Risgrøt (Norwegian Rice Porridge)

Nov 27, 2018

Risgrøt, or risengrynsgrøt as they call it in my part of Norway, is a simple rice porridge made typically of short grain rice, short grain rice, salt and perhaps a little cream.   Served with a generous sprinkle of sugar and cinnamon with a big dollop of butter placed in the middle, this is a creamy and luxurious dish that is impossible to not love.

Risgrøt is a classic dish commonly served around Christmas time, and famously to Santa Claus on Christmas Eve to thank him for all his hard work delivering presents to all the children.  The dish would historically be put outside by the barn, where Santa Claus was thought to hang around.  By feeding him, he would also be sure to take care of and feed the animals in the barn.

There are many fascinating stories of Santa Claus from my homeland, or fjøsnissen, (fjøs = barn, nisse= Santa Claus), as he is often called in Norway, but I will reserve those for another blog post.

I was inspired to re-create this dish when I came across my friend Mia’s blog post about risgrøt.  Mia runs the very popular Norwegian food blog called Green Bonanza, and she is also the author of two beautiful cookbooks, Grønn Bonanza (Green Bonanza) and Grønnere! (Greener!). If you read Norwegian, I highly recommend both, as her food is beautiful!   Our style and philosophy of cooking are somewhat similar, which I find really fun.

It is super simple to veganize risgrøt, and in fact in Norway it has become more popular to do so as so many Norwegians are becoming lactose intolerant.    The best rice to use in my opinion is arborio rice, which is a high-starch, short grain rice used in risotto making.  You can also use carnaroli or vialone nano, a different style of risotto rice, and both short grain too.   Never use long grain rice, as it doesn’t have enough starch to produce the texture you’re looking for, neither the look or flavor.

You can use any type of non-dairy milk to cook the porridge, personally I prefer organic soy milk.  Some people add in canned coconut milk in the end, but I find that personally this is too rich for me, plus I don’t like the coconut flavor it imparts (not a classic flavor in risgrøt).

I, like my friend Mia,  find the way to make the creamiest version of risgrøt is to cook it somewhat like risotto.  This slowly releases the starch, making the porridge rich and creamy.  Start with pre-cooking the grains in water until al-dente, then ladle in spoonfuls of milk as you keep stirring.  Make sure to use a good pot with a heavy bottom as the rice can stick even as you are careful stirring.  The porridge is ready when the rice is soft and most of the liquid is evaporated.

In Norway we eat risgrøt for dinner, while Americans and others might consider this more of a breakfast item. In my family, my mom would make risgrøt for us on Saturdays, when we ate dinner around 1 or 2pm (don’t worry, there were plenty of meals the rest of the day!).   Sometimes I would add raisins to risgrøt, but more often than not, that is more classic on rømmegrøt, a sour cream porridge that is also very popular in Norway.  I will hopefully cover this porridge in a blog post in the not too distant future.

Regardless of when you decide to eat this rice porridge, be prepared for deliciousness! Also, I recommend maybe doubling this recipe and making riskrem for dessert the following day. Riskrem is a dessert that uses the leftover risgrøt, combined with vanilla whipped cream and served with a raspberry coulis. Check out my previous blog post about riskrem and get the recipe here.

But for now… get to work on that risgrøt, so you have time to perfect it for Santa on Christmas Eve!

***********************************************

RISGRØT  (Norwegian Rice Porridge)

1 3/4 cups (4dl)  water
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (2dl)  arborio rice
1 tbsp granulated sugar
2 cups (5dl) soy milk

In a heavy bottom sauce pan, bring the water and salt  to a boil, add in the arborio rice, and stir. Stir regularly until the water is absorbed. Add the sugar, then using a 5 oz (1.5dl)  soup ladle or equivalent, start adding one ladle of milk at a time, stir, wait until the milk is nearly evaporated, then add another ladle. It should take 3-4 times to use up the liquid and before the rice is properly creamy and cooked.

Serve immediately generously sprinkled with sugar, cinnamon and a big dollop of vegan butter in the middle.

4 Comments

  1. Jane

    My mom made this for us regularly growing up. I loved it! This has inspired me to make this dish too!

    Reply
    • Sunny Gandara

      Hi Jane, that is wonderful to hear! I hope you’ll enjoy! 🙂 Sunny

      Reply
  2. Anna Gjessing Clark

    I grew up in Norway, and there was only long grain or short grain rice available. We used full cream cow’s milk, white sugar, cinnamon and yup, an obscene amount of butter on top. We had it for dinner every single Saturday, and made rice cream with ‘red sauce’ (diluted raspberry cordial and potato starch, boiled and cooled) every Sunday. Good times, good times! 😋

    Reply
    • Sunny Gandara

      Hi Anna, yes sounds about exactly the way I grew up and how we did it at my house in Sunnmøre! 🙂

      Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Pin It on Pinterest

Arctic Grub
My Norwegian Bread Baking course is opening next week, and I’m busting all the myths that might be holding you back from bread bliss. Swipe through to read more! 

Have you ever tried making Norwegian bread before? 

Drop a comment and let me know how it went! If you haven’t tried yet, what’s holding you back? I’d love to know.

Click the link in bio or comment VIP to join the VIP waitlist and get early access + a special bonus when enrollment opens!

