Best Everyday Oatmeal
I use this delicious oatmeal recipe almost every morning! Learn how to make my favorite oatmeal, plus lots of suggestions for serving it! Adam and I eat oatmeal most mornings, so we’ve pretty much perfected our oatmeal recipe! Oatmeal is easy to make, heart-healthy, and filling. I’m sharing how I make it on the stove (my favorite method) and how to make oatmeal in the microwave for when you are short on time. When I’m not making these rolled oats, I make our favorite steel cut oats, this incredible baked oatmeal, or I prep these easy overnight oats a day or two before. Key Ingredients Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: Our family uses a lot of rolled oats, which look like flat, roundish discs. I love their texture for oatmeal and use them to make granola bars, oatmeal cookies, and baked oatmeal. Quick oats become more mushy after cooking them, so I skip them for this recipe. If you have steel cut oats, take a look at our easy steel cut oats. Water or Milk: Most often, I use water to make my oatmeal, but for a creamier consistency, you can use milk or your favorite non-dairy milk. Salt: For the best oatmeal, add a pinch of salt to your saucepan while the oats cook. Flaxseed Meal (Optional): Just as my oatmeal finishes on the stove, I love to stir in a tablespoon or two of flaxseed meal. It bumps up the nutrients and makes the oats more creamy. Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: Our family uses a lot of rolled oats, which look like flat, roundish discs. I love their texture for oatmeal and use them to make granola bars, oatmeal cookies, and baked oatmeal. Quick oats become more mushy after cooking them, so I skip them for this recipe. If you have steel cut oats, take a look at our easy steel cut oats. Water or Milk: Most often, I use water to make my oatmeal, but for a creamier consistency, you can use milk or your favorite non-dairy milk. Salt: For the best oatmeal, add a pinch of salt to your saucepan while the oats cook. Flaxseed Meal (Optional): Just as my oatmeal finishes on the stove, I love to stir in a tablespoon or two of flaxseed meal. It bumps up the nutrients and makes the oats more creamy. How to Make Oatmeal My favorite way to cook oatmeal is on the stove. It takes about 10 minutes. If you are short on time or only making one serving, check the recipe for our microwave method. My preferred oatmeal ratio is one part oats to two parts liquid. In other words, use twice as much liquid as oats. If, as you are cooking, your oatmeal is too dry, add an extra splash of water or milk, and it will loosen up for you. To make oatmeal, you’ll bring your water (or milk) to a simmer, stir in the oats, and then turn the heat down to a low simmer. Cook them this way until most of the liquid is absorbed. Then, if you are adding it, stir in some flaxseed meal. In general, the cooking time will be 5 to 10 minutes. However, I usually buy extra-thick rolled oats, so my cooking time is closer to ten minutes (maybe a minute or two more). Then, you can serve your oatmeal however you like. You can see the three oatmeal recipes we love most in the photos. We rotate through these during the week. Oatmeal with Blueberries and Peanut Butter: Here’s Adam’s favorite. After cooking our oatmeal, we pile on fresh or thawed frozen blueberries and add a big dollop of peanut butter. The oats, berries, and nut butter keep us full until lunchtime. Oatmeal with Strawberries, Almonds, and Ground Flaxseed: Our son loves strawberries, so this is his favorite. Consider swapping the almonds for a dollop of almond butter for even more sticking power. Oatmeal with Sliced Bananas, Walnuts, and Honey: Here’s my favorite of the three options shown. I love banana muffins, and this bowl of oats reminds me of them. If you don’t eat honey, swap it for maple syrup or another sweetener like coconut sugar. Oatmeal with Blueberries and Peanut Butter: Here’s Adam’s favorite. After cooking our oatmeal, we pile on fresh or thawed frozen blueberries and add a big dollop of peanut butter. The oats, berries, and nut butter keep us full until lunchtime. Oatmeal with Strawberries, Almonds, and Ground Flaxseed: Our son loves strawberries, so this is his favorite. Consider swapping the almonds for a dollop of almond butter for even more sticking power. Oatmeal with Sliced Bananas, Walnuts, and Honey: Here’s my favorite of the three options shown. I love banana muffins, and this bowl of oats reminds me of them. If you don’t eat honey, swap it for maple syrup or another sweetener like coconut sugar. More Oatmeal Toppings: Toasted nuts and seeds like walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, or roasted pumpkin seeds Nut butter like peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter Chia seeds, hemp seeds, or ground flax Splash of cream or non-dairy milk Brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup Dried fruit (like cranberries, mulberries, or raisins) Fresh fruit