In the café around the corner, on your Instagram feed or in your work colleague's thermos cup: porridge has become an integral part of the healthy breakfast routine.
- What is porridge actually?
- How does porridge taste?
- Benefits of Porridge
- How do you make porridge?
- Which oat flakes are suitable for porridge
- So many calories does porridge have
- Is porridge healthy?
When you think of porridge, do you think of watery gruel? cardboard. With a little imagination and refined with delicious toppings, you can conjure up a quick, nutritious and delicious breakfast in no time.
What is porridge actually?
Porridge refers to a warm porridge made from grains that is cooked in water or milk. Classically, oat flakes are used. Okay, admittedly: A porridge made from oatmeal and liquid doesn't sound incredibly sexy - and it isn't.
However, it depends on how the porridge is seasoned, sweetened and refined. There are no limits to your imagination: whether with cinnamon, vanilla, turmeric, maple syrup, agave syrup, coconut blossom sugar, fresh fruit, fruit compote or superfoods - porridge is what you make of it.
But the breakfast dish doesn't always have to be sweet. Even as a hearty version with vegetables and herbs, the porridge is a simple last-minute recipe idea at any time of the day.
What is porridge made of?
Classically, oat flakes are used for preparation, but you can also prepare the breakfast porridge from spelled flakes or other cereal flakes. If you eat a gluten-free diet, pseudograins such as millet, quinoa or amaranth are a good and nutrient-rich base for your porridge.
You can use a plant drink of your choice as the liquid. Alternatively, water or a mixture is also possible. The greater the proportion of oat, almond or soy drink, the creamier your breakfast will be.
When choosing toppings, you can let your imagination run wild. How about exceptionally bright blue coconut flakes, pretty rose petals with cocoa nibs or a crunchy seed mix with high-quality omega-3 fatty acids? You can buy these and other exceptional toppings in our online shop!
Alternatively, you can simply use classic add-ons and combine your breakfast with crunchy granola, sweet fruits or nutrient-rich superfoods.
You can find porridge ingredients in every supermarket. Make sure you buy organic food. When choosing your plant-based drink, look out for added sugar - because you can safely avoid it.
Porridge vs. Overnight Oats
Porridge and overnight oats recipes are very similar at first glance - at least in terms of the ingredients. However, the two breakfast dishes differ in the preparation and the temperature at which breakfast is enjoyed. While porridge is cooked in a pot and eaten as a warm porridge, overnight oats are soaked for a few hours (usually overnight), refrigerated and then eaten cold or at room temperature.
What is oatmeal?
Like porridge, oatmeal refers to a porridge made from oat flakes or oat flour that is prepared with milk or water. While the English name Porridge is used in Germany, the oat meal is called Oatmeal in the USA.
Where does porridge come from?
Porridge has its origins in Scotland. The cold, wet climate typical of the Highlands offers the ideal conditions for oats, the main ingredient in porridge. Farmers and shepherds knew about the benefits of today's superfood early on: the oat flakes cooked in milk or water keep you full for a long time and give you energy for strenuous days in the fields.
But warm cereal porridge is not only appreciated for breakfast in Scotland. You can find porridge variations in many cultures around the world:
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Congee: The Asian rice porridge is served with spicy toppings, sauces or side dishes and can be prepared very quickly using leftovers from the day before.
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Upma: The spicy semolina porridge is enjoyed for both breakfast and dinner in India and Sri Lanka.
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Motogo: In South Africa, corn flour is mixed with water and refined with milk or fruit.
How does porridge taste?
The taste of porridge is very versatile and depends largely on the ingredients you use to prepare it. If you cook your cereal porridge with water, it will taste milder than if you use oat milk. Without toppings and spices, porridge tastes rather boring overall.
The taste nuances for your perfect breakfast experience are in your hands. We have a few suggestions for you:
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Want to have a chocolatey treat today? Then you can add cocoa powder, achocolate spread without refined sugar or even a piece of chocolate.
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Do you want it sweet and fruity? Fresh or frozen berries are always a good choice to refine your porridge.
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Need a sweet distraction from cold winter days? Porridge with raisins, cinnamon and baked apples or pears conjure up a cozy warmth in the breakfast bowl.
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Are you in the mood for sweet almonds or fruity coconut? Nuts and nut butters not only add flavor, they also provide lots of creaminess and healthy fats for your breakfast.
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Are you in the mood for an unusual combination of sweet fruits and aromatic spices today? Then mix turmeric, a pinch of ginger and, if you're particularly brave, a pinch of pepper into your apple and cinnamon porridge .
Benefits of Porridge
Porridge is not only delicious, but also a filling and healthy breakfast option. Oats contain many vitamins, minerals and fiber that keep blood sugar levels stable, keep you full for a long time and prevent food cravings. In addition to positive effects on your body, porridge has other benefits to offer:
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Easy to prepare: Short cooking time and just one pot – that sounds like the ideal breakfast!
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Few ingredients: For the classic version you don't need anything except oat flakes, milk or water and a pinch of salt.
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Availability: You can find the few products you need for your porridge in many corners of the world. If you swear by porridge as the ideal breakfast, you'll find what you're looking for even when you're traveling.
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Also to take away: Prepare your porridge the night before and your delicious vegan breakfast to take away will be ready to hand in the fridge.
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Varied: You can prepare porridge in many different variations. Choose other types of grains instead of oatmeal, use seasonal fruit and aromatic spices or cook your way through the many porridge recipes that you can find online.
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Versatile: Porridge doesn't always have to be spooned out of a bowl. You can also use the flake mixture to create other breakfast delicacies. How about this recipe for fluffy porridge pancakes ?
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Cheap: Admittedly, the toppings for your porridge can sometimes exceed the student budget with vanilla, goji berries or peeled hemp seeds. However, if you stick to the basic ingredients and use seasonal fruit and a little cinnamon, porridge is a delicious and inexpensive breakfast.
