Here is one of our favorite millet recipes! Coconut Millet Bowls with berbere-spiced squash, chickpeas, shallots, and spinach, drizzled with a coconut lime sauce. Packed full of flavor this vegan, plant-based meal, is wholesome and nourishing!
Stay close to anything that makes you glad you are alive.~ Hafiz
Looking for delicious millet recipes? We have you covered! This tasty Millet Bowl is bursting with so much flavor! Millet is simmered in coconut milk with a little turmeric for a beautiful golden glow. While it simmers, kabocha squash (or use any winter squash), chickpeas, and shallots are roasted with fragrant berbere spice.
Then it is just a matter of assembling the wholesome bowls! We add a handful of baby spinach for extra nutrients and drizzle with cool cucumber coconut lime sauce, balancing out the spice and adding a lovely brightness. Top with crunchy coconut flakes for added texture if you like! Colorful, tasty and easy to make its a lovely vegetarian/vegan meal!
What is millet?
Millet is an ancient grass seed with many variations around the globe, from Asia and India to Africa and the Middle East. Though it’s marketed as a grain, it’s actually a seed, gluten-free grain and it is also lectin-free. The most popular variation is pearl millet – aka Pennisetum glaucum.
Millet has many health benefits! High in protein, fiber, key vitamins, nutrients and minerals, millet tastes mild-flavored, with hints of corn and slightly sweet nuttiness. It cooks up fast, and becomes deliciously tender and fluffy, millet is also very economical, versatile and easy to incorporate into your favorite dishes. By just adjusting the liquid you can cook millet more like grits or polenta, fluffy like couscous, rice or quinoa, or make it more like a porridge or oatmeal.
Growing up, my mom used to make a creamy millet porridge with millet, cinnamon sticks and dates cooked overnight in a slow cooker- so good!! It lends itself perfectly to both savory and sweet flavor influences.
Millet Recipe: What you’ll need (Ingredients)
- Millet – uncooked whole grain millet.
- Coconut milk (not lite!) divided, see instructions
- Coconut oil
- Spices: berbere spice, turmeric, salt and pepper
- Winter squash: kabocha squash, sugar pumpkins, butternut squash or delicata squash (or sub sweet potatoes or carrots!)
- Canned chickpeas– or cooked chickpeas
- Shallots or red onion
- Baby spinach or other leafy green
- Toasted coconut flakes– optional
Drizzle Sauce
- Limes
- Cucumber
- Ginger
- cilantro or mint, or both
- honey or maple syrup
How to Make Millet Bowls (instructions)
Step One: Cook the millet.
Set aside 1/2 cup of the thick cream off of the top of the canned coconut milk and reserve for the drizzle sauce.
Place the remaining coconut milk, water , salt, and spices in a medium pot and give a good stir over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
Once simmering add the millet. Lower heat to a simmer, and cover it.
Let simmer covered. Don’t peak! Very important to leave the lid on so the steam does not escape.
Step two: Roast the Squash and chickpeas.
As the millet cooks, mix Berbere spice with oil and water to create a paste. This also heightens the flavors bringing out the volatile oils as the spices hydrate. You can make the Berbere Spice from scratch or buy it at most upscale grocery stores, or online.
Cut the winter squash. I really encourage you to look for red kabocha squash because it is so uniquely delicious! You might check with your local farmers- it is a hot item here in the Pacific Northwest. The skin is thin, no need to peel! Yams, butternut, sugar pumpkins, or delicata squash would all be delicious as well.
The berbere gets thick after soaking, making a beautiful paste.
Liberally coat squash, shallots and chickpeas with the paste. (You could easily add chicken breasts or thighs to the roast too- see recipe notes!). Give a sprinkling of salt and pop into the oven to roast. Roast until tender!
Step three: Make the drizzle sauce.
While the sheet pan is roasting and millet is simmering, make the drizzle sauce. Place everything in a blender.
Blend until creamy.
Step four: Assemble the bowls.
Divide warm millet among bowls, topping with the warm squash, shallots and chickpeas. Add fresh spinach and drizzle with the creamy sauce. Add toasted coconut flakes for delicious texture.
Storage and Meal Prep
The millet recipe and roasted vegetables will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator. The millet can also be frozen for up to 3 months. The sauce is best used within 3 days.
Hope you enjoy this tasty Millet recipe!
More Favorite Millet Recipes
- Kale Caesar Salad with Millet Croutons
- Homemade Berbere Spice Blend
- Tasty Vegan Buddha Bowls (Vegan & Plant-Based!)
