Savoury Fonio Porridge (Vegan +GF)

This is a super simple recipe for a vegan and gluten-free savoury fonio porridge that will be perfect for breakfast or any meal.

Porridge is a dish that is enjoyed worldwide using different grains or cereal, from rice to oat to wheat and everything in between. Even in West Africa, we enjoy a variety of porridges made with different grains. Fonio porridge is not something that is very popular and I have not come across a place of origin; however, the grain is having some kind of renaissance in West Africa. I saw one of my favourite African stores share a basic fonio porridge recipe on Instagram and had to try it out for myself. (Check out the inspo here). Thus, I thought I will share a recipe celebrating this grain in a not-so-traditional twist. Think something along the lines of grits in shrimp and grits. This savoury porridge is creamy, silky and perfect with any topping. For this recipe, we are going with a basic tofu egg stew, which I have shared in a previous post linked below.

What is Fonio

Fonio is a grain indigenous to Western Africa that is part of the millet family but does not look like what people see as millet. It is a unique grain that is earthy, incredibly small like teff but has a different and indescribable flavour profile. Fonio is a grain I added to my pantry a few years ago and have written extensively about it. If you want to learn more about Fonio, please check out my blog post on Fonio (click here)

What you will need for this recipe

• Fonio: This is the star of the dish. For more info about fonio or where to purchase it, please check out my blog post
• Plant Milk: To make the porridge extra creamy, using plant-based milk is important. I definitely recommend soy milk but feel free to choose any milk of choice
• Seasoning: Salt and Pepper go a long way for this dish. But you can add more seasoning if you prefer. I also occasionally add garlic
• Tofu Egg Stew: I have already published a recipe for this on my page. You can check it out as part of my Health African-Inspired lunch recipes post (click here). In this recipe, I use a plant-based liquid egg, but add instructions to sub for tofu.

Customizing the porridge

This porridge is definitely customizable. Fell free to add more spices to the porridge, some vegan cheese and top with anything you want. Tofu, tempeh, beans, anything really.

Print Recipe

Savoury Fonio Porridge

Porridge – West African

By Afia – Serves: 3

Cooking Time: 15 minutes – Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fonio
• 3 cups of plant-based milk
• 1 cup of water
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 cloves of garlic minced (optional)

Instructions

1

1. Bring the liquid (milk and water) to a boil in a pot at medium heat (Keep an eye on it)

2

2. Once the oil has come to a boil, add your fonio and turn the heat down a little (between low and medium heat)

3

3. Let the fonio cook for about 10 minutes till you get a porridge consistency.

4

4. Take it off the heat, serve and top with tofu egg stew or with any topping of choice.