Tropical Oatmeal
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Published May 31, 2023, Updated Jul 24, 2023
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This creamy bowl of tropical oatmeal cooks up in under 10 minutes on the stovetop. It combines rolled oats with coconut milk and banana and is topped with fresh mango and toasted coconut.
Nothing warms me up like a bowl of oatmeal on a cold morning especially if it involves flavors that make me think of white sand, suntan lotion and piña coladas. This bowl of tropical oatmeal does just that with flavors of banana, mango and coconut. It’s delightful… and now one of my favorite oatmeal variations.
So if you’re in the mood for a tasty bowl of oats that will have you daydreaming about exotic islands give this little combo a shot.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Loaded with tropical flavors thanks to the fresh banana and mango, coconut milk and toasted coconut.
- Loaded with fiber from oats, healthy fats from coconut milk and shredded coconut and vitamins and minerals from the fresh fruit.
- Comes together in just 10 minutes!
- Dairy-free, vegan and totally customizable.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- old fashioned oats – rolled oats make for such a creamy bowl of oatmeal. I love Bob’s Red Mill old-fashioned rolled oats. Make sure you grab gluten-free oats if needed.
- coconut milk – this adds a tropical twist and creaminess to the oatmeal. You can use regular or light canned coconut milk. You can replace the coconut milk with any non-dairy or dairy milk of choice. You can also use all water if you prefer. The flavor will change slightly and the oatmeal might not be as creamy, but it’ll still be delicious.
- water – instead of cooking the oats in all coconut milk, we’re doing half coconut milk and half water to reduce the saturated fat.
- banana – half a banana is used in the oatmeal for some creaminess and natural sweetness, while the rest can be saved for topping.
- cinnamon and vanilla extract – nice flavor enhancers!
- toppings – these are optional, but I love adding fresh mango, fresh banana slices, toasted coconut and a drizzle of maple syrup (or sweetener of choice). For the toasted coconut, make sure you’re using unsweetened coconut.
How to Make
Place oats, milk, banana slices, cinnamon and vanilla in a medium-sized pot. Cook on medium-low heat over the stovetop for about 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally so the oats don’t stick. Banana slices should cook down and become creamy.
Remove from pot, add oat mixture to a bowl and top with extra banana slices, mango chunks, toasted coconut flakes and a drizzle of maple syrup, if desired.
Customize Your Oatmeal
- Use different fruit – fresh pineapple, kiwi, peaches or really any fruit would be delicious.
- Use different toppings – feel free to great creative when it comes to the toppings! Nuts, chia seeds, dried fruit and a drizzle of nut or seed butter are all great options.
- Add protein – stir in 1/2-1 scoop of vanilla protein powder, whisk in egg whites after cooking or add a scoop of Greek yogurt. Check out my full post on protein oatmeal for other ways to add protein to your oats.
How to Meal Prep & Store
This tropical oatmeal recipe is great because you can easily double or triple the recipe for meal prep so you have breakfast ready to go for a few days.
Just store your leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days. When you’re ready to eat, warm the oatmeal in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until they reach your preferred temperature. You might want to add an extra splash of milk or water because as the oats sit they’ll likely thicken up. Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!
More Oatmeal Recipes
- How to Make Oatmeal
- Blueberry Oatmeal
- Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal
- Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal
- Protein Oatmeal
- Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal
- Cauliflower Oatmeal
- Salted Caramel Oatmeal
- Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal
- Peaches and Cream Oatmeal
- Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal
- Zucchini Bread Oatmeal
- Easy Basic Overnight Oats
Be sure to check out all of the oatmeal recipes as well as the full collection of breakfast recipes on EBF!
Tropical Oatmeal
Ingredients
- ½ cup old fashioned oats
- ½ cup canned coconut milk, regular or light
- ½ cup water
- ½ banana, sliced
- pinch of cinnamon
- splash of vanilla
- toasted coconut flakes, for topping
- mango chunks, for topping
- banana slices, for topping
- maple syrup, for topping
Instructions
- Place oats, milk, banana slices, cinnamon and vanilla in a medium sized pot. Cook on medium-low heat for about 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally so the oats don’t stick. Banana slices should cook down and become creamy.
- Remove from pot, add to a bowl and top with extra banana slices, mango chunks, toasted coconut flakes and a drizzle of maple syrup, if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I love the new flavor of almond milk, just tried it last week!! It’s great in breakfast oats and smoothies!!
I wonder when that milk will make it’s way to Canada – my prediction is a VERY long time. They’re still working on getting coconut milk fortified here (and without it, I won’t drink it because it has NO nutritional value whatsoever!). I guess that means one thing, I also need to plan a trip soon – a short one over the border to grab some of that milk! lol
I bought this but haven’t tried it yet. Can’t wait because now I have a good reason. Must try this oatmeal recipe soon!
I recently started adding shredded coconut to my greek yogurt – it’s so delicious!
I totally agree. I love the texture it adds to greek yogurt and oatmeal. Coconut with sliced almonds in greek yogurt has become a favorite combo for me. 🙂
ooh! Coconut Almond Breeze?! Yes, please. I will definitely have to hit Kroger for some of my own as soon as I finish up my new carton of flax milk 🙂
I cannot wait to try this milk! I always go back and forth at the store between the coconut milk and almond milk, then I buy both. This may stop the constant struggle!
I just posted about that coconut/almond milk on Wednesday! The flavor is amazing, especially if you are a fan of coconut, but I, for some reason, don’t like it as much in my cereal. I have not, however, tried it in oatmeal….I also kind of like the idea of using it in a curry…maybe?
PS- I just opened my TJ’s crunchy unsalted almond butter last night. I always forget just how delicious that stuff is! [I quickly remembered as I continued to re-dip my spoon…]
Ahh.. I like the idea of a coconut curry as well!! Might have to try that.
I’m super excited to meet you on Monday. It’s going to be a fun cooking class with all us bloggers!!
I had no idea they made a coconut/almond milk blend! I definitely would like to give this a try!
Oh my gosh I want that milk! I’ll have to watch for it in my grocery store next time!
I need to try this coconut/almond milk blend!!!!!! I haven’t seen it at my local grocery store yet 🙁