How to Make Oatmeal
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Published Jan 02, 2024, Updated Jan 09, 2024
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Here’s how to make the perfect bowl of oatmeal on the stovetop, plus 4 simple flavor variations. It’s heart-healthy, easy to make and so delicious.
Over the years I’ve shared so many oatmeal recipes and even today it’s still one of my all-time favorite breakfasts! It’s healthy, warm, comforting and so easy to whip up. Plus, it can be customized with so many different mix-ins and toppings. I love mixing in fruit, nut butter and a variety of textures to take my oatmeal to the next level. No more boring bowls of oats over here!
Today I’m sharing how to make oatmeal on the stovetop with four different flavor variations that are so delicious… maple brown sugar, apple cinnamon, banana nut and berry almond.
I know it can be tempting to purchase the little packages of instant oatmeal out of convenience, but you should skip them. They often have a lot of sugar in them, they’re more expensive and they honestly don’t taste as good as rolled oats cooked on the stove. So, that said, it’s best to just make your own!
// ★★★★★ REVIEW //
“Absolutely loved this recipe! My daughter wouldn’t eat the packet store bought oatmeal so I wanted to try something different. And she loved this! Very filling and so delicious!” – Mandy
Table of Contents
Ingredients Needed
Rolled oats, milk or water and salt are really all you need to make oatmeal, but I love adding a little cinnamon and vanilla to my base recipe. The oats turn out absolutely delicious and have the perfect consistency.
- old fashioned rolled oats – rolled oats make for such a creamy bowl of oats. Instant, quick-cooking and steel cut oats don’t work because they don’t absorb the liquid in the same way that rolled oats do.
- water or milk – water works great, but you can use milk if desired. I usually do a 1:2 ratio of oats to liquid. I typically use water for the liquid, but sometimes I’ll do half water and half unsweetened almond milk for creamier oats.
- salt – just a pinch to help bring out the nutty flavors of the oats.
- ground cinnamon – this is optional, but I love adding it for a warming spice.
- vanilla extract – another optional ingredient, but vanilla adds a lovely flavor.
- toppings – this is where the magic happens! The key to making really good oatmeal is the mix-ins and toppings. I share lots of ideas below.
Different Types of Oats Explained
There are a few different oat options at the store (steel cut, old fashioned/rolled and quick oats) and they all have approximately the same amount of fiber, protein, calories, and other nutrients, but there are some differences in processing and cooking.
Steel cut oats: these are the least processed type of oats. The oat groat (the full oat “grain”) is simply cut into two or three parts to get steel cut oats. Because they are less processed, they absorb more liquid and take longer to cook. Here’s my go-to cooking method for steel cut oatmeal.
Old fashioned rolled oats: for this type of oat, the oat groats have been steamed and then rolled. This bit of processing speeds up the cook time for all of us at home. Rolled oats make for a super creamy bowl of oatmeal and are my personal favorite!
Quick or instant oats: these are the most processed of all the oat varieties. They are pre-cooked, dried, and rolled and pressed slightly thinner than rolled oats. They cook faster than steel cut or rolled oats, but they also lose a bit of texture in the cooking process so they tend to be mushy and less voluminous.
How To Make Stovetop Oatmeal
I love all types of oatmeal, but this basic stovetop oatmeal recipe might just be my favorite method of preparing oats. It’s easy to make and results in a warm, cozy bowl of oats that I can customize with different toppings. Here’s how to make it:
Step 1: Add rolled oats, water or milk and a dash of salt to a pot and heat over medium/high heat.
Step 2: Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. It’s ready when the oats have soaked up most of the liquid and are nice and creamy. Transfer oats to a bowl and add your favorite toppings.
Tips for Making the Perfect Bowl of Oatmeal
- Use rolled oats: Use old fashioned rolled oats for the best results! They made for a super creamy bowl of oatmeal. Steel cut oats take much longer to cook and require a different cooking method all together. Quick oats can be used, but I don’t love them because they tend to get super mushy.
- Use gluten-free oats if needed: Oats are naturally gluten-free, but often cross-contaminated with gluten so if needed make sure to grab certified gluten-free rolled oats. I use Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free rolled oats.
- Don’t forget the salt: Just a pinch of salt is necessary to help prevent a bland bowl of oatmeal. It also bring out the nuttiness of the oats.
