Vegan Rice Pudding (Gluten & Dairy Free!)
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Vegan Rice Pudding – This dairy-free rice pudding recipe might be simple, but it’s always special. Don’t miss all the yummy ways to flavor it below! (Gluten-free, Dairy-Free, Vegan)
Rice pudding is definitely a humble dessert. What it lacks in flashiness, it makes up for in with all its benefits. It’s inexpensive, easy to throw together, doesn’t require any baking, and can be flavored in endless ways.
It only takes a few ingredients and about 25 minutes to prepare and makes a delicious, simple dessert for the holidays or anytime your sweet tooth comes calling. Here’s all it takes to make this dairy-free rice pudding…
HERE’S WHAT GOES INTO OUR VEGAN RICE PUDDING RECIPE:
It only takes a few simple ingredients to make this easy dairy-free rice pudding. You’ll just need:
- ARBORIO RICE. Arborio rice is my favorite rice for rice pudding. This short-grain rice has nice, plump grains that are the perfect texture for rice pudding! (See the FAQ for other varieties that work!)
- DAIRY FREE MILK. You can use your favorite. I like 1 cup of coconut milk + almond milk for the rest. (This combo is creamy without the coconut flavor taking over.) Feel free to use what you like and drink!
- PURE MAPLE SYRUP. Maple syrup won’t make the pudding taste “maple-y” but will add some subtle sweetness. Feel free to swap in sugar if you prefer.
- CINNAMON (OPTIONAL). I love cinnamon in my rice pudding, but you can totally omit it if it’s not your jam (or you’re going to use one of the other flavor combinations in the next section!)
- A PINCH OF SALT. Don’t skip it! A little salt really balances the flavor of this vegan rice pudding.
- VANILLA. At the end of the cooking time, you’ll stir in a little vanilla. It’s so lovely here!
- OPTIONAL: A LITTLE CORNSTARCH OR ARROWROOT TO THICKEN. The natural starch in arborio rice helps thicken the liquid in this pudding (kind of the same way it works for risotto), but if you like it a little thicker and richer, you’ll want to add the optional cornstarch or arrowroot. (See the recipe card for how!)
CHANGE IT UP! HERE ARE A FEW FLAVOR OPTIONS FOR VEGAN RICE PUDDING:
The beauty of this vegan rice pudding recipe is it’s a perfect canvas for all sorts of flavors. For the photos, I styled it with raspberries, pistachios, and a few mini chocolate chips, but here are some other ideas:
- RAISINS. Add 1/4-1/2 cup raisins in the last few minutes of cooking.
- SAUTEÉD CINNAMON APPLES. Cinnamon apples make a great option in the fall or winter!
- CANNOLI-STYLE. Try adding a little orange zest (a little goes a long way!) + chocolate chips + pistachios
- VEGAN CARAMEL. Swirl in or drizzle on a little bit of your favorite vegan caramel sauce.
- FRESH BERRIES. Add a few of whatever berries look great at the market!
- BERRY COMPOTE. Cook 2 cups of fresh or frozen mixed berries with a drizzle of syrup or sugar and 1/4 tsp. cornstarch until it’s thick and bubbly.
- COCONUT. Top with a little sweetened or toasted unsweetened coconut (and/or add a few drops of coconut extract)
- EGGNOG. Use a little of your favorite vegan “eggnog” for the milk portion, or add 1/4 tsp nutmeg along with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon to the rice pudding.
- CRANBERRY SAUCE. A little homemade orange cranberry sauce can be delicious spooned over this dairy-free rice pudding!
FAQ + TIPS & TRICKS FOR VEGAN RICE PUDDING:
DO YOU SERVE RICE PUDDING WARM OR COLD? It’s totally a personal preference. I’ve enjoyed it both ways, though I’ve got to say I prefer cold with raspberries or warm with raisins. It’s up to you!
A NOTE ON COLD RICE PUDDING. The rice will continue to absorb liquid as it sits, so you’ll likely want to add a bit more liquid to the pudding if you plan to chill it. (Same thing goes for re-heating rice pudding!)
