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Here’s the very best vegan oatmeal recipe that we make every day, plant based with tasty peanut butter and jelly toppings!
What do you really eat? People ask us that a lot. Well, Alex and I have eaten every single recipe on this website! (And many more that don’t make the cut.) But today we wanted to share something we eat on a regular basis. I actually make this recipe every single day. And that is not hyperbole, friends! I really do. Why? This best oatmeal recipe tastes incredible. It’s vegan so it’s a plant based way to start the day. AND it is full of plant based protein so it is seriously filling: you’re literally full for hours after you eat it.
Got a pressure cooker? Go to Easy Instant Pot Oatmeal.
What makes this the best vegan oatmeal?
I know, oatmeal sounds deceptively easy to make. But it can come out too gummy, too bland, or take way to long. What’s the best way to make it at home? This is my soulmate breakfast, the recipe I have memorized and could make in my sleep. Here are the features of this best vegan oatmeal.
- Perfect chewy texture. Take note! This recipe is not the typical creamy texture, or soupy or gummy. The texture is chewy, much like our Toasted Oatmeal. It will surprise you if you’re a creamy oatmeal person, but it will also make you never go back.
- Toasted oats. The oats are toasted in coconut oil to bring out their nutty flavor. It’s got just a hint of cinnamon and just enough salt.
- Totally vegan / plant based. We revamped our toasted oatmeal to remove the butter and milk. And guess what? It’s just as good.
- Best oatmeal toppings. The very best topping is peanut butter, in our minds! It packs it with plant based protein (or any other nut butter). And we added another feature…keep reading!
Why vegan oatmeal?
Oatmeal is a total powerhouse breakfast or lunch. (Honestly, I eat it for lunch most often!) Oats are packed with nutrients and protein. Plus, they’re easy to make vegan! Why do we care about vegan / plant based breakfasts? Well, we love eating mostly plant based recipes. And breakfast and lunch are a really easy place to do it! This best oatmeal recipe is a great way to dip your toe into plant based eating, if you’re looking to do so.
Want more? Try all our Best Oatmeal Recipes, like Peanut Butter Oatmeal, Easy Banana Oatmeal and more.
The best oatmeal toppings
It’s easy to use oatmeal toppings that are plant based, too! We topped this best oatmeal with our favorite toppings: all natural peanut butter and jelly! Here’s what we used, and a few more of our favorite toppings:
- All natural peanut butter: Try to find a brand with no added sugar. Or make our Homemade Nut Butter!
- Easy strawberry jam: This recipe is quick and easy to make, and results in a vegan jam that’s sweetened with maple syrup and a little tangy from lime zest. It’s SO good!
- Other topping ideas: Roasted and salted pepitas, toasted almonds, walnuts, almond butter, cashew butter, berries, apple slices, plain yogurt sweetened with maple syrup
Oats nutrition
There are lots of great things about eating this vegan oatmeal recipe. According to the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, oats:
- Are high in fiber
- Can reduce the risk of heart disease
- Can be helpful for weight control
This best oatmeal recipe is…
Vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free.
Best Vegan Oatmeal Recipe
- Prep Time: 0 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 3 1x
Description
Here’s the very best vegan oatmeal recipe that we make every day, plant based with tasty peanut butter and jelly toppings!
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon refined coconut oil
- 2 cups Old Fashioned rolled oats (do not use instant oats or steel cut oats)*
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups water
- For toppings: All natural peanut butter or other nut butter, Easy Strawberry Jam
Instructions
- Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the oats and toast for about 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant.
- Add the salt and cinnamon. Remove the pan from the heat and carefully pour in the water, adding the lid immediately since the water will spit. Give the pan a swirl. Allow to sit for 7 minutes.** Refrigerate leftovers for up to 1 week.
Notes
*Instant oats are too mushy for this recipe. Steel cut oats are completely different: go to our Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats or Baked Steel Cut Oats. Even within rolled oats brands there is some variation in texture: some come out more gummy vs. textured. So play with brands to find the oats you like best!
** To take to an office for breakfast or lunch, you can toast the oats ahead of time as in Step 1. Place them in a sealable container and add the cinnamon and salt. At the office, pour on boiling water, cover, and wait for 7 minutes.
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Brunch
More vegan breakfast recipes
Looking for plant based ways to start the day? Here are a few more you might enjoy:
- Homemade Acai Bowl
- Overnight Oats
- Savory Oatmeal
- Banana Baked Oatmeal
- Perfect Oatmeal or Steel Cut Oats (use vegan variations)
- Everyday Baked Oatmeal or Baked Apple Oatmeal (use vegan variation)
- Breakfast Vegetable Scramble (use vegan variation)
- Oven Hash Browns
- Best Blueberry Smoothie
- Vegan Blueberry Pancakes
- Apple Cinnamon Pressure Cooker Steel Cut Oats
- Best Instant Oatmeal Recipe
- Healthy Granola Recipe
Are the ingredients portions accurate? I heated 1/2 T refined coconut oil and began adding oats, stopped at 1 C because 2 C oats seemed too much for so little oil. I’m thinking somewhere between 3/4 T to 1 T oil for every cup of oats.
