How to Cook Sorghum: 3 Easy & Delicious Methods (2024)

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Tips for boiling, pressure cooking, and slow cooking whole grain sorghum

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methods

Ingredients

1Using the Stovetop

2Using a Slow Cooker

3Using an Electric Pressure Cooker

4Cooking with Sorghum

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Things You'll Need

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49 Recipe Ratings|Success Stories

Co-authored byJessica GibsonReviewed byJennifer Levasseur

Last Updated: April 2, 2024References

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If you're searching for gluten-free grain options or want to try nutritious ancient grains, make sorghum. Sorghum is a great source of protein, iron, vitamins, and minerals. You can easily cook a batch of sorghum and serve it as you would rice. Cook sorghum on the stove, in a slow cooker, or in a pressure cooker. Store leftover sorghum in the refrigerator for several days.

Best Ways to Cook Sorghum

  • Soak one cup of sorghum in water overnight, then drain it through a colander in the morning.
  • Put the soaked sorghum in a large pot with 3 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, bring it to a boil, then let it simmer over medium-low for an hour.
  • Alternatively, put the sorghum, water, and salt into a slow cooker, and let it cook on high for 4-5 hours.

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 cups (709 to 946 ml) water
  • 1 cup (192 g) whole-grain sorghum
  • 1 teaspoon (6 g) kosher salt, optional

Makes about 4 cups (768 g) of cooked sorghum

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Using the Stovetop

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  1. 1

    Soak the sorghum. If you'd like the sorghum to be soft instead of chewy, you can soak 1 cup (192 g) of whole-grain sorghum in a large bowl of water. Soak the sorghum overnight so the sorghum absorbs some of the water. Drain the sorghum through a colander.

    • Chewy sorghum is a great replacement for bulgar wheat or couscous in tabbouleh or falafel recipes.
    • If you don't have time to soak the sorghum, you can skip soaking it, although the texture of the sorghum might just be a little nubbier.
  2. 2

    Combine the sorghum, water, and salt in a pot. Place the soaked sorghum or 1 cup (192 g) of dry whole-grain sorghum into a large pot. Pour in 3 cups (709 ml) of water. For a little extra flavor, you can also stir in 1 teaspoon (6 g) of kosher salt. Stir the sorghum and the seasoned water.[1]

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  3. 3

    Bring the water to a boil and turn the heat down. Place the large pot on the stove and turn the heat to high. Heat the water until it begins to boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low so the water bubbles gently.[2]

  4. 4

    Simmer the sorghum for 1 hour. Once the water is cooking gently, put a lid on the pot and cook the sorghum for about 1 hour. Check the sorghum to see if it's finished cooking. You can serve the sorghum once most of the water has been absorbed and the sorghum is softened.[3]

    • If the sorghum isn't soft enough for your liking, pour in 1 more cup (240 ml) of water and keep simmering the sorghum. Check the sorghum after 30 minutes.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Using a Slow Cooker

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  1. 1

    Rinse and drain the sorghum. Place 1 cup (192 g) of whole-grain sorghum into a fine mesh strainer. Hold the strainer under cold running water and rinse the sorghum.[4]

    • Sorghum comes in whole-grain or pearled form. If you want to use pearled sorghum, just reduce the liquid to 3 cups (709 ml).
  2. 2

    Place the sorghum, water, and salt in a slow cooker. Dump the rinsed sorghum into a 4-quart (3.8 liter) slow cooker and pour in 4 cups (946 ml) of water. If you'd like to lightly season the sorghum, you can add 1 teaspoon (6 g) of kosher salt.[5]

  3. 3

    Cook the sorghum on high for 4 to 5 hours. Put the lid on the slow cooker and turn the heat to HIGH. Cook the sorghum for 4 to 5 hours. Check the sorghum to see if it most of the water is gone and the sorghum is soft.[6]

  4. 4

    Use or store the cooked sorghum. Fluff the sorghum with a fork and serve it. You can also store the sorghum in a covered container. Refrigerate the cooked sorghum for up to 4 days.[7]

    • You can also freeze the sorghum in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Using an Electric Pressure Cooker

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  1. 1

    Combine the ingredients in the electric pressure cooker. Remove the inner pot of a pressure cooker and pour 3 cups (709 ml) of water into it. Stir in 1 cup (192 g) of whole-grain sorghum. If you'd like extra flavor, stir in 1 teaspoon (6 g) of kosher salt.[8]

