This rye flour porridge is great for using up leftover flour from rye bread baking. It is a popular breakfast food in Finland and Sweden. We even enjoy it in the evening, a kids favorite with a knob of butter and milk.

Rye porridge has a slightly malty, sweet taste; it is silky smooth and has a lot of fiber.

Velvety rye porridge on blue plate served with milk, butter and lingonberries.

In Finland and Sweden we boil rye porridge from rye flour, whole rye pearls, and also rye flakes. Rye bran is also used in many porridge recipes and bread baking.

I love rye, and eat it almost everyday, usually in the form of two rye bread sandwiches. My favorite brands are the *Fazer puikula, *Vaasan ruispalat and the darker *oululainen reissumies tosi tumma. Sometimes I also love to bake these simple rye flatbreads, but they are best fresh from the oven.

Now I have totally fallen in love with rye porridge. It is a great breakfast, since it has so much fiber, over 10 grams in one portion. This keeps me satiated for well over three hours. Sometimes I whisk in an egg white for additional protein.

Different porridges were a common lunch in history, for example in my mother´s childhood at school.

Ingredients

Rye flour bag, salt and sugar with labers on blue background.

In the image is the rye flour I love to use for bread baking, the Finnish Easter dessert mämmi, and rye porridge. This flour is found in most food stores in Finland, and you can also order it conveniently from *suomikauppa.fi, which ships worldwide.

When possible, I also buy ground ecological rye flour from local small mills. They sell products at small stores and, every other week, at REKO Jakelu, as it is called when small producers gather at a large parking lot, and you can buy local produce.

I like to add a pinch of sugar and salt in my porridge for extra flavor, but they can be omitted.

Use a regular pan for boiling, a nonstick pan is also a great opportunity. When making a big batch, I love to use a double boiler pot set; this prevents the porridge from burning since it is in a water bath. And it can be kept warm this way for several hours.

Instruction photos

Whisked water and flour in metallic pan.

Bring the water to boil. Whisk your rye flour in the water while continuing to stir. Alternatively, you can whisk everything together as cold and then bring it up to a boil-no difference.

Thickened boiled brown porridge in pot with a whisk.

Let the porridge gently boil on low heat at least 20 minutes while stirring with a whisk regularly so it does not form clumps. Add the salt and sugar when your porridge has thickened a bit. You can leave the porridge to simmer up for an hour, it deepens the flavor.

Serving and notes

Rye porridge is traditionally enjoyed with a knob of butter and milk.
Frozen berries are a great pairing as topping
Apple sauce, mixed fruit sauces or jams go well with rye porridge
Traditional is also blueberry or strawberry soup

Ps: See also the delicious recipe for rice porridge.

Porridge shot from above, rye porridge on blue plate with butterknob, milk and some frozen lingonberries

Rye flour porridge

Simple creamy breakfast porridge made from whole grain rye flour. Serve with nutter, milk and some berries.

5 from 1 vote

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Cook Time 20

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Finnish, Swedish

Servings

Calories 277 kcal

Ingredients

1 cup wholegrain rye flour ( 150 grams)
3½ cups water (840grams)
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar

Instructions

Bring the water to boil. Whisk your rye flour in the water while continuing to stir.
Let the porridge gently boil on low heat while stirring with a whisk regularly so it does not form clumps.
Serve the porridge warm. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge. The porridge can be enjoyed as cold also.

Notes

Ps: This porridge can be left to simmer for an hour, the taste develops somewhat deeper and sweet, but it can be eaten after 20-30 minutes of boiling.

Traditionally served with butter and milk, and some sprinkled sugar on top. Ceylon cinnamon also goes well as topping. Other traditional combinations/toppings are frozen or fresh berries and berry soups.

Pro tip: mix ½ cup mashed lingonberries in the rye porridge when boiling and you get even more nutrition.