I also used too much salt (1/4 t instead of 1/8 t) oops. And my pan probably wasn’t hot enough (water definitely didn’t boil). Chef skills in-progress will try again. =)
We like it with just a little bit of oil for toasting, you could certainly add more.
Hi there! Can the oats be toasted and cooled and then used for overnight oats? Or do they have to be cooked fully with the water?
That should work! We haven’t tried it.
Hello! Is it dangerous to use unrefined coconut oil here instead of refined, due to the lower smoke point? Or is it just about the taste?
Thank you!
Hi! For this recipe it’s just about the taste. If you like the flavor you can use!
I love this. I’ll try it. Just want to ask if we can use/add almond milk instead of water. Thank you.
Yes, that should work fine!
I have found I get a better texture with Aldi oats over Quaker. The Quaker Oats come out a bit gummy for me. Who knew???? Both are old-fashioned/long-cooking.
Can you batch cook this for the week or does it go off after a day? Thanks
You can batch cook it! I do every week, without fail :) It lasts about 1 week in the fridge. Thanks!
Interesting method. I thought the oats were pretty plain when they finished cooking but the addition of peanut butter, jam and some toasted coconut lifts it way up. Thanks!
Changed my life. I was a creamy oatmeal fanatic, but y’all converted me. I make this every. single. morning. Thank you for this recipe!
Wow! So glad you love it too. :)
i’ve been looking for a recipe for this type of chunky/non-creamy oatmeal for sooo long i’m so excited to try it out!
As someone who hates oatmeal because of the usual soupy, too-mushy texture, this was pretty much perfect. I added extra cinnamon and sugar to taste (because it kind of tasted like cinnamon-cardboard without it) and it was great for a quick breakfast.
Haha! Glad you enjoyed :)
Thank you . I will try this morning for tomorrow’s breakfast. I love your web site it’s the best I’ve been on!!
Enjoy!
Hi guys, I tried the recipe and loved it. Can I do step 1, the night before, leave it out in a tupperware container to take to work? Or do I need to refrigerate it? Also, is it better to add the salt and cinnamon when I reheat the oatmeal at work?
We actually had someone test it at their work and here’s what they found you can do: Toast the oats ahead of time as in Step 1. Place them in a sealable container and add the cinnamon and salt. At the office, pour on boiling water, cover, and wait for 7 minutes. You can keep the toasted oats at room temperature, don’t need to refrigerate. Good luck and let us know how it goes!!
Can I refrigerate and eat the next mornig
Yes!
I found Trader Joe’s Toasted Old Fashioned Oats (!) though still put them in my cast iron skillet with the coconut oil (because Yum!). I took half the oats to work in a glass bowl and added 3/4c-1c of really really hot water from the office water cooler, set a timer for seven minutes and it turned out perfectly. I brought along some peanut butter and the Easy Strawberry Jam I made this morning in a separate, divided container (which is now living in the office refrigerator). This is all to say 1) If you have access to really hot/boiling water you can take the dry oats to go and make it successfully on site and 2) I will make this again and again as a health work lunch when I don’t have something else on deck to eat. Thanks for the great recipe!
Ahhh we are so so glad to hear this worked out! I will add a note to the recipe to that effect. Thanks for trying it out and we’re so glad it worked! :)
Would this work with almond milk or regular milk (I realize it would cease to be vegan)? Can’t wait to try!!
I think if you did half milk and half water it would work!
I was also thinking of taking it to work for lunch occasionally. Do you think I could add hot/boiling water to the oats at work and let it sit there rather than reheating? Or does the hot pan seem to be necessary?
Great question! We’ve never tried this but I’m thinking it would work! Were you thinking you’d toast the oats in advance, and then just add boiling water at work when ready to eat? This would likely work: let us know if you try!
Hi Guys, sorry if this a silly question, you are adding boiling water correct?
Hi there, not a silly question! Just add tap water of any temperature — once it hits the hot pan it will boil immediately. Thanks!
This is an excellent method for making oatmeal that I haven’t used before! I’ve been quartering the recipe to make a single serving and love it topped with PB&J! I also enjoy it with cottage cheese and (raspberry) preserves. Thank you!
This was a new method of cooking oats to me, and it’s now my everyday method! I love the hands off ease of it and the bit of bite that the oats retain. This morning I added in some slivered almonds and coconut flakes with the oats to toast them too, so good & easy!
Do you know how this reheats? Would love to make it and take to work with me but I think it may be too dry reheated (using a microwave). Thank you!
Thanks for asking! I usually reheat in the microwave: it does have a drier texture than most oatmeal since it’s designed to be chunky, not creamy. You could add a little splash of water when microwaving to get it more moist! Depends on how you like your oatmeal, but you could also plan to serve with milk after reheating too. Good luck and let us know how it goes!
Thank you! I tried it reheated this morning with a little water and it was fine! Definitely will plan to make it fresh one morning but it’s a nice change up to my usual oats I eat once at work :)