- Berbere Chicken with Ethiopian Lentils
Coconut Millet Bowls
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: vegan, main, buddha bowl,
- Method: roasted, stovetop
- Cuisine: Ethiopian
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Here is one of our favorite millet recipes! Coconut Millet Bowls with Berbere-Spiced Kabocha Squash, chickpeas, shallots, and spinach drizzled with coconut lime mint sauce. A vegan, plant-based meal, full of vibrant flavor and spice.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Berbere spice
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil (or other neutral-flavored oil)
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 1/2 lb kabocha squash 3/4 ” slices (substitute yams, butternut or delicata)
- 15 oz can chickpeas, drained or 1 1/2 cups cooked
- 2 large shallots, peeled and thickly sliced (I cut in half and then cut each half in thirds)
Millet Recipe
- 1 cup millet
- 1 cup from a 1 15 oz can coconut milk (not lite!) divided, see instructions
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Drizzle Sauce
- 1/2 cup coconut cream (from the divided can)
- 1/4 cup lime juice (1-2 limes worth)
- zest of one lime (about 1 teaspoon)
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 cup cucumber chunks, peeled and deseeded
- 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger or a few thin slices
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped stems and leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
Bowl additions: 3 cups fresh spinach and toasted coconut
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Make the Berbere Paste
- Mix together berbere spice, oil and water in a bowl set aside to hydrate for 10 minutes.
Cook the Millet
- Reserve 1/2 cup of the thick cream part of the coconut milk and set aside.
- Bring the remaining coconut milk, water, turmeric and salt to a simmer in a sauce pan. Add coconut oil and millet, bring to a gentle boil, and then turn down to the lowest simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Leave covered (no peaking!) turn off heat and let sit at least 10 minutes more.
Sheet Pan Roast
- Place prepared squash, shallots and chickpeas on sheet pan with parchment. Liberally spread berbere paste with a brush. Sprinkle with salt and place in the oven for 30 minutes or until everything is cooked and roasted.
Make the Drizzle
- Blend together the reserved coconut cream, lime juice & zest, salt, honey, cucumber, and fresh ginger until smooth. Add in cilantro and mint and blend just another few seconds, enough to break up the herbs but still keeping pieces and flecks.
Assemble the bowls with the veggies on top of the warm millet. Add fresh spinach and drizzle with the sauce.
Top with toasted coconut.
Notes
If adding chicken breast or thighs to sheet pan roast, increase berber paste 1 more tablespoon each of berbere spice, oil and water.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 641
- Sugar: 6.7 g
- Sodium: 651.3 mg
- Fat: 27.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 15 g
- Carbohydrates: 75.6 g
- Fiber: 13.8 g
- Protein: 15.6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Delicious!!!! This has become one of my new favourite recipes!!! Thank you for sharing it 🙂
Awesome phoenix- so happy you like this!
I modified a ton in this recipe and it turned out really tasty. Couldn’t tell if i had millet or amaranth in an unlabeled jar. I think i made amaranth. The consistency turned out runny but the flavor is so good.
Gosh it is hard to tell sometimes isn’t it, those little grains look so similar. So glad you enjoyed the flavor!
Everything about this recipe was amazing – the complexity of flavors, the ease of preparation – and the variety of textures!!! So wonderful!
So glad you enjoyed this Maya!
All I can say is “WOW!” Had no idea that millet tasted so good. Used sweet potato as I didn’t have squash – the rest I followed to a T. Thanks once again for a phenomenal dish. You never disappoint.
Perfect, thanks Ursula!
Hi Tonia, I was so excited to try your wonderful recipe. everything went well except my drizzle split. what did I do wrong and can I fix it before my dinner party tonight!!!!
a new fan, Mary
Hi Mary, Sounds like it could be the coconut milk used, some brands do that more readily than others. In my experience it still tastes good and works fine, it just doesn’t look smooth. You could try setting the drizzle bowl in a larger bowl of hot water and and whisking. You could also dice up more cucumber and chop more herbs and add that and it will be more of a chutney with texture. Hoping this helps!
Thank you. my guests still enjoyed it – so that was great but next time I will be prepared.
Mary
My husband and I LOVE this recipe. Thanks so much
Great to hear- thanks Jacquelyn!
Love this!! My dear friends gave out packets of berbere spice and a chicken recipe as wedding favors for all the guests. I was planning to make the chicken dish, and I probably will eventually, but I made this first and now I want to make it again and again. It is so delicious and satisfying in that wonderful way that plant-based foods are (without making you sleepy and lethargic). I can’t wait to make it again soon!
