Would you believe me if I told you that, before today’s post, I had two other recipes written, photographed, and ready to share…only to scrap them at the last minute?! I think I was cursed these past couple weeks because I just couldn’t develop a recipe that I could 100% get behind. I have to say it nearly killed me to finish all the work on those new posts only for them to be put on the shelf, never to see the light of day. I hope you know that I only share recipes I’m crazy about (and that my testers are also crazy for) because I want to be absolutely sure you can trust and love them too!
So, with my tail tucked between my legs, I moved on from those two recipes…and I’m glad I did! I’m in love with this Zucchini Bread Oatmeal. Some of you may recognize the original recipe from way back in 2011 (how was that 7 years ago!?). Although this oatmeal fell off my radar for a while, it’s made a serious comeback in our morning rotation. This breakfast is a delicious, creative way to fulfill your weekly zucchini quota all summer long! I know it’s a bit early for summer squash season, but I’ve personally been on a huge zucchini kick this month. The recipe will be a good one to tuck away for later in the summer when you have zucchini overload—but I don’t think you’ll be able to wait that long.
I decided to revamp my old recipe and give the post a facelift complete with some snazzy new photos for you. This bowl is one of my favourite ways to sneak veggies into my oatmeal…if you’re crazy like me, you may even find yourself doubling the amount of zucchini for extra morning veggie goodness (just be sure to reduce the liquid accordingly). Sometimes I’ll even use instant oats (gasp! lol) and those work great as well. Leftovers can be enjoyed straight from the fridge, which will be a nice option on those steamy summer mornings too.
Before I get to the recipe, I want to thank you so much for taking the time to complete the Oh She Glows Reader Survey! We went through every single response with a fine-tooth comb. One of our big takeaways is that you want even MORE RECIPES!!! *Wipes bead of sweat from forehead*, lol. So in the future you’ll be seeing a bit of a shift in blog content—Ask Angela and Things I’m Loving Lately posts will be less frequent so that I can focus more time on recipe creation. I’m going to try my best to zero in on the content that really matters to you.
We also sent out a brand new issue of In The Glow a couple weeks ago (complete with a fun new look too). I had a lot of positive feedback about the “Hello from Angela” message in this issue, so I just wanted to thank those of you who sent me DMs about it. I was also asked by a few readers who didn’t get a chance to sign up in time whether issue 21 would be available online. I’m happy to say that it’s available here! We send out a new In The Glow every 4 to 6 weeks, and if you’d like to receive future issues, you can sign up here.
Last but not least, I have to share this with you here because it kind of blew my mind and made my entire week! Does anyone recognize a certain app icon below?
The Oh She Glows Recipe App icon was featured in Apple CEO Tim Cook’s recent presentation at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference. You guys, I almost died when Eric plopped this paper in front of me at my desk. His uncle texted him saying we might want to pick up a copy of that day’s Globe and Mail newspaper. (Thanks Uncle Steve for your newspaper sleuthing!) It’s so wild and wouldn’t be possible without your incredible support!
Zucchini Bread Oatmeal
Yield
2 generous bowls
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Zucchini bread in oatmeal form...who knew?! This tasty dish comes together in less than 15 minutes—perfect for when you’re craving the warm spiciness of zucchini bread but don’t have time to make a whole loaf. Luxurious canned coconut milk lends this oatmeal a satisfying, decadent creaminess, while the grated zucchini adds a dose of Vitamin C, B Vitamins, and Potassium. Chia seeds help thicken the oatmeal and provide a nice boost of healthy fats! I don’t recommend skipping the suggested toppings below—they give this bowl a nutty, sweet chewiness and that signature zucchini bread flavour. And you may be happy to know that this oatmeal is super versatile (often I don’t even measure when I make it at home!)—you can use rolled or instant oats, grated or finely grated zucchini, and play around with the zucchini-to-oat ratio however you’d like. I encourage you to find your perfect bowl! This recipe is inspired by my 2011 version.
Ingredients
For the oatmeal:
- 1 (14-ounce/400 mL) can light coconut milk
- 2/3 cup (66 g) gluten-free rolled oats*
- 1 cup (125 g) packed finely grated zucchini (1 medium)**
- 2 tablespoons (20 g) chia seeds
- 1/2 to 1 teaspoon cinnamon, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or a dash of ground nutmeg
- 1 1/2 tablespoons (22.5 mL) pure maple syrup or 1 large ripe banana, mashed
- Small pinch fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Topping suggestions:
- Chopped pecans
- Raisins or chopped pitted dates
- Pat of coconut oil or vegan butter
- Pure maple syrup or coconut sugar
- Cinnamon
- Shaved dark chocolate
Directions
- Add all of the oatmeal ingredients except for the vanilla to a medium pot and stir to combine. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Cook uncovered for 7 to 9 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Adjust spices and sweetener to taste, if desired.
- Divide the oatmeal into bowls and top with your desired toppings. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. To reheat, add the leftovers to a small pot along with a splash of coconut milk. Stir and heat over medium until heated through. Alternatively, you can enjoy leftovers cold too!
