Vegan rice pudding is a fabulous effortless dessert perfect for using up leftover rice. Quickly made on the stove top dairy free rice pudding is also gluten free and free from the top 9 food allergens.
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The Quick Lowdown:
Flavour: Rich and creamy with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg.
Difficulty: Beginner. Once the rice is cooked, you are reheating it with a few ingredients to make a delicious dessert.
Return for effort: Yes! There is little effort needed but a delicious resultfor this allergy friendly rice pudding.
Why We Like This Recipe
This creamy rice pudding recipe reminds me of my mum. When we would have leftover rice from dinner, my mum would make rice pudding for us. There is something special about recipes that can bring you back to a place of comfort and love. The smell of the cinnamon and rice cooking do that for me. This is a way for me to share that experience with my kids.
Being able to adapt a recipe that is a part of my childhood is really special to me. It can be really hard when you have food allergies, like we do to be able to share in traditions that centre around food. When we can make this happen it makes Rob and I so happy.
Ingredients
- Cooked Rice
- Dairy Free Milk
- Coconut Cream
- Maple Syrup
- Sea Salt
- Arrowroot Starch
- Dairy Free Buttery Spread
- Vanilla Extract
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
See recipe card for quantities.
The Ingredient Low Down
Cooked Rice
Traditionally a short grain pudding rice is used to make creamy rice pudding. Pudding rice is what we would buy in the UK when we were there. Aborio rice, or risotto rice is one kind of short grained rice that works well and is the best rice for rice pudding. Traditional British pudding rice is a high starch rice.
Other kinds of rice will work though. Jasmine rice lends a beautiful floral note to the pudding. Medium grain white rice is great in allergy friendly rice pudding. Basmati will also work and is a high starch rice.
Pre-Cook the Rice
While we usually don't often talk about using leftover rice due to the food safety issues that can come with it. In order to use leftover rice make sure the rice is cooled quickly, within one hour, and fully so it doesn't create condensation in the storage container. For full food safety concerns The UK National Health Service has this article on it.
Store it in the fridge. Make sure it is fully heated through when using pre-cooked rice. This dairy free rice pudding recipe though is one we use for any leftover rice. It makes an easy dessert with the rice already cooked.
Dairy Free Milk
We like to use gluten oat milk, rice milk, or coconut milk in this recipe. They tend to have the best flavour when heated to compliment the flavour of the rice pudding.
The coconut milk is nice as it gives a lot of richness but when paired with coconut cream it can give a more coconutty taste. Just make sure that whichever milk you use is free from your allergens and is gluten free and dairy free.
Dairy Free Milk Tip
It is best to use unsweetened and unflavoured dairy free milk. If you are using flavoured and sweetened milk it will make the dessert super sweet and flavoured the same flavour as your dairy free milk. You will need to reduce the sugar in the allergy friendly rice pudding recipe. If you opt for this option try the vanilla or for Christmas "egg-less Nog" oat milk.
Coconut Cream
The coconut cream in a can will help to make the rice pudding super creamy. The fat it adds is what makes the rice pudding so decadent tasting.
Coconut Free Option
Use a dairy free milk that is safe for you, like gluten free oat milk. Mix in 2 teaspoons of tapioca starch to it to help thicken it. Add 2 teaspoons of dairy free butter to add a bit more richness to the pudding.
Maple Syrup
We use maple syrup that doesn't use soy based oil for defoaming. It is used to sweeten the dairy free rice pudding. Honey can be used instead, if you do not need to keep the dessert vegan.
If you need a sugar substitute you can use a heat stable sugar substitute. It will need to be reduced in quantity to 2-3 teaspoons. Mix it in and taste the allergy friendly rice pudding after heating when it has cooled enough and add extra sugar substitute in small amounts as needed.
Arrowroot Starch
To help thicken the vegan rice pudding we use starch instead of eggs. Arrowroot starch or cornstarch can be used in this recipe, no changes to the amounts needed. It is really important to mix whichever starch you are using with the same amount of dairy free milk before adding it to the pudding.
