says

    This is definitely comfort breakfast in a bowl Phoebe – love that blueberry compote!

    Reply

  4. Amaranth Recipes - Breakfast Porridge with Bluebery Compote (13)Frankie says

    Amaranth is good for cookies too!

    Reply

    • Amaranth Recipes - Breakfast Porridge with Bluebery Compote (14)Phoebe Lapine says

      recipe?

      Reply

  5. Amaranth Recipes - Breakfast Porridge with Bluebery Compote (15)Jake Steijn says

    I like the compote, useful so many ways beyond this recipe!

    Reply

    • Amaranth Recipes - Breakfast Porridge with Bluebery Compote (16)Phoebe Lapine says

      Definitely! Also great on French Toast 🙂

      Reply

  6. Amaranth Recipes - Breakfast Porridge with Bluebery Compote (17)Adelina says

    Amaranth Recipes - Breakfast Porridge with Bluebery Compote (18)
    Hi there! I was really exited when I found this recipe, since I really wanted to try out new grain. I was following your recipe exactly but after simmering for 40 min it seemed not to be cooked ( I had to add extra milk as well) Does maybe amaranth needs to be soaked before cooking?

    Reply

Amaranth Recipes - Breakfast Porridge with Bluebery Compote (2024)

FAQs

Is porridge and blueberries a good breakfast? ›

Blueberries, walnuts and sunflower seeds

These look pretty on top of your porridge, but even better, an 80g portion of blueberries counts as one of your 5-a-day and the walnuts and sunflower seeds provide unsaturated fats as well as fibre and vitamins.

Do I need to soak amaranth before cooking? ›

Soaking: If you have the time, consider soaking the amaranth overnight before cooking. "Soaking the grains makes their nutrients easier to digest and shortens the cooking time," says Ziata. Simply combine amaranth and water in a large bowl, completely submerging the grains.

Can you eat amaranth as a cereal? ›

If you mix in anywhere from a half cup to one cup of soy milk, the amaranth takes on the consistency of cream of wheat. And it's delicious. The flavor is nutty and earthy and the texture is a bit more interesting than oatmeal. Here's a very simple method for cooking amaranth and turning it into cereal.

How do you make amaranth more digestible? ›

As in many other plant-based food products, applying heat treatment to the amaranth grains seems to provide an overall improvement in digestibility of the nutrients they contain (Kauffman and Weber, 1990, Tovar et al., 1994).

Is it OK to eat porridge every morning? ›

Oatmeal's high fiber content and prebiotic qualities may benefit your body in more ways than one. Making oatmeal a regular part of your menu can potentially lower your disease risk, help your gut health thrive, make bowel movements easier and keep you feeling fuller for longer.

Which is healthier, oatmeal or porridge? ›

Now that you better understand the difference between porridge and oatmeal, you can decide which dish best suits your lifestyle. Though porridge may offer a wider variety of flavor options, oatmeal is loaded with nutritious and filling ingredients that make it an excellent morning meal.

How to tell if amaranth is rancid? ›

If it isn't moldy, check to see if there is any odor coming from the amaranth. If it doesn't fall under either of those conditions, the taste can be off. It should be sweet and nutty. If it isn't, it may be rancid.

Is amaranth better than oatmeal? ›

Amaranth is an ancient grain with a slightly sweet, nutty taste that works well in place of oatmeal. In addition to being gluten-free, amaranth is a good source of several key nutrients, including protein, fiber, iron, and manganese ( 1 ).

Can you overcook amaranth? ›

Amaranth seeds may seem stickier than other grains after being cooked. Make sure you do not mistake this texture for not being fully cooked yet, as overcooking these seeds will cause them to be chewy and even more sticker.

Can you eat amaranth every day? ›

Those aiming to lose weight or keep their blood sugar levels in control can include amaranth in their daily diet. The word Amaranth means immortal and it is native to Mexico and Central America.

Is amaranth healthier than quinoa? ›

While quinoa has proteins as good as 8 grams per cup, amaranth has 9 grams per cup. Amaranth has double the protein than rice or wheat, Makhija added. Quinoa has 3 grams of iron per cup and amaranth has 5 grams of iron in the same quantity which makes it a richer food, she points out.

How do you take the bitterness out of amaranth? ›

After posting this video on instagram, I heard from a few of my followers that they tried amaranth before, and it was bitter or off tasting. If that's the case, rinse before cooking to remove ​​saponin, a naturally occurring phytochemical that gives unwashed grain a bitter taste.

Is amaranth a laxative? ›

Fiber content in amaranth is quite high and is 3 times higher than wheat. Therefore, regular consumption of amaranth can help improve the quality of the digestive system and help prevent constipation.

Does amaranth give you gas? ›

People who develop a rash, difficulty breathing, or other signs of a severe allergic reaction after eating amaranth should seek emergency medical care. Consuming large quantities of fiber may also cause bloating and gas in some people.

Why does amaranth upset my stomach? ›

For people with intolerance to lysinuric protein, eating amaranth may cause diarrhoea and stomach pain. Moreover, another side effect of lysine increase body's calcium absorption, and bring free, damage-causing amount of calcium in the body.

Is porridge and fruit a healthy breakfast? ›

Adding fruit to porridge really livens it up – and contributes to your 5 A Day. Per serving: 1,439kJ / 344kcal. 17g protein.

Is it okay to have blueberries for breakfast? ›

Berries of all kinds, such as blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, are an excellent way to start the morning. They are low in calories, high in fiber, and contain disease-fighting antioxidants.

Should you eat berries and oats together? ›

Top your oatmeal with berries to add disease-fighting antioxidants to your breakfast! Nutrient information varies with quantity eaten. Enjoy as much as you'd like until you're satisfied!

Is oatmeal and blueberries good before bed? ›

Blueberry-almond oatmeal

You might associate oatmeal with breakfast, but don't discount it as a nighttime snack! Lorenz recommends a bowl of oats with berries before bed. “Oats are a good source of tryptophan, which helps your body to produce melatonin to support a natural sleep cycle,” she says.

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