Vegan Quinoa Pudding with Tropical Fruit
Is a dessert ever “healthy?” This Vegan Quinoa Pudding with Tropical Fruit comes pretty close! Quinoa gets simmered with whole spices, then combined with coconut milk before it’s layered with passion fruit pudding and fresh mango. You can make it in advance, and the calories are relatively low compared, yet it provides 5 grams of protein. It’s vegan, gluten free, and delicious! Check it out!
👩🏻🍳 Tamara Talks – About Quinoa Pudding
I love cooking with quinoa, and you will always find this healthy pseudo-cereal (it’s actually a seed) in my well-stocked pantry. I have recipes for breakfast and dinner, but I have never done a quinoa dessert recipe.
While I have enjoyed many Peruvian dessert recipes during our Peruvian travels, I don’t recall having one with quinoa. My arroz con dulce was a favorite, but I’m currently avoiding a lot of foods, and I wanted this pudding to be vegan.
I have gotten a couple of comments about the lack of authenticity in my “Peruvian” recipes. Let’s not go there. First of all, I do not claim to be re-creating authentic Peruvian recipes, and certainly not Peruvian quinoa pudding recipes. I love the food and culture, and my aim is to bring a bit of Peruvian inspiration to my recipes with ingredients that non-Peruvians can readily find.
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.
~~ Oscar Wilde.
I fondly remember many desserts prepared by our campesinos on our Andean treks, and often Isaac would infuse liquid with whole spices. I love the flavor! In this spirit, I infuse the quinoa water with whole cinnamon and star anise during the initial 10 minutes. I reserve 1/4 cup of that infused water, combine it with both canned coconut milk and non-dairy coconut milk for the remainder of the cooking time.
The pièce de résistance of this dessert recipe is the layer of passionfruit pudding. It takes only a couple of ingredients, and a couple of minutes to make. I think you’ll love this fresh tasting, creamy, vegan dessert!
📋 Ingredients Notes
Here is a quick look at the ingredients in the recipe – it’s handy to use at the grocery store or as a summary of what you need. Skip to the recipe for quantities.
- cinnamon sticks
- star anise
- a big strip of orange peel
- quinoa –
- coconut milk – You’ll want the canned coconut milk that you typically find in the Asian section (regular or lite), not non-dairy milk from the Dairy section.
- milk – You can use non-dairy or dairy milk (I like coconut non-dairy milk). Keep in mind that dairy milk is not vegan.
- sugar – I use turbinado, piloncillo, or brown sugar because the flavor works well with the pudding (and it is less refined).
- vanilla
- salt
- passionfruit – Also known as passion fruit or maracuya, you’ll want purée. I can get fresh passionfruit, but they’re very expensive. I usually just Goya frozen passionfruit pulp.
- cornstarch
- agave nectar – Agave nectar keeps this quinoa pudding vegan. You can substitute honey 1:1 if you prefer.
- diced mango
- garnish with fresh mint if desired
Make the Passionfruit Pudding
If you’re comfortable watching 2 pots at one time, you can make the passionfruit pudding while the quinoa cooks. It’s super easy and quick!
- Add 3/4 cup passionfruit purée to a small saucepan. Heat it gently.
- Whisk together 1 tablespoon water, 1 tablespoon agave nectar, and one tablespoon cornstarch.
- Bring mixture to a rolling boil, stirring constantly, until thickened. Cool.
- Infuse the quinoa with the spices and orange peel – Add water, well-rinsed quinoa, and spices to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove 1/4 cup liquid and reserve before draining and removing spices.
- Prepare cooking liquid – combine the coconut milk, nut milk (or dairy milk), reserved spice infused water, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a bowl. Whisk thoroughly.
- Combine the quinoa with coconut milk mixture – Add the drained quinoa and the coconut milk mixture to the saucepan (you can use the same one!).
- Cook the quinoa – Bring up to a boil, then immediately reduce heat. Cover and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed (stirring occasionally) and the mixture is thickened (about 15-20 minutes). The quinoa should be very tender! Serve room temperature or chilled.
- Finish – To serve, spoon the quinoa pudding into serving dish, top with passionfruit pudding (previous section), garnish with fresh mango, and chiffonade of fresh mint.
❓FAQ
YES! I cook for 2, so we always have leftovers. Store it in an airtight container for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. I typically store the passionfruit pudding separately from the quinoa pudding and layer them just before serving. Top with fresh fruit and mint at the last moment.
💭 Tips
Rinse the quinoa. Place the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer. Rinse thoroughly under cool, running water. Rub and swish the quinoa with your hand while rinsing. Drain. Rinsing removes the saponin, the coating that makes quinoa taste bitter.
The quinoa pudding will continue to absorb liquid. If you want a little creamier dessert, simply add more coconut milk or milk to the consistency you prefer just before serving.
I can’t find passionfruit pulp/purée! You can substitute a different tropical fruit purée, or you can start with juice. Avoid using anything with added sugar as it will be overly sweet!
This quinoa pudding makes a perfectly acceptable (and delicious!) breakfast IMHO.
Have I convinced you yet? It really is simple to make, it can be made mostly in advance, and it’s pretty healthy (healthyish)!
Vegan Quinoa Pudding Recipe
Click to rate!
Ingredients
- 3 cups water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3 star anise
- a big strip of orange peel
- 1 cup quinoa - rinsed thoroughly
- 1 cup canned coconut milk - regular or lite
- 1 cup non-dairy or dairy milk - I use coconut non-dairy milk
- ½ cup raw or brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cooking spice-infused cooking liquid
- ¾ cup passionfruit purée
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon water
- diced mango and mint chiffonade - for garnish
Instructions
- Infuse the quinoa with the spices and orange peel – Add water, well-rinsed quinoa, and spices to a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove 1/4 cup liquid and reserve before draining and removing spices.
- Prepare cooking liquid – combine the coconut milk, nut milk (or dairy milk), reserved spice infused water, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a bowl. Whisk thoroughly.
- Combine the quinoa with coconut milk mixture – Add the drained quinoa and the coconut milk mixture to the saucepan (you can use the same one!).
- Cook the quinoa – Bring up to a boil, then immediately reduce heat. Cover and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed (stirring occasionally) and the mixture is thickened (about 15-20 minutes). The quinoa should be very tender! Serve room temperature or chilled.
- Finish – To serve, spoon the quinoa pudding into serving dish, top with passionfruit pudding (previous section), garnish with fresh mango, and chiffonade of fresh mint.
Notes
Nutrition
NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