  2. 2

    Insert the inner pot and close the cooker. Place the pot with sorghum and water into the pressure cooker. Place the lid directly onto the pressure cooker and turn it about 30 degrees so it's securely shut.[9]

  3. 3

    Turn the pressure cooker on and cook the sorghum for 20 to 25 minutes. Adjust the pressure of your cooker to 15 psi (pound force per square inch). Cook the sorghum for 20 minutes.[10]

    • If you're using an Instant Pot, use the MULTIGRAIN setting and adjust it for less time so the sorghum cooks for around 20 minutes.
  4. 4

    Open and check the sorghum. Once the pressure cooker has finished its cooking cycle, use the natural release to open the lid. Let the cooker cool down for 10 to 15 minutes. Turn the handle counterclockwise to unlock the lid and slowly lift the lid up and away. The sorghum should be soft. Fluff the sorghum and serve it.[11]

    • Ensure that the pressure is released from inside the pot before you remove the lid.
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Cooking with Sorghum

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  1. 1

    Replace whole grains in salad. If you frequently make cold grain salads that use farro, couscous, wheat berries, or bulgar, swap the grain for cooked sorghum. Cooked sorghum will keep its texture for several days, so it's great in Greek salads, tabbouleh, or grain bowls.[12]

  2. 2

    Season the cooked sorghum with your favorite spices. Sorghum is similar to rice in that you can flavor it according to your tastes. Stir dried spices into the water that the sorghum cooks in, so the grains absorb the flavors. Try a few of these spices with your cooked sorghum:[13]

    • Cumin
    • Fenugreek
    • Coriander
    • Garam masala
    • Oregano
    • Bay leaf
  3. 3

    Use sorghum in puddings or porridge. Replace rice in your favorite pudding recipe for a dessert that is a little more filling. You can also make a breakfast porridge that uses sorghum instead of oats. Combine the sorghum with a combination of water, milk, or coconut milk and stir in your choice of sweeteners, spices, fruit, and nuts.[14]

    • For a take on classic rice pudding, cook the sorghum with water, milk, vanilla, sugar, and cinnamon sticks.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question

    Does sorghum have to be rinsed before cooking with it?

    How to Cook Sorghum: 3 Easy & Delicious Methods (22)

    Community Answer

    Rinsing before cooking allows you to make sure that there are no impurities, but it's totally optional.

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  • Question

    Why would you want to rinse sorghum before or after cooking?

    How to Cook Sorghum: 3 Easy & Delicious Methods (23)

    Community Answer

    Always rinse the grains before cooking to ensure that there are no impurities in the mix, such as soil or plant particles.

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      Tips

      • You can also cook sorghum in your rice cooker. Just place the water and sorghum in the rice cooker and turn it on. Your rice cooker should shut itself off once the sorghum has finished cooking.

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      Things You'll Need

      • Measuring cups and spoons
      • Digital scale
      • Large pot
      • Slow cooker
      • Rice cooker
      • Electric pressure cooker
      • Spoon
      • Fork
      • Fine mesh strainer

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      More References (5)

      About This Article

      How to Cook Sorghum: 3 Easy & Delicious Methods (32)

      Reviewed by:

      Jennifer Levasseur

      Personal Chef

      This article was reviewed by Jennifer Levasseur and by wikiHow staff writer, Jessica Gibson. Chef Jennifer Levasseur is a Personal Chef and the Owner of The Happy Cuisiniere based in Breckenridge, Colorado. She has over 12 years of culinary experience and specializes in Mountain and Contemporary Rustic cuisine. Moreover, she can craft dishes and modify menus to accommodate dietary restrictions, such as gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, and dairy-free diets. In addition to a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Management from the University of Houston, Chef Jennifer holds Associate’s degrees in Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts from Houston Community College. This article has been viewed 73,823 times.