How do you make porridge?
The oat meal is prepared in no time. Our simple basic recipe forms the basis for many vegan porridge variations. Spices and toppings in particular make the different porridge recipes so varied. Depending on how hungry you are, you can adjust the amount of oat flakes. However, make sure to adjust the water or plant-based drink as well so that your breakfast remains a pleasure and does not become runny or too solid.
Porridge Basic Recipe
You need these ingredients for one serving:
- 50 grams of oats
- 250 ml liquid (water, plant drink or a mixture thereof)
- pinch of salt
preparation
Bring the oat flakes and liquid to the boil in a small saucepan and simmer for a few minutes while stirring. Season with a pinch of salt.
Porridge Toppings
This porridge recipe sounds boring? It is. Because only with fresh or dried fruit, nuts and nut butter, seeds and kernels or crunchy granola does the porridge become a delicious power breakfast. If you are not ready for exciting creations early in the morning, our classic bowl toppings will help you out. If you have a little more time and inclination, our 7 porridge toppings that taste like sweet dessert are just right.
How much milk do I need for my porridge?
Please refer to our basic recipe for the quantities. Depending on the desired consistency, you can vary the amount of liquid. If you like your porridge particularly creamy, let it simmer a little longer in more milk. If you need something to bite into to start the day, you can also use less liquid and hearty oat flakes.
How long to cook porridge?
The perfect cooking time depends on the desired consistency and the grain used. Porridge made from oatmeal usually only needs to be simmered for around five minutes. If you use quinoa, amaranth or buckwheat, however, the cooking time is around 25 minutes. Too long? You can easily heat up frozen porridge in the microwave or in a pot in just four minutes and enjoy it straight away. Spices, seeds and fruit are already included!
Tip: Porridge is originally prepared with a so-called Spurtle. This wooden stirrer leaves no scratches in coated pans or pots. Compared to a normal wooden spoon, the flat surface also makes it less likely that the oat flakes will stick and form lumps.
Why salt in the porridge recipe?
Similar to the dough for sweet desserts, a pinch of salt should not be missing from the porridge. This ensures that the taste experience is intensified and highlights individual nuances more.
Which oat flakes are suitable for porridge
Have you ever been overwhelmed by looking at the cereal and flakes aisle in the supermarket? No wonder, in addition to the classic oat flakes in all their forms, many other cereal flakes can now also be found. Depending on the desired texture and preparation time, you can use different types of oat flakes for your porridge. These are obtained from the oat grain and then processed.
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Hearty oat flakes absorb liquid less quickly and make the porridge al dente.
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Tender oat flakes absorb liquid quickly and make the porridge particularly creamy.
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Metal flakes, also known as Instant Oats, are perfect for a particularly quick breakfast porridge.
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Oat bran is particularly rich in fiber and makes for a very fine porridge.
Is porridge healthy?
Porridge is not only delicious and keeps you full for a long time, but it also has a lot more to offer. Fiber in oatmeal serves as food for the health-promoting bacteria in the large intestine and is important for good digestion. A high fiber content in foods also keeps you full for a long time and has a balancing effect on blood sugar levels. The so-called beta-glucan in particular ensures healthy intestinal flora and prevents cravings.
Oatmeal is also the perfect basis for your vegan protein breakfast . In addition to protein and the B vitamin thiamine, your body is also supplied with minerals such as phosphorus, magnesium and zinc as well as trace elements such as iron, copper and selenium. Whether porridge is healthy or a sugar trap depends on the products you stir into your breakfast porridge or spread on it.
Tip: A ready-made porridge from the supermarket or café is often prepared with sugary fruit purees, cereal crisps or chocolate creams. If you want to eat healthily or even lose weight, pay attention to a clean list of ingredients or ask for a modified option with fresh fruit and whole nuts.
Is porridge gluten-free?
Oats and the flakes made from them are inherently gluten-free. However, both during cultivation and processing, oats can come into contact with grains containing gluten. If you want or need to be on the safe side, choose oat flakes that are labeled gluten-free or use gluten-free pseudo-grains such as millet, buckwheat, quinoa or amaranth.
So many calories does porridge have
Porridge made from oat flakes is an essential part of healthy eating. The breakfast porridge is also recommended for losing weight. Porridge keeps you full for a long time and - depending on how it is prepared - is relatively low in calories. However, the nutritional values and calories of porridge always depend on what else ends up in your bowl apart from the oat flakes and liquid.
Depending on the ingredients and preparation, a portion of porridge contains around 300 to 500 calories. We want to show you an example and use our basic recipe with 250 ml of oat milk for the calculation. The porridge is refined with an apple. As a topping we use a tablespoon of pumpkin seeds and a teaspoon of almond butter.
| Ingredients | Energy |
| 50 grams of oats | approximately 175 kcal |
| 250 ml oat milk | approximately 100 kcal |
| 1 medium-sized apple | approximately 90 kcal |
| Toppings | approximately 140 kcal |
As you can see, the small topping temptations make up a large proportion of the calories, but also add important nutrients and taste to your breakfast. So you shouldn't miss out on it under any circumstances, just enjoy it in moderation.
Sources:
Federal Food Key (accessed on April 20, 2022)
More fiber please! (2012): DGE Aktuell, In: https://www.dge.de/presse/pm/mehr-ballaststoffe-bitte/ (accessed on 20.04.2022)
Oats, Harvard T.C. Chan, In: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/oats/ (accessed on 20.04.2022)
Beta-Glucans - Nutritional Therapeutic Aspects (2022): Specialist Society for Nutritional Therapy and Prevention: In: https://fet-ev.eu/beta-glucane/ (accessed on 20.04.2022)
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