How To Cook Millet Millet Recipes

Looking for a new whole grain to add to your repertoire? Try millet! Millet tends to take a back seat to grains like quinoa and farro: possibly because it’s also used as bird food in the US! But it’s a diet staple in Africa, Asia and beyond, and holds its own when cooked. Instead of being extra chewy like many whole grains, millet has a light, almost couscous-like texture. It cooks in just 20 minutes, which is half the time of brown rice. Use it in grain bowls, grain salads, casseroles, soups, veggie burgers, and more!

What is millet?

Millet is a whole grain that looks like a tiny kernel of corn. It’s actually a seed that comes from plants in the grass family called Poaceae. It’s gluten-free and an excellent substitute for couscous or bulgur wheat. This seed is an important diet staple in Africa and Asia, and becoming more popular in the West for its nutritional content. Millet is fairly high in protein (1 cup cooked millet has 6 grams protein). It’s also a good source of various vitamins and minerals, like calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Millet comes in many different varieties, but your local grocery store most likely sells yellow proso millet. It has a slightly nutty flavor and makes for an easy side dish. It also works as a hearty breakfast cereal with milk and honey or sugar, much like oatmeal.

How to cook millet: tips

There are a few ways to cook millet: head to the recipe below for our master method! Here are a few tips on the basic method before you start:

For a fluffy, light millet, use 1 part dried millet to 2 parts water. The instructions on your package of millet may differ from ours, but we’ve found this ratio works best for us. Toast the millet in a dry pan first. Stir it over medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant. This helps to bring out its nutty flavor. Add the water, olive oil and salt and simmer 17 to 20 minutes. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover the pot. Cook until all the water has been absorbed.

Millet recipes

Millet is a versatile grain you can use in many different ways! Eat it as a side dish, in a bowl meal, throw it into soups and stews, eat it as a casserole or even in a veggie burger. Here are a few of our favorite millet recipes: