Overnight Brown Rice Porridge (High Protein)

Overnight brown rice porridge is the easy, grab and go healthy breakfast you are craving! It has everything you need to refuel after an early morning run or power you through a long day ahead. It has 7 grams protein per serving, too.

Brown Rice for Breakfast

I rarely forget about food, but I do forget about foods. I’m prone to obsess over particular ingredients, using them with reckless abandon (until my husband begins to revolt). Then I ditch my darling (the ingredient, not the husband) and move along to my next favorite thing.

So as I thumbed through some health magazines at the doctor’s office the other morning, I was reminded of one of my favorites: brown rice. Specifically, brown rice for breakfast.

The article was about the benefits of brown rice (especially as an easy, healthier alternative to white rice), and mentioned eating leftover brown rice for breakfast with a drizzle of milk and a sprinkle of brown sugar.

My mom was a staunch brown rice believer. I am not sure I ate white rice until my first trip to a Chinese restaurant (where I wondered why the rice was so tasteless). She did not have to convince me, or my siblings, to like it–we did, because it was so tasty (nutty and fragrant). 

Mom served brown rice at dinner time, and in rice salads for picnics. But brown rice for breakfast? Yum! Why had I not thought of this before? 

Benefits of Overnight Brown Rice Porridge

• Vegan (egg-free, dairy-free)
• Gluten-free
• Made with 4 ingredients
• Easy to make
• 7 grams portion per serving
• 6 grams fiber per serving

What are the Benefits of Brown Rice?

Brown rice is such a healthy (an inexpensive) option to keep on hand, for any meal of the day. It is a whole grain, meaning that it contains three parts of the grain kernel: the outer, fiber-filled layer called the bran, the nutrient-rich core called the germ, and the starchy middle layer called the endosperm. 

White rice, by contrast, is a refined grain, meaning that the bran and the germ have been removed, including much of the fiber and nutrients.

Since brown rice is a fiber rich whole grain, it keeps you feeling full, much longer than if you ate an equivalent amount of a refined grain like white rice. The fiber is also excellent for overall gut health.

Brown rice has multiple minerals and vitamins, too, including the following:

• minerals: calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, sodium, zinc
• vitamins: thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, and vitamins A, B, C, and D

Ingredients

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.

• nondairy milk (e.g., almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk, cashew milk)
• cooked brown rice (medium-grain or short-grain brown rice)
• golden flaxseed meal (see notes for options)
• coconut sugar (see notes for options)
• optional: pinch of salt
• optional toppings: see list in notes below

Tip: Options for Cooked Brown Rice

Perhaps the one checkmark against brown rice is that it can take upwards of an hour to cook, depending on the grain length. Not exactly the friendliest option for the weekday morning breakfast rush.

But solutions abound. Here are some suggestions for getting the cooked brown rice for this recipe:

• Prepare a double batch: Next time you prepare brown rice, make a double batch. Freeze the extra cooked rice in 1 cup portions. Defrost as need.
• Buy frozen brown rice: Frozen brown rice is available in the freezer section of most well-stocked grocery stores. You can often find it near the frozen vegetables.
• Purchase ready-to-eat brown rice: Ready to eat cooked brown rice is available in the section of the grocery store where grains, such as raw rice, are shelved. Use what you need for the recipe and freeze the remaining rice.
• Use Instant Brown Rice: Quick-cooking “convenience” foods often mean a sacrifice in nutrition, but that is not the case with instant brown rice. The nutrition in instant brown rice is virtually identical to traditional brown rice, yet it cooks in 5 minutes.

Step by Step Instructions

Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.

• Place the brown rice in a 16 ounce jar or other sealable container.
• Add the milk, flaxseed meal, coconut sugar, and optional salt to the jar. Stir to combine. Cover the jar or container.
• Store in the refrigerator overnight.
• The next morning, stir the porridge. Enjoy cold, or heat (in the jar, without the lid, or a bowl) until warmed through.
• Serve plain, or with any of the suggested toppings.

Ideas for Toppings and Stir-Ins

• Vegan protein powder
• Chopped dried fruit (e.g., apricots, cherries, cranberries, raisins)
• Chopped fresh fruit or berries (e.g., bananas, apples, raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, peaches)
• Vanilla extract or almond extract
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• Additional milk (e.g., oat milk, soy milk, cashew milk)
• Nuts or seeds (e.g., chia seeds, pecans, sunflower seed kernels, walnuts, almonds, hemp hearts)
• Flake or shredded coconut
• Nut butter or seed butter (e.g., peanut butter, almond butter, sunflower seed butter)

FAQ

• Can I Store the Porridge for More than 1 Night? Yes, you can store the porridge in its airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Can I Heat the Porridge? Yes! The porridge is wonderful chilled, but it can also be heated in the microwave for one to two minutes.
• Can I Make the Porridge with Other Varieties of Cooked Rice? Yes! Use any variety of cooked rice, such as black rice, red rice, or white rice.
• Can I Make this Porridge with Other Cooked Grains? Yes! Feel free to swap a cup of almost any other cooked grains for the brown rice. For example, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, or sorghum.
• What Can I Use in Place of the Flaxseed Meal? Dark flaxseed meal can be used in place of the golden flaxseed meal. You can also use 2 teaspoons of chia seeds, or 1/2 teaspoon of while psyllium husks.
• What Can I Use in Place of the Coconut Sugar? Use any sweetener you prefer in place of the coconut sugar, including maple syrup, agave nectar, brown sugar, cane sugar, or brown rice syrup.

So, on your marks, get set, and go make some soul-satisfying, nourishing porridge with almost no effort at all!

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• Coconut Black Rice Pudding {5-ingredients, vegan}
• Vegan Keto Coconut Flax Porridge {2-Ingredients}
• Coconut Flour Baked “Oatmeal” (vegan, oil-free, grain-free)
• Grain-Free Blueberry Baked Porridge (vegan, keto option)