Banana nut oatmeal with greek yogurt is an easy, healthy oatmeal recipe and it's gluten free. Add vanilla, nuts and fruit of choice. Add peanut butter or greek yogurt for a little extra protein!
We love to meal prep oatmeal (see my Vanilla Overnight Oats) and this one is easy to make ahead and warm up throughout the week.
This healthy oatmeal recipe is one of my absolute favorites for breakfast because it's so easy to customize. My personal favorite is with bananas and pecans or walnuts and a drizzle of honey or agave nectar, but I've made it gluten free and vegan with fruit and a spoonful of almond butter and it's delicious.
The best protein banana oatmeal recipes don't need preservatives or a lot of processed sugar, I prefer homemade oatmeal over the pre-made store mixes any day! I like to stir in a little bit of homemade greek yogurt (instant pot) for the same reason; less added artificial sweeteners and more protein!
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What To Expect
- Taste: Not too sweet (no added processed sugar) , with a bit of salt and crunch from the nuts.
- Ease: This is a beginner recipe, very easy to do on the stove top.
- Time: Enough time to mash the banana and cook the oats, about 5 minutes.
🛒 Key Ingredients
- Bananas - they don't need to be brown and spotted, but they definitely have more flavor when they're overripe.
- Nuts - use any kind you'd like! We like pecans, walnuts, or almonds best.
- Oats - We prefer to use old-fashioned oats, they're readily available in stores and have a great texture when cooked.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
✏️ Substitutions & Variations
- Greek yogurt- for a protein boost, you can leave out the greek yogurt and instead put in ¼ cup of liquid eggwhites with the water.
- Stir in 4 Tablespoons of your favorite vanilla protein powder after removing from heat for even more protein. You may have a little aftertaste from the protein powder, but if you're used to it it's not a big deal.
- If you like it sweeter, you can definitely add a couple of Tablespoons of brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup to it.
- Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon for more flavor.
🧑🍳 Instructions
- Step 1. In a pot, combine water and salt.
- Step 2. Mash 1 banana into a mushy puree.
- Step 3. Stir in oats and mashed banana, and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Step 4. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
- Step 5. (Optional) Stir in greek yogurt or protein powder.
- Step 6. Divide into two bowls and top oatmeal with pecans and sliced banana. Oatmeal will thicken slightly as it cools. Drizzle with honey, maple syrup, or peanut butter for added flavor and a bit of sweetness.
📌 Top Tips & Hacks
- Use old fashioned, regular oats. MUCH better texture than quick oats.
- Cook stovetop! It seriously only takes 5 minutes and tastes better.
- Add vanilla extract for the BEST oatmeal ever. It makes a difference!
- Don't add processed sugars. Instead, add sweet fruits, honey, cinnamon, or pure maple syrup.
- Add a tablespoon of peanut butter or almond butter for a little extra protein.
- My kids like to put whipped cream and cinnamon on top to jazz things up.
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this recipe has no added preservatives and the added sweeteners are natural, like fruit and honey or maple syrup. Oats are also a good source of fiber, protein, and healthy carbohydrates.
Things with a lot of processed sugars like fruity or chocolate syrup, too much dried fruit, or chocolate can change this from a healthy banana oats recipe to junk food with oatmeal.
- fresh fruit like strawberries, raspberries, peaches, or blueberries
- a Tablespoon or two of nuts (pecans, almonds, walnuts, etc)
- peanut or almond butter
- chia seeds or ground flax seeds
You can refrigerate it for 4-5 days, and warm it up in the microwave for a minute or two with a splash of milk.
🥣 More Easy Breakfast Recipes
Did You Try This Recipe? ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Make sure to leave a star rating and a comment below the recipe card. I love hearing from you, and it is so helpful to other readers! Better yet, share it with family and friends. Thank you!!
📝 Printable Recipe
Banana Nut Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups water 414 mL
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 medium banana
- 1 cup regular old fashioned oats 100 g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup plain greek yogurt
- ¼ cup pecans
- Optional toppings: sliced banana, honey, pure maple syrup, or peanut butter
Instructions
- In a pot, combine salt and water.
- Mash 1 banana into a mushy puree.
- Stir oats and mashed banana in to the pot of water, bring mixture to a boil, and cook 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
- (Optional) Stir in greek yogurt or protein powder.
- Divide into two bowls and top oatmeal with pecans and other half of the banana. (optional) drizzle honey on top for a sweet finish.
- For a protein boost: Replace ¼ cup water with ¼ cup of liquid egg whites, or add a scoop of vanilla protein powder to the oatmeal after removing from heat and adding vanilla.
Vicky Gustavison says
This is delicious! I love having different ways to make oatmeal seem different each time we have it. It is easy to make and will become a regular for us. I topped it with slied bananas, pecans, sprinkle of cinnamon and drizzled maple syrup. I'll probably try some of your suggestions for customization some other times to change it up a bit with different fruit on top and maybe different nuts.