Farina [Video + Recipe] Cream of Wheat Breakfast Porridge (2024)

Our free content is supported via ads and affiliate links. Thanks!

En Español Recipe ↆ Video ↆ

Farina, or Cream of Wheat, is known as 'Harina del negrito' in the Dominican Republic, and it is a very comforting hot cereal breakfast dish with kids and adults. What makes this easy-to-make farina such a special, popular dish is its creaminess and combination of spices.

By Clara Gonzalez - Last reviewed Jan 20, 2024. Published Jun 22, 2013

Farina [Video + Recipe] Cream of Wheat Breakfast Porridge (1)

JUMP TO: show ↓

Why we ❤️ it

ThisCream of Wheat®recipeforDominican-style farinais one of the most searched for in our blog and very popularbreakfast food. It was one of ourSaturdaymorning staples growing up.

Thishot breakfast cereal, though very warm, creamy, comforting, and popular, is actually a very simpledishthat I thought most people could cook without arecipe.

Let's answer some questions you've asked me about thisfarinarecipe.

What's Farina?

Farina is the generic name for a quick cook wheat flour used to make porridge. Farina is sometimes called Cream of Wheat™, but that is a commercial brand of this cereal grain.

In the Dominican Republic, farina pudding or hot is best known as Harina del Negrito® after the most popular brand of farina sold here.

Farina [Video + Recipe] Cream of Wheat Breakfast Porridge (2)

Farina [Video + Recipe] Cream of Wheat Breakfast Porridge (3)

Dominican-style Farina.

How to make farina

Dominican farina, together with Harina de maíz (cornmeal porridge) and Desayuno de avena (oatmeal porridge) are our favorite porridge-like breakfast dishes, and they are made in a similar fashion: cooked with milk, sugar, and spices.

I think that right after Mangú with Los Tres Golpes, and our hot breakfast drinks, it may well be our favorite breakfast.

Top tips

You can make a vegan version by using oat or almond milk instead of milk, and leaving out the butter. The flavor is not the same, but it's still a very appealing dish.
Some people add raisins to farina, but I have honestly have never, but if you love raisins, add it when combining ingredients in the first step.
You can save leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate it. To reheat – either on the stovetop or in the microwave – add a bit of milk to make it thinner.

About this recipe

I have written this recipe in the same way my mom made Harina del negrito when I was a child. Generally, this will almost have a pudding-like consistency, which is the result we show here.

You can make a dairy-free version by substituting almond or soy milk for milk in the recipe.

Buen provecho!

Video

Recipe

This awesome free recipe contains Amazon affiliate links, we receive a small commission from any purchase you make at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!

Farina [Video + Recipe] Cream of Wheat Breakfast Porridge

By: Clara Gonzalez

Learn how to make farina or Cream of Wheat, the ever-popular Dominican farina breakfast porridge dish, creamy, flavorful, and smooth.

4.92 from 46 votes

Save for Later Print Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 7 minutes mins

Total Time 12 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, Dinner

Cuisine American, Dominican

Servings 6 servings

Calories 361 kcal

Ingredients

▢ 3 cup milk (whole or skim)
▢ 1½ cup farina, (cream of wheat)
▢ ½ teaspoon salt
▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
▢ 3 sticks cinnamon
▢ ¼ teaspoon clove powder
▢ ½ cup brown sugar
▢ 2 tablespoon salted butter
▢ ¼ teaspoon nutmeg (freshly-grated)

Instructions

1. Combine ingredients

In a medium-sized saucepan combine milk,cream of wheat, salt, vanilla,cinnamon sticks, clove powder, 2 cups of water, and half the sugar.
Stir until the sugar has dissolved and taste (it's safe to do so), add more sugar if you find it necessary (I found ½ cup too sweet, but too sweet is the preferred sweetness for some people, so do it to your taste).
Let it rest for 5 minutes.

2. Cook

Heat over medium heat stirring constantly to prevent it from sticking to the pot.
When it breaks the boil, add butter and lower the heat to very low. Simmer stirring until it reaches the desired consistency, taking into consideration it will get much thicker when it cools down. I suggest a thick but still liquid consistency.

3. Serve

Remove from the heat and pour into individual servings, and sprinkle with the nutmeg. Serve warm.

Nutrition

Calories: 361kcalCarbohydrates: 63gProtein: 9gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 333mgPotassium: 227mgFiber: 2gSugar: 31gVitamin A: 314IUCalcium: 445mgIron: 14mg

Nutritional information is calculated automatically based on ingredients listed. Please consult your doctor if you need precise nutrition information.

READERS SEARCHED FOR cereal grains porridge, cream of wheat in spanish, cream of wheat recipe, creamy wheat recipe, How to cook farina, sweet cream of wheat

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. ❤️Plus, get great weekly recipes from me!

More porridge recipes

We have several nutrient-rich porridge-like dishes that we routinely serve for breakfast, like Dominican avena, Harina de maíz cornmeal porridge, and Maicena, a porridge made with cornstarch, Trigo con dulce, a wheat bulgur porridge, and Chacá or Maíz caquiao, a hominy porridge.

FAQs

What is "cream of wheat"?

Cream of Wheat™ is a commercial brand of farina.

Are grits and farina the same thing?

Farina is a coarse flour made from wheat, while grits is a coarse flour made from corn. They have a similar texture and can be used similarly but are not the same.

Is it gluten-free?

It's a wheat product, so it's definitely not gluten-free. I also can't think of a suitable GF substitute at this time.

Why is my farina too thick / thin?

As consistency is a matter of taste, I suggest you do not let it get as thick as you want it to be in the end; take into consideration that it always gets thicker as it cools down. You can also mix in a bit of extra milk at the end if it gets too thick.

¡Hola 👋! Thanks for visiting.I'm Tía Clara, your Internet 🇩🇴 Auntie and hostess.

- Learn more about me and the humans behind this blog.
- Share yourquestions and commentsabout this post.
-Subscribeto receive our recipes and articles by email.
- Please stay in touch! Follow us on:

More Dominican Breakfast Recipes You'll Love

Pan Sobao / Sobado (Breakfast Bread Roll)
Tortilla de Huevo (Vegetables Omelette)
Yuca Encebollada (Boiled Cassava with Onions)
Arenque con Huevo (Herring and Eggs)

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.