Quick and Easy Peanut Butter Oatmeal
Quick and Easy Peanut Butter Oatmeal is perfect when you need some breakfast in a hurry, and this delicious oatmeal is a treat you can literally make in minutes!
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Most people who cook at home regularly have favorite recipes they make over and over, and this Quick and Easy Peanut Butter Oatmeal that I learned to make from fellow food blogger Alanna Kellogg back in October 2006 is one of my favorite things to make when I need a really quick breakfast and want a treat. This simple four ingredient breakfast treat combines microwaved extra-thick oatmeal with a generous scoop of peanut butter, for a simple easy breakfast that tastes delicious and will keep you going until lunch. This is a splurge on carbs for me, but if you’re not watching carbs you’ll probably make it over and over!
This is ridiculously easy to make, but there is a little technique to the recipe or the oatmeal will bubble over in the microwave. And if you have a 4-cup glass measuring cup, that’s the perfect tall container for making two servings. (Of course if you don’t have a microwave or don’t want to use it, you can make regular oatmeal on the stove and then stir in the peanut butter, although that breakfast won’t be quite as quick and easy.)
What Type of Oatmeal Do I Use for Peanut Butter Oatmeal?
There are three types of oatmeal: instant oatmeal, quick oatmeal, and regular oatmeal (also called rolled oats). Some people also like steel cut oats, which are even more nutritious but not suitable for microwave cooking like this! Here’s some information about all the types of oats from Cook’s Thesaurus.
Since less processed foods are lower on the glycemic index, regular oatmeal is best for carb-conscious eaters or South Beach Dieters. I always use Bob’s Red Mill Extra Thick Rolled Oats (affiliate link) for this recipe. (That’s an affiliate link, and because I know some of you are wondering, Bob’s Red Mill has not compensated me in any way to promote their oatmeal!)
Can Peanut Butter Oatmeal Be Made Ahead?
I knew some of you who scramble to even find a couple of minutes in the morning would want to know this, so I tried it, and yes you can make this, refrigerate overnight, and then heat the next day. Add a bit of water and microwave for about 1 minute to reheat. However, you’re only saving minutes, and it’s much better freshly made.
Tips for Making Peanut Butter Oatmeal:
The basic ratio for Quick and Easy Peanut Butter Oatmeal is one part oatmeal to not quite two parts water. I use 1/2 cup of Bob’s Red Mill Extra Thick Rolled Oats for a single serving for myself. Don’t forget to add a pinch of salt for each portion of oatmeal. Then microwave the oatmeal until it’s done (see below for timing), add the peanut butter and let it melt, and stir. That’s it. And peanut butter oatmeal is meatless, vegan, South Beach Diet Phase Two, dairy-free, and kid-friendly!
I like chunky peanut butter best in this for a little extra crunch. And if you’re a mom or dad who’s making breakfast for kids it would be easy to turn this into peanut butter and jelly oatmeal, which would still be a really nutritious breakfast for a school-day morning.
How to Make Quick and Easy Peanut Butter Oatmeal:
(Scroll down for complete recipe with nutritional information.)
- For two servings of oatmeal, you’ll need about 1 cup rolled oats (not instant), 1 3/4 cups of water (or a little more if you like thinner oatmeal), and a little salt.
- Stir the oatmeal, water, and salt together in a 4-cup glass measuring cup (or a bowl with high sides) and microwave on high for 2 minutes.
- Then stir and cook the oatmeal 40-60 seconds more, stirring once or twice, until it’s as thick and soft as you prefer.
- I always use my favorite Adams 100% Natural Peanut Butter (affiliate link), but choose a peanut butter without added sugar if that’s important to you.
- Add 4 tablespoons peanut butter, let it melt a couple of minutes, then stir into the oatmeal.
That’s it! Peanut butter oatmeal is easy and delicious for a quick healthful breakfast.
More Tasty Ideas with Oatmeal:
Baked Blueberry Oatmeal ~ Nutmeg Nanny
CrockPot Make-Ahead Apple Pie Oatmeal ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen
Slow Cooker Joyful Almond Oatmeal ~ Apron Strings
Low-Sugar Whole Wheat and Oatmeal Blueberry Muffins with Lemon ~ Kalyn’s Kitchen
Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal with Raisins and Pecans ~ The Perfect Pantry
Strawberry Overnight Oats ~ Family Food on the Table
This Quick and Easy Peanut Butter Oatmeal makes a great breakfast in a hurry! I always use Bob's Red Mill Extra Thick Rolled Oats (affiliate link) for this. Be sure you the oats you use are certified Gluten-Free if needed; some oats are not gluten-free. This recipe created and generously shared by my friend Alanna. Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Quick and EASY Peanut Butter Oatmeal
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 274Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 456mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 5gSugar: 2gProtein: 10g 
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Oatmeal is too high in carbs for a traditional low-carb diet, but this Quick and Easy Peanut Butter Oatmeal is low-glycemic and is approved for phase two or three of the South Beach Diet.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Breakfast Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Recipes by Diet Type photo index pages to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You can also Follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
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97 Comments on “Quick and Easy Peanut Butter Oatmeal”
Anonymous, I've never tried it with other kinds of nut butters but I can't imagine why it wouldn't be good.
