Keto Pumpkin Porridge with Chia Seeds, Almonds and Cinnamon
A keto pumpkin porridge replaces the oats with chia seeds and ground almonds, which swell and thicken in warm almond milk just as well - minus the 30 g of carbs in a serving of oats. The Hokkaido purée makes the porridge creamy, gives it color and a natural sweetness that tastes like fall with cinnamon and vanilla. That comes to around 6 g net carbs and 32 g fat per serving, and breakfast is on the table in 20 minutes. In October, fresh Hokkaido pumpkin is everywhere, and a small leftover from dinner is enough for two servings.
Key facts at a glance
- Preparation time: approx. 20 minutes - a warm breakfast for cold mornings, or 8 minutes with ready-made pumpkin purée.
- Approx. 6 g net carbs and 32 g fat per serving.
- Ingredients: Hokkaido pumpkin, chia seeds, ground almonds, shredded coconut, almond milk, cinnamon, vanilla, almond butter.
- Works as a vegan keto breakfast and as meal prep for three days.
Ingredients
One serving is a bowl with around 280 g of warm porridge plus almond butter and pumpkin seeds as topping.
| Amount | Ingredient | Note | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hokkaido pumpkin | one piece, diced with the skin on - yields approx. 120 g purée | |||
| one piece, diced with the skin on - yields approx. 120 g purée | ||||
| unsweetened almond milk | unsweetened, no added sugar | |||
| unsweetened, no added sugar | ||||
| chia seeds | approx. 2 tbsp | |||
| approx. 2 tbsp | ||||
| ground almonds | blanched or with skin | |||
| blanched or with skin | ||||
| shredded coconut | unsweetened | |||
| unsweetened | ||||
| erythritol | approx. 2 tbsp, to taste | |||
| approx. 2 tbsp, to taste | ||||
| cinnamon | ground, plus a pinch for serving | |||
| ground, plus a pinch for serving | ||||
| vanilla extract | approx. 1 tsp, sugar-free | |||
| approx. 1 tsp, sugar-free | ||||
| salt | - | |||
| almond butter | approx. 1 tbsp, for serving | |||
| approx. 1 tbsp, for serving | ||||
| pumpkin seeds | dry-toasted, for serving | |||
| dry-toasted, for serving | ||||
Preparation
-
Make the pumpkin purée
approx. 10 minutesDone Amount Icon Ingredient 120 g Hokkaido pumpkin one piece, diced with the skin on - yields approx. 120 g purée 10 g pumpkin seeds dry-toasted, for serving Wash the Hokkaido pumpkin (120 g) and cut it into 2 cm cubes with the skin on. Steam covered in a small saucepan with 50 ml of water until soft, drain and purée very finely with an immersion blender. If you have purée on hand, start directly with step 2.
-
Combine the ingredients
approx. 2 minutesDone Amount Icon Ingredient 300 ml unsweetened almond milk unsweetened, no added sugar 30 g chia seeds approx. 2 tbsp 40 g ground almonds blanched or with skin 20 g shredded coconut unsweetened 20 g erythritol approx. 2 tbsp, to taste 1 tsp cinnamon ground, plus a pinch for serving 5 ml vanilla extract approx. 1 tsp, sugar-free 1 pinch salt 20 g almond butter approx. 1 tbsp, for serving Put the pumpkin purée in the saucepan with the almond milk (300 ml), chia seeds (30 g), ground almonds (40 g), shredded coconut (20 g), erythritol (20 g), cinnamon (1 tsp), vanilla extract (5 ml) and salt (1 pinch) and stir until smooth.
-
Simmer the porridge
approx. 6 minutesHeat over medium heat, stirring constantly, and simmer until the chia seeds have swelled and the porridge thickens to a creamy consistency. It should still flow slightly, as it thickens as it cools. Stir in a splash of almond milk if needed and adjust the sweetness with erythritol.
-
Topping and serving
approx. 2 minutesBriefly toast the pumpkin seeds (10 g) in a dry pan. Spoon the porridge into two bowls, add a dollop of almond butter to each (20 g in total) and sprinkle with the pumpkin seeds and a pinch of cinnamon.
