This blueberry banana baked protein oatmeal is gluten-free, vegan, and a great source of plant-based protein. It's also naturally sweetened and full of fresh fruit for a breakfast that’s both healthy and delicious!
What if you could have oatmeal for breakfast but not actually stand in front of the stove stirring it until it's done? I'm here for it. Especially during the summer. That’s why I’ve been loving this blueberry banana baked protein oatmeal—and I think you will too!
Why You’ll Love These Baked Protein Oats
- A low-effort breakfast. Stir everything together, transfer it to a baking dish and walk away. In about 35 minutes, you'll have a big batch of soft, fluffy oatmeal that will last you all week long.
- Easy to customize. You can flavor baked protein oatmeal a million different ways! Banana and blueberries are two of my favorite fruits, but you can use whatever you have on hand or is in season.
- More protein than regular oatmeal. With protein powder, hemp seeds, and almonds, protein baked oats have much more protein than those packets of instant oatmeal you buy at the store!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Oats – If you’re avoiding gluten, be sure to buy gluten-free oats.
- Boiling water
- Bananas – The riper the bananas, the sweeter your baked oats will be!
- Flax egg
- Syrup – I love the flavor of maple syrup for this recipe.
- Protein powder – Unflavored or vanilla both work here.
- Hemp seeds
- Blueberries – Use fresh or frozen.
- Sliced almonds
- Ground cinnamon
- Vanilla extract – Almond extract would also be delicious.
- Almond milk – Or any plant milk you like or have on hand.
What Type of Oats Do I Need for Baked Oatmeal?
The best type of oats to use for baked oatmeal is either traditional rolled oats or thick-cut rolled oats. You could also use quick-cooking oats, but I don't think you'll get the same chewy texture. It might be a little mushier.
Steel cut oats are also doable, but they'll require a longer baking time and perhaps also a longer soaking time.
If you're not an oat fan at all, you can also use quinoa, like in my Triple Berry Quinoa Breakfast Bake.
How to Make Baked Protein Oatmeal
- Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350ºF.
- Soak the oats. Combine the oats and boiling water in a bowl and soak for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Combine the rest of the ingredients. Mash the banana, then stir in the flax egg, syrup, and protein powder. Pour this into the bowl with the oats. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
- Bake. Pour the protein oat mixture into a baking dish, top with the fruit, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until set. Cool slightly, then cut and serve.
Tips for Success
- Mash the banana well. A few chunks are okay, but you want it to be fairly smooth before mixing it into the other ingredients.
- Make individual portions. If you'd like, you can divide the oat mixture into muffin cups and reduce the baking time.
- Check for doneness. Unlike traditional oatmeal, baked oats aren’t creamy. When the oatmeal is done baking, the center should be set and the edges should be golden brown.
Baked Oatmeal Variations
- Use different fruit. Keep the bananas (they add sweetness!) and swap out the blueberries for diced apples, peaches, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or pears. Dried fruit, like raisins or cranberries, work too.
- Add chocolate. For a more decadent breakfast, add chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate to your baked protein oatmeal. Or try adding cacao nibs, which have chocolate flavor and a little bit of crunch too.
- Use different nuts or seeds. The almonds can be substituted for pecans or walnuts, or you can use pepitas or sunflower seeds for a nut-free option.
- Top it! Serve baked oatmeal with a drizzle of warm almond butter, vegan yogurt, fresh fruit, lemon zest, toasted nuts, or coconut whipped cream.
How to Store and Reheat Baked Oatmeal
This blueberry banana baked protein oatmeal will last about 6 days in the fridge, so it’s perfect for meal prep. I recommend storing your baked oatmeal in a glass container. (I love this set of glass meal prep containers—they stack well, are totally airtight and are great for things like this.)
To reheat your oatmeal, simply pop it in the microwave or a 350ºF oven and bring it to temp. You can also eat it cold!
Can This Recipe Be Frozen?
You can freeze your baked oatmeal in individual portions for up to 3 months. Reheat it in the microwave or oven when you're ready to serve it.
More Vegan Oatmeal Recipes
Blueberry Banana Baked Protein Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 cups oats
- 2 cups boiling water
- 2 large bananas (+ 1/2 for topping)
- 1 flax egg
- 1/4 cup syrup
- 1/4 cup protein powder
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups almond milk
Instructions
- Add the oats and boiling water into a mixing bowl. Allow to sit for 10 – 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mash the banana in a separate bowl until as smooth as possible. Stir in the flax egg, syrup and protein powder. Pour this mixture over the softened oats and stir to combine.
- Add the remaining ingredients into the bowl and stir again to combine.
- Pour the oat mixture into a 9×13 baking pan. Top with sliced bananas and more blueberries if desired.
- Bake at 350ºF for 30 – 35 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then cut into squares (or scoop out) and enjoy.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
