If you've been looking for clever ways to sneak more veggies into your diet, this tasty breakfast recipe is for you! My Zucchini Bread Oatmeal is sweet and cinnamon-y like your favorite quick bread, but is packed with good-for-you ingredients that'll keep you full till lunchtime.
When I was little, my Nana used to make zucchini bread all the time during summer. It was soft and tender, super moist, and studded with crunchy nuts throughout. Nana's special bread was the perfect intersection of sugar and spice and everything nice, so I decided to make a healthier, whole grain breakfast based on the flavors of my childhood.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
As someone who likes to eat healthfully, I'm often disappointed by the added sugar content in instant oatmeal packets. I mean, don't get me wrong. I still love them and buy them (and use them to make fruit crumbles), but when I'm looking to get a lot of nutritional bang for my breakfast buck, they just don't measure up.
This simple recipe for Zucchini Bread Oatmeal is sweet and delicious like the quick breads my Nana used to whip up, but is completely free of any added sugars. All the sweetness comes from bananas! And since it is loaded with whole grains and topped with crunchy nuts, it definitely keeps me full until lunchtime.
Much like my Carrot Cake Oatmeal, the most "difficult" part of the process is grating the veggies. Don't worry though, it literally takes just 2 minutes. The rest of the recipe is dead simple - and by that I mean I can handle making it before downing my first cup of coffee. That's really saying something.
I also love that even though this bowl of zucchini oats is flavored like a dessert, it has enough veg in it to constitute a full serving size! By the time you're done eating a bowl, you've already consumed roughly ⅓ of the whole grains, ½ of the fruit and ¼ of the vegetables in your daily recommended values. That, my friends, is the kind of breakfast worth waking up to.
And while I don't personally have tiny humans to feed (just the furry kind), this naturally sweetened bowl of oats is definitely a kid friendly way to sneak some veggies into their diet. Oh, and if the color green in their morning meal is sounding the ick-alarm? Simply swap in a yellow summer squash instead. They'll never be the wiser.
Seriously, y'all. Do yourself a favor and spend 10 minutes making breakfast this morning. Your body (and your family) will thank you for it!
How to Make Sweet Cinnamon Zucchini Oatmeal
This recipe is one I based off of my Carrot Cake Oatmeal, and it's just as quick and simple to make.
Start by grating your zucchini on the large side of a box grater. While you're working, melt a small knob of butter in a saucepan. NOTE: If you're vegan, opt for coconut oil or vegan butter instead.
Once the butter is melted, toss in the zucchini shreds and a three-finger pinch of salt. Peel your bananas and break them into pieces before tossing them in with the zucchini.
Sauté the banana and zucchini for about 3-5 minutes. The zucchini should release a decent amount of liquid, and the bananas should start smelling super fragrant and yummy.
Now add the oats, milk, cinnamon and raisins (if you're using them). Stir to mix and bring to a simmer.
Continue cooking for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The oats should absorb all of the liquid, and the porridge should become quite thick.
When it's cooked to your liking, dish out into individual bowls. Top with grain-free granola or chopped roasted nuts and a drizzle of cream for a bit of lusciousness. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure! Leftovers will last in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to three months. If you're freezing it, I recommend freezing into individual portions using silicone muffin cups, delitainers or Souper Cubes.
If frozen, allow to defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating for best results. When you reheat the zucchini bread oats, just note that you'll likely want to add some extra milk or water to help thin them out. You can reheat them on the stovetop or in the microwave in short bursts.
I opted to use rolled oats for this zucchini oatmeal, but quick cooking oats or quick cooking steel cut oats would also work!
You can also opt to use regular steel cut oats, but you should prepare yourself for about 30 minutes of stovetop cooking for them to cook through. Remember that steel cut oats (regular or quick cooking) will have more texture than rolled oats, so keep that in mind as you decide.
I don't recommend instant oats here, as they just don't get the right consistency. Quick cooking oats only add about 3 minutes of kitchen time to your breakfast and will yield a more toothsome result.
As long as you're reaching for certified gluten free oats, YEP!
Absolutely! Simply swap the butter for coconut oil or vegan butter, and use a plant based milk of your choice. If you want the richness of that cream drizzle, this recipe for vegan creamer is delightful to keep on hand.
More tasty & healthy breakfast ideas:
- Healthy Whole Wheat Banana Muffins
- Banana Nut Butter Baked Oatmeal
- Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Breakfast Bars
- Instant Pot "Sous Vide" Style Egg Bites
- High Protein Banana Blender Pancakes
If you tried my recipe for Zucchini Bread Oatmeal, please let me know how it turned out for you by rating and reviewing it below!
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Zucchini Bread Oatmeal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tsp Butter or sub coconut oil, vegan butter
- 1 large Zucchini grated. Can substitute yellow summer squash.
- 1-2 medium Bananas to taste, for sweetness
- ¼ tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1 C Rolled Oats or sub quick cooking oats
- 2 C Milk any dairy or plant based milk will work
- 1-2 Tbsp Raisins optional
- Grain Free Granola or Roasted Pecans optional, for serving
- Cream optional, for serving
Instructions
- Start by grating your zucchini on the large side of a box grater. While you're working, melt a small knob of butter in a saucepan.
- Once the butter is melted, toss in the zucchini shreds and a three-finger pinch of salt. Peel your bananas and break them into pieces before tossing them in with the zucchini.
- Sauté the banana and zucchini for about 3-5 minutes. The zucchini should release a decent amount of liquid, and the bananas should start smelling super fragrant and yummy.
- Now add the oats, milk, cinnamon and raisins (if you're using them). Stir to mix and bring to a simmer.
- Continue cooking for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The oats should absorb all of the liquid, and the porridge should become quite thick.
- When it's cooked to your liking, dish out into individual bowls. Top with grain-free granola or chopped roasted nuts and a drizzle of cream for a bit of lusciousness. Enjoy!
Notes
- Nutrition facts do not include optional toppings of nuts or cream.
- ¼ of this recipe is a large enough serving size to keep me full, but the nutrition facts are for ½ of the recipe in case you're a bigger morning eater than I am.
If frozen, allow to defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating for best results. When you reheat the zucchini bread oats, just note that you'll likely want to add some extra milk or water to help thin them out. You can reheat them on the stovetop or in the microwave in short bursts.
Let's taco 'bout it.