This vegan Brown Rice Pudding puts a healthy twist on the classic creamy dessert. With ingredients like cinnamon, maple syrup, and raisins, it's also fantastic for breakfast! Experiment with different spices, switch up the toppings, or use white rice. You can also choose between oven-baked rice pudding or stovetop prep!
This fabulous brown rice pudding recipe comes to us courtesy of Jenn Sebestyen, creator of the popular blog Veggie Inspired. This is one of the recipes in her book, Plant-Based Diet Cookbook for Dummies (shared with permission).
I'm a huge fan of Jenn's, so I was thrilled to dive head-first into this cookbook! This collection is truly a testament to her creativity and knack for creating family-pleasing, approachable vegan recipes.
Not only is this book packed with more than 125 plant-based recipes, in true "For Dummies" fashion it's also full of valuable information about the benefits and how-tos of a plant-based diet.
And for you veteran vegans out there, Plant-Based Diet Cookbook for Dummies is a great one to gift to friends and family who are curious about a plant-based diet.
Related Recipes: If you enjoy this healthy rice pudding, try my Farro Breakfast Pudding and Vegan Rum Raising Pudding next!
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Why You'll Love It
- perfect texture - the pudding is delightfully creamy, while plump raisins add a chewy contrast and crunchy nuts on top give it the perfect finishing touch.
- doubles as dessert and breakfast - whether you want to indulge with whipped cream and sweet toppings or keep it simple for a wholesome morning meal, this dish has you covered!
- make ahead - this pudding keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days, making it ideal for breakfast or dessert meal prep.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- brown rice - I've made this dish with both long grain and short grain brown rice. We preferred the short grain.
- vanilla rice milk - the vanilla milk really adds an extra layer of flavor and creaminess. You can also use another type of vanilla plant-based milk, such as oat, almond, soy, or coconut.
- arrowroot starch - for thickening the pudding mixture. Substitute cornstarch if needed.
- maple syrup - adds just the right amount of sweetness to the rice pudding. You want pure maple syrup here, not pancake syrup. Or substitute agave nectar or organic cane sugar.
- flavorings - vanilla extract (or powder), a generous amount of aromatic cinnamon, and a bit of sea salt enhance the flavors of the pudding.
- raisins - add natural sweetness and a chewy texture that perfectly complements the creaminess of the rice pudding
See the recipe card below for amounts and step-by-step instructions.
How to Make Brown Rice Pudding
Step 1: Make the rice. First, bring the brown rice and water to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook until the rice is soft, about 45 minutes.
Step 2: Combine rice with other ingredients. Whisk the arrowroot starch into the milk, then add the rice, cinnamon, salt, maple syrup, vanilla, and raisins (I made one batch with raisins and one without, which is why you don't see any in the photo above).
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Step 3: Bake and cool. Pour the mixture into an oiled baking dish, and cover with foil. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven until hot and bubbly, about 1 hour. Then, stir in a little more milk, and let the rice pudding cool for a few minutes. In the cookbook, Jenn recommends letting the pudding rest for 1 hour before serving.
Hint :
If you want to enjoy your rice pudding while it's warm, you can certainly eat sooner. I know I couldn't wait an hour before digging in!
Serving Suggestions
- Top with chopped pistachios, almonds, or your favorite nuts. You can also add a little flair with my Bourbon Spiced Candied Pecans or Maple Glazed Walnuts.
- Brown rice pudding is also delicious with some homemade Vegan Whipped Cream and an extra dusting of cinnamon on top!
- If you're having the rice pudding for breakfast, try sprinkling on some of this Oil-Free Granola or Microwave Granola for some added crunch. A dollop of tangy vegan yogurt tastes good, too!
Helpful Tips
The first time I made the recipe, I was pressed for time so I cooked the rice in the Instant Pot. This led to a drier, firmer brown rice, so I don't recommend it. Be sure to cook the rice on the stovetop exactly as Jenn says in the recipe! It's much creamier that way.
I also used long grain basmati rice in my first batch because that's what I had in the pantry. For my second batch, I decided to pick up some short grain brown rice, which I think has a more classic rice pudding feel. But technically, you can use any type of rice you have on hand.
You can even use leftover rice, as long as it is plain and not seasoned with anything savory. You'll need about 3 ½ to 4 cups of cooked rice.
