Make Instant Pot Sorghum part of your meal prep routine. Freeze it in portion-sized packages to keep on hand for adding to breakfast bowls, salads, side dishes, soups and stews.
Instant Pot sorghum is a fantastic alternative to rice, quinoa and farro. It has a pleasant texture that makes it ideal for salads and its mellow nutty flavor pairs well with almost any vegetables, broth or dressing.
If you're a meal prepper, add sorghum to your list. Every month, I pull out my trusty Instant Pot and make batches of Instant Pot Farro, Instant Pot Quinoa and sorghum. Cool, package and freeze the cooked whole grain to have on hand for a last-minute side dish or easy breakfast bowl (sub in sorghum).
Sorghum can also be cooked on the stovetop or even in a slow cooker. I love the ease of tossing everything into the Instant Pot while keeping my stovetop free.
What is sorghum?
Sorghum isn't commonly known in North America, but is an important ancient grain used in much of the world. In fact, it's one of the top five cereal crops.
Gluten-free and whole grain, sorghum is a fantastic fiber-filled addition to any healthy diet.
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What does sorghum taste like?
Sorghum has a mild, slightly nutty flavor and pleasantly chewy texture. It's a good substitute for rice, farro and wheat berries in salads side dishes, soups and stews.
How to use sorghum:
SALADS AND SIDE DISHES: Sprinkle cooked sorghum over green salads for added texture. Or use it as a base for side dishes. Try it in place of rice, farro or quinoa in these recipes:
SOUPS AND STEWS: If you have cooked sorghum stashed in your freezer, stir it into soups or stews before serving. It would be great alternative in these recipes:
- Butternut Squash Soup with Quinoa and Beans (stir in cooked sorghum at the end)
- Turkey Rice Soup
BREAKFAST BOWLS: Sorghum is used a cereal grain in much of the world. Serve it either sweet or savory.
- Swap it for the quinoa in this breakfast bowl.
- Use it the same way as cooked oats, dressing it up with maple syrup, cinnamon and fruit.
POP IT! That's right, dry sorghum can be popped like corn kernels. The kernels are smaller than regular popcorn and have a lovely nutty flavor. Pop them in coconut oil or olive oil on the stovetop. Or place them in a paper bag, folded over a couple of times with the seam down, and pop them in the microwave.
TOOLS AND INGREDIENTS FOR INSTANT POT SORGHUM:
- SORGHUM: Whole grain sorghum can be found in some well-stocked grocery stores or many health food stores. Look for it alongside other grains, such as rice and quinoa. If your local store doesn't carry sorghum, purchase it online from Amazon or directly from producers like Bob's Red Mill.
- WATER OR BROTH: Cook the farro in water or vegetable broth, or a combination of the two.
- SALT: Use a sprinkle of kosher salt. If using broth as the cooking liquid, eliminate the extra salt.
- ELECTRIC PRESSURE COOKER: I use this 6-quart Instant Pot, but this recipe works equally well if you have the 8-quart Instant Pot.
- SIEVE: Rinse and drain the dry sorghum in a fine mesh sieve before cooking it.
See recipe card below for full ingredients list & recipe directions.
How to make SORGHUM IN INSTANT POT:
RINSE THE SORGHUM: Before cooking the sorghum, give it a good rinse. Pour the dry sorghum into a dry mesh sieve and run it under cold water for 1 to 2 minutes. Shake the sieve gently so that each grain is hit by the water.
COMBINE WITH WATER/BROTH: Transfer the rinsed farro to the Instant Pot, along with cold water. Alternatively, use broth or a 50-50 water-broth combo, using either vegetable broth or chicken broth. Add the salt, if using (I leave it out if using all broth). Stir to combine.
COOK: Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set the steam valve to SEAL. Set the Instant Pot to HIGH pressure for 35 minutes. It takes 7 to 10 minutes for the pressure cooker to come to pressure.
USE NATURAL RELEASE: Once the cook time expires, allow the pressure to release naturally. On an Instant Pot, the silver button beside the steam vent drops completely once the pressure releases. See the appliance instruction manual for further directions. Carefully remove the lid.
FLUFF AND SERVE: Use a fork to fluff the sorghum, then transfer it to a sieve to drain off the excess water. Incorporate into a recipe. Or cool to room temperature and store.
Storage and freezing tips:
In the fridge:
Allow the cooked sorghum to cool to room temperature. If you're in a hurry, spread the sorghum on a baking sheet to speed up the cooling time. Transfer the cooked sorghum to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
The texture holds the best if incorporated into a dish. For example, the sorghum will be less sticky or gummy if tossed with an olive oil dressing.
In the freezer:
Cooked sorghum can be frozen, making it a great option for meal prep. When using an airtight container, you can freeze sorghum for up to 6 months.
Cool the sorghum to room temperature. Transfer it to a freezer-safe airtight container or resealable freezer (Ziploc) bags. I like to store it in ½ cup to 1 cup servings, making it easy to add to soups, stews and salads.
To reheat, place the frozen sorghum in a microwave-safe bowl. Reheat it on HIGH power in the microwave for about one minute. The time may vary depending on the wattage of your microwave and the portion size.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes! Simply double the ingredient amounts and follow the recipe as written. It might take the Instant Pot a few minutes longer to come to pressure because of the additional liquid.
Yes, sorghum is naturally gluten-free. If this is a dietary necessity, I suggest checking the package to determine if the grain is processed and packaged in a gluten free-safe facility.
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Instant Pot Sorghum
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry sorghum (See Note 1)
- 3 cups water
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Place the sorghum in a fine mesh sieve. Rinse under cold water for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Place the sorghum, water and salt in the Instant Pot liner. Stir to combine.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot and close the steam valve. Set the Instant Pot to HIGH pressure for 35 minutes. It will take the pressure cooker 7 to 10 minutes to come to pressure.
- Once the cook time expires, allow the pressure to release naturally. Once the pressure indicator (silver button on top) drops, carefully remove the lid.
- Fluff the sorghum with a fork. Transfer it to a fine mesh sieve to drain out any remaining liquid.
- Serve, or cool to room temperature and store.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Coach
I ruined a batch of sorghum with this recipe. It was gummy and overcooked. Will try closer to 20 minutes next time to avoid this.
Dara
Hi Coach, I'm sorry to hear this didn't turn out for you. A couple of things to try...1) Make sure you rinse the sorghum very well, for a good 1 to 2 minutes, before using, as mentioned in the recipe, 2) Your suggested time of 20 minutes will very likely result in undercooked sorghum. I suggest reducing the time by 5 minutes (so, 30 minutes cook time) and 3) Reduce the Natural Pressure Release time to 10 minutes, then carefully release the pressure the rest of the way by turning the release valve. I hope that helps.