You will find healthy and delicious ways to enjoy black rice pudding along with simple black rice pudding recipe ideas. These wholesome bowls are perfect for breakfast, sweet snacks, even dessert!
In case you’re new to black rice pudding, I’ve shared a full guide on how to make Black Rice Pudding in 3 methods (Stovetop, Instant Pot & Rice Cooker). You can choose to omit the sugar and opt for the swap I mentioned below.
What is Black Rice Pudding?
For a short context, black rice pudding is a Southeast Asian (Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore) traditional sweet treat made of black rice and coconut milk/cream, typically infused with pandan leaves and lightly sweetened with a toffee flavor of rustic palm sugar.
Table of Contents
- What is Black Rice Pudding?
- Is Black Rice Pudding Dessert Healthy?
- Why antioxidants in black rice are good for you?
- Nutritious and Delicious Ways to Enjoy Black Rice Pudding
- How to Store and Meal Prep Black Rice Pudding
- Conclusion
Is Black Rice Pudding Dessert Healthy?
Absolutely! Black rice pudding can be a healthy dessert. It is rich in antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins. 1 serving (or 1 cup of dessert bowl) of black rice pudding contains:
Most nutrients come from black rice, while the fat content may vary depending on the coconut milk or cream you use.
Black rice is rich in anthocyanins, a compound that makes the rice deep black and purple color. Many studies have shown that anthocyanins in black rice have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and potential anti-cancer properties.
✏️ Antioxidants – Natural compound that help protect our cells from damage, potentially reducing the risk of chronic diseases.
Why antioxidants in black rice are good for you?
- May supports heart health – Anthocyanin is shown to improve cholesterol levels and reduce the chance of heart disease.
- May supports eye health – Black rice is rich in carotenoids (lutein). Many studies have proved that lutein helps reduce eye diseases.
- Contain anti-cancer properties – High dietary flavonoids and anthocyanin intake may decrease the risk of some cancers.
- May provide anti-inflammatory effects: Anthocyanins have been shown to reduce inflammation, which is linked to various chronic diseases like obesity, diabetes, etc.
- Black rice is a type of whole grain. Unlike white rice, where the outer bran is fully removed, black rice retains its bran layer, which is where most of the fiber, nutrients, and antioxidants are found.
- A 1/4 cup of raw black rice contains (USDA):
⦿ Calories: 160
⦿ Fat: 1.5 grams
⦿ Protein: 4 grams
⦿ Carbs: 34 grams
⦿ Fiber: 1 gram
⦿ Iron: 6% of the Daily Value (DV
- Thanks to these nutrients, black rice has a lower Glycemic Index (GI) than white and brown rice.
- Black rice is a gluten-free choice if you’re on a gluten-free diet or trying to reduce gluten intake in your dessert.
Since my husband and I are trying to reduce gluten, we have been enjoying black rice pudding with other ingredients.
It’s not that black rice pudding is less satiating on its own, but it can be quite carb-heavy. The black rice recipe ideas below include adding healthy fat, fiber, protein, and natural sweetness to make it more balanced and nutritious.
So, instead of just loading up on carbs, I prefer my black sticky rice dessert in smaller portions next to other macronutrients.
Nutritious and Delicious Ways to Enjoy Black Rice Pudding
Make a fruit bowl – added fiber and natural sweetness.
Skip the sugar and swap it for sweet fruits instead! And you don’t need different types of fruits. Mango makes a refreshing, sweet, and delicious pair to black rice pudding.
If you have bananas in your kitchen, make salted caramelized bananas and top them on the black rice pudding. It’s a tasty way to add sweetness and fiber! I have tried it with dragon fruit, and it’s absolutely refreshing.
Recipe:
- Fresh fruits (Mango, dragonfruits, banana, papaya)
- Black rice pudding
Enjoy with soy milk and red beans (adzuki) – added protein.
Because black rice pudding is a grain and fat, adding soy milk and red beans when serving adds extra heartiness and protein goodness to the grain.
Red beans are also high in fiber, which can help balance the carb content of black rice. You can choose to serve both cold or warm, just be aware of the added sugar in soy milk and beans.
Recipe:
- Soy Milk
- Canned adzuki beans / boiled
- Black rice pudding
Have it with yogurt – added probiotic.
If you have tried the street Vietnamese black rice pudding, you will know how good the combination of yogurt and black rice pudding is. It’s a sweet, sour, and gut-loving way to enjoy a dessert.
I like using strained or Greek yogurt for the highest protein content. If you try to swap sugar in black rice pudding, don’t forget to top it with some sweet tropical fruits like ripe mango or caramelized banana (my fav) and enjoy it as a chilled dessert cup!
Recipe:
- Greek yogurt
- Fruit topping (caramelized banana). Check my pots on how to caramelize banana without sugar.
- Black sticky rice pudding.
Make an acai-bowl – added omega-3 and nuts.
Make an açaí bowl without the açaí berries! Black rice pudding has the same purple color and is packed with anthocyanins, the same antioxidants found in açaí. It’s a Southeast Asian-inspired alternative that’s just as nutritious and delicious. Plus it’s more filling too.
Blend the chilled black rice pudding in an immersion blender with water or ice until smooth like a smoothie (this way, you can enjoy better texture when it’s cold).
Top it with some omega-3 like chia seeds, flaxseeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, cacao nibs, sunflower seeds, your choice of nuts, and maybe some berries too!
Recipe:
- Seeds – Chia, hemp, flax, pumpkin, sunflower seeds
- Nuts – Any nuts
- Fruits – Berries
- Cacao nibs
- Black rice pudding (blended).
Smoothie filler – Added antioxidant-rich grain to a fruit-based smoothie.
Freeze it and add some portion to your smoothies as a filler, just like oats. Just beware not to stuff too much calorie-dense ingredients into it.
My best smoothie recipes combined soy milk and banana with my collagen powder, and since I use frozen black rice pudding, it makes the smoothies refreshingly cold.
Recipe:
- Fruits (Banana, papaya etc)
- Low calorie choice of milk (soy)
- Collagen powder/protein powder
- Seeds (optional)
- Black rice pudding (frozen or chilled)
How to Store and Meal Prep Black Rice Pudding
Black rice pudding freezes well and can last for weeks with proper storage. Make sure to portion the black rice individually in a ziplock or small containers and keep it in the freezer.
When you’re ready to eat, simply thaw it overnight in the fridge to enjoy the next morning or defrost it in the morning as a late afternoon snack. If you’re using it for a smoothie, skip the thawing and blend it straight from frozen.
Conclusion
Black rice pudding makes a nutritious, lower GI, and gluten-free sweet treat. It is rich in antioxidants and contains iron and fiber.
Since it can be high in carbohydrates, swapping the sugar and having it alongside macronutrients and micronutrients such as fiber, protein, probiotics, seeds, and nuts makes a wholesome and well-balanced breakfast or sweet snack.
Feel free to experiment with other ingredients. If you have some ideas or recipes you enjoy with black rice pudding, do share them in the comment below so we can all benefit from it, and I’d love to try it!
