21 Millet Recipes to Try Right Now: Is it the New Quinoa?

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Delicious millet recipes prove that this grain is about more than just bird seed.

While quinoa is the wunderkind of any moderately conscious eater, millet has certainly taken a back seat. Maybe it’s because most people equate millet to bird seed, or maybe it’s because millet just hasn’t been branded as a “sexy grain” yet, but for whatever reason we have forgotten to pay attention to millet. Now is the time to change that.

Gluten-free, high in protein and a good source of magnesium, millet is an all around healthy grain that packs a punch. Even better? There’s millet that’s produced in the US. That makes the grain a healthy and sustainable option to add to your plate.

Looking to incorporate millet into your daily routine? Here are 21 recipes to start with.

1. Popped Millet

When you pop millet you get a well-rounded, toasted flavor, and the popped grains are easy to toss into yogurt or on a salad.

2. Winter Millet Salad

Combine with roasted butternut and use millet as a base for a hearty, wintry salad.

3. Farro and Millet Risotto

Who said you need rice to make risotto? No one.

4. Winter Squash and Kale Millet Burgers

Millet can easily be used as a base for vegetarian burgers. In this recipe it’s combined with kale and winter squash.

5. Millet Corn Chowder with Greens

This creamy vegetarian chowder is a perfect way to use up end of season corn.

6. Cauliflower Millet Mash

This vegan-friendly recipe is a great alternative to classic mashed potatoes.

7.Millet Buckwheat Wraps

You can also use millet in flour form (which you can make yourself in a food processor or spice grinder) and combined with buckwheat flour you can make these tasty gluten-free wraps.

8. Cinnamon, Millet and Flax Crackers

Another fun use for millet flour: gluten-free crackers.

9. Millet and Blueberry Pancakes

When blueberries aren’t in season, or you don’t have any frozen ones on hand, consider substituting for something more seasonal; pears perhaps?

10. Sprouted Millet

Yes, even millet can be made into healthy sprouts.

11. Millet Porridge

Of all the millet recipes, hot cereal is probably one of the most common uses. This one is made with coconut milk.

12. Almond Millet Waffles

If you have a waffles iron, give this gluten-free recipe a try.

13. Spiced Carrot Millet Muffins

These are so healthy you can eat them for breakfast.

14. Vegetable Galettes with Mint and Tarragon

Millet flour is used to hold these light galettes together.

15. Non-Dairy Millet Pudding with Apricots

This pudding is made by cooking millet like you would for porridge, and then adding sweet apricots.

16. Roasted Brussel Sprout and Millet Gratin

Paired with Brussel sprouts, in this dish millet makes for a wonderful main dish.

17. Granola with Millet

Next time you’re making up a batch of granola, toss a bit of uncooked millet in there.

18. Stir-Fried Millet

Do a new take on fried rice by using millet instead.

19. Carrot Cherry Breakfast Cookies

These cookies are vegan-friendly, but you can pop uncooked millet into any of your favorite cookie recipes for a new twist.

20. Millet Scones

These gluten-free scones are made with millet and coconut flour, and perfect served with a poached egg or jam.

21. Millet Couscous with Roasted Carrots

With carrots and cumin, this couscous is perfect for colder weather days.

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Image: Steven Jackson

Anna Brones

Anna Brones is a food + travel writer with a love for coffee and bikes. She is the author of The Culinary Cyclist and Fika: The Art of the Swedish Coffee Break. Catch her weekly column, Foodie Underground.