How to Make Protein Oatmeal

If you are tired of mushy and chunky protein powder oats, this blog post is for you. This step-by-step guide will teach you how to make protein oatmeal, with a secret hack. Follow and adapt the base recipe to your likings for a protein-packed breakfast that is healthy and delicious!

Oats – The perfect protein breakfast

Oats are among the healthiest grains on earth. They’re a gluten-free whole grain and a great source of important vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. Some of the nutrients that you can find in oats are manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and iron. What is more, oatmeal is a great source of plant based protein.

But if for you (like for me) the protein in the oats are not enough, protein powder comes into play. Adding a scoop of protein powder to your meal will boost the macros and pack your porridge with protein and taste. The perfect fitness breakfast, especially if you work out early in the morning!

Can I put protein powder in oatmeal?

Yes, absolutely! Adding protein powder to oatmeal is an excellent way to make breakfast more filling and satisfying while boosting your protein intake. And it’s very simple!

But before you start scooping protein powder directly into your oats, wait a second. If you put dry protein powder directly into your porridge, chances are that it will come out lumpy, grainy and chunky. Or even worse, your oats may get dry and rubbery if you accidentally heat whey.

Fortunately you don’t have to go through those struggles anymore, because in this guide I am going to give you a treasure trove of tips on how to make oatmeal with protein powder. Easy, tasty and perfectly creamy.

Secret for the best protein powder oats

The secret for making the best protein powder is to dissolve the powder in water before adding it to your cooked oats. This will allow you to get a delicious porridge that doesn’t taste chunky, mushy or watery.

The ingredients for protein oatmeal

The ingredients for protein oats are pretty simple. They are the same you need to prepare normal oatmeal, but with the addition of protein powder. Here is the complete list.

• Rolled oats: Also known as old fashioned oats, this is probably the most common type of oats in the market. They are characterized by a chewy texture and nutty flavor. I do not recommend replacing with quick oats; they will make your porridge slimy and mushy.
• Protein powder: This recipe can be prepared with whey protein powder, casein or vegan protein powder, flavored or unflavored. Based on the type of protein powder you choose, your porridge may need more or less liquid. Read further for more details.
• Sweetener of choice: You can choose to sweeten oatmeal with maple syrup, honey, agave, brown sugar, coconut sugar or calorie-free alternatives such as erythritol or stevia. Add as much as necessary for you, keeping in mind that most protein powders are already quite flavorsome.
• Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the taste of oatmeal.
• Milk or water: Protein oatmeal can be prepared with either milk (dairy or nondairy), water, or a blend of both. Although all options are good, using milk will produce a richer and creamier porridge.

This basic recipe for protein oatmeal can easily be customized to your preferences by adding extra ingredients, such as vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, cocoa powder or peanut butter.

What protein powder for oats?

Whey, casein or vegan protein powder. You can prepare your porridge with the powder that most suits your needs and preferences. However, the result will slightly change depending on your choice. As a rule of thumb:

• Whey protein powder dissolves very easily and requires very little liquid. Adding too much milk or water will make your protein oatmeal watery.
• Plant based protein powders and casein absorb more liquid and therefore require additional liquid, if you don’t want chunky oats.

The best protein powder flavors

What I like about oats is their versatility. With cinnamon, vanilla or cocoa, they will always taste good. Although this may sounds boring, plain oats are my still favorite. I just can’t get enough. And that’s why I like making my breakfast with unflavored protein powder.

In case plain oats don’t appeal to you, try flavored options. My recommendation is to use simple flavors, such as vanilla or chocolate. But feel free to pick and choose the one you prefer. Brownie, peanut butter, cookie dough or cinnamon crunch, the sky’s the limit!

How to make protein oatmeal with protein powder

Now that you know all about ingredients, let’s come to the hard core of this guide. How to make protein oatmeal the right way.

The correct preparation method is very simple, but sadly not many people know it. Instead of cooking everything together all at once, it divides the process into two steps.

Step 1: Cook the oats

First of all, you will need to cook the oats alone, without protein powder. This is a key step in preventing lumps from forming. Porridge can be prepared either on the stove or in the microwave.

• Stovetop method. In a nonstick pot, bring to boil the water or milk. When the liquid starts boiling, lower the heat and add to the pot rolled oats, preferred sweetener and pinch salt. If desired, include cinnamon and vanilla. Simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the oatmeal reaches the desired texture. Make sure you stir frequently so that your oats do not stick to the pan. Once it is ready, remove from the stove.
• Microwave method. In a microwaveable bowl combine oats, preferred sweetener and pinch salt. If desired, include cinnamon and vanilla. Pour in milk of choice or water and, with the help of a spoon, quickly mix everything together. Microwave on high for 90 seconds to 2 minutes. Stop, stir and restart the microwave if the oats flood while cooking.

Step 2: Add protein powder to oatmeal

Here’s the secret tip. Instead of scooping dry powder directly into your cooked oats, dissolve it first with little water or milk in a separate bowl. Start with one tablespoon and gradually add more liquid while stirring, until you get the desired consistency. Your protein mixture should be neither too thick nor too runny.

As already mentioned before, not all protein powders are the same. Some are more absorbent than others, meaning that your recipe may need small adaptations.

• Whey protein powder. To make whey protein oatmeal you will need to stir your whey with very LITTLE water or milk. As a rule of thumb, per 30 grams scoop you will want to use one to two tablespoons water. Start small, with just 1 tbsp and add more only if necessary
• Vegan protein powder and casein. In contrast to whey, vegan protein powders and casein absorb plenty of liquid. Roughly speaking, they may require 2 to 3 tablespoons water or milk. Also here, start with little and adjust to necessity.

Once ready, stir the mixture into your cooked oatmeal. Do not reheat. For the best result, protein powder should not be cooked.

Topping ideas

We all agree that toppings are the best part of breakfast bowls, don’t we? Well, at least I do. From the peanut butter to mocha, over the years I’ve tried so many different toppings that I could write a book. That’s why I’m including down below some of my favorite oatmeal topping ideas. 

• Peanut butter and banana
• Peanut butter, chocolate chips and banana
• Kiwi, almond butter and cocoa nibs
• Pears and dark chocolate 
• Banana and cashew butter
• Blueberries, pumpkin seeds and almond butter
• A mix of berries and cocoa nibs
• A selection of nut butters over fruit
• Mango, pumpkin seeds and cocoa nibs

Should I use water or milk for oatmeal?

One of the most frequent questions I get is: “Do you put water or milk in oatmeal?”

Unfortunately there is no universal truth. Both milk and water work. But if you prepare protein powder oats with milk, your breakfast will taste significantly better. It will be creamier, richer and more flavorsome than with water. A middle ground between the two options is using a blend of milk and water, let’s say half and half. In this way you’ll still get a delicious oatmeal but lower in calories (and in cost).

FAQ – Frequently asked questions

More high protein breakfast recipes

• Simple protein pancakes
• Cinnamon roll protein crepes
• Chocolate protein smoothie bowl
• Chocolate protein oatmeal
• Protein pancake pizza
• Cottage cheese pancakes
• Whey protein powder oatmeal
• Vanilla protein French toast bites
• Muscle building oatmeal
• High calorie smoothie for bulking