Easy Vegan Banana Baked Oatmeal
on Feb 15, 2019, Updated Jul 18, 2024
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This easy vegan banana baked oatmeal takes just minutes to prepare with 4 simple ingredients and is ready in 30 minutes for a healthy breakfast recipe.
Introduction
I like to prep a batch of these on Sundays and stash them in the fridge as an easy make-ahead breakfast or snack for busy mornings.
They’re perfect for a quick, energizing, easily digestible snack before early morning workouts or grab for a healthy snack any time of day. You can eat them cold or reheat in the oven or microwave to enjoy warm.
This recipe is super simple and calls for just 4 ingredients. This recipe is more of a functional, everyday breakfast or snack than a fancy brunch table dish but I love it for a simple, quick and breakfast option.
It’s best with toppings like berries and yogurt. You can also easily customize it with different add-ins like chocolate chips, walnuts or blueberries.
For more healthy oatmeal recipes, these Vegan Baked Oatmeal Cups, Blueberry Oatmeal Cups, Simple Creamy Banana Oatmeal and Baked Berry Protein Oatmeal are great too.
Ingredients
- Rolled Oats. This recipe works best with rolled oats, also known as whole oats or old-fashioned oats. Large flake oats are suitable as well. The recipe will still work with quick oats or instant oats but I’d recommend using whole oats for best results. This recipe does not work with steel cut oats but you can try this Vegan Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal Recipe.
- Banana. You’ll need two ripe bananas to make this recipe. The banana acts as a binder and helps to sweeten the dish.
- Chia or Flax Seed. You can use either chia seeds or ground flaxseed to help bind the recipe.
- Almond milk. I used almond milk for the liquid but any plant-based milk such as cashew milk, soy milk or oat milk work.
This list is not complete. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the complete ingredient list with measurements and detailed instructions.
Variations & Add-Ins
- Almond Joy Baked Oatmeal: Add 1/4 cup each chocolate chips, chopped almonds and shredded coconut. Or try this Vegan Banana Oatmeal Bars with dates and chocolate.
- Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal: Add 1/4 cup natural peanut butter. Chocolate chips would be amazing in this too. Almond butter works too.
- Baked Apple Oatmeal: Add 1/2 cup diced apple, 1/2 tsp of ginger and 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts. Or use this Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal.
- Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal: Add 1/3 cup each raisin and grated carrot. Some coconut and pineapple are good in this too. Or use this Carrot Cake Baked Oatmeal recipe.
- Blueberry Oatmeal Bake: Add 3/4 cup of fresh blueberries and use the optional cinnamon and vanilla. Coconut and ginger are good additions to this.
- Add any of the following up to 1 cup: chocolate chips, shredded coconut, chopped apples, chopped dates, chopped almonds, chopped walnuts, fresh blueberries, raspberries or chopped strawberries, any chopped fresh fruit.
- Topping Ideas: I love blueberry and peanut butter, tahini and chia seed jam, sliced banana and almond butter or cinnamon sautéed apples and walnuts.
- Sweetening: The recipe as written is not super sweet. If you’d like to sweeten it up a bit, add 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup, raw honey (not vegan), brown sugar or coconut sugar.
- Baking Powder: I didn’t add baking powder to my recipe but many baked oatmeal recipes do. If you’d like to add a bit of lift to the finished dish, add 1 tsp of baking powder to the recipe and make sure you use the salt as well.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Oven baked oatmeal is very easy to make with minimal ingredients and can be customized with add-ins like chopped nuts, coconut or berries.
This version of baked oatmeal is made with mashed banana. To make it, all you need to do is mash up some ripe banana then mix with oats, ground flaxseed, cinnamon and non-dairy milk of choice and bake in the oven until firm.
Step 1. Mash the banana in a metal or glass baking dish. I used an 8×8 square dish.
You can use a fork or masher to mash the banana into a smooth paste.
Step 2. Add the rest of the ingredients. I used rolled oats, ground flax, cinnamon, sea salt and almond milk.
