Easy Creamy Banana Oatmeal Recipe

4.97 from 27 votes

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This easy creamy banana oatmeal recipe made on the stovetop with just 5 simple ingredients and is sure to be your new favourite breakfast!

Bowl of creamy oats with banana, topped with peanut butter. A spoon rests in the bowl and there are a few chia seeds scattered around.

About this Recipe

Cooking stovetop oatmeal with mashed banana is a recipe for the creamiest bowl of oatmeal ever! Making oats with banana is a great way to add creaminess and sweetness without the need for sugar or milk.

You’ll love how easy this recipe is and you’ll be sure to make it again and again, especially during the colder months. Bonus: You’ll need just 5 healthy ingredients and 10 minutes to make it.

This recipe can also be made as overnight oats or you can try these Carrot Cake Overnight Protein Oats, Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats or Apple Pie Overnight Oats. For a similar recipe but for baked oatmeal, you can try this Easy Vegan Banana Baked Oatmeal or Vegan Baked Oatmeal Cups.

Ingredient Notes

1 ripe banana, a measuring cup of rolled oats and two small measuring spoons with chia seeds and cinnamon in them.
  • Oats: The best oats for this recipe are rolled oats (old fashioned oats) or large flake oats. These will give you the best thick and creamy texture. You can use quick oats if needed but rolled oats are best! Use gluten-free oats if needed.
  • Banana: You can use a perfectly ripe banana or overripe banana. The riper the banana, the sweeter the oats will be. Extra ripe bananas? You can use them in Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Bars, Carrot Cake Banana Bread, Easy Vegan Banana Bread Recipe or 3-ingredient Healthy Banana Oatmeal Cookies.
  • Chia or Flax: Both of these thicken the oats and add healthy fats. I love using chia seeds in oats and find they add the best texture but ground flax seeds work too.
  • Milk: I suggest using half water and half milk, though if you don’t have milk on hand, you can use all water. Any plant-based milk you enjoy works. I would suggest almond milk, cashew milk, oat milk or soy milk. If you want to use canned coconut milk, I would suggest using light coconut milk as full-fat coconut milk is a bit too heavy in this recipe.

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

  • Peanut Butter Oatmeal: Add 1-2 tbsp peanut butter or powdered peanut butter with the rest of the ingredients. Almond butter works too!
  • Flavouring: To make it banana cinnamon oatmeal, I like to add a generous pinch of cinnamon. A little pinch of salt and/or splash of vanilla extract also helps to enhance the flavour.
  • Chocolate Banana Oatmeal: Add 1-2 tbsp cocoa powder and sweeten to taste with your choice of sweetener such as maple syrup.
  • Blueberry Banana Oatmeal: Stir in up to 1 cup fresh blueberries at the end of cooking. You can use frozen blueberries if you don’t mind purple oats.
  • Protein Banana Oatmeal: Add up to 1 full scoop of vanilla vegan protein powder and use more liquid to reach a creamy consistency.
  • Spices: Other spices that work well are nutmeg, ginger or allspice. A pinch of apple pie spice also works well.
  • Sweetening: If you’d like your oatmeal sweeter, you can mix in 1-2 tbsp choice of sweetener such as brown sugar, maple syrup, coconut sugar, honey, etc.
  • Topping Ideas: Walnuts, pecans, pumpkin seeds, caramelized banana, baked apple slices, caramel sauce, drizzle of maple syrup, banana slices, little bit of brown sugar or coconut sugar, cacao nibs, chocolate chips, hemp seeds, coconut, chia seed jam.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Add all of the ingredients to a small pot on the stovetop.

Milk, rolled oats, chia seeds and a broken up banana in a small pot with a wooden spoon.

Step 2: Cook the oatmeal over medium-low heat, stirring frequently and mashing the banana as it cooks.

Cook for 8-10 minutes until thick and creamy, making sure to stir it often so it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. I like to remove it from the heat after 7-8 minutes and let it sit for a few more minutes to further thicken.

You can stir in a splash of milk as needed to adjust the consistency to your liking.

Overhead image of a pot of cooked oats with banana.