- Use the correct ratio: For this recipe I use a 1:2 ratio of oats to liquid and that seems to be the perfect ratio and one I recommend sticking to!
How to Cook Oatmeal in the Microwave
I prefer to cook my oatmeal on the stovetop, but you can also microwave it!
Just add ½ cup rolled oats with 1 cup water or milk and a dash of salt into a microwave safe bowl with plenty of room for the oats to bubble up. Microwave for 1 minute, stir and then microwave at 30 seconds increments, stirring between each one.
Cook until the oatmeal is the consistency you like – I typically cook mine for about 3 minutes but you’ll know it’s ready when most of the liquid is absorbed and the oats are hot.
Oatmeal Variations
Once you’ve mastered the base recipe, it’s time to get creative with variations! Here are four delicious ideas to get you started:
Apple Cinnamon
Top your oatmeal with 1/2 cup of chopped apples and a sprinkle of extra cinnamon. You can also add some chopped apples to the oats while they’re cooking for even more apple flavor or make cooked cinnamon apples like I do for my apple overnight oats.
Maple Brown Sugar
Top oats with 1/2 tablespoon of maple syrup and 1-2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Stir into the oats and add splash of milk if you’d like.
Banana Nut
Top oats with banana slices, 2 tablespoons of toasted walnuts, 1/2 tablespoon of peanut butter and 1/4 teaspoon chia seeds. You can also add the banana slices during the cooking process. The banana will add a ton of flavor to the oatmeal and a bit of sweetness. I use this method for my banana chia oatmeal and my baby oatmeal recipe.
Berry Almond
Top cooked oatmeal with 1/4 cup fresh berries, 2 tablespoons of chopped roasted almonds and 1 tablespoon of chocolate chips. You can also add berries to the oats while they’re cooking if you’d like!
Oatmeal Toppings
I love the flavors I shared above, but the flavor options for oatmeal is practically endless. Here are some additional ideas you could try:
- Fresh fruit – you can’t go wrong with bananas and berries, but almost any fruit will work. I personally love my strawberries and cream and blueberry oatmeal.
- Dried fruit – add raisins, cranberries, dried cherries or dates to your bowl of oats. You could also try my cinnamon raisin oatmeal.
- Veggies – for a nutritional boost try adding veggies to your bowl of oats with this cauliflower oatmeal or zucchini bread oatmeal.
- Caramel – make this salted caramel oatmeal with my 4-ingredient date caramel sauce. It adds a delicious sweet and salty flavor to the oats.
- Greek yogurt – try a dollop on top or my Greek yogurt oatmeal.
- Nuts and seeds – add almonds, pecans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, chia seeds and/or flaxseed to your oats for some crunch and a touch of protein.
- Nut or seed butter – top your oats with almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter. sunflower seed butter or tahini. You could also make this peanut butter banana chia oatmeal, which is my favorite combo ever!
- Chia jam – swirl in my strawberry chia jam to your warm bowl of oats.
- Granola – I love adding a handful of granola to my oats for some crunch!
- Maple syrup or honey – for a little sweetness.
Oatmeal FAQ’s
Yes, it’s totally fine to eat oatmeal every day. It’s not only nutritious and filling, but it’s easy to change up the flavor profile of your oats with different mix-ins and toppings so you won’t get bored having it on the daily.
Oatmeal is known to be a healthy breakfast option because it contains soluble fiber, which can keep you feeling full and aid in weight loss. (source) Of course, you’ll want to be mindful of what you mix-ins and topping you use as these things can add a lot of extra calories, sugar and fat.
Oatmeal is packed with soluble fiber, a type of fiber that absorbs water and helps to moisten and soften stools for easier passage. So yes, oats can help with constipation and make you poop more regularly.
Yes! Oatmeal is loaded with so many health benefits!
I’ll be the first to admit that plain oatmeal usually isn’t filling enough for a meal unless you pair it with a little protein and some healthy fats. For added protein, I like making one of my protein oatmeal recipes, savory oats (with an egg on top) or serving it with a couple hardboiled eggs on the side. For healthy fats, I like adding chopped nuts (like almonds, walnuts and cashews) and seeds (like chia, flax and sunflower seeds). Or adding a big spoonful of nut butter on top!
