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Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Breakfast

Pumpkin Porridge

Apr 27, 2023 · Written by Dannii Martin · This post may contain affiliate links which earn us commissions if purchases are made · 84 Comments

1058 shares
  • 594
Diet: Gluten Free / Vegetarian
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Pumpkin porridge with a text title overlay.

When pumpkin season hits, this pumpkin porridge is one of our go-to breakfasts. All the delicious comforting flavours of a sweet pumpkin pie, but in some breakfast oats. Pumpkin Porridge is also a great way to sneak some extra fruit (yes, pumpkin is a fruit) into your diet.

A bowl of porridge next to a smaller bowl of pumpkin puree and a whole pumpkin.

There is so much more that you can do with pumpkin than just carve them. The flesh is delicious turned into puree and added to oats or cakes and cookies. You can puree the pumpkin yourself, or just buy it in a can and save yourself some time. Canned pumpkin is a cupboard staple in the autumn.

We love adding it to porridge for a comforting breakfast with an autumnal twist.

For more porridge recipes, take a look at our spiced Orange Porridge, easy Banana Porridge or delicious Apple Pie Porridge.

Jump to:
  • Why you will love it
  • Ingredients needed
  • How to make Pumpkin Porridge - Step by step
  • Health benefits of pumpkin
  • How to make pumpkin puree
  • Porridge Toppings
  • FAQs
  • Extra tips
  • More pumpkin recipes
  • Recipe
  • Feedback

Why you will love it

  • A delicious way to use pumpkin - If you have lots of pumpkin puree to use up, then this is an easy way to do it.
  • A warming and comforting breakfast - The best way to start the day on a cold morning.
  • Kids love it - Kids love porridge, and this is an easy way to add a nutritional boost to it.
  • Easy to adapt - Feel free to adapt this with your favourite porridge toppings.

Ingredients needed

All the ingredients needed to make this recipe laid out with text overlay labels.
  • Oats - Rolled oats (old fashioned) are best.
  • Pumpkin - We used canned pumpkin puree, but fresh will work too. See below for how to use a fresh pumpkin.
  • Milk - We used whole milk, but semi-skimmed (2%) will also work, as will non-dairy such as almond milk, cashew milk or oat milk.
  • Maple syrup - Adds some nice sweetness. Honey can be used too.
  • Chia seeds - To add some healthy protein. You could add flaxseeds too.
  • Spices - We wanted that lovely, warming spiced pumpkin taste, so we added cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.

A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

How to make Pumpkin Porridge - Step by step

One: Put all of the ingredients in a saucepan and mix well.

A saucepan containing milk, oats, pumpkin and spices.

Two: Simmer for 4-5 minutes until thickened.

Cooked pumpkin porridge in a saucepan.

Three: Divide between bowls and top with yogurt and maple syrup and any other toppings of your choice.

Pumpkin porridge topped with yogurt, fruit and chopped pecans.

Health benefits of pumpkin

Pumpkins have lots of health benefits. Firstly, it is low in calories and high in fibre. This means it will keep you fuller for longer and a high fibre diet has been proven to keep your heart healthy.

Pumpkins contain high amounts of of vitamin A, which can help reduce the decline of retinal function, meaning your eyes will stay healthier. They are also high in beta-carotene and other antioxidants with cancer protective properties.

They are high in phytoestrogens which can lower blood pressure. And finally, they are rich in tryptophan. This is responsible for making serotonin, which helps improve your mood and can help improve your quality of sleep. So all in all, pumpkins really are great for you.

How to make pumpkin puree

You can save yourself some time by using canned pumpkin puree, however if you want to make your own then it isn't that difficult. You could bake it in the oven, or boil it in a pan, which is what we do as it's much quicker.

  • Firstly, cut the pumpkin in half and remove all the seeds, pulp and skin. Don't throw the seeds away, as you can save them to roast for snacks.
  • Cube the pumpkin flesh into large pieces.
  • Put the pumpkin cubes in a large saucepan full of water. Bring the water to a boil and simmer covered for 15-20 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender.
  • Drain and leave it to cool down completely before putting it in a blender and blending until smooth.

You can store your pumpkin puree in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.

Yogurt, dried fruit and pecans on top of some porridge.

Porridge Toppings

The best thing about porridge is all the toppings you can load on it. We added yogurt, maple syrup and pecans with some pumpkin seeds. However, you could add your favourite nuts, seeds and dried fruit. Some chia seeds sprinkled on top are good too.

Another delicious autumnal topping option is sautéed cinnamon apples. They go really well with the pumpkin and spices.

An orange coloured porridge in a blue bowl in front of a whole pumpkin.

FAQs

What to do with leftover porridge

If you measure it out, then you should have just the right amount of porridge for breakfast. However, if you end up with too much, don't throw it away.
You can use leftover porridge to make pancakes. Make sure it is completely cooled first, and then mix in some flour, eggs and milk and drop a few tablespoons of batter into an oiled pan and cook for a couple of minutes each time.

