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This creamy, sweet, and delicious Jamaican classic is a great switch up an ordinary watery bowl of oatmeal. Jamaican oats porridge is a great breakfast recipe that will keep you full for hours, authentic, and easy to make!
There were two porridges I was obsessed with and ate constantly growing up. Cornmeal porridge and oats porridge. Due to the cow’s milk in our family recipe I stopped eating porridge in my high school years.
Fortunately for me, there were truly only a few tweaks that needed to be made until I was able to make this recipe completely dairy free! Come and let me teach you how to make delicious vegan Jamaican Oats Porridge.
What is Oats Porridge?
Oats Porridge is practically oatmeal but a creamier, Caribbean version. I always preferred when my mom made oats porridge versus regular oats because it was more warming and filling. It basically tastes like a warm coconut hug.
Jamaicans love to porridge any and everything. That includes but isn’t limited to: green banana, plantain, bulgur wheat, cornmeal, corn, peanut, and of course oatmeal. Porridge is a beloved breakfast dish across the island for many reasons. It’s easy to make, has nutritious and wholesome ingredients, and keeps you full and ready to take on the day for work or school.
What you need
- Dairy Free Condensed Milk– Can be subbed with sweetener of choice but this gives the dish that authentic Jamaican taste. Use this link to purchase vegan condensed milk. Or make your own with my homemade recipe!
- Steel Cut Oats– I prefer to use steel cut as they offer a more nutty, textured taste. You can use rolled or quick oats but be sure to adjust the cooking time.
- Coconut Milk
- Nutmeg
- Cinnamon
- Bay leaf
- Vanilla
- Water
- Salt
How to make Jamaican Oats porridge
Step One:
Prepare 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium to large size pot. In the meantime, pour 1 cup of water over your oats and allow them to soak for at least 5 minutes. Once the water in the pot is boiling, add in the soaked oats.
Step Two:
Stir the oats frequently. Cover the pot and allow to cook on medium\low heat for about 10 minutes. Once the oats start to soften, add in the coconut milk, vanilla, bay leaves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Add more coconut milk/water to your desired consistency. Allow to simmer for another 5-7 minutes.
Step Three:
Add in the vegan condensed milk to taste, serve and enjoy!
Browse all the authentic Jamaican vegan recipes on the blog
How to store Jamaican Oats Porridge
Jamaican oats porridge can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days! However, the oatmeal will greatly thicken as it sits in the fridge. During re-heating process, thin it out with a bit more coconut milk and feel free to add more sweetener to taste.
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