Oat Porridge is a healthy, delicious breakfast that's great for all ages. This homemade porridge is fragrant with warm, comforting notes of maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon — the most perfect way to heat up on cold winter mornings. It's creamy. It's rich. It's just plain cozy.
Plus, it's quick and easy to make oatmeal porridge from scratch. In just ten minutes you can whip up enough hot porridge for your whole family, using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. It takes no time at all to get breakfast ready with this recipe, so you can focus on getting everyone ready for the day ahead.
Why You'll Love this Oat Porridge
- Quick and easy breakfast. Hot porridge makes a fast, wholesome breakfast that can be whipped up on even the most hectic mornings. It takes only five minutes to prep the ingredients and five minutes to cook! Plus, oat porridge gives me the energy boost I need to make it through my mornings.
- Naturally vegan and gluten-free. This particular oatmeal porridge is made with almond milk, making it perfect for vegans and vegetarians without any substitutions. It is also gluten-free but you have to make sure that you are using certified gluten-free oats to be sure.
- No processed sugar. Unlike a lot of the ready-made mixes, this quick homemade porridge is sweetened using maple syrup (or honey) instead of processed sugars. In fact, you leave out the sweetener completely, or adjust it to your desired level of sweetness.
- Great for winter mornings. With cozy and warm flavors, this oatmeal porridge is a perfect for cold fall and winter mornings, especially Christmas morning! To make the perfect Christmas morning breakfast, decorate this porridge with some cinnamon powder. You can create a christmas tree, heart, or a happy face garnish and put an instant smile on your children's faces.
- Easy to customize. The combination of milk, cinnamon, and vanilla just does something amazing to your taste buds. These ingredients were made for each other! And the best part is that you don't have to ever get sick of this porridge because there are so many ways to change up this recipe. Use this recipe as a base for a basic porridge and experiment with different combinations of nuts and fruits.
Ingredient Notes
To make this quick and easy Oat Porridge, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- rolled oats - make sure to use rolled oats (whole oats) and not quick oats. You could use quick oats but it will change the consistency and make it more mushy. Also, use certified gluten-free oats if someone in your family is celiac or has a gluten intolerance.
- milk - you can use other dairy or non-dairy milk. Try almond milk, soy milk, or cow's milk.
- water
- maple syrup - you can also use the same measure of honey, brown sugar, or white sugar to sweeten the oatmeal porridge. Use maple syrup or sugar to keep the recipe completely vegan. You can also adjust the amount to suit your level of sweetness, and can even leave it out completely if you wish.
- salt
- vanilla extract - vanilla bean paste can be used in place of the vanilla extract at a 1:1 ratio. You could also leave this out completely if you wish.
- ground cinnamon - you can use store-bought or grind your own at home.
- walnuts - this is optional to sprinkle on top. You can also use other nuts such as pecans, pistachios, or almonds.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a medium saucepan.
How to Make the Best Oat Porridge
- Combine ingredients. In a medium saucepan, add oats, milk, water, honey, salt, and vanilla. Stir well and heat over medium heat.
- Simmer. Bring mixture to a simmer, and continue to for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Serve. Divide into serving bowls and serve with your favorite toppings such as a sprinkle of cinnamon on top and chopped walnuts.
Porridge Variations
- Add fruit. You can add fresh, frozen or dehydrated fruits into your porridge. You can also add them on top as a garnish and mix in slowly as you eat. Try it with apples, banana, and berries.
- Change the spices. We adding cinnamon and vanilla, but it is completely optional. Some other spices to add to your oatmeal include pumpkin pie spice blend, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom, or almond extract.
- Add sweet treats. Add in some chocolate chips or sprinkles. This is also a great way to get the kids to eat porridge. You can also customize the sprinkles based on any holiday that you are celebrating.
- Make it nutty. We topped our porridge with walnuts, but you can use any nuts that you like. Try almonds, pistachios, pecans, or hazelnuts.