If the arrowroot starch is added dry and straight into the pudding it will clump and make for a lumpy allergy friendly rice pudding.
Dairy Free Butter Spread
Dairy Free butter spread or blocks can be used to make creamy rice pudding. Either will work in this recipe. We have tested Earth Balance Soy Free Spread and Violife Block in this recipe with success, but any dairy free butter replacement will work.
Vanilla Extract
We make our own vanilla extract with imported vanilla pods and potato based vodka, that is safe for us. It takes a few months for it to be infused enough to use. In the meantime we make vanilla paste, which can be used in a 1 to 1 substitution for vanilla extract.
There are many different brands of vanilla extract, if you are looking for one to contact and see if it is safe for you try Lorann Oils and their vanilla extract.
Cinnamon, Nutmeg & Salt
Make sure your spices are made on dedicated lines and facilities, if that is needed for your food allergies. Contact the company making the spices to see if they are manufactured on shared lines and facilities. Some may have "may contain" warning labels already but many do not as these warnings are not regulated.
Nutmeg is not classified as a nut in Canada, the UK, EU, or the US. Check with your allergist and medical team to see if it is safe for you before buying it.
Instructions/ Directions and Tips
Step 1
In a medium pot, combine rice, maple syrup, salt, coconut cream and ½ cup of the dairy free milk. Reserve the other ½ cup of the dairy free milk and set it aside.
Step 2
Heat the pot over medium-high heat until the mix comes to an almost boil. Reduce heat to medium and let the dairy free milk simmer for 20 - 25 minutes. Stir often so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.
Step 3
Mix the 2 teaspoons of arrowroot powder with 1 tablespoon of the reserved ½ cup of dairy free milk. Stir until fully mixed together and no clumps or lumps are left. Pour it into the rest of the ½ cup of reserved milk and stir.
If you add the arrowroot starch straight into the pudding it will clump up. It needs to be mixed with an equal amount of liquid. In this case the dairy free milk to form a slurry and keep the starch from becoming lumpy.
Step 4
Pour the arrowroot and dairy free milk slurry mixture into the pot that has finished simmering. Stir to combine. Leave the pot on the heat and cook for 5-10 minutes. Stirring continuously.
Step 5
Remove from heat and add vanilla extract, dairy free butter, and spices. Mix well to distribute. Let the vegan rice pudding cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Adding the vanilla after removing from the heat will ensure the pudding has the best vanilla flavour.
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Substitutions, Variations, & Adaptations
- Chocolate - Add in chocolate chips or white chocolate chips when cooking and let them melt. Then mix in.
- Dried Fruit - Adding in dried fruit like raisins, cut up apricots to the creamy rice pudding when cooking.
- Oat Nog - Before the Holidays you can usually find gluten free at nog in the stores. Some are top 9 free. Replace the dairy free cream with gluten, egg, and dairy free oat nog for a festive dairy free rice pudding and top with a dusting of nutmeg.
- Pumpkin Seeds - Chopped pepitas or raw pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds can be stirred in to add a bit of texture to the pudding.
- Fresh Fruit - Bite sized strawberries, bananas, or mangos are really good in vegan rice pudding. Top the allergy friendly rice pudding with them, or mix them in right before serving.
- Jam - Top the creamy rice pudding with a couple of spoonfuls of fruit jam to contrast with the creaminess of the pudding.
- Quinoa - Rice can be replaced with another grian, such as cooked quinoa. For how to cook fluffy quinoa check out our recipe.
Storage Instructions
Fridge
In an airtight container creamy rice pudding will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge. We do not recommend freezing leftover rice pudding.
Equipment
- Medium Pot - To cook the vegan rice pudding in.
- Cooking Utensils - A heat resistant spatula, whisk, or spoon to mix the dairy free rice pudding as it cooks.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons - For measuring the ingredients in this dessert recipe.
