Simplify your morning routine with this Easy Vegan Baked Oatmeal. Loaded with heart healthy fiber and plant-based protein for a delicious breakfast that will keep you satisfied all morning long. Berry Baked Oatmeal is perfect for meal prep, fun for brunch and perfect for hectic weekday mornings.
This post was updated from the original that was published on September 7, 2016.
Who’s in for a comforting breakfast casserole that’s super delicious and easy to make? Oh, and let’s not forget that it’s a healthy choice too. Raise your hand if you’re ready to make this vegan baked oatmeal!!
Starting each and every day with a nutritious breakfast is the best way I know to set myself up for success. I love oatmeal, and berries…a lot. I love the way they taste, the energy and nutrition they provide, and the way I feel after I’ve eaten them: satisfied yet not gluttonous.
This oatmeal bake uses just 1-bowl and is super simple to put together and throw into the oven. Perfect for a make ahead breakfast that can be served cold or reheated. Plus it makes a gorgeous addition to any brunch buffet. If you’re looking for a grain-free breakfast bake, you’re going to want to make this quinoa breakfast casserole instead.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- The healthy breakfast you THINK you don’t have time for….BUT, you do!!!
- Made with pantry staples
- Vegan and Gluten-free!
- Perfect for Breakfast, Brunch, Snack, or Dessert!
- 5 minutes, and 1-bowl—-then into the oven it goes!
- Make ahead….perfect for meal prep.
- Comfort Food….so, so good and satisfying…but also healthy and light.
- No added sugar!
- High in protein and fiber.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- OLD FASHIONED OATS: Rich in antioxidants and soluble fiber. They help with blood sugar control and also with helping you to feel full and satisfied. Quick cooking oats don’t have the same nutritional benefits and also require less liquid, so they would not be a good substitution.
- BERRIES: Low on the glycemic index, which is awesome for a fruit choice. They’re low in calories and carbs and big on taste and nutrition. You can use fresh or frozen berries, making this a good year round recipe. Good subs: chopped apples, banana chunks, chopped stone fruits like plums, peaches or nectarines.
- ALMOND MILK: Here’s an easy recipe to make homemade almond milk. If you can’t eat nuts, oat milk or soy milk will work well. Substitute whatever plant milk you like to drink.
- APPLE SAUCE: An easy and nutritious way to keep this recipe vegan. Good subs would be mashed banana or pumpkin puree.
- GROUND FLAX: In addition to Omega-3s protein and Fiber, they act as a plant-based binding agent for this breakfast casserole. Chia seeds would be a great substitution.
- BAKING POWDER: A little goes a long way to help this oatmeal bake from being too dense.
- CINNAMON: I like to use cinnamon for baked goods when I’m keeping the sweetener to a minimum. I think it evokes a sweet taste!
- WALNUTS: Chopped nuts add great texture to the topping and increase the protein and omega 3s to this make ahead vegan breakfast too. You can substitute your favorite nut here like almonds or pecans, or if you don’t eat nuts, substitute any seed like pumpkin or sunflower.
- HEMP SEEDS: A great source of plant-based protein, fiber and healthy fats. Substitute chia seeds or additional ground flax seeds for this topping ingredient.
- MAPLE SYRUP: A bit of pure maple syrup helps the topping stick together and is the only added sweetener to this healthy breakfast recipe.
- VANILLA: Another great illusion to sweetness!
How to make it
This is one of the quickest and easiest breakfast casseroles to pull together. You’ll have it in the oven in under 5 minutes…I promise, and there will be just one bowl to wash too. Uh…yeah, meal prep poster child!
Place almond milk, applesauce and vanilla into a mixing bowl.
Whisk until applesauce is well incorporated.
Add oats, ground flax, cinnamon, baking soda and salt to bowl with milk mixture.
Whisk until uniform in texture.
Any your favorite fruit or berries.
Gently fold berries into the mixture to keep them whole. Next you’ll pour the mixture into a baking pan, which will free up that bowl to make the topping.
Place topping ingredients: chopped nuts, hemp seeds, oats, cinnamon and maple syrup into bowl that you used for the oat mixture.
Mix well. Topping will be sticky and thick.
Pour oatmeal mixture into 2-quart casserole dish.
Distribute topping over oatmeal mixture.
Sprinkle on additional berries.
Bake in preheated 350 oven for 45 minutes.
Debra’s Pro Tips:
- Use frozen berries if you don’t have fresh! They’ll be a bit more watery so cut back on the almond milk just a smidge.
- Craving chocolate? Substitute the berries for chocolate chips. YOLO!
- Too many apples? Yup, chop them up and use them in conjunction with or instead of the berries.
- If you know you’re going to have a hectic morning: Mix everything up and put it in the pan before bed, cover and store in the fridge overnight…pop it into the oven in the morning to bake.
📖 Recipe
Berry Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
Oatmeal
- ¼ cup unsweetened apple sauce*
- 2 cups almond milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- ¼ cup ground flax
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of sea salt
- 2 cups berries*
TOPPING:
- ½ cup chopped walnuts*
- ⅓ cup oats
- 2 Tablespoons hemp seeds
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- Pinch sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350
- In medium sized bowl, whisk together apple sauce, almond milk and vanilla.
- Add in oats, flax, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Mix well.
- Gently fold in 1 ½ cups of the berries.
- Pour into 2-quart (8"square or 11×7 rectangle) baking dish.
- Use same bowl to mix together topping.
- Evenly distribute topping and then remaining ½ cup berries over oatmeal mixture in baking pan.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until lightly browned and oatmeal is set.
- Let cool in pan for at least 5 minutes before cutting into squares.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate any left overs and reheat gently at 325 for about 15 minutes until heated through.
- Freeze in individual serving sizes for a quick breakfast.
Notes
Nutrition
Note
The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.
Emily Flint
I finally decided to try baked oatmeal and this recipe was wonderful!
Sue
The use of applesauce really makes this oatmeal special!!
Audrey
My family loved this baked oatmeal.
Sabrina
A great morning treat, easy healthy and tasty.
Lilly
This is my new favorite breakfast dish!
Angela
Baked oatmeal is a favorite at my house. This recipe is delicious.
Jessica Formicola
I love breakfasts that I can just “grab and go” with, and these oatmeal bars look perfect! Definitely making a batch today!
Debra Klein
Yes! They taste great at room temp so you can definitely pack them to go.
Leslie
Perfect Berry Baked Oatmeal recipe!
Sondra
Looks delicious!
Catherine
These were so yummy! Perfect breakky!
Carole
These are my new go-to for easy-peasy breakfast–cut a square and pop into the microwave to take the chill off and breakfast is ready! I added some sweetness to them by drizzling a bit of date syrup over the top when serving. This is a great way to get oats into my daily intake.
Debra Klein
Awesome….I love to start my day with oatmeal too.
Sandy
Made this last night for breakfast this weekend. OMG! So, so good! Followed your recipe exactly, except had no nuts or seeds to add to the top. I always thought baked oatmeal would come out dry, which is why I never tried it. Lesson learned! This will be definitely be made over, and over again! Thank you for a great recipe!
Debra Klein
You’re welcome. Welcome to the make ahead easy and delicious breakfast world!
Sandy
Sorry – forgot to give it 5 stars!
Debra Klein
Aw….thanks for going back, I appreciate the 5 stars…I think it’s THAT good too!