Dairy-Free Vanilla Rice Pudding
Creamy, gentle on digestion and naturally gut-friendly: this dairy-free rice pudding feeds your microbiome with resistant starch.
Ingredients
- 150 g (¾ cup) short-grain rice (white or semi-wholegrain, unrinsed)
- 900 ml calcium-fortified plant-based milk (rice milk or certified additive-free soya milk)
- 1 vanilla pod
- 2 tablespoons light cane sugar (or less, to taste)
- 1 pinch of fine salt
- 1 pinch of ground cinnamon (optional, according to tolerance)
Instructions
Preparation Steps
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Prepare the vanilla pod: Split the vanilla pod lengthways using a sharp knife. Scrape out the seeds with the tip of the blade and set both aside (seeds and pod).
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Warm the plant-based milk: Pour the plant-based milk into a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the scraped vanilla seeds and the whole pod. Heat over a low-medium heat until just simmering — do not allow it to reach a rolling boil. This step gently infuses the milk with natural vanilla flavour without the need for any additives.
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Add the rice without rinsing: Stir the short-grain rice directly into the warm milk without rinsing it beforehand. The starch naturally present on the surface of the grains is valuable: it contributes to a creamy texture and, during slow cooking, converts into resistant starch that is beneficial for your gut microbiome.
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Cook slowly on a low heat: Reduce the heat to its lowest setting. Leave to cook at a gentle simmer for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring regularly every 3 to 5 minutes to prevent the rice from catching on the bottom. Rest the lid ajar (tilted at an angle) to avoid boil-overs whilst retaining the heat. The rice is ready when it is tender and the mixture has a smooth, creamy consistency.
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Add the sugar and salt: At the halfway point (around 20 minutes into cooking), stir in the cane sugar and the pinch of salt. Used in small quantities, salt enhances the sweet, vanilla-scented flavours without weighing the dish down or increasing its glycaemic load.
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Remove the vanilla pod: At the end of cooking, lift out the whole vanilla pod. You can rinse it, leave it to dry, and reuse it to flavour a homemade vanilla sugar.
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Adjust the consistency: If the rice pudding seems too thick, stir in a splash of warm plant-based milk. If you prefer a firmer result, continue cooking for a few extra minutes with the lid off.
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Serve or store: Serve warm for a comforting treat, or spoon into individual ramekins. Press a sheet of cling film directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, then leave to cool to room temperature before refrigerating. The rice pudding will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge.
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Finishing touches and gut-friendly variations: Just before serving, dust with a light pinch of cinnamon if you tolerate it well — this spice may help moderate the post-meal glycaemic response. For even greater digestive benefits, opt for semi-wholegrain rice: its additional fibre (2.3 g per 100 g) supports regular digestion and feeds the beneficial bacteria in your colon.
💡 Gut-friendly tip: Eaten cold after a night in the fridge, rice pudding develops greater quantities of type RS3 resistant starch — a natural prebiotic that nourishes the beneficial bacteria in your microbiome and may help reduce bloating. All the more reason to make it the day before!
⚠️ IBS/low-FODMAP friendly: Choose rice milk or a certified low-FODMAP soya milk. Keep your portion of cooked rice to around 180 g (1 cup) to stay within recommended FODMAP thresholds. Avoid oat-based milks if you are sensitive to them.