What's the Difference Between Oatmeal and Porridge?

If you want to fuel up in the morning (or any time of day, for that matter), oatmeal is a great way to do it. It's high in whole-grain fiber and protein and low in calories. If you stay away from the flavored instant packets, it's also sugar-free. With all types of oatmeal—whole oat groats, steel cut, Scottish, and rolled—the nutritional value remains the same.

Is oatmeal the same as porridge? Not exactly. Oatmeal can be a porridge, but not all porridge are made with oatmeal. Here's what you need to know.

What Is Porridge?

The terms "oatmeal" and "porridge" are often used interchangeably, but they're not the same. Oatmeal can be made into a type of porridge. Not all porridge, however, is made from oats. Porridge is a hot cereal that can contain a variety of grains, vegetables, or even some legumes (remember the nursery rhyme "Peas porridge hot?"). Porridge ingredients are most commonly boiled in water or milk until they have a mushy consistency; in some cases, broth is used.

Varieties of Porridge

The list of porridge varieties is long. Porridge can be made from corn, for example. Many Americans eat corn-based porridges like polenta, cornmeal mush, and grits. But, other countries have their own version of corn porridge. Champurrado is a Mexican porridge made from corn, sugar, milk, and chocolate. In East Africa, corn flour and sorghum are mixed with other ground grains to make uji.

Congee is a savory rice-based porridge served in China, while Filipinos enjoy arroz caldo, another rice-based porridge cooked with broth. Porridge can also be made from potatoes, wheat, buckwheat, quinoa, millet, farro, sorghum, rye, kasha, and spelt, as well as other grains and legumes.

The basics of porridge seem to be the same all over the world—a dry grain, legume, or vegetable turned into a mushy dish using a hot liquid. With that basic recipe, the possibilities are endless.

How to Make Porridge

In the video below, Chef Jamie Oliver shows how to make a big pot of plain oat porridge and provides suggestions to serve it in five different ways, including adding chocolate to it.

Adding chocolate to oatmeal might be a bit unfamiliar, but it's the start of something good—trust us! If you want to go with the unusual, this Millet Porridge recipe with lavender, strawberries, and super seeds will take you out of your hot breakfast cereal comfort zone.

More standard additions to porridge include brown sugar and cinnamon, sliced bananas or berries, a spoonful of nut butter or jam, and a drizzle of milk or cream. You can certainly stick to your tried-and-true oatmeal in the morning, but now you know there's a world of porridge options out there, waiting to stick to your ribs and carry you through the day.