Easy Baked Banana Oatmeal (with Rolled Oats!)

If you’ve never had Baked Oatmeal, you’re in for a real treat! It’s basically oats baked into a custard-like breakfast casserole. A bit crispy on the outside and on the edges while being soft and moist on the inside, I love to serve this rolled oats-packed breakfast treat with a dollop of Greek yogurt over the top and a drizzle of nut butter.

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This easy-baked banana oatmeal is:

• So delicious: This sweet breakfast casserole bakes up perfectly chewy, soft, rich, and a little custardy with a slightly crisp topping. It can be served warm fresh out of the oven or cold, right from the fridge (by the way, if you like cold oats you may also want to try making overnight oats, so good!).
• Super satisfying: A slice of this banana-baked oatmeal is filling, nutritious, and will keep you fueled for hours. It has a great balance of quality carbohydrates, protein, and fat.
• Quick & easy to make: Simple to prep with less than 10 minutes of hands-on time. Great for meal prep! You can enjoy it for a few days without having to worry about what to make for breakfast.

Ingredients needed:

Baked banana oatmeal is made with good-for-you, nutritious ingredients, and tasty add-ins, like cinnamon and vanilla. They’re a lot like my banana-baked oatmeal muffin cups, but are even easier to make because it all gets poured into one 8×8 baking pan! Here’s all you need:

• Rolled oats: The base of this baked oatmeal uses old-fashioned rolled oats. Use certified gluten-free oats, as needed. However, do NOT use quick oats or steel-cut oats because they will not yield the best texture.
• Baking essentials: Baking powder will help the oats become light and fluffy while the salt adds an extra boost of flavor.
• Cinnamon: For a warm, cozy flavor.
• Bananas: The star ingredient that makes this dish perfectly moist and sweet (no added sugar needed).
• Egg whites: This recipe uses 1/3 cup egg whites (or 5 egg whites) to provide structure and bind all of the ingredients together. I like the whites because they add extra protein but you can sub 2 whole eggs if preferred.
• Milk: Any milk variety will work. For a dairy-free option, use almond milk or cashew milk.
• Vanilla extract: For warmth and flavor.
• Coconut sugar: This is optional, but if you want a bit of sweetness, sprinkle just a touch of coconut sugar over the top before baking. For extra sweetness, you can serve it with a drizzle of maple syrup.

How to make this recipe

As much as I love making banana pancakes with rolled oats, this baked oatmeal recipe requires a lot less hands-on time and is super easy to throw together! It’s really just a matter of stirring the ingredients together, pouring the mixture into a pan, and baking it up!

For full, printable instructions, reference the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Prep: Preheat oven to 375ºF and grease an 8×8-inch baking dish or pan with butter, coconut oil or cooking spray.
• Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the oats, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
• Stir wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, mash one banana with the back of your fork until you have a baby food-like consistency. Mix in egg whites, milk, and vanilla; stir to combine.
• Mix dry and wet ingredients: Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and combine well.

• Bake: Line the prepared pan with one sliced banana. Pour and smooth the oat mixture over the bananas and then top with the other sliced banana. Sprinkle sugar over the top (if using) and then pop in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.
• Serve: Cool and slice into 4-6 pieces and enjoy.

Expert tips:

• Use old-fashioned (rolled) oats: Avoid quick oats and steel-cut oats, they won’t work the same and will yield inconsistent results.
• Bake soon after assembly: Don’t make the batter ahead of time and let it sit. The oats will absorb the liquid and bake up dry. As soon as everything is mixed together, pop it in the oven!
• Save (and enjoy) leftovers: This recipe is wonderful the first day it’s made, but leftovers heat up very nicely! Warm individual servings in a bowl in the microwave and add a splash of milk to add creaminess, if desired.
• Use the right-sized pan. This recipe is for an 8×8-inch pan. Very lightly grease with cooking spray or line with parchment paper for easier serving and cleanup.

Serving suggestions

We typically enjoy the oatmeal on its own – it’s plenty satisfying. You can certainly eat it cold, straight from the fridge, but we really love it warmed up with an extra splash of milk. It also pairs well with a variety of breakfast sides. Below are some options:

• Hash browns or breakfast potatoes
• Fresh fruit or fruit salad
• Yogurt
• Bacon, sausage, or ham
• Eggs

Storage recommendations

• Storing leftovers: Place any leftover baked oatmeal in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to 4 days.
• Freeze: Place individual servings in an airtight, freezer-safe container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. 
• Reheat: Place individual slices in the microwave for about 1 to 4 minutes, depending on whether it’s at room temperature or frozen.

Thanks so much for reading! If you make this recipe I would love for you to give it a ★ rating below.  And be sure to follow me on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook for more healthy food inspiration. Cheers!