How to Cook Sorghum

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

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
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.
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]XResearch source}
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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]XResearch source}
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]XResearch source}
- 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.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Using a Slow Cooker

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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]XResearch source}
- Sorghum comes in whole-grain or pearled form. If you want to use pearled sorghum, just reduce the liquid to 3 cups (709 ml).
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]XResearch source}
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]XResearch source}
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]XResearch source}
- You can also freeze the sorghum in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Using an Electric Pressure Cooker

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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]XResearch source}
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]XResearch source}
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]XResearch source}
- 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
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]XResearch source}
- Ensure that the pressure is released from inside the pot before you remove the lid.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Cooking with Sorghum

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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]XResearch source}
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]XResearch source}
- Cumin
- Fenugreek
- Coriander
- Garam masala
- Oregano
- Bay leaf
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]XResearch source}
- For a take on classic rice pudding, cook the sorghum with water, milk, vanilla, sugar, and cinnamon sticks.

Community Q&A

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Question
Does sorghum have to be rinsed before cooking with it?
Community Answer
Rinsing before cooking allows you to make sure that there are no impurities, but it's totally optional.
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Why would you want to rinse sorghum before or after cooking?
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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