Learn how to cook fluffy millet perfectly every time without guessing water ratios. This simple guide shows you how to prepare millet in under 30 minutes and includes 7 millet recipes to integrate this gluten-free grain into your daily meals
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With just millet and water, you can create a healthy base ready for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Use my Millet Water Ratio Calculator to achieve consistent, perfect results, regardless of the millet or cooking method you choose.
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Learning to cook millet. Thanks for the instructions and the other recipes.
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What is millet?
Millet is a small, round gluten-free grain from the grass family Poaceae (1). Grown widely in Asia and Africa, it’s known for being quick to cook and rich in plant-based protein and fiber. Common varieties include foxtail millet, sorghum, finger millet (ragi), and pearl millet (bajra).
Detailed Steps
In this section, I'll show you how to cook millet using three easy methods: a stovetop pan, a pressure cooker, and a rice cooker. Each method makes soft, fluffy millet in under 30 minutes.
Step 1: Prep the Millet
Most store-bought millet is fairly clean, but checking for any debris is still a good idea.
- Rinse the millet 2–3 times with clean water.
- If you're not soaking it, gently rub the grains with your fingers while rinsing to remove any impurities.
- Drain the water completely and set the millet aside.
Step 2: Soak the Millet (Optional, but recommended)
Soaking millet helps it cook faster and turn out fluffier. I usually soak it for 4 to 8 hours. If you plan to soak longer, refrigerate it to prevent fermentation.
- After soaking, rinse it again 2–3 times.
- Drain the water using a fine-mesh colander since millet grains are tiny and can slip through.
Step 3: How to Cook Millet
Step 1: In a thick-bottomed pot or pan, add the drained millet and water.
Step 2: Partially cover with a lid and bring it to a boil over high heat (about 5 minutes).
Step 3: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and close the lid fully.
Step 4: Cook until all the water is absorbed.
Soaked millet: 6–8 minutes
Unsoaked millet: 10–13 minutes
Step 5: Turn off the heat and let it rest covered for 10 minutes. And you can see that there is no water left in the pan.
Step 6: Fluff the millet with a fork, and it's ready to serve!
Millet Water Ratio
| Cooking method | Soaked millet | Unsoaked millet |
|---|---|---|
| Stovetop | 1 cup millet: 1.5 cups of water | 1 cup millet: 2 to 2.5 cups of water |
| Instant Pot | 1 cup millet: 1.25 cups of water | 1 cup millet: 1.75 cups of water |
| Stovetop Pressure Cooker | 1 cup millet: 1.5 cups of water | 1 cup millet: 2 cups of water |
| Rice Cooker | 1 cup millet: 1.5 cups of water | 1 cup millet: 2 cups of water |
Are you unsure how much water your millet needs? Use the calculator below to get the exact water quantity based on millet type and cooking method.
Millet Water Ratio & Cooking Time Calculator
Water Ratio: 1:2
Cooking Time: 15 min simmer + 10 min rest
Serving Tips
Here are the ways I use millet in my kitchen every day:
- As a rice substitute: Served with dal, curry, or stir-fried vegetables.
- In millet bowls: Combined with beans, veggies, and sauces like cashew cheese or hummus.
- For breakfast: As creamy millet porridge with milk, fruits, and nuts.
- In simple millet recipes: Added to khichdi, pongal, salad, or upma.
💡 Let cooked millet cool a bit before using it in bowls or salads—it fluffs up beautifully!
How to Store Cooked Millet
Store cooked millet in an airtight container:
- At room temperature for up to 8–12 hours
- In the fridge for 2–3 days
- In the freezer for up to 3 months (best for porridge or soups due to texture change)
💡 I always freeze in portion-sized containers for easy use. Avoid refreezing thawed millet, and discard it if it smells or looks off.
Millet Recipes to Try Today
Once you have perfectly cooked millet, you can make these recipes with cooked millet.
Common FAQs
One cup of raw millet will yield around 4 to 4.5 cups of cooked millet.
Yes, but moderation is the key. And we should try to include all types of grains (like rice, wheat, buckwheat, cassava, amaranth) in our day-to-day cooking. Along with grains, the right amount of pulses, legumes, and vegetables makes the complete meal.
Eat it like rice, with curry or dal as a side dish. You can use millet to make fried rice, lemon rice, salad, porridge, and many more.
You can have millet for any meal. Portion control and balancing it with veggies and other foods is the key.
Have you tried any of these millet recipes? Provide your feedback by giving a star rating and/or leaving comments. And don't forget to share the recipes with others on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Twitter.
Recipe
How to Cook Millet (Base for Easy Millet Recipes)
Rate this recipe by clicking the stars!
Ingredients
- 1 cup millet
- 2 cups water exact quantity depends on the cooking method. Check millet water ratio section.
- 1 teaspoon oil optional but recommended for fluffy millet
Instructions
Prep millet
- If you are soaking the millet, do it for 6 to 8 hours.
- Wash the millet a couple of times with clean water. If you are not soaking it, you may need to rub it with your hands to remove the dirt.
- Drain the water from the millet entirely and keep it aside.
