Brown Rice Pudding with almond milk, chia seeds, raisins, frozen fruit, maple syrup and Greek yogurt. Try it for a fuss-free week of healthy breakfast ideas!
Our other favorite make-ahead breakfasts include chia pudding, overnight oats and chocolate chia pudding.
Healthy Rice Pudding
Brown rice pudding… A few years ago after we got back from Mexico, I wasn’t sure what to cook for breakfast.
I got so tired of oats for breakfast and quinoa for dinner. Even pumpkin chia pudding wasn’t going to cut it! I immediately thought of rice.
Is Rice Pudding Healthy?
I grew up in Ukraine on rice pudding for breakfast. We call any grain cooked with milk and sweetener “kasha” (we are cooking steel cut oats the same way now). We did not have brown rice then.
Can you make rice pudding with brown rice healthy? Of course, if you make this simple almond milk brown rice pudding with a bit of butter and vanilla. And then load with superfoods like chia seeds, raisins, frozen fruit and maple syrup. Of course, it is healthy! It’s perfect for healthy snacks, too!
Just look at all the goodness you will nourish your body with!
How to Make Breakfast Rice Pudding
- Rinse brown rice with cold water really well, until water is clear; drain.
- In a medium pot, combine brown rice, 4 cups of milk, butter and vanilla extract. Bring to a boil and cook on low covered for 40 minutes. Stir a few times.
- Remove from heat and add 2 cups of milk, raisins and chia seeds. Stir and let the pudding set for 15 minutes. Transfer to a large baking dish and add toppings: berries, Greek yogurt and maple syrup. Stir again. YUM!
Tips for Best Healthy Rice Pudding
- Don’t walk away from milk until it boils. This will save it from burning.
- Use leftover rice: You will need 3 cups of cooked Instant Pot brown rice, Instant Pot long grain white rice, Instant Pot jasmine rice or Instant Pot basmati rice.
- Make ahead and refrigerate in a large baking dish for up to 5 days. Hello, easy breakfast!
- Make vegan with coconut oil instead of butter. So good!
- If you are not on a dairy free diet, use cow’s milk. This sweet rice pudding will be even more creamy.
- Use fresh berries when in season and frozen other months to save money.
- Replace berries with frozen mango in winter.
More Healthy Breakfast Recipes
- Healthy granola
- Quinoa breakfast bake
- Quinoa granola
- Instant Pot yogurt recipe
- Chocolate banana chia pudding
- Banana chia seed pudding
- Mango chia seed pudding
Brown Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 cup jasmine brown rice*
- 6 cups unsweetened almond milk divided**
- 2 tbsp butter salted***
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 3 cups frozen berries cherries, blueberries, chopped strawberries, raspberries
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt 2% or higher
- 2 tbsp maple syrup or raw honey
Instructions
- Rinse rice with cold water really well, until water is clear; drain. In a medium pot, combine rice, 4 cups of milk, butter and vanilla extract. Cover and bring to a boil (don’t walk away so milk doesn’t run away). Reduce heat to low and cook covered for 40 minutes or until rice is soft and tender, stirring a few times and making sure rice is not burning (good pots really help).
- Remove form heat and add 2 cups of milk, raisins and chia seeds. Stir and let the pudding set for 15 minutes.
- Transfer to a large baking dish and add berries, Greek yogurt and maple syrup, stir gently. Adjust anything to taste and enjoy this best healthy brown rice pudding for breakfast or a snack.
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate covered for up to 5 days.
- Adapted from this recipe. *I used jasmine rice but basmati or long grain brown rice would work. You can use short grain but consistency will be more mushy. **Any milk from a carton would work. I think coconut, rice or cashew milk would be amazing. ***If using unsalted butter add a pinch of salt.
Hi, I can’t each chia or dairy (butter). Would quinoa and coconut oil (With a little salt) be a good substitute?
Hi Nell. I haven’t tested this recipe with quinoa and coconut oil. You can always give it a try and let me know how it turns out.
What’s a good pot to use for this? Heavy-bottomed?
Sure!
I loved this rice pudding recipe!
It was creamy and the blueberries
Gave it a tangy flavor. Just the right amount of sweetness too.
Awesome Rosie!
Excellent pudding!
Love the texture of this, not too sweet with the nuttiness of the rice. The fresh berries brings it to the next level. Will be making this again – will try my favorite coconut yogurt instead.
Making this for the first time. What’s the best way to serve the leftovers? Warm or cold? If warm, how do you prefer to reheat it? Thanks so much!
Leftovers can be enjoyed warm or cold. To warm up, best is to simmer with a splash of almond milk or water on low heat and stir occasionally. Enjoy!
Can you use any brown rice or just Jasmine?
Any brown rice.
Hello!
I’m making the recipe, but 6 cups of milk seems like a lot. Mine isn’t boiling down at all, even before I’ve added the 2 additional cups… Is this normal? Perhaps the China seeds will soak up a lot of it?
Thank you!
As rice cooks it absorbs the milk. So as it sits along with chia seeds. It should work if you flow the recipe and wait till the end.:)