
Hulled millet tastes a bit like corn, with a pleasantly chewy texture. This whole grain cooks faster than most, making it a great weeknight choice. Millet answers the question of “what goes underneath this stew?” now that we’re having rice no more than twice a week. It’s a pretty choice for Buddha bowls too, nestled in with beans and greens. Organic millet is a bargain at just 10 cents for a half-cup serving.

Prep Time | 5 minutes |
Cook Time | 15 to 40 minutes |
Passive Time | 10 minutes |
Servings |
servings
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- 1 cup hulled millet
- 2 1/2 cups water or broth
- 1/2 teaspoon salt optional
Ingredients
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- Put millet in a mesh strainer and rinse briefly to remove any dust. If you have time, toast millet in a large dry skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes, until the millet is fragrant and you hear a few grains pop. Toasted millet tastes more like corn, but I skip this step if I'm in a rush or will be covering the grain with a saucy stew.
- Slowly pour water into the hot skillet, add salt, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low so water barely boils and allow to simmer for 25 minutes. Turn off heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
- Fluff millet with a fork and try a small spoonful of millet to check the texture. If it's too hard, add water, cover, and cook on low, stirring and checking every 5 minutes.
- Serve millet hot, at room temperature, or chilled. Keeps refrigerated for five days or frozen for three months.
Cook millet for 15 minutes with 2 cups of water for separate grains with a bit of bite, 40 minutes with 3 cups of water for something close to mush, like polenta or grits. The directions above are for my favorite, middle way: with 2 1/2 cups of water for 25 minutes.
Nutritional Information for Cooked Hulled Millet
A half cup of cooked millet has 4 grams of protein, only 100 calories, and a good dash of fiber. The full nutrition label is for supporting members and donors. If you don't see it below, log in or join today! Log in to comment, too.
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