How to cook millet using Stove top pan
- Heat a thick-bottomed cooking pot or pan. Add the drained millet and the appropriate amount of water to the cooking pot, and close it partially with the lid.
- For soaked millet, use 1.5 cups of water for every 1 cup of millet. For every 1 cup of unsoaked millet, use 2 cups water.
- Increase the heat to high and let the water come to a boil, which usually takes about 5 minutes.
- Now reduce the heat to low and fully cover the pot with the lid.
- Let the millet cook until all the water is absorbed. It will take around 6 to 8 minutes for pre-soaked millet and 10-13 minutes for unsoaked millet.
- Your millet will be perfectly cooked when all the water is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let it sit for an additional ten minutes.
- After 10 minutes, fluff it up with a fork, and the cooked millet is ready to be savored and enjoyed.
Cooking millet using Instant pot
- Add drained millet, water, and a teaspoon of oil to the inner pot. Use 1.25 cups of water for 1 cup of pre-soaked millet. And for unsoaked millet, use 1.75 cups of water.
- Close the lid properly, and move the steam-releasing valve to the SEALING position.
- Select manual or pressure cook mode and cook it on HIGH PRESSURE for 4 minutes if using pre-soaked millet. Cook it for 8 minutes if using unsoaked millet.
- Switch it off once done, wait 10 minutes, and do a normal pressure release.
- Fluff it up with a fork, and the millet is ready to use.
How to cook millet in a Stovetop Pressure Cooker
- Add millet, water, and teaspoon of oil to the pressure cooker.
- Close the lid and let it cook for 1 to 2 whistles on medium-high heat for pre-soaked millet. It will take around 5 minutes. For unsoaked millet, cook it for 2-3 whistles, about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Once done, take it out of the heat and let the pressure release naturally.
- Once the pressure is released completely, remove the lid and fluff it up with a fork.
Rice cooker millet
- Add drained millet, water, and teaspoon of oil to the rice cooker's inner pot.
- If you use soaked millet, use 1.5 cups of water for every 1 cup. For unsoaked millet, for every 1 cup of millet, use 2 cups of water.
- Close the rice cooker with its lid and use a white rice setting if your rice cooker has options to select. Else select the cook button.
- Once the rice cooker completes the cooking process, switch it off and let it rest for 10 minutes. Then fluff up the millet using a fork, which is ready for use.
Notes
Tested Tips from My Kitchen
- For fluffy millet: Soak it for 4–8 hours, or at least 1 hour in warm water if short on time. Soaking helps soften the grain and improves texture.
- Avoid stirring while cooking: Stirring often can break the grains and make them sticky. I always let it rest for 10 minutes after cooking, then fluff it with a fork.
- Use oil or fat while cooking: A teaspoon of coconut oil, olive oil, or butter prevents sticking and enhances flavor.
- Add more flavor: Cook millet in vegetable broth instead of water, or add whole spices like bay leaf, cardamom, or cinnamon to the pot.
- For creamy millet (great for porridge): I use coconut milk instead of water.
MARJORIE DEANGELIS says
Looks really easy to follow, with lots of suggestions. Great! Thank you!
Sravanthi Chanda says
Thank you for sharing the feedback 🙂
clean label grains says
I just wanted to express my gratitude for this post! It was well-written and informative. Looking forward to reading more from you!
VB says
Hi Sravanthi! I am excited to try several of your recipes, they sound delicious. Which style and brand of Millet do you prefer to cook with and eat?
Sravanthi says
Thank you. As I am from India, I use locally grown foxtail millet. Always use hulled millet.
Navin says
It was Cooked perfectly after following the steps. Thank you for sharing.
Shanna says
Hi there, I log on to your new stuff on a regular basis. Your writing style is awesome, keep it up!
Lauri says
bookmarked!!, I love your blog!
Sravanthi says
Thank you!
Clement says
Hello, I think your website might be having browser
compatibility issues. When I look at your blog in Chrome, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping.
I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, terrific blog!
Sravanthi says
Thank you for the feedback. It is loading fine for me in all browsers. Maybe a temporary glitch.
Kerri Napoli says
Hmm is anyone else having problems with the pictures on this blog loading?
I'm trying to determine if its a problem on my end or
if it's the blog. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Sravanthi says
I could able to load them correctly, and no one complained about this. So it might be an intermittent issue.
Nalini says
Pictures are perfect. check your internet. Thank you Sravanthi for the detailed method to cook millets. I am new to millets so was looking for methods to prepare them the indian style. Do all varieties of millet cook the same way?
Sravanthi says
Using this recipe, you can cook any small millet like foxtail, Kodo, Barnyard, and Sama millet. Large millets like Jowar, Ragi, and Bajra will not work with this recipe. I will be posting about them very soon.
Sarita Saparia says
Excellent informations on how to cook Millet against in different ways.
Terry says
Learning to cook millet. Thanks for the instructions and the other recipes.
Yuvraj says
Very good details on cooking millets. Thank you. Keep up the good work!
Sravanthi says
Thank you so much, Yuvraj for your encouraging words.
Sase says
Excellent information. Thank you. I enjoy eating millets so much, I haven't missed rice nor wheat.