Glad you enjoyed this!
What can you replace millet with
Short grain brown or white rice or quinoa would be nice. I would still cook it in the coconut milk!
Delicious blend of flavours and reasonably easy to make. We substituted the spinach with wilted kale.This is a keeper for sure.
Sounds great Annette, so glad you enjoyed!
Another fantastic recipe! Each component is complimentary to the dish. The sauce is to die for and was key in not having the bowl be too spicy for my kids.
I made it with butternut squash because it was already in the house from your risotto recipe (which also deserves a rave review!).
Great to hear Kylie! Thanks for sharing.
Love the spice combo and so easy to make, as always. AMAZING. We love you!
I subbed the millet for quinoa and it worked beautifully however portions were a little small- would have liked 2 cups of quinoa to make it a hearty meal however for 4 people. Do you think the Millet would have gone further?
Glad you enjoyed! Millet is definitely a heartier grain then quinoa. Maybe the same amount but much more density.
This is so delicious!! I had never tried millet before but I am for sure hooked now.
Glad you enjoyed this Faye!
another winner! I made the berbere spice without fenugreek because I’m pregnant but was still delicious! I was slightly concerned for a second with the millet because I didn’t peak at all but when I went to look at it, after the squash had cooked it was still mushy and in quite a bit of liquid so I quickly turned the burner on medium and cooked until the liquid had been cooked off. Still delicious. Never had millet before and I thought it was delicious, everything paired so well together. I did also bake two chicken breasts with the veggies and then shredded and did another batch of squash because I didn’t have a large enough pan to cook all at once. Will be making this many times, this recipe is a keeper. So glad I found this blog!!
So glad you liked this Nicole! and yay for trying new things! Chicken sounds perfect.
This sounds great, except I really don’t care for coconut (it makes me nauseous). Can I sub something for the coconut cream & milk? Thanks!
It plays such a big part in the dish, but I guess you could use another nut milk? Give it a try.
This was a lovely way to combine two ingredients I’ve had on hand for a while but wasn’t sure how to use best – berbere and millet! Everything came together so nicely, I found it to be a satisfying meal while being wholesome and nutritious at the same time.
Great to hear Nicole!
The family loved this!
This was delicious! I changed a couple of things like using buckwheat groats instead of millet and taking away the mint and cucumber but It was still amazing. I also ended up using light coconut milk.
The flavors of this dish are so incredibly delicious and come together perfectly for this bowl. I’ve made it a few different times and with variations in veg ingredients but the core flavors remain and no matter what I put in the bowl, it is absolutely divine. This recipe is now a regular in the weekly rotation of meals.
Easy and so delicious. The hardest thing about this recipe was finding fenugreek, oddly enough. I really liked this dish—but no one else in my family did. It’s a battle… When I was in college in the early 90s, my roommate and I made millet as a breakfast cereal. It has a slight cream of wheat flavor. I loved the coconut millet here but the tough customers in my house didn’t dig it. Rice might go over better if you have less adventurous palates in your family. The roasted squash and crunchy chickpeas—so good! The drizzle sauce is genius. Thanks for another great recipe.
I’m wondering why my drizzle sauce could have curdled? It’s green and chunky from the coconut milk!
did your coconut milk have any additives?
Mine curdled too when I added some cold ingredients. Just heat it up a little.
Thank you! I didn’t think about that. I’ll try again it was very tasty even without the sauce.
Super delicious combination of flavors and textures. I especially loved the tender sweet kabocha squash with the berebere spices. Crunchy, spiced and salty chick peas were a great contrast, along with the fresh spinach. Another winner Sylvia!
This was delicious. Will definitely make again. Hadn’t cooked with millet so it was a great way to get introduced to this grain. Thank you!
so glad you liked it!
Cant wait to try this one! I just ordered a surinam cooking book so probably will be cooking from that for dinner, but perhaps ill try this tomorrow. You never disappoint with your recipes and im very curious to try millet as I never had it before.
let us know how you like it!
Delicious! I added thinly sliced chicken for the protein-heads in the family, and it came out so tender and juicy from the berbere paste! I made it with butternut squash, and I added tomatoes to the drizzle sauce (for no real reason except I had an extra tomato and needed to get rid of it) – it was all fabulous.
wonderful! love your adaptations!
Husband just declared this one of the best vegetarian meals he has ever eaten. Delicious and creative and the instructions worked perfectly. Will be making this regularly.Thank you!
so happy it worked so well for you!!