Easy Oatmeal Recipe (+ Best Oatmeal Recipes)

10< 10 Ingredients3030-Min MealdfDairy-FreeefEgg-FreegfGluten-FreevVegetarian

By Lee Funke

4.49 from 33 votes

Published 11/9/2023 • Updated 6/17/2024

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This is our go-to oats recipe. It’s so fluffy and perfectly smooth and creamy. For this healthy oatmeal recipe, you make it on the stove and need rolled oats, milk, and banana. We use this very recipe as the base recipe to so many other flavor variations here on Fit Foodie Finds. If you can make this version, you can make about 100 more flavors!

Scroll down for our best healthy oatmeal recipes to inspire you to start your day off right with the perfect bowl of oats!

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This is our go-to oatmeal recipe on Fit Foodie Finds. So many readers have made this recipe and loved it so much and we hope you do too.

I became obsessed with oatmeal in college (hello 2008) and haven’t looked back since. While cooking oatmeal in the microwave is quick and easy, this stovetop oatmeal recipe is my go-to when I want a perfectly sweetened, fluffy bowl of oats.

The rundown: Simply combine rolled oats, milk, mashed banana, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt on the stovetop. Bring to a boil and then turn down to low and let simmer for 3-5 minutes or until thickened.

What You Need for this Oats Recipe

• Rolled oats: we used rolled oats, but you can also use quick-cooking.
• Almond milk: feel free to use any kind of milk.
• Banana: we used mashed banana as an all-natural sweetener.
• Flavors: we added a little vanilla, cinnamon, and salt

Easy Oatmeal Flavor Variations

Below are some easy oatmeal recipe flavor variations. Just add the ingredients into our base recipe.

• Apple cinnamon: 1/3 cup grated apple
• Protein: 2 tablespoons protein powder
• Pumpkin:1/4 cup pumpkin puree and replace the cinnamon for pumpkin pie spice
• Peanut butter: 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter

Do you make oatmeal with milk or water?

We prefer to make oatmeal with milk, but any kind of liquid will work! Milk adds a creamy flavor and texture, which is why we prefer it.

What is better, rolled oats or quick oats?

You can actually use either or in this recipe! We prefer rolled oats because you get more of a “bite,” but quick oats cook faster.

4.49 from 33 votes

5-Minute Healthy Oatmeal Recipe

With just 5 simple ingredients you can make the most delicious oats recipe. This oatmeal recipe is a staple in my home and I often add other flavors and add-ins to make it even more delicious. PS: it's refined sugar-free and naturally gluten-free!

By: Lee Funke

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 5 minutes mins

Total: 10 minutes mins

Servings: 2

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Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 cup rolled oats
• ▢ 2 cup plain, unsweetened almond milk, any kind of milk works
• ▢ 1 medium banana, mashed
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ pinch of salt

Instructions 

• Combine all ingredients into a small saucepan and turn heat to medium/high.
• Bring to a boil. Then, turn the heat down to low/medium and continually stir for around 3-5 minutes as the oatmeal cooks and thickens.
• Once oatmeal is at the desired consistency, remove from heat, and serve immediately.

Watch It

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”plXkYaqo” upload-date=”2020-07-31T00:27:21.000Z” name=”Best Oatmeal Recipe” description=”With just 5 simple ingredients you can make the most delicious stove-top oatmeal recipe on the planet. This oatmeal recipe is a staple in my home and I often add other flavors and add-ins to make it even more delicious. PS: it’s refined sugar-free and naturally gluten-free!”]

Nutrition

Calories: 238 kcal, Carbohydrates: 43 g, Protein: 7 g, Fat: 6 g, Fiber: 7 g, Sugar: 9 g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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If you didn’t like that oatmeal recipe above, we’ve got a lot more inspiration where that came from! Now check out all of our best oatmeal recipes that will turn you into an absolute oatmeal lover…if you aren’t already there 😉

This list of healthy oatmeal recipes brings you all the oatmeal flavor combos you could ever imagine.

Stovetop Oatmeal Recipes

Stovetop oatmeal recipes take a little extra effort, but they make your oatmeal extra fluffy and delicious. Check out some of the best stovetop oatmeal recipes on the internet below!

• Fluffy Banana Bread Stove Top Oats
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Oatmeal
• Superfood Oatmeal Bowl 
• Srawberries and Cream Oatmeal

Overnight Oatmeal Recipes

Overnight oats are an easy way to meal-prep your breakfast for the week. You only need a few staple ingredients and then different add-ons to make a breakfast that tastes like dessert, but that’s actually healthy!

• Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
• Coconut Latte Overnight Oats 
• Vegan Peanut Butter Cup Overnight Oats
• Birthday Cake Batter Overnight Oats
• Chocolate Chia Overnight Oats
• Espresso Overnight Oats
• Blueberry Muffin Overnight Oats
• Brownie Batter Swirl Overnight Oats
• Maple French Toast Overnight Oats
• Chocolate Cover Strawberry Overnight Oats
• Vegan Chocolate Overnight Oats
• Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
• Strawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
• Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oats

Baked Oatmeal Recipes

Oatmeal doesn’t have to be boring! Make one of these amazing baked oatmeal recipes for a crowd-pleasing breakfast.

• Dark Chocolate Berry Oatmeal Bake
• Lemon Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
• Strawberry Rhubarb Oatmeal Bake
• Apple Chai Oatmeal Cups
• Best Baked Oatmeal

Slow Cooker and Instant Pot Oatmeal Recipes

Throw all of your ingredients for one of these slow cooker oatmeal recipes into your crock-pot and you’ve got a healthy breakfast recipe waiting to be eaten.

• Crock-Pot Samoa Steel Cut Oatmeal
• Crock Pot Maple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oatmeal
• Pumpkin Pie Slow Cooker Oatmeal
• 10-Minute Instant Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal
• Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats
• Instant Pot Oatmeal