Step 3. Mix well then bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F until firm.
Step 4. Once it comes out of the oven, let it sit for 10-15 minutes then slice into 6 equal pieces.
It can be enjoyed right away with your favorite toppings or stored in the fridge for later and enjoyed cold or reheated as needed.
FAQ
Yes. You can use carton coconut milk 1:1 to replace the almond milk. If you’re using full-fat coconut milk, use up to 3/4 cup with 1 cup almond milk or water. If you’re using light coconut milk, use up to 1 cup with 3/4 cup almond milk or water.
You can store baked oatmeal covered in the baking dish or transfer slices to an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Baked oatmeal can be frozen in individual servings and reheated from frozen or thawed in the fridge or at room temperature and then reheated.
Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Scroll down to the comment section to leave a star rating and review.
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Easy Banana Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats, 150 g
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed (approx. 220 grams)
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseeds, 14 g
- 1 3/4 cups almond milk
- 1/2 tsp sea salt, optional
- 1 tsp cinnamon, optional
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract, optional
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Place the banana in an 8×8 square baking dish. Use a fork to mash it into a smooth paste.
- Add the oats, flax, milk, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla and mix well.
- Bake in the oat mixture in the oven for 30 minutes until firm and golden brown on top.
- Let cool for 15 minutes in the pan before cutting into 6 squares. Serve right away or store in the fridge up to 4 days. The baked oatmeal squares can also be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container.
Very tasty. Love it in the morning for a quick grab and go before the gym
I’ve made this recipe at least 5 times and it comes out perfect everytime. This time I added turmeric and frozen blueberries, so good!
Serve with a drizzle of almond butter, maple syrup, and fresh berries. Heavenly!
So easy! My very picky 14 year old boy loves them!
I added about 20 chocolates chips for a surprise bite;)
Very delicious! I made it this morning and added sliced bananas on top while baking. Next time, I plan on mixing the ingredients in a bowl beforehand, so I can lightly grease my baking dish. The oatmeal really stuck to my pan.
Delicious! I’ve tried a few baked oatmeal recipes and almost didn’t try this one because I haven’t had much luck. However, this one was terrific and I’m so glad I tried it! I used fresh ground flaxseed and did a half and half mixture of almond milk and oat milk to see if I could get a thicker texture. I thought about adding blueberries before baking, but decided to go with the recipe as is for the first time. I think it was perfect! Can’t wait try some add-ins and different toppings next. Thanks so much!
Glad it worked out for you! It definitely makes a great base for different add-ins and toppings. Have fun and enjoy!
Very good!! I added blueberries, strawberries and flaked almonds.
I LOVE this recipe! I have a very restricted diet due to health issues, but I can eat all the ingredients in this baked oatmeal—and I do, every morning! Super delicious and so easy to make. Thank you for sharing a breakfast lifesaver!
This was so delicious! I may have had more than one serving… I thought about adding blueberries before I baked, but decided to go with the original recipe as is for the first time. So glad I did. It was great as is. I look forward to making this again and love the idea of adding different toppings after baking. Thanks so much for a great recipe!
You’re welcome, Kate. Glad you enjoyed it!
Delicious. I added blueberries and pumpkin seeds. Also didn’t have any flax seed. I love making baked oatmeal with no sugar, the bananas add some sweetness. Will have this tomorrow morning heated up in the microwave with Greek Yogurt. Thanks so much for the fantastic breakfast for me.
You’re welcome, Laura! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. I love this heated up with yogurt too…so yummy and satisfying! Sounds perfect with blueberries and pumpkin seeds. Thanks!
Would this recipe work with chia seeds? If so, should I add more milk to keep the consistency correct (since chias soak up a lot of moisture)? Thanks!
Do you mean instead of flax? It works with chia seeds but I do prefer flax in this recipe for a firmer consistency. You shouldn’t need more milk though. Thanks.
How long does this last in the fridge and/or freezer? Excited to try!
Hi! Fridge for up to 5 days or freezer for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave or oven to your preference…fine to enjoy cold too!