Vegan Quinoa Porridge is the perfect cozy winter breakfast, and even better when it’s topped with bright roasted citrus.
I’ve never really been an oatmeal person.
Something about the texture doesn’t really do it for me. Still, I’ve tried and tried. I have added different textures, some crunch. I have added in far too much brown sugar, completely canceling out oatmeal’s healthy factor. All to no avail. Oatmeal and I just don’t mesh well.
I do love the idea of an oatmeal or porridge, though. A gluten-free and whole-grain, hearty, and filling breakfast. But guess what? You don’t have to make porridge with oats. A porridge is technically just a grain or cereal, boiled in milk, and served hot. I could totally do that with one of my favorite grain-like seeds: quinoa.
Quinoa is most definitely not just a side dish. It’s a very versatile little seed, perfect for soups, salads, stuffed peppers, breakfast, hearty grain bowls, and even adding crunch to chocolate.
Quinoa porridge has been around for a bit. I’ve seen it on blogs, Instagram, and on menus at Portland’s many, many vegan restaurants. I love quinoa and let me tell you: if you’re also a fan of the grain, this breakfast is heaven in a bowl.
This vegan quinoa porridge is so easy to make, and really could be made with any of your favorite fixin’s. Here, I make this hearty gluten-free breakfast bowl spiced with fresh ginger and cinnamon. A little bit of brown sugar, vanilla bean, and maple syrup goes a long way in adding sweetness. Crunchy almonds add texture and oven-roasted citrus offer bright, beautiful balance.
As you know, I’m all about winter citrus. I turn it into cocktails, toss it into salads, and even make it into a dessert via chia pudding.
And I love roasting it.
Roasting citrus at high temperatures concentrates its sweetness and flavors. It’s also a wonderful way to add some brightness and punch to your winter meals. You can leave the peel on and roast citrus with your favorite roasted vegetables, meat, or chicken. You can also serve it by itself as a simple dessert with some freshly made vanilla-speckled whipped cream. Roast it a little longer for that pleasantly-burnt and more caramelized, deeper flavor. Gather even more inspiration here.
For the vegan quinoa porridge, I peel it because I want these breakfast bowls juicy and spoon-worthy.
The citrus (I used grapefruit and cara cara, but blood oranges would be lovely, too) simply gets drizzled with a little coconut oil, sea salt, and cinnamon, and it’s good to go.
And here’s a few things you may need for this recipe
truRoots Organic Quinoa 100% Whole Grain // Rodelle Vanilla Beans // Simply Organic Cinnamon Ground Certified Organic // Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Light Brown Sugar
This post contains affiliate links, but are always only products I highly recommend.

Vegan Quinoa Porridge with Roasted Citrus
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Breakfast
Description
Vegan Quinoa Porridge is the perfect cozy winter breakfast, and even better when it’s topped with bright roasted citrus.
Ingredients
For the Roasted Citrus:
- 3 cara cara oranges
- 1 grapefruit
- 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
- Pinch sea salt
- Pinch ground cinnamon
For the Quinoa Porridge:
- 1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk (plus more for serving)
- 1 vanilla bean
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
- Pinch salt
- Chopped almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. With a sharp knife, peel the skin and outer pith of the oranges and grapefruit. Then, slice into rounds and arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with coconut oil and a pinch of salt and cinnamon. Roast for 10-12 minutes.
- Rinse and drain the quinoa and place in a pot with the almond milk. Scrape out the vanilla bean seeds and add the seeds, along with the whole pod, into the pot. Add a pinch of salt and bring the quinoa mixture to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and keep the quinoa at a steady, low simmer for 15 minutes. Keep an eye on the pot to ensure it doesn’t boil over.
- At 15 minutes, remove the pot from the heat and let stand 5 minutes (with the lid still on) until all of the milk is absorbed.
- Remove the vanilla bean. Gently stir in the maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, and freshly grated ginger.
- Scoop the quinoa into bowls and pour warm almond milk over the top. Top with the chopped almonds and the roasted citrus. Enjoy!
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Your ingredients photo is so cute! Lovely recipe. I’ve never roasted citrus, need to try!
Xx Taylor
http://lightscameracatwalk.com
Thank you, Taylor! 🙂
This is perfect for these cold winter days but looking ahead I absolutely see myself making this in the summer too!
★★★★★
It would be totally delicious any time of the year! 😉
This is truly heaven in a bowl! I am not one to wake up and think quinoa porridge and citrus for breakfast. The thought would never cross my mind. However, after seeing these beauties I have to give it a try. It looks so good! I love the addition of the roasted citrus. Yummy!
★★★★★
Thank you! 🙂