Although rice pudding is often considered a children's dish, this recipe for creamy cardamom rice pudding proves that it can be just as enjoyable for adults. The sweet and fragrant flavor of cardamom pairs perfectly with the creamy rice, making for a delicious dessert that is perfect for colder weather.
Best of all, rice puddings are easy to make and require only a few simple ingredients. So if you're looking for something tasty and comforting to enjoy after dinner, give this recipe a try!
This Aromatic and Creamy Rice Pudding takes me back to my childhood. In Latin America, we call it Arroz con Leche (Rice Milk), but being a fan of Indian Food, I decided to make a delicious spin-off!
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🤔 How to make rice pudding
You can make the original and basic version of a homemade rice pudding with three ingredients: milk, rice, and sugar.
I made a couple of changes and made something more similar to the classic Indian Kheer, which has the same ingredients. Citrusy desserts are at the top of my list, so I added clementine to this version; I also made it vegan to make it more flavorful and nutritious.
🧾 Ingredients
In this easy rice pudding recipe, we use
- Basmati rice
- Oats
- Coconut oil
- Organic palm sugar or unrefined brown sugar
Add some lovely sweet spices to make your pudding memorable
- Cardamom pods or ground cardamom
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Cloves
- Oat milk or water
Optional: a touch of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
It also added a touch of acidity and flavor using Clementines.
See quantities and full instructions in the recipe card.
🔪 Instructions
- Cook. Add milk, basmati rice, brown sugar, oats, coconut oil, or water in a medium-sized pot on medium heat. Add the vanilla extract at this point if you decide to use it.
- Let it boil for about 25 minutes, and cook, stirring occasionally.
- Peel the clementine carefully, saving peeling to decorate (if you wish to). Next, add the raisins and the clementine juice and keep stirring frequently.
- Reduce heat and bring to a gentle simmer for additional 10 minutes and remove it from heat. Also, remove the cardamom pods.
- Serve warm in small cups and let them cool.
- Garnish. Add the coconut flakes and decorate with the clementine peelings.
So for those of you who like easy clementine recipes, this one is for you!
Tip: you can serve warm but also out of the fridge.
💡Pro tips
The key here is to add lovely aromas, so we want to use Sweet Spices, such as Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cardamom, and Cloves.
I am a fan of Indian food, so I went for a couple of them. I recommend picking up your favorite spice, making it the principal, and letting the other do the accompanying.
Play with ingredients such as nuts, rose water, or orange blossom water. They all go very well with this dish, as it is hard to mess it up.
🧂 Spices
I use a minimum of three for this Easy Creamy Cardamom Rice Pudding.
Play with what you have available in your kitchen; add as many "sweet" spices as you have. Remember that spices are non-caloric, contribute amazingly to a healthy body, and keep a great immune system.
Cardamom is an ancient remedy that may have many medicinal properties.
It may lower blood pressure, improve breathing, and aid weight loss.
Cinnamon to Lower Blood Sugar.
Aside from its many culinary uses, Nutmeg contains potent anti-inflammatory plant compounds that act as antioxidants. These may improve mood, blood sugar control, and heart health.
You can also simply add a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice mix to the boiling rice pudding.
Optionally: I like to give it a nice touch with the juice of a clementine (similar in taste to a small mandarine but sweeter) or a mandarine.
📖 Variations
Make it an Oat milk rice pudding, simply replacing the water with freshly made oat milk. It only takes a couple of minutes to make.
You can also use almond milk. These variations will make your creamy cardamom pudding even richer and creamier.
🥢 How to serve
We enjoy this simple dessert with vegan golden milk, another great Indian-inspired recipe that is perfect for tea time or a cozy fall mid-afternoon snack.
🍷 Wine pairing
- France - Sweet - Alsace, Selection of Grains Nobles (Riesling or Gewurztraminer)
- Germany - Sweet - Auslese (Riesling)
- Hungary - Sweet - Tokaji Aszú 3 or 5 Puttonyos (Furmint, Hárslevelü and others)
- France - Sweet - Sauternes or Cadillac (Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc)
❓FAQ
Simply place the pudding into an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to two months. When you're ready to enjoy the pudding, thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating it on the stove or in the microwave.
So, where did Arroz con Leche originate? Let's talk about the origin of this dessert.
Arroz con Leche is a popular dish in Latin American cuisine. It comes from the Spanish word for rice, "arroz," and the Spanish word for milk, "leche." Historical records of arroz con leche appear as early as 1875 in Mexico.
