AmericanEasy · Hot
Spiced Carrot Rice Pudding
A warming vegan rice pudding studded with sweet grated carrots and fragrant whole spices. Budget-friendly comfort food that works as breakfast or dessert.
Prep
10 min
Cook
25 min
Total
35 min
Method
1
Peel and grate the carrot on the medium holes of a box grater until you have 1.5 cups loosely packed. Set aside.
2
In a medium saucepan, combine arborio rice, whole milk, white sugar, and butter. Stir well to dissolve the sugar.
3
Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently to prevent the bottom from scorching. Maintain at a low bubble for 12-15 minutes until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid and the mixture has thickened to a creamy porridge consistency.
4
Reduce heat to low. Add the grated carrot, cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg, and salt. Stir to distribute evenly and cook for 5-7 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the carrot is tender and the pudding has reached a thick, spoonable texture.
5
Remove from heat. The pudding will continue to thicken as it cools. Serve warm in bowls, or press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate for up to 4 days. Reheat gently with a splash of milk to loosen if needed.
C
Nutri-Score
Fair balance
A–E · lower is better · score 3
Calories
419
per serving
Low salt · 337mg
Protein
10g
Carbs
68g
Fat
13g
Sat. fat
9g
Fiber
4g
Sugar
25g
Sodium
337mg
Gluten FreeVegetarianDiabetesHeart HealthyOsteoporosisComfort FoodQuick Energy
Nutri-Score is a general nutritional-balance guide, not medical or dietary advice.
B
Environmental impact
Low impact
A–E · lower is better · includes estimates
kg CO2e
0.9
per serving
BCarbonAEU all-round· carbon sets the grade
Water
0.7m³
Land
25Pt
Runoff
0.05g P
Whole milk drives 66% of this recipe’s estimated footprint.
Carbon from Poore & Nemecek 2018; water, land & runoff from Agribalyse — modelled averages for comparing recipes, not a measurement of your groceries.
Flavor Profile
4
Umami
5
Sweet
3
Salty
2
Sour
1
Bitter
3
Spicy
Textures
SilkySmoothTenderViscous
Aromas
DairySweetWarm Spice
Kitchen Equipment
Primary Tool
Medium SaucepanBox GraterMedium SaucepanChef KnifeCutting BoardMeasuring CupsMeasuring SpoonsMixing SpoonPlastic Wrap
Techniques
Safety & Storage
Allergen Warning
Contains dairy (whole milk and butter). Not suitable for individuals with milk allergies or lactose intolerance.
Cooking Temperature
Maintain gentle simmer during cooking. Do not allow milk to reach full boil as this can cause scorching and separation.
Handling
Stir frequently throughout cooking to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan and to ensure even heat distribution.
Storage
Cool pudding to room temperature within 2 hours, then press plastic wrap directly onto surface and refrigerate. Consume within 4 days.
Shelf Life
Refrigerated rice pudding maintains quality for up to 4 days. Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours total.
Cross Contamination
If preparing alongside allergen-containing foods, use separate utensils and clean surfaces thoroughly to prevent cross-contact.
Pro Tips
Technique
Keep that spoon moving, especially in the last 10 minutes. The milk sugars want to catch on the pan bottom, and one distracted moment means you'll be scraping off burnt rice instead of eating.
Substitution
Out of whole milk? Any plant-based milk works here — oat milk gives you the same creaminess, and it keeps the total cost under $4 for the whole batch.
Storage
This thickens dramatically as it cools, so when you reheat portions, add a splash of milk and stir until it loosens back to that perfect spoonable consistency.
From the chef
Arborio rice, whole milk, and butter simmer into a creamy pudding that smells like cinnamon and nutmeg before you even sit down. Grated carrot folds in toward the end, adding natural sweetness and disappearing into the pudding so completely you'd never know it was there. The spice combination — cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg — gives it a warmth that works at any hour, which is why this doubles as both breakfast and dessert without any awkwardness. It's absurdly cheap to make, keeps well in the fridge for days, and reheats with just a splash of milk. Sometimes the simplest bowls are the ones you come back to most.
TagsBudget FriendlyComfort FoodSpicedOne PotEasyContains DairySweet RiceWarmingMeal FlexibleMeal Prep Friendly
AllergensMilk
Source: generated · June 12, 2026