Warm, sweet, creamy and bursting with the most delicious espresso caramel sauce, this vegan rice pudding is the quintessence of comfort food. It’s super easy to make with only 5 main ingredients and you can prepare a large pot for your weekly breakfasts or an indulgent dessert. Enjoy hot or cold with a generous drizzle of espresso caramel sauce.
The creamiest vegan rice pudding
A very popular dessert
Maybe you have very fond memories of your childhood when your parents or grandparents prepared a large pot of steaming rice pudding for breakfast. Or maybe you have been traumatized by the thick tasteless rice pudding from the school cafeteria. Either it’s good or bad, many of us have have memories with rice pudding.
Not surprising as rice pudding is a very popular dessert. You can basically find different versions of the rice pudding all over the world! The traditional French rice pudding is a creamy lightly flavored rice served with a drizzle of salted caramel sauce. In India, the Kheer is a traditional slow-cooked rice pudding flavored with cardamom, rose water and nuts. In Thailand, the sticky rice pudding made with coconut milk and served with fresh mango is a very popular dessert. These are only a few examples and I’m sure you can find a specific version of rice pudding for every culture in the world.
Why this is the best vegan rice pudding
Back to basics, rice pudding is simply white rice slowly cooked in milk for a long time and flavored with various spices, usually cinnamon or vanilla. It’s a rich, creamy and indulgent treat you can enjoy warm or cold for breakfast or dessert.
This version of vegan rice pudding has everything you can expect from the best regular rice pudding except it’s dairy-free and refined sugar free! It’s super creamy, soft, bursting with cinnamon and vanille, and just slightly sweetened with maple syrup. It’s very easy to make on the stove top and doesn’t require specific equipment. I recommend to prepare a large quantity and store in fridge for a healthy and delicious dessert or breakfast ready to indulge whenever you want!
Ingredients for vegan rice pudding
Traditional rice pudding in western countries and in France uses heavy cow milk and often comes with a salted butter caramel sauce, so uses lots of dairies. To make a dairy-free rice pudding that’s just as rich as the regular stuff, I’ve made a few changes in the ingredients.
- Pudding rice – the type of rice used can vary from recipe to recipe, some like to use long-grain rice, while some prefer medium-grain. For me, I think arborio rice gives the best result for extra creamy and chewy rice pudding. Arborio rice is the variety used to male risotto. It naturally has a high starch content so gets very rich and creamy when cooked. More generally, I recommend to use medium-grain white rice for this recipe.
- Almond milk – I like almond milk for its subtle almond flavor that goes well with caramel and coffee. But you can use any plant-based milk of your choice, like soy or oat. You can use coconut milk as well but try to dilute with water or the pudding would be heavy. In any case, go for unsweetened and unflavored dairy-free milk.
- Spices – cinnamon and vanilla bring that delicious sweet, warm and cozy flavors. You can also add nutmeg or cardamom if you want.
- Maple syrup – is the only sweetener we’ll use. Start with a spoon, taste and adjust the quantity depending on your preferences.
- Miso – it’s my secret ingredient to add a subtle savory umami flavor that perfectly balances the whole dish. I like to use brown rice miso. It’s optional and if you want you can substitute with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
How to make creamy vegan rice pudding
To be honest rice pudding is a very easy thing to make – and that’s probably the reason why it’s such a popular dessert. The recipe is pretty straight forward. Start by adding all the recipe pudding ingredients except maple and miso to a saucepan and place over medium heat.
Heat it up gently to a simmer. Once it starts to bubble, reduce heat to low and cook gently. The most important tip for making a dreamy creamy vegan rice pudding is to stir very often, if not constantly! Arborio rice is starchy and requires a lot of stirring to ensure even cooking and that the bottom doesn’t stick to the pan and burn! Use a spatula to stir the rice pudding and scrape the bottom.
Cook the pudding until it gets thick, silky and creamy, and the rice is soft. It should take around 20 to 25 minutes to cook. You might need to add more almond milk during the cooking to reach the right consistency. Arborio rice absorbs a lot of liquid so don’t hesitate to be generous with it!
Once cooked, stir in the maple syrup and miso if using. Taste and adjust the seasoning according to your preferences. If you like it a little sweeter, add more maple syrup.
Serve vegan rice pudding warm or chilled with the toppings of your choice!
Make espresso caramel sauce
In France rice pudding traditionally comes with a salted caramel sauce. It’s the perfect final touch that brings even more richness and sweetness to this indulgent dessert. My version is a little twist on the salted caramel sauce with coffee! I found coffee to goes very well with all the flavors of rice pudding and to deepen that feeling of a cozy and warming dessert.
This espresso caramel sauce uses only 3 ingredients: espresso shot, maple syrup and hazelnut butter. Start by preparing a shot of espresso using your favorite method. If you don’t have an espresso machine, you can also prepare a strong coffee with instant coffee.
Then combine the espresso, maple syrup and hazelnut butter in a bowl. Stir to get a smooth caramel like sauce.
Drizzle on top of rice pudding and enjoy!
Rice pudding FAQ & Tips
- What can I use instead of pudding rice? Pudding rice or arborio rice are the best varieties for a creamy and rich rice pudding. I recommend to use medium-grain white rice, but basically you might be able to use any kind of rice. BUT in this case you may need to adapt the cook time and the quantity of milk.