You did it! Enjoy every delicious bite.
Which tips help with keto pumpkin porridge?
- Make the pumpkin purée in batches and freeze it in 60 g portions - then breakfast takes 8 minutes.
- Use only unsweetened almond milk; sweetened versions bring up to 8 g of sugar per 100 ml.
- Let the chia seeds swell while stirring, otherwise clumps form.
- Take the porridge off the heat while it is still a little too loose; it thickens as it cools.
- Adjust the erythritol only at the end - pumpkin already brings its own sweetness.
- Add the pumpkin seeds and almond butter only in the bowl so they provide bite and contrast.
Why is this porridge keto-friendly?
A classic porridge made from 50 g of rolled oats reaches around 30 g of carbs from the oats alone, and quickly 50 g with milk, banana and honey. Here, chia seeds and ground almonds take over the thickening: chia seeds are more than one third fiber and bring only around 0.6 g of usable carbs at 15 g per serving, ground almonds about 1.2 g at 20 g. Hokkaido pumpkin provides around 4.5 g of usable carbs per 100 g; the 120 g of purée in the recipe is split between two servings, so 60 g and around 2.7 g per person. Shredded coconut, almond milk, almond butter and pumpkin seeds add up to another 1.7 g. That puts a serving at about 6 g net carbs - one tenth of a classic porridge and a good figure for breakfast. With 32 g of fat from almonds, coconut, chia and almond butter and 13 g of protein, the porridge keeps you full for several hours; the fiber from chia and pumpkin also slows absorption. It is sweetened with erythritol, which the body does not metabolize and which does not affect blood sugar. The values for the individual ingredients can be looked up in the German Nutrient Database (BLS) and at USDA FoodData Central.
Source: Max Rubner Institute – German Nutrient Database (BLS) , USDA FoodData Central
Chia seeds as a binder
Chia seeds absorb ten times their weight in liquid and form a gel - exactly what the starch in oats otherwise does in porridge. Per 100 g they contain around 34 g of fiber, 31 g of fat, a large share of it alpha-linolenic acid, and 20 g of protein. It is important to let them swell for a few minutes in the warm almond milk while stirring, otherwise they clump. The Harvard Nutrition Source describes the composition of chia seeds and their fiber.
Source: Harvard T.H. Chan – The Nutrition Source: Chia Seeds
Keeping net carbs predictable
The pumpkin provides just under half of the carbs. If you count more strictly, use 80 g of purée instead of 120 g and add 20 g of cream cheese or coconut cream for creaminess - then a serving comes to around 5 g. Unsweetened almond milk is a must: sweetened versions bring 5 to 8 g of sugar per 100 ml and would push the porridge out of the keto range. Skip toppings like banana, apple or honey; 50 g of raspberries, on the other hand, cost only around 2.5 g and go well.
How do I serve and vary the pumpkin porridge?
Serve the porridge warm in a bowl with a dollop of almond butter, toasted pumpkin seeds and a pinch of cinnamon on top; if you like, add a spoonful of coconut yogurt or a few raspberries. In my experience it pays to make the pumpkin purée in batches: steam 500 g of Hokkaido pumpkin, purée it and freeze it in portions - then the porridge is on the table in 8 minutes in the morning. The porridge thickens as it cools, so take it off the heat while it is still a little too loose and stir in a splash of almond milk if needed. In October, Hokkaido pumpkin is cheap and ripe; the skin can be cooked along with the flesh for the purée, as it softens and blends in completely.
Meal prep and reheating
The porridge keeps in a screw-top jar in the refrigerator for 3 days and firms up as the chia seeds keep swelling. To reheat, put it in a small saucepan with 50 ml of almond milk and stir it smooth over low heat for 3 minutes, or 90 seconds in the microwave. Eaten cold, it tastes like a chia pudding. The pumpkin purée on its own keeps for 4 days in the refrigerator and 3 months in the freezer, ideally in 60 g portions. The toppings are always added fresh so the pumpkin seeds stay crunchy.
