Mushy, boring oatmeal is a thing of the past, my friends. Today, I’m sharing all my favorite delicious, healthy oatmeal recipes to up your breakfast game and keep you full longer!
Not only is oatmeal nutritious, but it’s also quick and easy to make. Plus, it’s actually a super versatile breakfast – more so than you might realize!
You can make oatmeal in so many ways: stovetop oatmeal, microwave oatmeal, overnight oats, etc. I’m a fan of them all! (And I’ll go over how to make each type in this post.)
No matter how you make it, it’s super quick, too. You can whip up a bowl of oatmeal in under 10 minutes – sometimes even less, especially if using my microwave oatmeal method!
And the topping options are endless. Nut butter, berries, nuts, seeds, banana… you can even make protein-packed oatmeal with eggs – either savory or sweet! Read on for some of my favorite oatmeal recipe variations.
Healthy Oatmeal Recipes
One thing I recommend for all oatmeal recipes: try to make it with milk (or a non-dairy alternative), not water. It’s much creamier and more filling that way, too!
Now, when it comes to flavor, there are two main types of oatmeal: sweet or savory.
I’m sure you’ve heard of the former: usually, it involves fruit like berries or bananas, and maybe a sweetener like honey or maple syrup.
(Feel free to try out my pumpkin pie oatmeal recipe if you’re craving something on the sweeter side, although it doesn’t actually include sugar, just banana!)
But what about savory oatmeal? My go-to savory oatmeal recipe combines avocado, roasted mushrooms, and sautéed greens for a big ole bowl of deliciousness. I also love adding a poached or fried egg on top for a boost of protein. (Plus, it’s SO tasty – the runny egg yolk is a must!)
Feel free to add your own favorite veggies to your oatmeal bowl, or to use leftover roasted veggies you already have on hand – sweet potatoes, asparagus, and roasted bell peppers would all make great additions.
Looking for more inspiration? Here are some of my favorite quick & healthy breakfast ideas.
Healthy & Tasty Toppings for Oatmeal
The fact that oatmeal is so versatile means you can basically put anything on it. I love experimenting with different toppings and flavors!
Here are some oatmeal topping ideas to get you started:
- Fruit: berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, etc.), bananas, peaches, cherries, pineapple, mango, kiwi – I love mashing banana into my oatmeal and then topping it with another fruit for an extra awesome oatmeal that’s sweet without needing sugar
- Nuts: almonds, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, cashews
- Nut Butter: peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter
- Seeds: chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, ground flaxseed
- Natural Sweeteners: honey, vanilla extract, maple syrup, cocoa powder
- Spices: cinnamon, nutmeg
- Veggies: sweet potatoes, asparagus, mushrooms, avocado, cooked spinach, bell pepper, arugula
- Protein: poached eggs, pancetta/bacon, chicken/turkey sausage, crumbled tofu
- Other deliciousness: shredded coconut, chocolate chips
By the way, here’s my favorite (& the absolute best) way to slice bananas for oatmeal!
How to Make Stovetop Oatmeal
Making oatmeal on the stovetop is super simple.
Just mix rolled oats and milk together in a saucepan and cook over medium-high heat. Add any additional seeds, spices, and pre-cooked veggies at this time too. As I mentioned I love cooking my oatmeal with mashed banana because it makes it extra yummy, but you do you!
Cook, stirring frequently, until mixture reaches normal oatmeal consistency. This should only take a few minutes. Then, pour into a bowl and add additional toppings as desired.
One of my favorite stovetop oatmeal recipes is my High Protein Oatmeal. The main difference in this recipe is cracking 2 eggs into the oatmeal mixture – in addition to adding some ground flaxseed, cinnamon, and a mashed banana – and cooking for a little longer (until eggs are no longer runny). You can’t taste the eggs at all, and they add a nice protein boost!
How to Make Oatmeal in the Microwave
You can make oatmeal cook time even faster by popping it in the microwave! The only catch is that unless you have a very large microwave safe bowl, you’ll want to make microwave oatmeal one serving at a time (vs. stovetop where you can easily make a larger batch in a larger pot)!
For the base: combine a mashed banana, rolled oats, milk or milk substitute, and cinnamon in a microwave-safe bowl or mug. (The riper the banana, the better – it’s sweeter that way!).
Microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes. If applicable, stir in any frozen berries at the halfway point. Fresh fruit and other toppings can be added once the oatmeal is finished cooking.
Here’s the full Perfect Microwave Banana Oatmeal recipe. Feel free to also try my Microwaveable Tart Cherry Oatmeal recipe!
How to Make Overnight Oats
Overnight oats totally changed my breakfast game. It’s a super easy way to make breakfast the night before, so you can just wake up, grab your jar of oats, and go. All it takes is a few minutes of prep time the night before.
Essentially, you mix together your oatmeal base (rolled oats, ground flaxseed, and milk – dairy or nondairy) in a jar and shake. Or, stir together in a bowl.
Then, add optional flavor to your base. I love cocoa powder, honey, maple syrup, vanilla, peanut butter, and/or cinnamon, but feel free to get creative with spices or extracts!
After that, toss in additional toppings like nuts or berries. One caveat: if you’re adding banana, wait until the morning to slice it and throw it in (otherwise, it might get brown and that’s yuck).
Lastly, place a cover on your jar or bowl, and put in the refrigerator. Let it sit overnight (or at least 3-4 hours), then enjoy!
Check out this post: overnight oats recipe variations for 6 delicious recipe ideas. (Here are a few of my favorites: Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats with Banana, Almond Milk Overnight Oats with Berries, and Cherry Chocolate Overnight Oats. These Coconut Milk Carrot Cake Overnight Oats are amazing, too!)
Baked Oatmeal
Baking oatmeal is another great way to switch up your oatmeal breakfasts. You just put all the ingredients into a baking dish and let the oven do the work.
Here’s my simple baked oatmeal recipe. Because it makes a lot at once, it’s perfect for a crowd or to make ahead a week’s worth of servings. Enjoy plain or topped with yogurt, cottage cheese, nuts, seeds, or extra fresh fruit!
I also love this Baked Banana Oatmeal recipe from a fellow blogger.
I hope you’ve enjoyed these healthy oatmeal recipes and cooking tips. If you want more, check out my post on how to make oatmeal taste better & keep you full longer for even more tips and ideas!
What’s your favorite way to make oatmeal? I’d love to hear your go-to oatmeal flavor combinations!