Can you use some of the other nut butters, like almond butter? I don't care for peanut butter in other foods. Thanks
I love peanut butter and because of that, I might have added too much peanut butter.
I was searching for a better way to make oatmeal with brown sugar and cinnamon and came across your recipe for oatmeal and peanut butter. I added extra peanut butter and like I said, I added too much. I'll have to try this again, with less peanut butter.
Thanks so much for this fabulous idea!!! I used a variation of this as the first post of my own food blog.
http://adashofsass.com/2009/01/28/peanut-butter-steel-cut-oatmeal/
Thanks for providing such great (South Beach friendly) recipes. I’ve made quite a few and your page has become a frequent reference page for me.
Jen, glad you liked it! This is definitely my favorite SB breakfast for work days!
I just made my regular whole rolled oats with milk and water and stirred in some peanut butter. It’s delicious! Thanks for the idea. It’s so filling and makes a great change from eggs.
Well, though peanut butter is definitely an acquired taste (and something I haven’t yet acquired, I must admit), I had this peanut butter oatmeal in St Louis this summer – made by ‘the’ Alanna herself – and I quite liked it 🙂
A great way to start the day I will try this!
Peanut butter works surprisingly well in oatmeal. I like to add bananas to to the oatmeal and peanut butter as well.
Andrea, now I’ve got to look for “pin head oats.” Never heard of that before!
Asan oatmeal lover, I am going to have to try this! Thanks for the idea.
I am also a complete convert to “pin head” oats, and I use the crock pot to cook them overnight, so they are ready in the morning. (A trick I learned from Alton Brown.) Simply use one cup of pinhead oats to four cups water, or replace one of the cups of water with milk or cream for a slightly richer version. Sooo good!
Adding peanut butter would be like a p-b oat cookie, yes? Yum!
Hello there! I am sooo excited I found your blog. I did South Beach Diet several years ago with Weight Watchers support and lost 25 lbs. I got pregnant and now I’m back to square one. I am going to start the South Beach again tomorrow and I’m THRILLED to find your blog. It’s amazing and so informative. I’m sure this is going to be a wealth of knowledge for me. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I cannot say it enough. Your blog will keep me motivated and fed each and every day. Let’s the games begin…hehehehe.
I DO THIS TOO
it’s awesome. daily lunch. plus fat free greek yogurt and i’m in heaven
I do the Zone diet plan, and I’ve done this for a few years now. I just either stir in some fat-free cottage cheese or low-carb yogurt (people turn their noses up at the sound of this combo, but trust me, it is very tasty), or add some microwaved turkey bacon on the side, to increase the protein and make it more Zone favorable.
HRM, I am just about to make some for myself! So glad you liked it, and thanks to Alanna for introducing me to this idea.
Peanut butter and Oatmeal. I have finally found another breakfast I can eat on the South Beach without involving eggs. I love eggs, but everyday is just too much routine for me! Before SB if I had oatmeal it would be with equal parts of brown sugar, so I wasn’t sure how I was going to manage oatmeal without sugar. And then I found your PB idea. I have just finished the bowl and mmm it was good and I am full and happy. Thank you! Another day started right on the South Beach!
Anonymous, I’d say it tastes more like oatmeal than peanut butter, but you can taste the peanut butter a bit.
Good idea to cook overnight!
Is the peanut butter a strong flavor? I’m not a fan at all, but I love oatmeal.
I cheat when I make my steel cut oats. I bring 4C of water to a boil, add my cinnamon, or apple pie seasonings, and then add 1C of oats. Then I turn it off and let it sit over night. In the morning, I just turn the heat on, adjust the flavoring, and cook it till warm through – 7 min or so.
No big crock pot to clean, and by the time the coffee is ready, so are your steel cut oats.
I have been addicted to food blogs lately. This is a definite try and great for my diabetic husband. Soooo Fast!! Thanks for the creative idea to both parties involved -Sarita
By the way, for those who want some awesome tasting steel-cut oatmeal, check out Coach’s Oats…they sell them at Costco in a huge bag and they cook in 4 minutes in the microwave. Totally South Beach friendly and they are wonderful with a little peanut butter added.