📖 Recipe
Equipment
- Medium pot
- Cooking Utensils
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- 1½ Cups Rice, cooked (see notes)
- 1 Cup Dairy Free Plant Based Milk divided (see notes)
- 1 Cup Coconut Cream, canned (see notes)
- 4 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
- ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
- 2 teaspoons Arrowroot Starch (see notes)
- 1 Tablespoons Dairy Free Butter Spread (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon ground
- ⅛ teaspoon Nutmeg ground (see notes)
Instructions
- In a medium pot, combine cooked rice, maple syrup, salt, coconut cream and ½ cup of the dairy free milk. Reserve the other ½ cup of the dairy free milk and set it aside.1½ Cups Rice, cooked, 1 Cup Dairy Free Plant Based Milk, 1 Cup Coconut Cream, canned, 4 Tablespoons Maple Syrup, ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
- Heat the pot over medium-high heat until the mix comes to an almost boil. Reduce heat to medium and let the dairy free milk simmer for 20 - 25 minutes. Stir often so the rice doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Mix the 2 teaspoons of arrowroot powder with 1 tablespoon of the reserved ½ cup of dairy free milk. Stir until fully mixed together and no clumps or lumps are left. Pour it into the rest of the ½ cup of reserved milk and stir.2 teaspoons Arrowroot Starch, 1 Cup Dairy Free Plant Based Milk
- Pour the arrowroot and dairy free milk mixture into the pot that has finished simmering. Stir to combine. Leave the pot on the heat and cook for 5 minutes. Stirring continuously.
- Remove from heat and add vanilla extract, dairy free butter, and spices. Mix well to distribute. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.1 Tablespoons Dairy Free Butter Spread, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon Nutmeg
Notes
Allergy Note 1
Always check that each ingredient is safe for you. Reading all the ingredients and labelling as well as checking with the manufacturer should always be done before buying any product. Each person's allergies are different and only you and your medical team can determine what is best for you. Checking with the manufacturer is best practice to see if shared lines, or facilities are used when making any of the suggested products. Just because a product is right for us does not mean it is safe for anyone else. You must do your own research on each product.
Allergy Note 2
If making this recipe for anyone with an allergy always check with them for suitable products and ingredients. Each person knows their allergies best and can advise on what is safe for them to eat. Keep in mind that if making for another person they may not be able to eat it with shared prep surfaces, cooking equipment, and kitchens or other safety reasons.
Allergy Note 3
This is not medical advice. Always discuss your allergies, nutrition, and suitable products and recipes with your medical team before using.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
"The Allergen Free Kitchen" is not a registered dietician or nutritionist, does not replace a registered dietician or nutritionist and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend you consult with your medical team to find a registered dietician or nutritionist and for you to calculate the nutritional information. Calories and nutritional values can vary vastly depending on which brands were used and any substitutions used.
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Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Cooked rice needs to be cooled with care as if not cooled properly it can lead to an increased risk of food borne illness, only use proper rice cooling methods
- Contact the manufacturer of products, regarding cross contact and ingredients, to ensure they are safe for you
- Always check ingredients for allergens
- Do not use the same utensils on allergen free food, that previously touched allergens
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
Allergy Resources
If you are struggling with allergies or which foods are safe for you we encourage you to contact your medical team to help determine what is best for you.
For additional resources please check out the following allergy education and advocacy pages:
In the United States:
- Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT) - Home Page
- Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) - Home Page
- U.S Food & Drug Administration (FDA) - Food Allergies - Home Page
- Recalls, Reporting and Alerts on Food - in The United States of America
- Food Safety and Inspection Service, USDA - Recalls
- US Food & Drug Administration, FDA - Recalls
- Celiac Disease Foundation - Home Page
- National Celiac Association (NCA) - Home Page
- Beyond Celiac - Home Page
- Celiac.com - Home Page
In Canada
- Food Allergy Canada - Home Page
- Celiac Canada - Home Page
- The Government of Canada - Health Site- Food Allergies
- The Government of Canada - Food Allergen Labelling, the List of Ingredients and Allergens on Food Labels, and Allergens and Gluten Sources Labelling
Recalls, Reporting and Alerts on Food - in Canada
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