Tip:
* You can use instant oats instead of rolled oats, if you prefer. Instant oats have a much less chewy texture and tend to disappear into the mixture, but they work well for babies and toddlers who aren’t able to chew the larger oats.
** If you use the finest grate hole on the box grater, the zucchini will virtually disappear into the oatmeal, whereas a standard-size grate hole will yield visible strands of zucchini throughout (and amp up the bowl’s chewy texture). You can play around with these two options to see which way you prefer the oatmeal. Once you get used to it, feel free to add even more zucchini to future pots!
Make it nut-free: Omit the pecan topping.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
This is yummy and a great way to have veggies for breakfast! My kids all loved it (ages 1, 4 & 6). Have you tried it in the instant pot? I do a lot of prep at night, set to go off in the AM oatmeal in there but wondering how the zucchini might be after an all night soak. Thanks!
Hi Katie, So glad this recipe is such a big hit! It is in our house too. I just got an Instant Pot last week and I’ve only tried steel cut oats so far (I liked a ratio of 1 cup steel cut and 2 cups liquid cooked at 6 mins high pressure with natural release – but I’ve only tried it a couple times so far!). I have yet to try rolled oats in the Instant Pot…I wasn’t sure if it would be worth it since rolled oats cook so quickly on the stovetop. If you try anything out I’d love to hear how it goes!
Hi! This recipe looks like a dream! A couple of questions. I’d like to do steel cut oats in the crock pot. Any idea the liquid/zucchini ratio for a cup of oats? And can I use water instead of coconut milk? Thanks so much!
Hi Adrienne, FUnny timing — I’ve been working on a SC oats recipe for the Instant Pot recently! I love 1 cup uncooked steel-cut oats, 1 cup water, and 1 can of light coconut milk cooked at 6 mins high pressure with a natural release. So good! I hope you love it if you try it. And if you don’t want to use the coconut milk, I would swap it with water, but I’m not sure if you’d have to reduce the amount slightly since it’s not as thick.
I just resurrected this recipe today. It is ready and in the fridge for tomorrow morning. We love this recipe!
Ohhh this one has been on my mind lately too!!
Can I use low-fat Milk instead of coconut milk?
Hi Mary, Any kind of milk you prefer should work just fine thought I haven’t tried any others before
This so easy and so delicious. Kind of makes a person glad it’s the new year and I am trying to “clean up” my food choices!!
So glad you love it Robin! I just remembered it the other day and I have plans to make it asap! It’s so creamy and comforting…mmm.
I loved this recipe — it’s different from a normal breakfast, for sure and I get an extra veggie in my diet. It tasted heavenly. I did alter slightly by only using 1T of brown sugar. I added walnuts as suggested but added blueberries instead of a banana and no maple syrup. It was perfectly sweet with just the one tablespoon of brown sugar, for me. Thank you for another great recipe!
Hey Mary, Thank you so much for your feedback! I love the extra veggie boost too. So glad you enjoyed it :)
Hi! I notice in your post that you say that you can double zucchini but will need to adjust liquid accordingly. I am not an experienced cook. How much liquid do you need if you double the zucchini? Thanks!
Hey Laura! Oh sorry that wasn’t clear :) I have found when I add more zucchini I don’t need to use quite as much liquid since water is released from the zucchini as it cooks. Unfortunately I don’t know the exact amount as I didn’t measure. Hope this helps clarify anyway! Enjoy :)
My kids favorite way to eat oatmeal! Thanks for the great recipe
So glad that I came across this recipe. At the moment I follow oxalate free diet. You cannot even imagine how it is difficult to find new interesting recipes as the number of products that I can have is not large.
Unfortunately had to skip adding chia seeds (as they are high in oxalate). Hope that it did not have a big impact on taste.
I have made this twice and enjoyed both times. Once with Oatmilk and they second with almond milk. YUM! I love the addition of the zucchini it is very rich tasting.
I make this frequently now and love it! It’s filling and reheats easily. The addition of the zucchini makes it so luxurious. I used oat milk instead of coconut as it’s what I had on hand, worked out well.
Hey Jennifer, I’m so glad you enjoy it too. Thanks for letting me know!
Angela, this recipe is still SO good! While I’ve found the recent(ish) food trend around chocolate hummus to be so odd — I have to say, adding a spoonful as a topping to this oatmeal is delicious! It’s easier than working with shaved chocolate, and gives some extra protein and all of the nutritional benefits of tahini. I’m loving it :)
This is one of my go to breakfast recipes… it’s delicious and I recommend this recipe often! Topping with chocolate chips feels like a decadent treat; walnuts, coconut and raisins are a great combo too! Thank you for another great recipe!
This is a great recipe, perfect for using up zucchini in the fridge that needs to be used, and a great way to get some veggies in your breakfast. I didn’t measure, but probably ended up using more zucchini than the recipe calls for. I also used unsweetened organic soymilk and doubled the cinnamon. I love that it makes two servings! Now I have breakfast already made for tomorrow :) I now realize I forgot to add vanilla at the end but it was still delicious…I’ll add some for tomorrow.