How to Serve
Serve this oatmeal porridge on it's own or add in your favorite mix-ins including fruits, nuts, and sprinkles, and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup. I also like preparing a big batch as part of a lunch spread along with some other brunch favorites including:
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Try also baking your oats. You can easily bake the cooked oat porridge (or leftover porridge) for a few minutes to create a chewy crust layer and a more casserole-like texture.
- Pair with fresh fruit and bacon. Hot oatmeal porridge is great on its own, but it also makes a great companion to crispy bacon and bananas, strawberries, melons, blueberries, and apples.
- Turn leftovers into a smoothie. You can take your leftover porridge and combine it with your favorite fruits (I like banana and berries), add some spinach, and thin it out with more water and milk. You can also just follow your favorite smoothie recipes and a spoonful of oatmeal for added nutrients and flavor.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
How to Store
Once the oat porridge has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 6 days.
How to Reheat
You can reheat leftover porridge in the microwave or on the stove. To reheat in the microwave, place the oatmeal in a microwave-safe dish and heat on high for 1-2 minutes until warm. You can reheat in a saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat until warm, stirring occasionally. You may need to add a splash of water if the oatmeal has thickend too much when stored in the fridge.
How to Freeze
Spoon leftover oatmeal porridge into a freezer bag and freeze flat. When you’re ready to reheat it, thaw overnight in the fridge or use a warm water bath to release the oatmeal from the bag. I recommend freezing in portions for easy reheating just the amount that you want.
More Breakfast Recipes
- 50 Best Breakfast Ideas
- Cinnamon Apple Baked Oatmeal
- Breakfast Strata
- Chia Seed Pudding
- Fruit and Yogurt Parfait with Granola
- No Bake Protein Breakfast Energy Bites
Did you make this recipe? I would greatly appreciate a comment and rating below, letting me know what you thought of the recipe. You can also snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @aheadofthyme or share it on the Pinterest pin so that I can follow along.
Don't forget to sign up for my email newsletter so that you don't miss any recipes. You can also follow along on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more recipe updates.
Recipe
Oat Porridge
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Oat Porridge is a healthy, delicious breakfast that's great for all ages. This homemade porridge is fragrant with warm, comforting notes of maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon — the most perfect way to heat up on cold winter mornings. It's creamy. It's rich. It's just plain cozy.
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 2 cups milk, dairy or non-dairy
- 2 cups water
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup (or honey) (optional, to sweeten)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- ½ cup walnuts, chopped (optional, for serving)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, add oats, milk, water, honey, salt, and vanilla. Stir well and heat over medium heat.
- Bring mixture to a simmer, and continue to for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Divide into serving bowls and serve with your favorite toppings such as a sprinkle of cinnamon on top and chopped walnuts.
Notes
How to store: Once the oat porridge has cooled to room temperature, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 6 days.
How to reheat: You can reheat leftover porridge in the microwave or on the stove. To reheat in the microwave, place the oatmeal in a microwave-safe dish and heat on high for 1-2 minutes until warm. You can reheat in a saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat until warm, stirring occasionally. You may need to add a splash of water if the oatmeal has thickend too much when stored in the fridge.
How to freeze: Spoon leftover oatmeal porridge into a freezer bag and freeze flat. When you’re ready to reheat it, thaw overnight in the fridge or use a warm water bath to release the oatmeal from the bag. I recommend freezing in portions for easy reheating just the amount that you want.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Food Blogger Business School
A step-by-step program that teaches food bloggers how to grow and scale their blogs into a full-time business
in less time and without posting endless content until you burn out.
Carol Ann Trabert says
My husband loves porridge, and he recently brought home sprouted oats that we use to make this warming breakfast dish. For many years we have used apple juice to cook the oats, as my daughter was avoiding lactose. In those days, not so many options. However it's now the tradition. We simmer the oats for much longer, however.
Shihoko Ura says
It is getting cooler here in Brisbane that means, porridge time!! I actually did have one this morning. Next time, I will give this a try soon.
Sam | Ahead of Thyme says
Yay! Let me know how you like it 🙂
Manju | Cooking Curries says
This really does sound like a warm you from the inside kinda porridge! 🙂