With a mild, sweet, corn-like flavor and a nutrient-dense profile, millet is a hot ingredient among folks interested in healthy home cooking. It’s also naturally gluten-free! Millet cooks quickly and is an excellent alternative to rice in everything from sushi to stews and even vegan meatloaf. You can use the uncooked grains to add a crunchy texture to salads and sweet dishes or grind them into flour using your high-speed blender. Try one of these vegan millet recipes today!
The gluten factor: While naturally gluten-free, millet, like oats, is sometimes processed in facilities that produce wheat products, so if you’re especially gluten-sensitive, be sure to look for certified gluten-free millet.
Which type of millet? Millets are a family of seed-producing grasses. A round, yellow-hulled variety called proso millet is the kind you’re most likely to find in stores in the U.S.—it’s usually just labeled “millet.”
With a trio of cabbages, black rice, navy beans, and a dreamy ginger-infused Asian-style peanut dressing, this gutsy slaw is a meal in itself. Toasted, uncooked millet adds crunch and a subtle nutty flavor. A commenter shares, “I made it with uncooked millet, which does give it a good crunch. I brought it to a … party, and the [guests] loved it. They sought me out to thank me for making the salad.”
Naturally sweetened with dates, featuring oats and millet ground into flour, these wholesome lemon-scented muffins have a delicate flavor and are healthy enough to eat for breakfast! Applesauce adds moisture and additional sweetness, and fresh ground cardamom adds floral notes. This recipe is gluten-free if you use certified gluten-free oats and millet. A commenter writes, “My favorite blueberry muffin recipe! Amazing texture for being gluten-free and naturally sweetened.”
With a moist, dense crumb, this sensational millet cake is perfect for a snack or dessert. The batter features millet and oats, which are ground into flour and then combined with plant-based milk and a date slurry. Almond essence gives this toothsome cake a rich almond flavor. Can’t find millet? No problem. Feel free to use millet flour instead. A fan writes, “It is unbelievably delicious! Made this a bunch of times, and it always comes out great. Nice and moist.”
Sick of combing the cereal aisle, trying to find granola without added fat or sugar? This homemade granola features rolled oats, sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, and sesame seeds, coated in a blended mixture of dates and flaxseed and then toasted in the oven. The date-flaxseed mix delivers a surprisingly sweet and crispy coating, and uncooked millet adds even more crunch. Raisins don’t need cooking, so add them at the end to make sure they don’t burn. This crispy granola keeps well in an airtight container, so make plenty and set yourself up for breakfast for the next month!
These primo parfaits offer warming autumnal flavors year-round and are perfect for a special brunch. You could also make a big batch on the weekend to eat through the week. Citrusy, sweet, orange-infused millet pairs beautifully with creamy roasted kabocha squash, which is seasoned with vanilla and pumpkin pie spice. A reviewer writes, “A very tasty breakfast that is like eating a pumpkin dessert but so good for you!” Another writes, “These are delicious hot or cold! Making them made my kitchen smell wonderful.”
The mild flavors of quinoa and millet combine in this warm gluten-free salad, allowing the sweet, almost caramelized taste of roasted butternut squash to shine through. Finely chopped raw kale is a good balancer for this dish, adding body and green color. Lemon juice adds brightness, fresh parsley ties everything together, and almonds and raisins offer an unexpected sweetness and crunch. A commenter shares, “The millet quinoa combination is fantastic, and the flavors and textures work really well together.”
