Cold mornings get a lot easier when breakfast is already waiting in the pantry. This Gluten Free Breakfast Cereal Mix gives you a hearty hot cereal made from ground rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, seeds, cornmeal, and amaranth, so you can scoop, simmer, and eat without wrestling with a box full of mystery ingredients.
Make one batch, stash it in an airtight jar or portion it into small packets, and you’ve got a simple gluten free breakfast that cooks up in about 20 minutes. It’s nutty, filling, and easy to dress up with fruit, maple syrup, cinnamon, or a splash of milk if you want breakfast to act like it has its life together.
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown basmati rice, coarsely ground
- 1/2 cup quinoa, coarsely ground
- 1/2 cup millet, coarsely ground
- 1/2 cup buckwheat groats, coarsely ground
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds, coarsely ground
- 1/2 cup flax seeds, coarsely ground
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 cup amaranth
You’ll also need 2 cups water and a pinch of salt each time you cook 1/2 cup of the mix.
Instructions
- Measure the brown basmati rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat groats, sesame seeds, flax seeds, cornmeal, and amaranth into a large bowl.
- Grind the rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat groats, sesame seeds, and flax seeds coarsely with a coffee grinder.
- Mix everything well until the blend looks evenly combined.
- Transfer the cereal mix to a sealed container, or divide it into small zip-top bags for quick single-use packets.
- To prepare, bring 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt to a gentle simmer.
- Stir in 1/2 cup of the cereal mix, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.
This method makes about 4 1/2 cups dry mix, which yields about 9 servings at 1/2 cup mix per batch.
Tips for the Best Texture
Keep the grind coarse, not powder-fine. If you grind the grains and seeds too finely, the cereal can turn pasty instead of pleasantly hearty.
Stir often once the mix hits the water. Flax and sesame thicken as they cook, so a few stirs along the way keep the pot smooth and stop the bottom from catching.
If you like a thinner bowl, add an extra splash of hot water near the end. If you want it thicker, let it simmer a minute or two longer. Hot cereal is forgiving, which is more than we can say for some breakfasts.
Easy Variations
- Sweeter bowl: Add brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, or mashed banana after cooking.
- Warmer spice: Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, or cardamom before serving.
- Creamier finish: Replace part of the cooking water with milk or stir in a splash after cooking.
- Fruit boost: Top with raisins, chopped dates, dried cranberries, diced apples, or berries.
- More breakfast mix ideas: If you like pantry-ready breakfasts, take a look at Breakfast Mix Recipes or try Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Pancake Mix for another make-ahead option.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this cereal hot with butter, milk, cream, or your favorite dairy-free alternative. It also plays well with chopped nuts, toasted coconut, jam, or a spoonful of applesauce.
For a more substantial breakfast, pair it with hard-cooked eggs or fresh fruit. If you want another gluten free breakfast idea for the week, Apple Cinnamon Quinoa Breakfast Bowl makes a nice change of pace without abandoning the whole warm-breakfast plan.
Storage
Store the dry cereal mix in an airtight container in a cool, dry pantry away from heat and moisture. Because this blend includes whole grains and oil-rich seeds, a conservative pantry estimate is up to 3 months after opening for best quality, or 6 to 12 months unopened if the ingredients were fresh when packaged. For the longest freshness, you can refrigerate or freeze the dry mix in a tightly sealed container.
Once cooked, refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use them within 3 to 4 days. A sealed shallow container helps it cool faster and reheat more evenly. The USDA FoodKeeper guidance for boxed cereals and cook-before-eating grain products is a helpful benchmark for dry storage timing.
To reheat cooked cereal, add a splash of water or milk and warm it gently on the stovetop or in the microwave. It thickens as it sits, so that little bit of extra liquid fixes a lot.
Make-Ahead
This mix is built for make-ahead mornings. Portion 1/2 cup of the dry cereal into small bags or jars so you can dump one serving into simmering water without measuring before coffee.
You can also cook a larger batch and reheat portions through the week. If you do, expect the cereal to thicken in the refrigerator. That’s normal, not a kitchen betrayal.