How to make vegan pumpkin porridge

It's easy to make this porridge vegan. Make sure you use a vegan milk alternative (we really like oat milk) and then a coconut yogurt on top and keep all the other toppings vegan.

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Extra tips

• You can swap the maple syrup for honey (or another liquid sweetener), however it will no longer be vegan.
• Don't throw leftover porridge away. Turn it in pancakes instead.
• You can make this vegan by using a vegan milk alternative like almond or oat and then making sure all the toppings are vegan.
• For gluten free porridge, make sure you use certified gluten free oats.

More pumpkin recipes

  • A bowl of pumpkin overnight oats topped with seeds and nuts
    Pumpkin Overnight Oats
  • A bowl of pumpkin soup topped with a swirl of cream, pumpkin seeds and chilli flakes.
    Creamy Pumpkin Soup
  • Two mugs of latte topped with cream.
    Pumpkin Spice Latte
  • Goat's Cheese and Pumpkin Salad in a large round bowl.
    Goats Cheese and Pumpkin Salad

If you’ve tried this pumpkin porridge recipe, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

Recipe

Pumpkin porridge topped with yogurt, fruit and chopped pecans.

Pumpkin Porridge

By: Dannii Martin
All the delicious comforting flavours of a sweet pumpkin pie, but in some breakfast oats. Pumpkin Pie Porridge is also a great way to sneak some extra fruit into your diet.
A circular logo saying GF.
Gluten Free
An illustration of a v-shaped plant.
Vegetarian
4.98 from 84 votes
Pin Print Save recipe Saved!
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Prep: 1 minute min
Cook: 6 minutes mins
Total: 7 minutes mins
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 318kcal
Allergens:
An illustration of a carton of milk.
Dairy

Ingredients

  • 60 g (0.75 cups) Oats
  • 350 ml (1.5 cups) Whole milk
  • 5 tablespoon Pumpkin puree
  • 2 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 0.5 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 0.5 teaspoon Ground nutmeg
  • 0.5 teaspoon Ground ginger
  • 2 tablespoon Maple syrup
  • Pecans and dried cherries for serving - (optional)

Instructions

  • Put all of the ingredients in a saucepan and mix well.
  • Simmer for 4-5 minutes until thickened.
  • Divide between bowls and top with yogurt and maple syrup and any other toppings of your choice.

Recipe Tips

  • You can swap the maple syrup for honey (or another liquid sweetener), however it will no longer be vegan.
  • Don't throw leftover porridge away. Turn it in pancakes instead.
  • You can make this vegan by using a vegan milk alternative like almond or oat and then making sure all the toppings are vegan.
  • For gluten free porridge, make sure you use certified gluten free oats.

Nutritional Information

Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 318kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 83mg | Potassium: 511mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 6120IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 327mg | Iron: 3mg

The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.

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Comments

  1. Annie says

    November 28, 2021 at 8:18 am

    5 stars
    This is wonderful, I made it this morning, it was like eating warm pumpkin pie. I used coconut milk from the can and added a pich of ground cloves. It was absolutely wonderful! Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  2. Gina says

    September 27, 2020 at 4:34 pm

    5 stars
    This is a gorgeous bowl for breakfast! Love the added nutrients from the pumpkin and how the chia seeds help thicken things up. A blank slate for toppings too!

    Reply
  3. Jacqueline and says

    September 24, 2020 at 11:33 am

    5 stars
    I would never have thought to make pumpkin porridge. I do love these spices you used. So autumnal.

    Reply
  4. Sandhya's Kitchen says

    September 24, 2020 at 10:38 am

    5 stars
    This Pumpkin Pie Porridge is nothing short of deliciousness. Love the Autumn flavors and spices in the porridge.

    Reply
  5. Anjali says

    September 24, 2020 at 8:46 am

    5 stars
    This is the perfect fall breakfast recipe!! Made it this week and my whole family loved it!

    Reply
  6. Kirstie Melville says

    October 22, 2016 at 11:14 pm

    5 stars
    This looks absolutely blooming incredible! Autumn in a bowl! x

    Reply
  7. Louise says

    October 06, 2016 at 1:43 pm

    5 stars
    This is a new one, I haven't seen this idea before - I love hearing new ideas defintley one to think about. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  8. Lauren says

    October 05, 2016 at 11:50 pm

    Now my usual porridge seems really boring and bland. Definitely giving this a try!

    Reply
  9. The London Mum says

    October 05, 2016 at 10:49 pm

    5 stars
    I am a big pumpkin fan, so it's nice to read new ways to use it in cooking.

    Reply
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My name is Dannii. Here you will find easy family recipes with a healthy twist.

Established in 2011, Hungry Healthy Happy has become one of the UK's most popular food blogs, with two successful recipe books published.

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