Oatmeal Vs Porridge: The Difference Is All In The Oats

Oatmeal and porridge are just perfect for breakfast, offering steady energy throughout the day. But have you ever wondered what makes them different? Just like oatmeal, porridge can be made with oats and milk or water, but you may also use legumes or grains like rice, corn, barley, or kasha instead of oats. 

Corn, rice, barley, and other grains or vegetables are not typically used in oatmeal. However, this doesn't mean you must stick to just a few ingredients. Instead, you can experiment with tasty oatmeal toppings like honey, chocolate, peanut butter, orange zest, coconut flakes, or matcha powder. Or, go a step further and add ghee for a buttery flavor.

The main difference between oatmeal and porridge lies in the base ingredient. Apart from that, they're surprisingly similar. In fact, oatmeal is a type of porridge. Still, these morning meal staples will have distinct nutritional profiles depending on the ingredients used. It's also worth mentioning that both oatmeal and porridge can be sweet or savory. Centuries ago, porridge was served as a savory dish most of the time.

The word "porridge" describes any grain, cereal, or legume boiled in water or milk. Simply put, it's an all-encompassing term for a variety of dishes that are named after their base ingredient. For example, both grits and Cream of Wheat are a kind of porridge, but the former is made from corn and the latter from its eponymous grain. Congee and arroz caldo, on the other hand, are both rice-based porridges.

You can also boil buckwheat in water or milk to make kasha, a type of porridge common in Eastern European countries. But if you're craving Indian food, try your hand at upma, a porridge recipe that calls for coarse rice flour, chiles, veggies, and spices. There's also gugmelsgrød, a type of porridge made from rye meal and topped with jam, whipped cream, and other flavorful ingredients. In Denmark, it's commonly served for dinner. Other countries have žganci (Slovenia and Croatia), polentina (Italy), champurrado (Mexico), or genfo (Ethiopia).

If your porridge uses oats as the main ingredient, it's called oatmeal. You can use rolled oats (also called old-fashioned oats) or steel-cut oats. Steel-cut oats are indeed chopped with metal blades. Rolled oats, meanwhile, are flattened after being steamed. Porridge is often made with ground or milled grains, resulting in a smooth, creamy texture. Oatmeal can be soft or chewy depending on the type of oats used. In general, steel-cut oats are coarser than rolled oats, whereas instant oats have a smooth consistency.