#NorwegianBread #HomeBaking #BreadMaking #FoodFromScratch #SlowFermentation #BakingCourse #NordicBaking #HealthyBread”
#arcticgrub
𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑 🙅‍♀️”

Tired of being told bread is the enemy? Spoiler: it’s not the bread—it’s WHICH bread.

This isn’t your sad grocery store sandwich loaf. 

This is Norwegian seed bread. THE. REAL. DEAL. 👊

Swipe through the below photos to see why this bread is actually your body’s BFF ➡️

And the FLAVOR? 

We’re talking next-level bread experience. 

That nutty richness from toasted seeds. 

The subtle tang from slow fermentation. 

The deep earthiness of whole grains. 

Once you taste this, that flavorless white foam masquerading as bread will never satisfy you again.

Want to learn how to make this life-changing loaf yourself? 

Waitlist for my Norwegian Bread Baking course is NOW OPEN!

Early birds get a secret VIP bonus you won’t want to miss!

Comment VIP to get the link for the waitlist and be the first to know when doors open and be eligible for the free bonus!

 #NorwegianBread #RealFood #NutritionMyths #wholegrainbread #bakebread #onlinebreadbakingcourse #norwegianrecipes #arcticgrub
There’s nothing quite like the comfort of traditional 𝒔𝒎ø𝒓𝒃𝒓ø𝒅 topped with pickled herring.

It’s the ultimate Nordic flavor experience!

Capture the essence of classic sild (herring) while bringing a fresh contemporary Norwegian taste to your table with my 𝐕𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 “𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠” 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐝.

Drawing on my experience at Manhattan’s Aquavit restaurant, this recipe balances the three crucial elements of traditional sild: acid, salt, and sweetness.

The magic happens when my secret substitute for herring is transformed through careful marination, creating that distinctive texture we associate with pickled herring. 

Combined with earthy roasted beets, crisp green apple, and a creamy mustard dressing, this salad delivers Norwegian cuisine’s distinctive complex flavors.

Get the recipe link for this salad in my bio 🙂

This salad shines as part of a traditional 𝘴𝘮ø𝘳𝘨å𝘴𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘥 and 𝘬𝘰𝘭𝘥𝘵𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘥 or as a stand-alone 𝘱å𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘨 for your daily bread. 

I particularly love this salad on Norwegian 𝐡𝐲𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐛𝐫ø𝐝.

Recipes for this ‘cabin loaf’ are hard to come by but I share my special recipe in my 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐁𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞, which will be relaunching later month. 

Get on the VIP list for early access to the course and special perks!  Comment VIP to get the link! 🍞🥖

#norwegianbreadcourse #norwegianrecipes #veganbeetandherringsalad #nordicplantbasedkitchen #veganizingscandinavianfood #arcticgrub
𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧’𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐲! 

Today we celebrate the strength, resilience, and creativity of women everywhere, especially those who have shaped Norwegian food culture through generations.

I share quotes from Pippi yearly on this day, and I especially love this one: “𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒆𝒂, 𝒏𝒐𝒃𝒐𝒅𝒚 𝒐𝒘𝒏𝒔 𝒎𝒆.”

Like the untamed sea, women’s contributions to our culinary traditions have been powerful, boundless, and essential. 

From grandmothers passing down secret family recipes to innovative female chefs redefining Nordic cuisine today.

What’s your favorite dish passed down from a strong woman in your life? 

Share in the comments below!

#InternationalWomensDay #WomenInFood #NorwegianCuisine #PippiLongstocking #WomensEmpowerment #ArcticGrub
Have you ever wondered what happens when you combine the earthy warmth of Norwegian root vegetables with the bright, tangy zip of dill pickles? 

Let me introduce you to my Broccoli Dill Pickle Soup, inspired by Norwegian traditions and Eastern European cuisine.

This soup is a celebration of Norwegian ingredients—abundant broccoli that thrives in our cold climate, hearty root vegetables, and fresh dill—transformed into a vibrant green bowl of comfort perfect for chilly winter days.

Now you might be thinking “Dill pickles in soup? I don’t think so.”

But trust me. Dill pickles and their brine add depth to this soup making it truly unforgettable (in the best possible way!).

Rich, satisfying and completely plant-based- this soup comes together in 30 minutes and goes perfectly with a slice (or two)of homemade Norwegian seeded whole-grain bread...

By the way if you want to learn how to make the most authentic. delicious Norwegian bread, be sure to get on my wait list for when my best-selling online Norwegian bread course opens later this month...

Get both links in bio or comment “DILL PICKLE” to get all the info sent to you!

#broccolisoup #dill #norwegianrecipes #nordiccomfortfood #vegansouprecipes #arcticgrub #soupandbread
🇳🇴 FASTELAVN IS THIS WEEKEND! 🇩🇰 

Time for the most irresistible Nordic treat you’ll ever taste - fastelavnsboller! 

These heavenly cardamom-spiced buns filled with vanilla cream and berry jam are a centuries-old tradition I simply can’t get enough of. 

In this week’s new blog post, I’m sharing dairy-free versions  of both the Norwegian and Danish versions of fastelavnsboller that are just as pillowy-soft and decadent as their conventional counterparts.

Click the link in bio or comment CREAM BUNS to get the recipes and discover why even professional chefs struggle to stop at just one! 

🇳🇴🇩🇰

#Fastelavn #NordicBaking #FastelavnsBoller #ArcticGrub #vegancreambuns #NorwegianTraditions #Nordicrecipes