Pumpkin Porridge

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.

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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
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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

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.

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.

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

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