A simple vegan porridge made with sweet bananas, cinnamon, and chopped almonds. It’s a healthy, quick, and filling vegan-friendly breakfast that is ready in under 10 minutes!
Oatmeal is one of my favorite ways to start the day! It’s full of fiber, has added protein, and it’s low in calories and fat. Plus, you can flavor it in so many ways, it never gets boring! It’s a simple plant-based breakfast!
One of my favorites for a weekend morning is my vegan baked oatmeal. When I’m in the mood for something decadent, I make my brownie oatmeal, and when I want to prepare something in advance I make my peanut butter overnight oats, protein overnight oats, or banana overnight oats!
The challenge with some recipes is that there is a ton of added sugar! The sugar comes in the form of maple syrup, brown sugar, or dried fruit.
It’s totally fine to add a bit of sweetness to your oats, but instead of adding it in the form or refined sugars, how about adding it naturally?
Bananas are sweet and creamy which is the perfect addition to this porridge recipe! Spiced with cinnamon, and with a smooth milky finish, this porridge recipe is everything you need to start your day off right!
This simple recipe takes less than 10 minutes to prepare, making it the perfect busy weekday morning breakfast!
The whole family will enjoy this warm bowl of creamy banana goodness. And it will keep you full and satisfied until lunchtime! Nothing beats a warm bowl of creamy banana porridge on a cold morning.
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Why This Recipe Works
- Delicious Breakfast
- Smooth and Creamy
- Naturally Sweetened
- Simple Ingredients
- Quick and Easy Recipe
- Nutritious and Filling
- High in Fiber
- Vegan
- Gluten-Free
Ingredients and Notes
Rolled Oats: There are several varieties of oats including rolled oats, quick oats, and steel-cut oats. For this recipe, rolled oats work best. Quick oats end up being rather mushy, and steel-cut oats take quite a bit of time to cook. Rolled oats retain their texture while also cooking quickly enough to make this breakfast in under 10 minutes.
Water: The ratio of oats to water is 1:2. Therefore, for this recipe you’ll need one cup of water.
Ripe Banana: This recipe is a great way to use your ripe bananas! Unripe bananas are bitter and starchy. The more ripe the banana, the sweeter the porridge!
Cinnamon: Adds warmth and brings out the flavor of the banana. Feel free to add a bit of ginger, cloves, nutmeg, or allspice. I use ground cinnamon rather than a cinnamon stick.
Ground Flax: Gives the porridge some texture, but also adds fiber, protein, and omega-3s!
Chopped Nuts: For this recipe, I used slivered almonds, but feel free to use any chopped nuts you have or prefer. Chopped pecans or walnuts would work well too!
Unsweetened Almond Milk: Use unsweetened almond milk to limit the sugar. Stir in at the very end to create a creamy texture.
Vegan Porridge Instructions
Prepare Oats: In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup of water over high heat. When water comes to a boil, add the oats. Reduce to medium heat, and cook for 5 minutes or until oats thicken.
Add Banana: Chop half of the banana into small cubes. Reserve the other half for later. Add banana cubes to the saucepan, and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes until bananas soften.
Spices: Add the cinnamon, ground flax seeds, maple syrup (optional), and vanilla extract (optional). Stir to combine.
Stir in Almond Milk: Transfer porridge to a small bowl. Add the almond milk, and stir. Top with the reserved sliced banana, and chopped nuts. Enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Use rolled oats, not quick oats or steel-cut oats.
- Make sure your banana is ripe! The riper the banana the sweeter it will be, and therefore you won’t need to add any additional sugar.
- To reduce the overall calories, leave out the nuts, or use half the banana instead of the whole banana.
- Allow the banana to simmer with the oats for a few minutes until it breaks down and becomes soft. This helps to incorporate the sweetness through every bite!
- To create a creamy porridge, add the almond milk at the end, and stir to combine everything together. Let sit for a minute for all the flavors to meld together.
FAQS
It’s a breakfast dish that is typically made with starchy plants, and/or whole grains, that are heated and boiled to create a warm cereal dish.
More or less it is the same thing. We call it oatmeal here in the United States, whereas in the United Kingdom you will likely hear it called porridge. Both oatmeal and porridge are hot cereals that are cooked with water or milk.
Jamaican green banana porridge is made with coconut milk. It does not include any cereal or oats, but it does include warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. It is also served as a breakfast and has a very smooth and creamy texture.
How to Serve
Top with Banana and Nuts: My favorite way to serve this porridge is to top it with fresh banana slices, and a few chopped nuts.
Sprinkle of Cinnamon: Sprinkle a little bit of cinnamon on top.
Drizzle with Maple Syrup: If you feel like your porridge is just not sweet enough (maybe your banana isn’t ripe enough) add a small drizzle of maple syrup, or a teaspoon of coconut sugar.
How to Store and Keep
If you happen to have any leftovers, allow the oats to cool then transfer them to an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. When ready to reheat, add a tablespoon of water to your bowl, and microwave for about a minute to heat through.
Variations and Substitutions
Cream of Wheat: You can use a Cream of Wheat cereal instead of oats. It has a creamier texture.
Top with Fresh Fruit: Use the banana in the oats for sweetness, but then top with your favorite fresh fruit such as blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries.
Nut Butter: Instead of chopped nuts, stir in a tablespoon of your favorite nut butter such as peanut butter, almond butter, or cashew butter.
Cornmeal Porridge: Use ⅓ cup of cornmeal, and 1 cup of water.
Recipe
Banana Porridge
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1 cup water
- 1 ripe banana
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground flax
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup optional
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- 1 tablespoon chopped almonds pecans or walnuts
- ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, heat 1 cup of water. When water comes to boil, add the oats. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes or until oats thicken.
- Chop half of the banana into small cubes. Reserve the other half for later. Add banana cubes to the saucepan, and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes until bananas soften.
- Add the cinnamon, maple syrup (optional) and ground flax seeds. Stir to combine.
- Transfer porridge to a small bowl. Add the almond milk, and stir. Top with reserved sliced banana, and chopped nuts. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Use rolled oats, not quick oats or steel-cut oats.
- Make sure your banana is ripe! The riper the banana the sweeter it will be, and therefore you won’t need to add any additional sugar.
- To reduce the overall calories, leave out the nuts, or use half the banana instead of the whole banana.
- Allow the banana to simmer with the oats for a few minutes until it breaks down and becomes soft. This helps to incorporate the sweetness through every bite!
- Will keep in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.
Kechi
What a satisfying and nutritious bowl of oatmeal porridge! I love that you added flaxseed, too!
Tara
Such a wonderful and comforting breakfast! Especially with a little drizzle of maple syrup over the top. I love how easily it all comes together.
Jen
This is such a perfect breakfast now that my kids are back in school. We all love it with either almond milk or oat milk. Simmering the banana with the oats is a nice touch!
Andrea
This is my kind of porridge. Packed with such goodness and flavors. A perfect to wake me up in the morning.
Beth
This is such a delicious breakfast! I’ve eaten it every day this week. Thanks!