Healthy Baked Oats With Caramelized Bananas
In the last few years, we all got a little carried away with baking loaf upon loaf of Banana Bread while stuck at home (or was that just me?). Now, I’m moving on to new ways of using up ripe bananas by making this baked oats recipe. It’s soft in the middle with a slightly crisper top and tastes like banana bread in oatmeal form! In fact, as much as I love a big steaming bowl of oatmeal piled high with whatever toppings I’m in the mood for that day – sometimes I want something with a little more ‘bite’ to it! Baked banana oatmeal has all the flavor and ‘yum’ factor of your standard bowl of oats but with a firmer texture and slightly caramelized top – for the ultimate ‘delish!’ factor!
Plus, all you need are just a few minutes of hands-on prep time and 10 base ingredients. Then pop the oatmeal bake in the oven while you get ready for the day and next thing you know your kitchen is smelling heavenly, and it’s ready! You can even make the ‘batter’ for this baked oats recipe ahead of time. Just prepare the wet and dry ingredients separately in bowls, chilled in the fridge overnight. Combine them in the morning and pop straight in the oven. It couldn’t get much simpler than that! It may not seem like much – but being able to just turn on the oven, pop it in, and get on with my day is a lifesaver on those super busy mornings. Just like these Oven-Baked Blueberry Sheet Pan Pancakes!
How To Make Vegan Baked Oatmeal
Below you will see 8 step-by-step photos including explanations on how to easily prepare the recipe. For the full ingredients list, ingredient measurements, and nutritional information, read the recipe card below. Preparation: First, preheat the oven to 350F/180C and grease a 6×9 inch (15×23 cm) or similar size baking pan with oil. Photo 1 + 2: In a large bowl, mash the two bananas with a fork. Add in peanut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract and mix, until well combined. Photo 3 + 4: Pour in the plant-based milk gradually, stirring well. Then add the ground chia seeds and immediately whisk to combine.
Photo 5-7: Stir in the spices, baking powder, and salt. Then, finally, add the oats in batches and stir with a spatula. Add any chopped nuts or seeds of your choice (optional). Photo 8: Pour the peanut butter banana oatmeal mixture into the prepared pan. Optionally, top it with additional thinly sliced banana/s. Bake for between 35-40 minutes (depending on the size of the pan) or until the oatmeal is set and golden brown. Remove the oatmeal bake from the oven and allow to cool for a couple of minutes. It’s ready to serve! I love mine warm and drizzled with a little extra peanut butter or maple and chopped nuts. Check the ‘how to serve’ section below for more suggestions!
Change It Up 101 Ways
I honestly believe there is an oatmeal dish for EVERY mood;
Want something super warm and comforting? Choose warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg or pumpkin spice. Want something decadent? Chocolate chips and your favorite nut butter are the way to go. Want something light and fruity? Blueberries, strawberries, pineapple, mango, nectarines, and even rhubarb. There are so many fruits that pair wonderfully with this healthy baked oatmeal. You can use dried fruit too, of course. Dates, raisins, cranberries, blueberries, pineapple, papaya… the list goes on. Plus, dried fruit won’t affect the baked top like too much fresh fruit will.
You can even make savory baked oatmeal too! But I’ll save that for another day since it requires a little more than just one or two ingredient swaps. This particular recipe is my favorite ‘base’ version. It reminds me of fresh-from-the-oven baked vegan banana bread in oatmeal form. Overall, there’s less sugar, less fat, and yet it’s still packed with flavor and sweetness. Read the recipe notes section for even more ingredient alternatives and additions for this vegan banana baked oatmeal.
How To Serve
Even once your baked oatmeal is plated, the customizations don’t stop there. There are several ways you can dress up this tasty dish, with options including;
A little of your favorite vegan cream (whipped or not). A dollop of your favorite dairy-free yogurt. E.g. Coconut yogurt! A lashing of dairy-free butter (for real banana bread oatmeal vibes!). A drizzle of homemade Vegan Nutella. Yum! A scoop or two of ice cream for a dessert treat. Like this Vegan Chocolate Ice-Cream.
You can also slice this up and take it on the go with you as a mid-morning/afternoon snack, no reheating necessary.
Storing Instructions
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. To thaw, simply leave it in the fridge overnight. To reheat, microwave it for around 30 seconds. You can also reheat it in the oven.
Useful Recipe Notes
Bananas: Use pumpkin puree if you don’t want to use bananas. Combine that with pumpkin spice for the perfect fall breakfast dish! Peanut butter: You can use the nut butter of your choice, like almond butter or cashew butter. Use sunflower seed butter for a nut-free version. Milk: Any dairy-free milk works well, e.g. almond milk, cashew milk, coconut milk, oat milk, soy milk, etc. I tend to choose which I use depending on what additions/toppings I’m adding to the oatmeal casserole. Nuts: I used walnuts, but you could use pecans, almonds, cashews, etc. Use pumpkin seeds or any other seeds for a nut-free version or omit them entirely, though the texture will not be quite as crunchy. Oats: Quick oats work very well, but so should rolled oats. You could also substitute the oats entirely for quinoa flakes or rice flakes. I haven’t tried either with this recipe, though, so ingredient amounts may need to be adjusted.
Variations
For a chocolate chip version, add a handful of your favorite dairy-free chocolate chips before baking. For more caramelized banana flavor (like banana bread) for your oatmeal, pre-bake the mashed banana with a little syrup for 10-12 minutes before adding the remainder of the ingredients. Feel free to adjust the amount of sweetener to your liking. Start with less than I suggest and increase as needed. You can also leave out the maple syrup completely and add some raisins or chopped dates to the batter instead. For a crispier top, you can pop on the broiler for a couple of minutes before removing it from the oven You can adapt this recipe into individual oatmeal cups by using a muffin tin and reducing the cooking time. Check on them after about 20 minutes. For softer baked oatmeal, simply add a little extra milk. Or simply bake it shorter. Alternatively, you could blend the batter for a classic baked oats recipe. It’s best not to mix the oats with the wet ingredients the night before if making this recipe ahead. Otherwise, the oats soak up the liquid and change the texture of the dish. Though if you do end up doing this, add a little extra milk in the morning, and you may not mind the texture.
Related Recipes With Oats:
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars Chocolate Granola Bars Strawberry Oatmeal Bars Breakfast Granola Cups Oat Breakfast Bars With Chocolate Marbled Banana Bread With Chocolate Swirl Vegan Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
If you give this healthy vegan baked oatmeal recipe a try, I’d love a comment and recipe rating below. Also, don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan #elavegan – I love seeing your recreations.
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