- I don’t like cinnamon, what can I use instead? Cinnamon, vanilla and miso are only suggestions. If you don’t like one of them or don’t have it at home, just feel free to replace and play around with the flavors! You can swap out the cinnamon and add cardamom for instance, or add orange zest or shredded coconut!
- How long does it keep? This rice pudding will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Before eating, add to a sauce pan with a splash of milk and gently heat on low heat.
For more easy pudding and porridge recipes, check out my
- Ultra creamy Chocolate Hazelnut Praliné overnight Oats (GF)
- Banoffee Tapioca pearl Pudding (GF)
- Mint Chia Parfaits with Chocolate avocado mousse (GF)
- Creamy Buckwheat and Cashew porridge (GF)
- Low carb Cauliflower Porridge (GF)
- Magic chocolate shell Vanilla Nice cream with Peanut butter Caramel (GF)
I love to see your creations! Don’t forget to tag me @alicepages on your photos on Instagram and give your feedback in the comments below if you make this recipe at home! Your opinion is my best reward.
Print
Creamy Caramel Espresso Rice Pudding
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2 serves 1x
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Stove top
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Warm, rich, creamy, spicy, this vegan rice pudding is the quintessence of comfort food! It comes with a delicious espresso caramel sauce. It’s super easy to make with only 5 main ingredients. Enjoy hot or cold for a cozy breakfast or decadent dessert.
Ingredients
Rice pudding
- 1/2 cup pudding (arborio) rice
- 2 cup almond milk
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch of vanilla bean (or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp brown miso (optional)
Espresso caramel
- 1 espresso shot (30 ml)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 3 tbsp hazelnut butter
Toppings
- Roasted hazelnuts
- Coconut shavings
- Cacao nibs
Instructions
- Add the rice, milk, cinnamon and vanilla to a medium sized saucepan and place it over a medium heat.
- Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook gently for 20-25 minutes, stirring often, until the rice is cooked and soft, and the pudding thick and creamy. If necessary add more milk during the cooking to reach the right consistency.
- Meanwhile, prepare the espresso caramel. Prepare a shot of coffee espresso. In a small bowl, combine the espresso, maple syrup and hazelnut butter. Stir to get a smooth caramel like sauce.
- When the rice is cooked, stir in the maple syrup and miso if using. Taste and adjust the seasoning according to your preferences.
- Scoop warm rice pudding into bowls, drizzle with espresso caramel sauce and top with roasted hazelnuts, coconut shavings and cacao nibs.
Notes
- Rice pudding will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Before eating, add to a sauce pan with a splash of milk and gently heat on low heat.
Recette version Française
Print Riz au lait crémeux sauce caramel au café
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2 personnes 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Casserole
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Onctueux et crémeux à souhait, ce riz au lait végétal accompagné d’une sauce caramel au café est l’incarnation du réconfort! Vegan, sans gluten et facile à préparer avec seulement 5 ingrédients, il se déguste chaud ou froid, au petit déjeuner ou pour un dessert ultra gourmand.
Ingredients
Riz au lait
- 100 g de riz rond
- 450 ml de lait d’amande
- 1/2 cuillère à c. de cannelle en poudre
- 1 pointe de vanille en grains (ou 1/2 cuillère à c. d’extrait de vanille)
- 1 cuillère à s. de sirop d’érable
- 1/4 cuillère à c. de miso brun (optionnel)
Caramel au café
- 1 shot d’espresso (30 ml)
- 60 g de beurre de noisette
- 40 g de sirop d’érable
Toppings
- Noisettes grillées
- Chips de coco
- Fève de cacao
Instructions
- Placer le riz, le lait, la cannelle et la vanille dans une casserole.
- Faire chauffer doucement jusqu’à ce que le mélange commence à bouillonner. Puis réduire à feu doux et cuire pendant 20-25 minutes en remuant régulièrement, jusqu’à ce que le riz soit cuit, tendre et bien crémeux. Si besoin, ajouter un peu de lait en cours de cuisson pour obtenir la bonne consistance.
- Pendant ce temps, préparer le caramel au café. Préparer un shot d’espresso. Dans un bol, mélanger le café, le beurre de noisette et le sirop d’érable pour obtenir une sauce lisse et onctueuse.
- Quand le riz est cuit, ajouter le sirop d’érable et le miso, si utilisé, et mélanger. Goûter et ajuster l’assaisonnement en fonction des préférences.
- Servir le riz au lait chaud dans des bols. Arroser de sauce caramel au café et garnir de noisettes, de chips de coco et d’éclats de fève de cacao.
Notes
- Le riz au lait se conserve pendant 4 jours au frais. Avant de consommer, ajouter un peu de lait pour lui rendre son crémeux et faire chauffer doucement dans une casserole.
coucou
en effet un dessert très réconfortant, puis-je utilisé de la chicorée de la marque Nourée pour faire le caramel ?
merci
belle journée Véronique
Bonjour Véronique,
Je n’ai jamais essayé avec de la chicorée, mais ça doit marcher en effet! Le goût sera un peu différent mais certainement très bon. Tiens-moi au courant si tu fais le test 😉