💸 Budget101® Price Breakdown: Gluten Free Breakfast Cereal Mix
🛒 Walmart Grocery List
- Brown Basmati Rice, 32 oz
- Quinoa, 24 oz
- Millet, 28 oz
- Buckwheat Groats, 16 oz
- Sesame Seeds, 3.75 oz
- Flaxseed, 16 oz
- Yellow Cornmeal, 5 lb
- Amaranth, 24 oz
Not sure exactly what this batch costs you per serving? Here’s how to break down the real cost of any recipe so you know before you shop.
Frequently Asked Questions about Gluten Free Breakfast Cereal Mix
You can, as long as you pulse in short bursts and stop while the grains are still coarse. A blender can take the mix from pleasantly hearty to baby-food paste in a hurry, so work in small batches and leave a little texture behind.
It should be thick, spoonable, and tender, not soupy and not stiff enough to stand at attention. After about 20 minutes, the grains should soften and the seeds should help the mixture hold together like a hearty porridge.
Absolutely. Keep the same ratio of 1/2 cup mix to 2 cups water, which means 1 cup mix needs 4 cups water and 2 cups mix needs 8 cups water. Use a roomy pot and stir more often as the batch gets larger so the bottom doesn’t glue itself to the pan.
Add the dry mix slowly while stirring the water, then keep the heat at medium-low once it starts to thicken. Dumping it in all at once or cooking it too hot is the fast lane to lumps and a scorched saucepan.
You can, but it’s smartest to swap only part of the liquid, not the whole 2 cups. Try 1 cup water and 1 cup milk for a creamier bowl with less risk of scorching, especially since this cereal needs about 20 minutes on the stove.
The ingredients listed are naturally gluten free, but the label still matters. If you’re cooking for someone with celiac disease or a serious sensitivity, choose ingredients labeled gluten free so you’re not accidentally bringing home cross-contact from processing or packaging.
Stir in cinnamon, maple syrup, brown sugar, mashed banana, chopped apples, or raisins after cooking. That way the base mix stays flexible, and you’re not committing the whole batch to one flavor because one Tuesday you felt spicy.
You can. Cool it quickly, pack it into small airtight portions, and freeze for up to 3 to 4 months for best quality. Reheat with a splash of water or milk because the texture firms up quite a bit once it’s cold.
Fruits and a little richness do the most work here. Try berries with cream, diced apples with cinnamon, chopped dates with butter, or toasted nuts with a drizzle of honey if you want it to feel a little more substantial.
Yes, and it makes rushed mornings much less annoying. Measure 1/2 cup into each small bag or jar, then all you need later is 2 cups water and a pinch of salt for each serving.
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🖨️ Print-Friendly Gluten Free Breakfast Cereal Mix
Gluten Free Breakfast Cereal Mix
Ingredients
- 1 cup brown basmati rice coarsely ground
- ½ cup quinoa coarsely ground
- ½ cup millet coarsely ground
- ½ cup buckwheat groats coarsely ground
- ½ cup sesame seeds coarsely ground
- ½ cup flax seeds coarsely ground
- ½ cup cornmeal
- ½ cup amaranth
- To prepare each serving
- 2 cups water
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup cereal mix
Equipment
Instructions
- Measure the brown basmati rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat groats, sesame seeds, flax seeds, cornmeal, and amaranth into a large bowl.
- Grind the rice, quinoa, millet, buckwheat groats, sesame seeds, and flax seeds coarsely using a coffee grinder.
- Mix well until evenly combined.
- Transfer the mix to a sealed container, or divide it into small zip-top bags for convenience packets.
- To cook one serving, combine 2 cups water, a pinch of salt, and 1/2 cup cereal mix in a saucepan.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, stirring frequently, and cook about 20 minutes until thickened and tender.
Recipe Size Alteration
💡 If you altered the ingredients above by doubling or tripling the recipe, you may also need to change the pan/dish size and adjust the cook time.
Notes
Prep time is an estimate based on measuring, coarse grinding, and packaging the mix.
Store the dry mix in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 3 months after opening for best quality, or refrigerate or freeze for longer freshness.
Refrigerate cooked cereal within 2 hours and use within 3 to 4 days.
This sounds really good. Has anyone tried this recipe yet. Where is a good place to buy amaranth?
I hope to grow my own in the near future but for now I will need to purchase some.
Amaranth tends to be expensive, which is why I am planting it next year. Bob’s Red Mill makes it, and I often find that at Big Lots a bit cheaper than the grocery stores.