This blueberry baked oatmeal recipe is a healthy breakfast the whole family will love!
Healthy blueberry baked oatmeal
Bursting with juicy blueberries, sweet vanilla, and hearty rolled oats, this filling blueberry oatmeal casserole is a delicious comforting morning meal.
It’s a great choice to serve overnight guests or to feed a crowd. And leftovers can be sliced and frozen for an easy grab-and-go option.
So you will always have a hot and healthy breakfast on hand!
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5 flavor variations
Blueberry Lemon: Follow the recipe below, adding two teaspoons of lemon zest.
High Protein: Replace up to half a cup of the oats with half a cup of plain, vanilla, chai, or other flavored or unsweetened protein powder.
Chocolate Chip Cookie: Stir in half a cup of semi sweet, dark chocolate, or mini chocolate chips at the beginning, or add them on top just before baking.
Ginger Cardamom: Add a fourth teaspoon each of ground cardamom and ginger along with the ground cinnamon. Stir in a handful of chopped toasted pecans.
Coconut: Add a third cup of canned coconut milk instead of the oil or nut butter. Stir up to a half cup of shredded coconut in with the dry ingredients. Or sprinkle the coconut shreds on top of the casserole pan before baking.
*If you prefer blueberry baked oatmeal cups, try these Breakfast Oatmeal Cupcakes.
Ingredients for the best blueberry baked oatmeal
The recipe calls for rolled oats, frozen or fresh blueberries, pure vanilla extract, mashed banana, water or eggs, salt, cinnamon, sweetener, and optional oil or nut butter.
You can substitute quick oats for the rolled. We have not tried this recipe with steel cut oats or instant oats so cannot recommend those.
For a gluten free breakfast recipe, use either certified gluten free oats or substitute an equal amount of rolled quinoa flakes.
The blueberry oatmeal bake is wonderful with almond butter, coconut oil, or cashew butter. Or replace the nut butter with additional water for an oil free, low fat, and low calorie version.
Sweeteners that work well include pure maple syrup, honey, or agave. If you experiment with a powdered sugar free sweetener, be sure to report back.
With no milk or butter, this recipe is naturally dairy free. It can be vegan as long as you use the water option instead of eggs.
For best results, use ripe bananas. The peels should be at least partially brown before they are removed. Thawed frozen bananas are also fine to use.
Also try these Healthy Blueberry Muffins
Blueberry baked oats without banana
For banana free blueberry baked oatmeal, omit the three cups of mashed banana in the recipe below.
Instead, use an equal amount of applesauce, Greek yogurt, canned pumpkin puree, mango puree, or blended sweet potato puree.
For all of these substitutions except the mango, increase the sweetener in the recipe to half a cup and decrease the water to one third of a cup to make up the difference in sweetness. If using mango, no extra sweetener is needed.
Still craving blueberries? Make a Blueberry Crisp
Fresh or frozen blueberries?
You may use either fresh or frozen berries here.
For a recipe with frozen blueberries, be sure to fully thaw the package of berries before proceeding with the recipe.
Blot excess water away with paper towels and remove all ice crystals.
Feel free to swap out half of the blueberries with diced strawberries, cherries, raspberries, blackberries, or bananas.
Baked blueberry oatmeal recipe video
Watch the step by step recipe video, above
The video shows one cup of blueberries on top of the baked oats. We later decided it is even better to double or triple that amount, because there is no such thing as too many blueberries!
How to make the blueberry breakfast recipe
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line the bottom of a traditional nine by thirteen inch rectangular baking pan with parchment paper, or grease the pan well. Set it aside.
Stir the rolled oats, salt, and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl.
Add the mashed banana, vanilla extract, sweetener of choice, nut butter or oil, and eggs or water, whisking well.
Very carefully stir in all but about a half cup of the blueberries. Reserve the remaining berries to press into the top of the casserole pan just before baking.
Smooth the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan.
Press in the remaining blueberries, then cook the vegan blueberry baked oatmeal on the center rack of the oven for forty minutes.
Carefully remove the pan from the oven, and serve hot. Or for easily sliceable blueberry baked oatmeal bars, let the pan cool before slicing into bars. It will firm up as it cools.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to five days. Either enjoy cold or reheat in the microwave or on the stove top.
You can also freeze the sliced bars in an airtight covered container for up to three months. Thaw and warm up before serving.
Nutrition and health benefits
The recipe packs in over five grams of protein per serving, with just 120 calories.
And the low calorie blueberry oatmeal bars can also be high in fiber, low fat, egg free, oil free, gluten free, nondairy, and cholesterol free.
Superfood blueberries are rich in antioxidants and vitamins, including vitamin C, vitamin K, and manganese. Banana adds potassium and fiber.
This recipe was adapted from my Baked Oatmeal and Brownie Baked Oatmeal.
- 4 cups rolled oats
- 3 cups mashed banana (or see banana free version above)
- 1/3 cup nut butter or oil, or additional water
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup or agave or honey
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 eggs or a half cup of water
- 4 cups blueberries
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Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9×13 inch pan, or line it with parchment paper. Stir everything together except for the blueberries. Carefully stir in two cups of berries. Spread into the pan, then evenly disperse the remaining berries on top. Bake for 40 minutes. Serve the blueberry baked oatmeal hot, or let it cool for bars that are easy to slice. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to four days, or freeze for up to five months.View Nutrition Facts
More Easy Breakfast Ideas
Applesauce Muffins
Easy Cinnamon Rolls
Tofu Scramble
Vegan French Toast
Strawberry Smoothies
Baked Apple Cider Donuts
Blueberry Banana Bread