Though I am a morning person, waking up early becomes challenging even for me on chilly mornings. Having something to look forward to in the morning makes it easier. For me, the time that I get to spend alone with my diary and a glass of warm water or a cup of tea is one such thing that motivates me to wake up early. The other thing that motivates me to wake up on time is a tasty and comforting breakfast that can also be prepared quickly. Today’s recipe- Pumpkin oatmeal is one such easy and quick breakfast recipe that I love having on a cold morning. This delicious fall breakfast gets ready within 15 minutes and needs only 7 basic ingredients. It’s a great breakfast recipe for pumpkin lovers.
Ingredients required to make pumpkin oatmeal
To make oatmeal with pumpkin you need the ingredients shown below:
Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions
Oats: Rolled oats are the best for making oatmeal. You can use quick oats or steel cut oats too if you want. However, the cooking time and oats-to-milk ratio will change with the type of oats you are using. Quick oats will get cooked faster and will need slightly less milk whereas steel-cut oats have a longer cooking time so will need more liquid (milk) to get cooked. Pumpkin puree: Homemade or canned pumpkin puree both are fine. I have used homemade pumpkin puree which I made by roasting pumpkin in the oven and then blending it until smooth. Milk: Use milk of choice. Both plant-based and dairy are fine. I have used unsweetened almond milk. You can also use soy milk, oat milk, coconut milk, etc. Cinnamon powder: I have seasoned these pumpkin oats with cinnamon only, you can use ginger powder, nutmeg, or pumpkin pie spice too. Maple syrup: I have used maple syrup, feel free to use any sweetener of choice like honey, white sugar, brown sugar, agave syrup, palm sugar, jaggery powder, etc. Salt: A pinch of salt balances all the flavors of this fall oatmeal. You can skip it if you want. Dried fruits and nuts: In this recipe, I have only added golden raisins but you can also add black raisins, dried cranberries, chopped walnuts, cashew nuts, almonds, pecans, etc.
How to make?
This healthy pumpkin oatmeal recipe is very simple. Start with putting the oats and milk in a pot and cook on medium heat until the milk starts simmering. Add pumpkin puree, cinnamon powder, maple syrup, salt, and raisins. Mix and cook covered on low heat for 4-5 minutes or until the oats are cooked. Garnish with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
Making pumpkin oatmeal in a microwave
If you want to make pumpkin oatmeal in a microwave, just put oats and milk in a microwave-safe dish and cook for about a minute. Take out the dish and add all the remaining ingredients. Stir, and microwave for another 2-3 minutes or until the oats are cooked.
Serving and topping suggestions
Serve oatmeal hot, warm, or at room temperature. Make your delicious pumpkin oatmeal tastier by topping it with your favorite things to eat with oatmeal. I am sharing some oatmeal topping ideas below:
Caramelized sugar-cinnamon pumpkin cubes Chopped roasted nuts and dried fruits Fresh fruits or berries of choice Chocolate chips or shredded chocolate Peanut butter or any other nut butter or seed butter A drizzle of maple syrup, agave syrup, or honey Pumpkin spice, cinnamon powder, ginger powder, or warm spices of choice
Here, I have garnished the oatmeal with golden raisins, maple syrup, and ground cinnamon to maintain the beautiful golden color of my breakfast bowl.
Storing, freezing, and reheating
Store the leftover pumpkin oatmeal in an airtight container and refrigerate. It will be fine for 3-4 days. Oatmeal can be frozen too for up to 3 months in freezer-safe, airtight containers, mason jars, or, zip-lock bags. To reheat, if the oatmeal is frozen, thaw it first. Then, reheat either in a microwave or stovetop. Stored oatmeal becomes thick so add some milk while reheating.
Recipe tips, tricks, and variation suggestions
Adjust the amount of milk to get the consistency of oatmeal you prefer. Instead of using 2 cups of milk, you can also use 1 cup of milk and 1 cup of water to cook the oats. Both dairy and non-dairy milk are fine to be used. Add 1-2 tablespoons of chia seeds to make the oats creamier and more nutritious. You can also add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to flavor this oatmeal. The amount of sugar can also be adjusted to suit your sweetness preference. Other sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, agave syrup, brown sugar, coconut sugar, or regular white sugar can be used too. You can also make pumpkin overnight oats using the ingredients of this recipe. The leftover oatmeal can be used to make a lot of other dishes like pumpkin oatmeal muffins, pumpkin oatmeal bake, pumpkin pancakes, etc.
More quick and easy breakfast recipes
If you are also looking for some tasty and healthy breakfast recipes to make on a weekday morning then don’t miss to check out the following easy recipes:
More easy pumpkin recipes
If you enjoyed this easy pumpkin oatmeal recipe and want to try more pumpkin recipes this pumpkin season then the following links are worth checking out: If you liked this recipe, please leave a star rating ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ in the recipe card below. You can also follow me on Instagram, Youtube, and Pinterest.
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