Nutty, mildly sweet millet is a staple grain around the world, but many of us are more likely to see it in bird seed bags at the pet store than on our plates. This nutritious, gluten-free little grain has slowly been gaining in popularity, though, and it's easy to find tempting recipes for baking it with eggs, stuffing it into zucchini, mixing it into granola, and more.
Millet can be cooked until very soft and creamy, making it a tasty addition to breakfast porridges, or a polenta-like base for a savory baked dish. Cooked with less water, it becomes a crunchy addition to salads, and the leftovers can be seasoned and stuffed into vegetables, or made into savory cakes for dinner. One of my favorite ways to eat millet is mixed into a coconut-scented granola, where its crunchy texture is especially good over yogurt. (My granola recipe is among the links below.)
Here are 5 ways to use millet in your cooking, with tasty recipes to try:
• Baked with eggs → Spinach Millet Egg Bake at Naturally Ella (pictured)• In a salad → Toasted Millet Salad with Arugula, Quick Pickled Onions & Goat Cheese at My New Roots
• In granola → Coconutty Oat-Millet Granola at Eat Your Greens
• Stuffed into vegetables → Globe Zucchini Stuffed with Millet and Vegetables at La Tartine Gourmand
• Made into savory cakes → Grilled Millet and Butternut Squash Cakes at Gluten-Free Girl
More About Cooking with Millet
Do you ever cook with millet? How do you like to use it?
Related: Recipe: Breakfast Grain Salad with Blueberries, Hazelnuts & Lemon
(Image: Naturally Ella)
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I love millet! I cook it in a broth, which usually also goes into whatever I'm serving it with. Here it is with a summer stew of veg, black beans and hominy.
And these zucchini and millet croquettes are made from leftover millet, they're delicious! Crunchy, flavorful and perfect.
When we first tried millet and quinoa, because they are both about the same size, and the cooking times are similar, I mixed them half and half. This was really very good, and the two contrasted in a delightful way - the millet was a little firmer, and the quinoa a bit more more vegetable-like, if that makes any sense. Millet is also less expensive than quinoa, so for those who want to try quinoa, but find it a little too dear for their budget, this will allow you to get a feel for it at less expense. Both are quite nutritious, so this is a healthy combination, in addition to being tasty. Do be careful not to overcook, as the millet can become a bit on the mushy side.
I like it with sauteed mushrooms, onions, spinach, and a brown gravy. so good!