Without almonds and with dairy
For a nut allergy, 20 g of coconut flour replaces the ground almonds, coconut milk replaces the almond milk and 20 g of tahini replaces the almond butter; the porridge then turns out a little firmer, so use 50 ml more liquid. If you do not eat vegan, use heavy cream instead of almond milk for a much richer porridge with around 45 g of fat per serving, or stir in 30 g of cream cheese at the end - that makes it creamier and adds protein. Instead of cinnamon and vanilla, a pumpkin spice blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove works well, and if you like it chocolatey, stir in a teaspoon of cocoa powder.
Nutrition values
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per serving | Keto context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | approx. 135 kcal | approx. 385 kcal | Sized appropriately for a breakfast; fat and fiber keep you full until lunch. |
| Sized appropriately for a breakfast; fat and fiber keep you full until lunch. | |||
| Fat | approx. 11 g | approx. 32 g | Very good for keto. Almonds, chia, coconut and almond butter provide around 75% of the calories. |
| Very good for keto. Almonds, chia, coconut and almond butter provide around 75% of the calories. | |||
| Net carbs | approx. 2.3 g | approx. 6 g | A good figure for a breakfast and one tenth of an oat porridge. The pumpkin is the main source. |
| A good figure for a breakfast and one tenth of an oat porridge. The pumpkin is the main source. | |||
| Sugar | approx. 1.3 g | approx. 3.5 g | Natural sugar from pumpkin and coconut. Sweetened with erythritol, which is not metabolized. |
| Natural sugar from pumpkin and coconut. Sweetened with erythritol, which is not metabolized. | |||
| Protein | approx. 4.7 g | approx. 13 g | Solid for a vegan breakfast; chia, almonds and pumpkin seeds provide most of it. |
| Solid for a vegan breakfast; chia, almonds and pumpkin seeds provide most of it. | |||
| Salt | approx. 0.14 g | approx. 0.4 g | Low. A pinch of salt lifts the sweetness; the porridge needs no more than that. |
| Low. A pinch of salt lifts the sweetness; the porridge needs no more than that. | |||
Note: Nutrition values are estimated averages per 100 g and per serving and may vary depending on ingredients, brands, portion size, and preparation. They do not replace individual nutrition or medical advice.
FAQ
Is pumpkin porridge allowed on a ketogenic diet?
Yes. The oats are completely replaced by chia seeds and almonds, and the pumpkin is portioned at 60 g of purée per serving so that it contributes around 2.7 g net carbs. In total, a serving comes to about 6 g - a good figure for a breakfast that leaves room for the rest of the day. An oat porridge with fruit, by contrast, reaches 40 to 50 g and is not compatible with keto.
Can I use canned pumpkin purée?
Yes, as long as it is pure pumpkin purée without sugar or spices - not the sweetened pie filling that sits on the same shelves. Canned purée usually comes from butternut-like varieties and has around 6 g net carbs per 100 g instead of 4.5 g for Hokkaido; a serving then rises to about 7 g. Fresh Hokkaido purée is cheaper, tastes more intense and can be frozen in batches.
Is the porridge suitable for losing weight on keto?
At around 385 kcal per serving, it is a filling breakfast that keeps you going for a long time thanks to fat and fiber and prevents mid-morning cravings. If you want to save calories, leave out the almond butter and use 10 g of shredded coconut instead of 20 g - then a serving comes to about 290 kcal. The 6 g of carbs are no problem for a breakfast and leave room for lunch and dinner.
How do I make the porridge creamier?
Three levers: First, purée the pumpkin very finely, ideally with an immersion blender, so no fibers remain. Second, let the chia seeds swell for at least 5 minutes while stirring so they release their gel completely. Third, stir a spoonful of almond butter directly into the porridge at the end instead of only putting it on top - the fat binds the porridge further. If you do not eat vegan, 30 g of cream cheese or a splash of heavy cream gives the creamiest version.
Can I prepare the porridge cold as an overnight version?
Yes. In the evening, stir all the ingredients except the toppings together cold and put the jar in the refrigerator; the chia seeds swell overnight and the result is a firm chia pudding with pumpkin flavor. Use 50 ml more almond milk for this, because more liquid is bound when cold. In the morning you can eat it cold or warm it in a saucepan in 2 minutes. The nutrition values stay the same.