      49 votes - 90%

      Co-authors: 5

      Updated: April 2, 2024

      Views:73,823

      Categories: Cereal Grains

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      Reader Success Stories

      • How to Cook Sorghum: 3 Easy & Delicious Methods (33)

        Mel

        Oct 25, 2021

        "Excellent guidelines for how to cook and use sorghum. I will try these recipes. Sorghum is one of two grains I can..." more

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      How to Cook Sorghum: 3 Easy & Delicious Methods (2024)

      FAQs

      Do you need to soak sorghum before cooking? ›

      Sorghum benefits from 6-8 hours of pre-soaking to help make it more easily digestible. However, it is not essential for cooking as the sorghum will cook without pre-soaking within 1 hour on the stove or ½ hour pressure cooking. Is sorghum gluten-free?

      Does sorghum need to be rinsed before cooking? ›

      Before cooking, drain soaked sorghum through a very fine mesh strainer, a colander lined with a kitchen towel, or a nut milk bag. Rinse well with cool water. Give the strainer a shake to ensure that there is no excess liquid.

      How long does it take to cook sorghum? ›

      Stovetop Cooking

      Use one cup of whole-grain sorghum to three cups of water. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let cook for approximately 40-55 minutes or until the sorghum is tender.

      Can sorghum be cooked like rice? ›

      So sorghum was a natural choice to add. And it is so easy to cook in the instant pot, or the stovetop. You can use it as a substitute for rice, or add it to salads or soups.

      Should sorghum be refrigerated after opening? ›

      Do I Need to Refrigerate Sorghum? No, sorghum is a natural sweetener and can be treated just like honey. Although refrigeration will not hurt your sorghum, it will make the consistency thicker and harder to spread. Storing at room temperature will keep your product ready to use at all times.

      Is sorghum healthier than rice? ›

      As a food, sorghum has better nutrition than rice and cassava (Table 1), and it ranks after wheat, rice, corn and barley.

      What kills sorghum? ›

      There are several common herbicides that can be used in sorghum such as atrazine, s-metolachlor (Dual II Magnum, Bicep II Magnum, Acuron, Lexar, Halex GT, etc.), acetochlor (Warrant, Degree Xtra, Fultime NXT, etc.), dimethenamid (Outlook, Verdict), mesotrione (Callisto, Coyote, Lexar, etc.), other products such as ...

      How do you know when sorghum is ready? ›

      Mature grain will be hard to penetrate when pinching the bottom of the kernel between your fingernails and should have a black spot at its base. Grain sorghum is harvested with a combine using a grain header with a rigid cutter bar, a flex header in the rigid position or a row crop header.

      Can you eat sorghum like oatmeal? ›

      Sorghum is a versatile crop, serving as an excellent substitute for rice, oatmeal, and other grains such as quinoa and barley.

      Why won't my sorghum pop? ›

      If you add sorghum kernels to the hot air popper before it's warm, the kernels will dry out and be unable to pop properly.

      Is sorghum good for you? ›

      Sorghum is a nutrient-packed grain that you can use in many ways. It's rich in vitamins and minerals like B vitamins, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, and zinc. It's also an excellent source of fiber, antioxidants, and protein. What's more, it's easy to replace rice or quinoa with whole sorghum in most recipes.

      Is sorghum better for you than molasses? ›

      Sorghum molasses contains higher amounts of some nutrients than molasses, such as phosphorus and zinc, and it is lower in sodium.

      Is sorghum healthier than quinoa? ›

      Nutritious. Whole grain sorghum is an excellent source of 12 essential nutrients. A serving of cooked whole grain sorghum provides more than double the amount of protein as a serving of quinoa. One half-cup serving of cooked whole grain sorghum has nearly double the iron as a 3-ounce sirloin steak.

      What part of sorghum is edible? ›

      Sorghum is a large stout grass that grows up to 2.4 metres (7.9 ft) tall. It has large bushy flowerheads or panicles that provide an edible starchy grain with up to 3,000 seeds in each flowerhead.

      How is sorghum traditionally prepared? ›

      For human consumption, the gluten-free grain is usually ground into a meal that is made into porridge, flatbreads, and cakes. The characteristic strong flavour can be reduced by processing. The grain is also used in making edible oil, starch, dextrose (a sugar), paste, and alcoholic beverages.

      Can you eat raw sorghum flour? ›

      The desi weight loss food apart from being consumed as roti, dosa or cheela, can also be eaten in its raw form and doesn't need much cooking. For diabetics, it is a healthy choice as it is considered a complex carbohydrate and takes time to digest thus not shooting up blood sugar levels.

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