More Oatmeal Recipes
Check out all of the oatmeal recipes as well as the full collection of breakfast recipes on EBF!
How to Make Oatmeal
Ingredients
Base Recipe
- ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup water or milk
- pinch of sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, optional
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
Apple Cinnamon
- ½ cup chopped apple
- sprinkle of cinnamon
Maple Brown Sugar
- ½ Tablespoon maple syrup
- 1-2 Tablespoons brown sugar
Banana Nut
- banana slices
- 2 Tablespoons toasted walnuts
- ½ Tablespoon peanut butter
- ¼ teaspoon chia seeds
Berry Almond
- ¼ cup fresh berries
- 2 Tablespoons chopped roasted almonds
- 1 Tablespoon chocolate chips
Instructions
- Add oats, water or milk, salt, cinnamon and vanilla (if using) to a pot or saucepan over medium/high heat.
- Bring mixture to a low boil, reduce heat to a low simmer and continue to cook for about 5-7 minutes; stirring occasionally. Oatmeal is ready when the oats have soaked up most of the liquid and are creamy.
- Transfer to a bowl and add toppings of choice. See flavor ideas above for maple brown sugar, apple cinnamon, banana nut and berry almond variations.
Video
Notes
- Add to a bowl and microwave: Add 1/2 cup oats and 1 cup water or milk into a large microwave-safe bowl and stir to combine. Microwave for 1 minute, then stir and continue to microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between each, until the oatmeal is the consistency you like. I usually cook them for a total of 3 minutes, but you’ll know it’s done when most the liquid is absorbed and oats are hot.
- Serve with toppings: Carefully remove from microwave (bowl will be hot) and top with your favorite oatmeal toppings. See topping ideas above for maple brown sugar, apple cinnamon, banana nut and berry almond.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Banana Bread version was delicious. Can’t wait to explore more variations!
So pumped you enjoyed this oatmeal, Brennan. Thanks for trying it out and I really appreciate the review!
Fantastic recipe – agreed upon by the entire family (including a picky toddler who loved the banana bread!)
Oh yay! So thrilled everyone enjoyed this oatmeal, Amanda. Thanks for the review. It means so much to me!
Berry almond and banana nut both are amazing I prefer True Elements Rolled Oats on daily basis, must try the product.
Yay! I’m so glad you’re loving these recipes, Vihang. I will definitely check out True Elements!
Thank you for sharing all the varieties to doctor up my oats!! 🙂
I like to mix steel cut with thick rolled oats. I put the steel cut in the water first for a few minutes and then add the rolled. Looking forward to all the new flavors to try 🙂
Yay! So glad you’re loving all the oatmeal varieties I share, Cindy. Thanks for leaving a review, I really appreciate it.
The one thing I do is add lentils to my oats. I agree. Just oats don’t do much for me. Hence, additions.
Interesting, I’ve never tried that, Charlotte! I may have to give it a try. Thanks for sharing!
I loved it! It was the first time I actually cooked the oats on the stove. I thought of trying something simple for the first time, so I made it with honey and sugar. Now I can’t wait to try more variations. Thank you!
Yay! Thank you for trying this out and leaving me a comment + review, Denisa!
This is definitely my go to o breakfast, like you, I add different toppings, like walnuts, blueberries, banana, cinnamon and honey.Never boring and filliing.🙏
Woo! I am so happy to hear that you enjoy oatmeal for breakfast as well! Yes, adding different toppings help to mix it up every one in awhile. Thank you for your review + star rating, I so appreciate it!
Hi! Thank you for sharing this amazing content about oats! I tried out your oatmeal recipe and it was easy to make, plus it tastes amazing! I used rolled oats from the brand Sattvic Foods. These oats give an amazing texture and taste delicious. Do give it a try! Also, can I use steel-cut oats or oat groats instead?
Thank you for being here, Elizabeth. I am so happy that you enjoyed the oatmeal recipe and that you found it easy to make. Check out my go-to cooking method for steel cut oatmeal, it is a bit different because they are less processed, absorb more liquid and take longer to cook. If you give them a try, I’d love to know what you think! Thank you for your review, I appreciate it!
Very useful n thank you,we appreciate your time,we can save lot of money.
Of course! So happy you are enjoying this recipe!
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Thank you so much, glad you are here!