Creamy Vegan Rice Pudding

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Creamy, perfectly sweet vegan rice pudding made in 1 pot with just 7 ingredients. Naturally sweetened and SO comforting and nostalgic!

Does it get more classic than a bowl of rice pudding? Talk about nostalgia! We’d been craving this comforting dessert for far too long, and so our perfected vegan version was born. It’s perfectly sweet, super creamy, and SO classic!

Naturally sweetened and just 7 ingredients, 1 pot, and 25 minutes required. Let’s make rice pudding!

Origins of Rice Pudding

The exact ingredients used vary by region and preference, but most recipes include some sort of rice, milk, spices/flavorings, sweetener, and sometimes eggs. The following is our inspired vegan version based on what we grew up knowing and loving!

How to Make Vegan Rice Pudding

Our version begins with combining dairy-free milk (we like almond for its neutral flavor) with maple syrup for natural sweetness, cornstarch to thicken, and sea salt to enhance all the flavors.

The cornstarch is the egg replacement in this recipe. We tested both with and without it and prefer the creamy, cling-to-the-rice texture it provides.

Once the mixture has cooked with the rice, we add light coconut milk to make it rich and creamy with minimal coconut taste and vanilla for classic rice pudding flavor.

The result is tender, fluffy rice coated in sweet, creamy perfection! You can either enjoy it warm (with optional toppings like cinnamon and raisins), or cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap (to prevent a skin from forming) and enjoy after chilling.

We hope you LOVE this rice pudding! It’s:

Super creamy
Cinnamon-spiced
Perfectly sweet
Comforting
Quick & easy
& Kind of perfect!

It’s a great way to repurpose leftover rice in an extra delicious way. Rice pudding also keeps well, making it the perfect dessert to have on hand in the fridge throughout the week.

Creamy Vegan Rice Pudding (1 Pot)

Creamy, perfectly sweet vegan rice pudding made in 1 pot with just 7 ingredients. Naturally sweetened and SO comforting and nostalgic!

Prep Time:

10 minutes

Cook Time:

15 minutes

Total Time:

25 minutes

Servings:

4 (Servings)

Course:

Dessert

Cuisine:

Gluten-Free, Vegan

Freezer Friendly:

No

Does it keep? 4-5 Days

Ingredients

RICE PUDDING

Ingredients

1. 1 ½ cups cooked white rice (we prefer jasmine rice because it holds its shape well while still being soft)
2. 1 ½ cups dairy-free milk (plain, unsweetened // we used almond milk)
3. 1/4 cup maple syrup
4. 2 tsp cornstarch
5. 1/8 tsp sea salt
6. 1/2 cup canned light coconut milk (we like Whole Foods 365 brand)
7. 1 tsp vanilla extract

FOR SERVING optional

Ingredients

1. Cinnamon
2. Raisins

Instructions

Cooking method

1. If you don’t already have cooked white rice, prepare it at this time using these instructions. 1/2 cup dry rice yields ~1 ½ cups cooked. Set aside.
2. To a medium saucepan, add the dairy-free milk, maple syrup, cornstarch, and sea salt. Whisk to combine, then add cooked white rice and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula.
3. Heat the saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook for about 13-16 minutes or until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid but is still slightly runny. It should resemble risotto. Next, add the light coconut milk and vanilla extract and stir constantly for 2-4 minutes until the mixture is thick yet pourable. It should look like a loose risotto — it will thicken as it cools.
4. Remove the pot from the heat and let the pudding cool for a few minutes if serving warm (option to top with cinnamon and raisins). Alternatively, you can let it cool completely.
5. To cool the pudding, place into a medium heat-proof bowl and cover the top of the pudding with parchment paper or plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Again, option to serve with cinnamon and raisins. We prefer the chilled rice pudding.
6. It will keep stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. It can be frozen, but we find the texture becomes grainy and brittle rather than smooth and tender.

Notes

*To prepare your rice pudding in the Instant Pot (using DRY white rice), add 1/2 cup rice to the Instant Pot along with the remaining ingredients. Whisk to dissolve the cornstarch. Seal the lid and pressure cook on high for 6 minutes. Let pressure release naturally (~15 minutes). Remove the lid and stir. The rice pudding will thicken as it rests. For a thicker pudding, you can set the Instant Pot to sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional ingredients.
*Loosely adapted from all recipes.

Nutrition (1 of 4 servings)

Serving: 1servingCalories: 170Carbohydrates: 32.9gProtein: 2gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1.9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.6gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 138mgPotassium: 124mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 13.3g<Vitamin A: 0IUVitamin C: 0mgCalcium: 192mgIron: 0.9mg

Recipe by Cook Good Recipes