Step 3: Scoop the oatmeal into a bowl, add your favourite toppings and enjoy your warm and delicious banana oatmeal!

Bowl of banana oatmeal topped with peanut butter.

Recipe FAQs

Is banana oatmeal gluten-free?

Yes, banana oatmeal is naturally gluten-free but be sure to use gluten-free certified oats if cross-contamination with gluten is a concern.

Can I make this as overnight oats?

Yes. To make banana overnight oats, mash the banana in a jar then add the rest of the ingredients. Mix it up really well then place in the fridge overnight.

You can enjoy these cold in the morning or heat in a small saucepan on the stovetop or in the microwave with a little bit of milk to adjust the consistency.

Can you make this in advance and reheat it?

Yes. You can make this as is or double batch or even triple the recipe for meal prep and store the portions in an airtight container the fridge for up to 5 days for busy mornings.

Note that it will get thick and congealed after storing. When you’re ready to reheat the oats, heat briefly in the microwave or in a small pot on the stovetop, then add more milk and break it up with a fork or spoon to loosen the oats.

Continue heating and adding milk as needed until it’s creamy and heated through.

Can I use steel cut oats to make banana oatmeal?

Yes. To use steel cut oats, the recipe is the same but you may need more liquid as they cook since the’ll take up to 25 minutes to finish cooking.

For the additional liquid, you can use milk or water. Keep an eye on it, stirring often to prevent burning and stirring in a little extra liquid as you go until the oats are cooked through.

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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Bowl of banana oatmeal topped with peanut butter.
4.97 from 27 votes

Simple Creamy Banana Oatmeal

By: Deryn Macey
This easy creamy banana oatmeal is made with 5 pantry staples in 10 minutes. Dig into this nourishing bowl of oats anytime you want a warm breakfast to start your day.
Prep: 2 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Servings: 1
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Ingredients 

  • 1 medium ripe, spotty banana (110 g)
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats, 50 g
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds, 12 g or ground flax seeds (7 g)
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup almond milk

Instructions 

  • Add all of the ingredients to a small pot stovetop and mix well.
  • Cook over medium-low heat, stirring and mashing the banana with a wooden spoon as it cooks and softens.
  • Cook for 8-10 minutes until thick and creamy, stirring frequently so it doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom of the pan. I like to remove the pot from the heat after 8-10 minutes and let sit for a few more minutes to thicken a little more. If you want it a little creamier, stir in a little additional almond milk, light coconut milk or other plant milk of choice to reach desired consistency. 
  • Scoop into a bowl and enjoy with your favorite toppings such as chopped walnuts, blueberries or almond butter.

Notes

Cooking time will vary depending on the type of oats used. You can use instant oats or quick oats to reduce the cooking time to 2-4 minutes but rolled oats or old-fashioned oats cooked a bit longer result in the best, creamy consistency.
You can use 1 cup of water or 1 cup of plant-based milk but I like the texture best with half and half. Use any variety of plant-based milk like oat milk, soy milk, almond milk or cashew milk.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g, Calories: 345kcal, Carbohydrates: 64g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 7g, Sodium: 1mg, Fiber: 13g
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54 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Mother of 4 here. 3 of my 4 children are under the age of 5. Itโ€™s not easy finding something they all enjoy specially with them all having strep throat right now. But this was just what they needed!!! They all ended up eating two bowls for Iโ€™m so happy I didnโ€™t have all the sugar and was just what they needed. They have not wanted to eat because their throats hurt so this was definitely a win. Thank you for sharing the recipe.

  2. Yummy and delicious comfort in a bowl. Perfect for colder weather. Thank you for another nutritious breakfast recipe

  3. 5 stars
    I love the texture of this oatmeal! It’s what oatmeal should taste like, not a bowl full of sugar. Its also a great use of my spotty banana’s!

  4. 5 stars
    I have been sick with the flu and finally got my appetite back, so I wanted to have something different than the usual.

    This was perfect! Nice and creamy, no absurd amounts of sugar- just nice and tasty.

    1. Well I’m very glad to hear you like it even if those aren’t ingredients you enjoy! Vanilla and some sweetener sounds perfect.