This creamy breakfast quinoa porridge is made with rich coconut milk, crunchy almonds, and goes perfect with juicy summer berries! A healthy breakfast that's naturally vegan and gluten-free!

Quinoa is some pretty versatile stuff! I've used it in granola, as a meat substitute, and vegan stuffing, among other things!
But quinoa for breakfast? OH YES! I'm not sure when this inspiration hit me. Maybe I was eating a bowl of oatmeal. Maybe some quinoa muffins. In any event, it was clear that I had to cook some quinoa in coconut milk, and a slightly sweet, berry topped summer breakfast seemed the ideal format. I was so right on that one.
This breakfast quinoa is as cozy and comforting as a bowl of oatmeal, but packs a bit more protein, and frankly, it keeps me satisfied longer.
Let's talk about how it's made!
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What You'll Need
- Quinoa. Any color works! I used white quinoa in the photos, but black or red are just fine as well.
- Water.
- Coconut milk. Use the canned variety, and preferably full-fat, though light works if you'd prefer to cut the fat/calorie content of your quinoa porridge.
- Maple syrup. You can use another liquid sweetener, like agave, if you prefer.
- Almonds. Sliced or slivered almonds work best.
- Shredded coconut.
- Non-dairy milk. Use a variety other than coconut, and make sure it's unsweetened and unflavored.
- Salt.
- Fresh berries. These are for serving/garnishing. Feel free to substitute another type of fruit!
How to Make Breakfast Quinoa
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
- Rinse your quinoa well under cold running water. This removes the bitter coating found on the exterior of the seeds. Note: You can skip this step if your quinoa packaging indicates that it's pre-rinsed.
- Add the quinoa to a saucepan with water and coconut milk. Heat it up and simmer until the quinoa is fully cooked, giving it a stir periodically.
- Take the pot off of heat and let it sit for a few minutes to thicken up.
- Stir in the maple syrup, coconut, almonds and almond milk. Season your porridge with salt to taste.
- Divide into bowls and top with berries. Dig in!
Leftovers & Storage
Leftover breakfast quinoa will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for about 3 days. It might thicken up during storage, so add more milk if needed.
Like this recipe? If so, please stop back and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this one!
Coconut Almond Breakfast Quinoa Porridge
Ingredients
- 1 cup quinoa
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ cup chopped or slivered almonds
- ½ cup shredded coconut
- Almond milk, or other non-dairy milk
- Salt, to taste
- Fresh berries, for serving
Instructions
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Rinse quinoa well under cold water for at least two minutes.
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Place in medium saucepan with water and coconut milk.
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Bring to light boil, stir, cover, lower heat, and simmer for fifteen minutes.
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Remove from heat and allow to sit for five minutes.
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Add maple syrup, almonds, coconut and almond milk to desired creaminess. Season with salt to taste.
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Spoon into bowls and top with berries.
I have a weakness for coconut and quinoa too along with another little seed too ;) I think you will LOOOOVE these! https://sites.google.com/site/coastalcooking/theresa-s-no-bake-energy. Two CUPS of coconut and you can use agave instead of honey for vegan.
Thanks - they sound delicious! Will definitely try them as a pre-workout snack!