Whipped Lingonberry Semolina Porridge – Easy breakfast

Whipped lingonberry semolina porridge is an easy breakfast or a snack that you can meal prep to enjoy during the week or serve right after making. This traditional Nordic recipe of pink semolina porridge is a healthy snack, breakfast, or dessert! Take advantage of the autumn berries to whip up a healthy snack fast and easy.

After the summer our freezers here in the North are packed full of berries to be enjoyed during the hard dark winter to gain the vitamins and antioxidants that they are filled with. When I enjoy this traditional Finnish recipe for whipped lingonberry porridge in our cozy kitchen in the darkness of the winter my mind goes to the amazing wilderness, I can smell the powerful scent of the forest and feel the lovely summer breeze.

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Tips for making the whipped lingonberry semolina porridge

• Get all the ingredients and tools ready on the counter beforehand to get the kitchen flow in making the whipped porridge.
• You can do the quick version and cool the porridge in the sink filled with cold water to enjoy it after cooking or use the recipe for meal prep to prepare the porridge to the fridge day before and let it cool down in the fridge with out any effort and enjoy it through the week.
• Use half and half: half wheat semolina and half spelt full grain semolina to have the benefits and fibers of the full grain and the fluffy texture that the regular semolina gives.You can use both frozen and fresh lingonberries which ones you happen to have. We have our freezer now full of berries so frozen ones are my go-to.

FAQ

What is whipped porridge?

Whipped porridge is a traditional Nordic midday snack or dessert porridge that you can enjoy as a breakfast too. It has a lovely pink color due to the red berries and the texture is smooth and fluffy. Whipped porridge is made with semolina and acid berries – traditionally whole lingonberries or red currants. You can make it with lingonberry juice as well, but to gain more of the healthy benefits of the berry skins I recommend using whole ones instead. Juices are often already sweetened and they do not contain all the different healthy parts of the berries.

What is semolina?

Semolina is a grain product. In the milling process, the most nourishing core parts of the wheat grain are separated from the grain and made into semolina. That’s why semolina is considered very beneficial for your health. Semolina is coarser than normal flour and usually has a bit yellowish colour. Do not mix up with polenta that has a bit similar look, but is made with corn.

Can I make whipped porridge without gluten?

Semolina contains gluten. Some have tried successfully using rice flour instead of semolina to avoid gluten, but I do not have personal experience with that one. If you have tried, let me know in the comments, I would love to know more!

What to serve with the whipped lingonberry porridge?

Typically the whipped lingonberry porridge is served with milk, some people add a bit of sugar too. The most common is to have it with cow’s milk and you can stir it in or take a spoonful of porridge and milk to enjoy them separately. If you prefer oat milk or other plant-based milk, they will work well too! If you want to upgrade the portion to the more luxurious dessert try with cream or vanilla custard.

How to substitute lingonberries in whipped porridge?

The best choice for the taste and structure of the traditional whipped porridge is to use berries that have quite high acidity like lingonberries and red currants. But I have used successfully blackcurrants and rowan berries as well! When using the rowan berries or even seabuckthorns!) I recommend increasing bit the amount of sugar or other sweeteners for a better and more enjoyable flavor. Blackcurrants decrease the amount for they are sweeter than the other berries mentioned.

You can play around with the other berries to make your favourite combination. Try strawberry, raspberry, blueberry or why not make a leap to the fruit world and use apples or be adventurous and use rhubarb! Adjust the sweetener depending on the sweetness of your chosen ingredient.

What to do if the whipped porridge does not foam up?

• Before whisking make sure you have boiled the porridge enough. If the consistence is very watery it most likely will not foam up. Increase the boiling time to get better consistency.
• The porridge needs to be cooled down before it can be whipped. You can pour cold water into the sink and immerse the pot halfway to cool the mixture down. Beware not to let the water from the sink run in the pot! To speed up the process you can pour the porridge into a high container that supports heat and immerse that in. When the container is already cool it will cool down faster than the hot steel pot that was just on the stove.
• The quality and style of semolina gives different results. If you use only full grain semolina the porridge will naturally be less fluffy due to the quantity of the fibers that the full grain semolina has. To gain more healthy aspects of this portion I have recommended in the recipe to use half semolina and half full grain semolina to get the fibers and benefits of the full grains and still get the fluffier result thanks to the usual semolina.

Tools you might need

• Stainless steel pot ( 1,5 – 2 L)
• Measuring cups
• Immersion blender with both cutter and whisk head
• Whisk
• Spatula
• High container with a lid

How to make

Measure in a stainless steel pot the lingonberries, water, salt, and sugar and bring to a boil. Boil for about five minutes. Meanwhile, measure the semolina and spelt full-grain semolina and choose the cutter end for your immersion blender.

Take the pot from the heat and carefully mix the berries, water, and sugar. Keep the cutter head underneath the surface so as not to splash around the hot mixture! Mix until smooth. If you want to sieve the mixture to make the semolina porridge ultra smooth this is the moment to do so: pour the mixture through a sieve into a heat-resistant container, rinse the pot, and pour the mixture back in. Be careful with pouring the hot liquid so as not to burn yourself!

Return to the stove and bring to a boil. By the time the mixture boils again take the whisk and start whisking slowly. When you have a constant swirl pour slowly the semolinas in. When stirring constantly while pouring the semolina it will not be stuck on the bottom of the pot. Let simmer 10-15 minutes on a medium heat and stir occasionally. Remove from the heat and let it cool.

Fast option

If you prefer to enjoy the whipped porridge right away you can speed up the cooling process with a few tricks. Pour the porridge into a high container that supports heat and immerse that in the sink with cold water. Beware not to let water from the sink run in the container. When the container is already cool it will cool down faster than the hot steel pot that was just on the stove. Change the whisk head to your immersion blender and whisk vigorously until the porridge is fluffy and changes the colour to a slightly lighter shade of pink.

Meal prep option

This is the method that I use more often, I could say weekly even! I prepare a batch ahead to enjoy throughout the week. When you have boiled the porridge, pour it into a high container with the lid and place it in the fridge to cool overnight. When the porridge cools down in the fridge the consistency is very gelatinous, if you cut it with a spoon you can see clearly how it cuts in and leaves a hole.

Before serving whisk vigorously with the whisk head of the immersion blender until the porridge is fluffy and changes the colour to a slightly lighter shade of pink. It has now the perfect texture.

Serving

Serve the whipped porridge with a bit of milk of your preference on the side or the plate with the porridge. To upgrade the portion to the dessert league you can use cream or vanilla custard for instance!

Storage

Store in the fridge in a container with the lid for up to five days. You can whisk it before first serving and it will keep the consistency throughout the week. If you feel that the structure collapses you can whisk it again.

What other combinations you have tried?

Have you made already whipped porridge? Let me know in the comments your favorite combinations!

What else to whip up for breakfast?