Breakfast Just Got Cozier with this Spiced Pear Oatmeal Recipe

When I think of porridge, my mind instantly drifts to my roommate from my first year living in Minneapolis. While I have completely changed my perspective on breakfast (I’m 1000% team hearty breakfast now), at the time I was a chronic breakfast skipper. My roommate and I would be doing the pre-work AM dance in the kitchen, getting our work bags together and lunches packed. While I was fine with my cup of morning tea, she was always cooking up a big pot of oatmeal. More than once, I thought out loud how oatmeal was my least favorite breakfast. Being the morning person between the two of us, she would simply smile and diatribe about how much she loved oatmeal. Well, I’m here to finally say that I’ve come around to a cozy bowl of grains in the morning, and I consider this my ode to our time as roommates.

Let’s start by defining what a porridge is. Oatmeal is a type of porridge, but porridge is not oatmeal, though they are sometimes used interchangeably. Porridge is a warm, grain-based bowl, whose name will depend on the type of grain being used. It’s cozy, warming, and hearty, and can be topped with anything your heart desires. In this version, I’m using toasted amaranth, warming cardamom, and topping it all off with some sweet maple pears. Get ready for your new favorite winter breakfast.

Cardamom Pear Porridge Ingredients

The ingredient list for this porridge is very simple, but to ensure it’s full of flavor, pick the best quality ingredients you can find.

Amaranth. You can use your grain of choice, but I love amaranth’s sweet, nutty flavor.

Butter or oil. This is optional, but if I’m craving a richer porridge, I’ll toast my grains in a pat of butter or a little olive oil.

Cardamom. My OG favorite spice. Floral and aromatic, it pairs beautifully with the amaranth.

Cream or milk. Again, depending on how rich you want your porridge, add milk or cream. Sometimes I’ll even do a blend!

Pears. You could also use apples, peaches in the summer, figs, or whatever fruit you like.

Maple syrup. This helps add flavor and caramelizes the fruit.

Brown sugar. This works with the maple syrup to bring a little added sweetness to the fruit.

Salt. To help balance the flavor and sweetness.

Toppings. This is where we get to have fun. Choose what you love!

Preparation Tips

• Perfect your grains-to-liquid ratio. I like my porridge a little on the thinner side. I usually follow a 1:2.5, and sometimes a 1:3 ratio of grains to liquid. Here, I use a cup of amaranth to about 2-2.5 cups of milk/cream, and another half-cup of water.
• Toast your grains first. To maximize flavor, I toast my grains in the pot first with the cardamom to bring out that toasty and nutty flavor.
• Let your liquid come to room temperature. Then, you’ll just add your liquid. It helps if it’s at room temperature, but I’ve used milk straight from the fridge. Bring the porridge up to a low boil. Cook until the liquid has been reduced and the texture has thickened.
• Salt your porridge. While it might sound strange, given that this is a sweet breakfast recipe, salting your porridge ensures you get the best flavor possible.
• Add your pears. I’ll add my maple syrup with a bit of salt and brown sugar to the pot, perhaps some spices if I like, and bring that up to low/medium heat. I add my pears in and let them cook until they just start to become tender. I prefer my fruit not to be super soft, but keep cooking until they reach your desired texture. You can also add pecans or walnuts to get them nice and caramelized.

Cardamom Pear Porridge Toppings

Porridge lends itself well to lots of fun combinations of toppings. For this version, I like to keep the flavors pretty simple and lean on hemp seeds, pecans, perhaps a little nut butter, and honey. In the summer, I love adding brightness with jams, fresh tropical fruits, coconut, and more. You could also add a thick yogurt for extra protein, banana slices, or even a bit of chocolate if you wanted to really lean into indulgence.

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