The Aztecs made a version of this pudding called huexotl in the Nahuatl language. Many versions are available, including oat milk puddings and quinoa-based versions. There's also Arroz con Dulce from Puerto Rico, which omits the oats and uses brown sugar rather than honey.
In terms of oatmeal arroz con leche, it may have originated from oat milk rice pudding that became a very common dish in India.
In India, many babies still enjoy oatmeal rice porridge. One may find several recipes for oatmeal arroz con leche on the Internet written by moms seeking oatmeal-based baby food recipes.
The oatmeal arroz con leche that is more familiar to westerners may have originated in Mexico or Central America, where oat milk is not very popular. Some of the earliest oatmeal arroz con leche recipes come from Guatemala and El Salvador, which use oat milk.
Let's get cooking!
Take a look at this additional pudding recipe:
For a fresher summery dessert option, check out the vegan berry ice cream or the peanut butter banana ice cream.
📚 More healthy vegan dessert recipe
- Pangiallo Romano
- Healthier Version Pangiallo Romano
- Pumpkin pie
- Plátanos en Tentación (Temptation Plantains)
- Pumpkin parfait (overnight oats)
And our latest creation that makes both healthy breakfast and desserts, the We love using pistachio cream as we do in our chocolate chia pudding recipe and lemon blueberry overnight oats.
More about the benefits of spices
If you are curious about all the Benefits of Oats.
If you try this Indian rice pudding recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag a photo #ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!
📋 Recipe
Creamy Cardamom Rice Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown aromatic Basmati Rice white or any other long rice will do
- 10 cardamom pods
- ⅔ cups old fashioned rolled oats gluten-free organic
- 2 ½ cups water or oat milk, almond milk
- ½ cup raisins
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil optional
- 1 clementine or mandarine juice
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 tablespoon organic palm sugar maple syrup
Optional to decorate:
- 1 tablespoon coconut flakes
- Slices of clementine or mandarine peeling
Directions
- Cook. Place all the ingredients except for the raisins, coconut flakes and clementine, in a medium-sized pot on medium-low heat.
- Let it simmer for about 25-30 minutes.
- Peel the clementine carefully, saving peeling to decorate (if you wish to). Add the raisins and the clementine juice.
- Let it cook for additional 10 minutes and remove it from heat.
- Serve warm in small cups and let them cool.
- Garnish. Add the coconut flakes and decorate with the clementine peelings.
Notes
It is also delicious having it cold, just the cups in the fridge for about 2 hours before consuming it. Wine Pairing by our Sommelier Ramón Barreiro @pejo_barreiro France - Sweet - Sauternes or Cadillac (Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc) France - Sweet - Alsace, Selection of Grains Nobles (Riesling or Gewurztraminer) Germany - Sweet - Auslese (Riesling) Hungary - Sweet - Tokaji Aszú 3 or 5 Puttonyos (Furmint, Hárslevelü and others)
Nutrition Facts
🌡️ Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking points to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our full Nutritional Disclosure here.
Please note that some of the links here are affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. I use all of the products listed and recommend them because they are companies that I have found helpful and trustworthy.
Taly
Qué rico! Siempre me gustó el arroz con leche y también incursionar en cosas nuevas dentro de la pastelería y los postres, así que pronto implementaré esta nueva versión!
Petro
This sounds too delicious! I had arroz con leche many times before but never this version. A must try!
Diana Reis
This is comfort in a bowl. Before even tasting it, the smell was amazing.
Patty at Spoonabilities
Oh I do have to give your Indian version of Arroz con Leche a try! I'm such a fan of rice pudding and these new and exotic flavors in this recipe are sure to be a hit!
Rika
This rice pudding looks so delicious and healthy! I think the cardamom will add a nice warm and complex aroma to the pudding.
Aimee Mars
Oh, this looks heavenly! I used to frequent Rice to Riches a rice pudding shop in NYC when I lived there and I haven't had any since moving. This looks like a perfect recipe to try at home.
Sharon
The spices in this rice pudding add such wonderful flavor and depth to it.
Mirlene
This meal sound so delicious. I cannot wait to try it.
Maria San Juan
Would love to make this! Thanks for sharing! Will definitely make this for my family!
Raquel Thomas
Would quick oats change the texture? I have a huge container I need to use up.
Gus
It might change the texture slightly, but I wouldn't let that stop me from making this rice pudding. Simply cook according to package directions, I would try a small batch first. Let us know how it turns out.