CHOOSE YOUR RICE CAREFULLY. Long-grain rice typically doesn’t do super well for rice pudding, as they often disintegrate and turn mushy with prolonged cooking. Medium and short-grain rice (arborio, sushi, etc.) do better. If you can’t find arborio, I’d choose a short-grain or sushi rice instead. Note: when I tested this with sushi rice, I ended up adding a little extra liquid.
PRO TIP FOR PERFECT RICE PUDDING: Add a little more liquid than you *think* you need. Not tons. But if it looks totally done after adding 3 1/2 cups of milk, think about adding at least another 1/4-1/2 cup to compensate for the way the rice will continue to absorb milk.
LOVE THIS RICE PUDDING? YOU’D PROBABLY LOVE:
- The BEST Vegan Chocolate Pudding
- Healthy No-Bake Cookies
- Dairy-Free Chocolate Fondue
- Fruit-on-the-Bottom Chia Pudding
HELPFUL FOR THIS RECIPE:
Vegan Rice Pudding (Gluten & Dairy Free!)
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 3 1/2-4 cups 1x
Description
Vegan Rice Pudding – This dairy-free rice pudding recipe might be simple, but it’s always special. Don’t miss all the yummy ways to flavor it below! (Gluten-free, Dairy-Free, Vegan)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Arborio rice, rinsed in a sieve until the water runs clear
- 3 1/2–4 cups dairy free milk (I like 1 cup coconut milk + 2–3 cups almond milk)
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon (optional)
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla (or, seeds from a vanilla bean)
- Optional: 1 tsp. cornstarch + 1 Tbsp. water or milk.
Instructions
- If you haven’t already, rinse your rice in a fine-mesh sieve until the water runs clear.
- Add rinsed rice to a medium saucepan.
- Pour in 3 cups milk (I like 1 cup of full-fat coconut milk + 2 cups almond milk), maple syrup, cinnamon (if using), and salt.
- Stir to combine, then bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring regularly for 20-30 minutes, until much of the liquid is absorbed, and the rice is mostly tender. (The rice should only have a tiny bit of bite, if any.)
- You want the pudding to still have some liquid, so if yours is mostly absorbed, add another 1/2 cup milk at a time and stir in.
- Optional step: For thicker rice pudding, combine 1 tsp. cornstarch with 1 Tbsp. water or milk and whisk to combine. Pour into the rice pudding and stir for 1-2 minutes, while it thickens a bit. (Again, feel free to add more milk, if you like).
- When the rice is done cooking, stir in the vanilla.
- Serve warm with your favorite toppings, or cover and chill in the refrigerator and serve cold.
Note: rice will continue to absorb liquid as it sits and cooks, so feel free to add more milk, as desired to get the texture you like.
IDEAS FOR TOPPINGS:
- RAISINS. Add 1/4-1/2 cup raisins in the last few minutes of cooking.
- SAUTEÉD CINNAMON APPLES on top
- CANNOLI-STYLE. Adding a little orange zest + chocolate chips + pistachios
- VEGAN CARAMEL. Swirl in or drizzle on a little bit of your favorite vegan caramel sauce.
- FRESH BERRIES. Add a few of whatever berries look great at the market!
- BERRY COMPOTE. Cook 2 cups of fresh or frozen mixed berries with a drizzle of syrup or sugar and 1/4 tsp. cornstarch until it’s thick and bubbly.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
This looks so good! I’m totally going to have to try this soon!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Hope you LOVE it! It’s so nostalgic for me!
Hi thank you. I want to use left over white rice from Chinese take out. How do I do this?
Hi! This recipe wasn’t developed for using cooked rice, so I’m not totally sure what to tell you. You’d definitely need to reduce the liquid and cook time. You may prefer googling a recipe that uses pre-cooked rice. I’m sorry!
Looks good plan to make tomorrow
I love this basic recipe. I am using it for dessert for a Vegan dinner this weekend. I tried some variations and decided finally to do the cannoli style, mixing in just a few vegan chocolate chips and pistachios. The orange zest needed a color pop so I topped each dish with some non-dairy whipped cream and then the orange zest on top. Perfect!. Thank you.
That sounds DELICIOUS! Yum!