Since the Instant Pot rice I used in my first batch was on the drier side, the baked rice pudding ended up less creamy than I wanted. So I decided to increase the milk to 2 cups for my second batch. And it turned out great!
Variations
- Stovetop - don't feel like turning on the oven? Simmer the rice pudding in a heavy bottomed sauce pan for about 20 minutes or until creamy.
- Refined sugar-free - instead of sweetened vanilla milk, use your favorite unsweetened milk, and increase the maple syrup to taste. A couple of tablespoons should do the trick!
- Spice blends - get creative with your rice pudding! Try a bit of ground ginger, chai, pumpkin spice, or a pinch of cardamom.
- Other additions - chocolate chips are delicious in rice pudding; if you're more of a fruity dessert fan, omit the cinnamon and add fresh berries. You can also stir in jam or jelly before serving.
- White rice - adjust the cook time for the rice based on the package instructions. This will create an even softer, more classic vegan rice pudding.
How to Store
Store leftover rice pudding in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
I haven't tried freezing this rice pudding yet but typically rice pudding is freezer-friendly. If you freeze some of the leftovers let us know in the comments below!
More Vegan Pudding Recipes
Grab your copy of Plant-Based Diet CookBook for Dummies, and if you try this vegan rice pudding be sure let us know in the comments below!
Recipe
Vegan Brown Rice Pudding
Equipment
- baking dish
Ingredients
- 1½ cups dry brown rice - We liked short grain rice in this recipe
- 3 cups water
- 2 Tablespoons arrowroot starch
- 1½ cups vanilla rice milk (or another type of non-dairy milk), divided - I used closer to 2 cups because we wanted it extra creamy and sweet!
- ¼ cup raisins - optional
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla powder or vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon - Can decrease to 2 teaspoons for a lighter color and stronger vanilla flavor
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- pistachios, almonds, or other nuts for garnish
Instructions
- In a heavy, medium saucepan, place the brown rice and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until very soft, 45-50 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a 9-inch square baking dish (ceramic or glass).
- In a large bowl dissolve the arrowroot powder in 1 cup of the milk (I used 1½ cups milk here to make it extra sweet and creamy). Add the cooked rice, raisins, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt; mix well to combine.
- Transfer to the baking dish. Cover with foil and bake until browned and bubbly, about 1 hour.
- Remove from the oven and stir in the remaining ½ cup of milk. Let cool for about 1 hour before serving. Garnish with nuts.
Notes
- Stovetop - don't feel like turning on the oven? Simmer the rice pudding in a heavy bottomed sauce pan for about 20 minutes or until creamy.
- Refined sugar-free - instead of sweetened vanilla milk, use your favorite unsweetened milk, and increase maple syrup to taste (or add date syrup or coconut sugar). A couple of tablespoons is plenty.
- Spice blends - try a bit of ground ginger, chai, pumpkin spice, or a pinch of cardamom.
- Other additions - chocolate chips are delicious in rice pudding; if you're more of a fruity dessert fan, omit the cinnamon and add fresh berries or finely chopped apple or pear. You can also stir in jam or jelly before serving.
- White rice - adjust the cook time for the rice based on the package instructions. This will create a softer, more classic vegan rice pudding.
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and ingredients used.
Hiroshi says
I made this with around 2 tablespoons more raisin paste and 2 tablespoons soaking water from making soaking the raisins beforehand to make up for the missing liquid instead of the maple syrup and used oat mylk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder and it turned out great. Thank you for tbr recipe. 🙂
Janet Cox says
What about putting it in a slow cooker over night? I have a really small one that I often fix steel cut oats in. It sounds wonderful.
Lori says
Absolutely. Slow cooker rice pudding sounds great! I haven't tried it yet myself. Let us know if you do, Janet.
Lorna says
We loved this rice pudding! There are a few changes I want to make next time. I used 1 1/2 c. milk and will increase it to 2 c. like you did. I ended up adding 1 c. of milk at the end when it was cooling. I used 2 tsp. cinnamon, but it was stronger than I like, so I will use less next time. I love raisins in it, so I will increase that amount.This is a keeper. This was my first time seeing your website and I've written down several recipes I want to try this week!
Lori says
So glad you loved it, Lorna! And that you found my site. Welcome!