This creamy Vegan Portuguese Papas is inspired by a childhood favourite! With just 5 simple ingredients this dairy free recipe is creamy, delicious and comforting.
Over the last few months I’ve been inspired to veganize my childhood favourites. From Maltese Pastizzi to Portuguese Malasadas – we’ve been working our way through Kat’s childhood. And we finally veganized this simple, yet delicious classic Portuguese Papas! You know those recipes that when you found out your parents were making them you’d get all excited and continually ask “is it ready yet?” – this is one of those recipes for Kat. Even with its simplicity it was such a treat when it was made.
This Vegan Portuguese Papas was a go-to after dinner treat for Kat. Her dad would make this delicious creamy treat and it would truly be the perfect way to end the day. Topped with some cinnamon, this simple recipe is a must make!
What is Portuguese Papas?
Papas is a Portuguese porridge traditionally made for breakfast because of its simplicity. Some recipes call for an egg but the recipe Kat grew up with never had egg in it – instead it had just 5 simple ingredients! Our version of this traditional Portuguese breakfast simply swaps the milk for non-dairy milk and the rest is just as simple as the original.
Top tips for making Portuguese Papas:
- Different non-dairy milks will change the results. We tested this with four different non-dairy milks and they all had different results. Soy milk worked the best, followed by oat milk and almond milk. We also tested the recipe with macadamia nut milk and don’t recommend it for this recipe.
- Don’t let it sit on the heat unstirred. This recipe needs to be stirred consistently to keep the milk from burning and boiling.
- Adjust sugar for a sweeter taste. If you want your papas a little bit sweeter you can add 1-2 tablespoons of additional white sugar.
- Adjust cinnamon to taste. Papas is topped with ground cinnamon and can be adjusted to taste. Kat loves it with a lot of cinnamon but you can use less if you’d prefer.
- Allow the papas to rest before eating. The papas needs to set just for a moment before you eat it. Once you’ve poured it on your plate, let it rest for about 1 minute before you dig in.
- Eat from the outside in. Papas can be VERY hot but the outsides cool down quicker than the middle does. To avoid a burnt mouth eat the papas from the outside in working your way to the middle like a spiral.
Recipe FAQ:
Can leftovers be stored?
Yes! While we have never tried to do this. Our tester let us know that they stored their leftovers in the fridge overnight and had the rest for breakfast cold the next morning. We recommend having if fresh and warm, but if you want to save some for the next day store it in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy the next day.
Which non-dairy milk works best?
We tested this with four different non-dairy milks and soy milk worked best! However we also got good results with almond and oat milk. We don’t recommend using macadamia nut milk because the texture did not come out as it was supposed to.
How to make Portuguese Papas:
Portuguese Papas
Ingredients
- 480 mL (2 cups) soy milk
- 40 g (4 tbsp) cornstarch
- 24 g (2 tbsp) white sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 g (1 tsp) cinnamon, for topping*
Instructions
- To a small saucepan over medium heat add soy milk, sugar, salt, and sift in cornstarch. Whisk until combined and smooth – the cornstarch should not be clumpy in the milk.
- Whisk constantly until it just starts to come to a simmer. Once it JUST starts to simmer, turn down the heat to medium-low and continue to whisk until thickened to a yogurt-like consistency – it should take about 5-8 minutes.
- Once thickened, pour the papas onto a shallow plate and sprinkle with cinnamon. Use more or less cinnamon to your taste. Allow to cool about 30 seconds before eating.
Video
Notes
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