like berries, bananas, or apples (try these stovetop cinnamon apples) Pumpkin butter, homemade applesauce, or apple butter Baking spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice Sautéed spinach or kale and a poached egg or soft boiled egg Toasted nuts and seeds like walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, or roasted pumpkin seeds Nut butter like peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter Chia seeds, hemp seeds, or ground flax Splash of cream or non-dairy milk Brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup Dried fruit (like cranberries, mulberries, or raisins) Fresh fruit like berries, bananas, or apples (try these stovetop cinnamon apples) Pumpkin butter, homemade applesauce, or apple butter Baking spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice Sautéed spinach or kale and a poached egg or soft boiled egg Best Everyday Oatmeal PREP 5 mins COOK 10 mins TOTAL 15 mins PREP 5 mins COOK 10 mins TOTAL 15 mins We love this oatmeal and enjoy it almost every morning. The best method for cooking oatmeal is our stovetop method. It takes about 10 minutes and is simple. However, we understand that even a few minutes saved in the morning can be a game-changer, so we have also shared our method for cooking oatmeal in the microwave. You can make this oatmeal recipe with water, milk, or a combination of the two. For our everyday oatmeal, we stick with water, but for an extra creamy bowl of oatmeal, use 50% or all milk (dairy or non-dairy milk both work). 1 Serving Watch Us Make the Recipe You Will Need Basic Oatmeal 1/2 cup rolled oats (also called Old Fashioned oats) 1 cup water, milk, non-dairy milk, or a combination Pinch salt 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal, optional 1 tablespoon nut butter, try peanut butter, almond butter or cashew butter 1/4 cup fresh fruit like berries or diced apples 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon Honey, maple syrup, or sugar to drizzle or sprinkle on top Directions Stovetop Oatmeal (Preferred) 1Bring the water (or milk) and a pinch of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the oats, and then turn the heat down to cook at a low simmer. Cook, stirring every once in a while until the oats have mostly absorbed the liquid, 5 to 10 minutes. 2Take the saucepan off of the heat, stir in the flaxseed meal, and cover with a lid. Leave for one to two minutes, and then serve with your favorite oatmeal toppings. To make our everyday oatmeal, stir in 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, add a handful of blueberries, and top with a tablespoon of peanut butter. Stovetop Oatmeal (Preferred) 1Bring the water (or milk) and a pinch of salt to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the oats, and then turn the heat down to cook at a low simmer. Cook, stirring every once in a while until the oats have mostly absorbed the liquid, 5 to 10 minutes. 2Take the saucepan off of the heat, stir in the flaxseed meal, and cover with a lid. Leave for one to two minutes, and then serve with your favorite oatmeal toppings. To make our everyday oatmeal, stir in 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, add a handful of blueberries, and top with a tablespoon of peanut butter. How to Make Oatmeal in the Microwave 1Combine 1 cup of liquid (water, milk, or a combination of the two) with 1/2 cup of rolled oats in a large tall-sided bowl. Microwave on high for two minutes, and then leave the bowl inside the microwave for another minute or two before serving. To make our everyday oatmeal, stir in 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, add a handful of blueberries, and top with a tablespoon of peanut butter. How to Make Oatmeal in the Microwave 1Combine 1 cup of liquid (water, milk, or a combination of the two) with 1/2 cup of rolled oats in a large tall-sided bowl. Microwave on high for two minutes, and then leave the bowl inside the microwave for another minute or two before serving. To make our everyday oatmeal, stir in 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, add a handful of blueberries, and top with a tablespoon of peanut butter. Adam and Joanne's Tips For gluten-free oatmeal, make sure that the oats and any toppings that you plan to use are certified gluten-free. Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. For gluten-free oatmeal, make sure that the oats and any toppings that you plan to use are certified gluten-free. Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1/2 cup rolled oats (uncooked) / Calories 150 / Total Fat 0g / Saturated Fat 0g / Cholesterol 0mg / Sodium 163.4mg / Carbohydrate 27g / Dietary Fiber 4g / Total Sugars 0g / Protein 5g AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher We’re Adam and Joanne, a couple passionate about cooking and sharing delicious, reliable recipes since 2009. Our goal? To inspire you to get in the kitchen and confidently cook fresh and flavorful meals.More About Us