This protein oatmeal with tofu is the easiest vegan oatmeal recipe you’ll ever make! It’s super satisfying and only requires 7 ingredients and 12 minutes to prepare.
If there is one thing that I don’t mess around with in life it’s my morning bowl of oatmeal. Tucking into a warming bowl of the good stuff is quite honestly my own form of meditation because it makes me feel zen AF.
So you KNOW that whenever I have a new oatmeal recipe up on the blog, that it has been seriously vetted. I made sure that this protein oatmeal with tofu hit all of my criteria – including nutrition, flavour, and efficiency (and the *zen* factor of course). Your morning routine will thank you!
Table of contents
Why This Recipe Works
This protein oatmeal is insanely easy, you’ll wonder what you ever did without it! But if you need a bit more convincing, here are a few more reasons why you need to try this recipe ASAP.
- High in protein (8 grams per serving)
- High in fibre (5 grams per serving)
- Requires less than 10 ingredients
- Only takes 12 minutes to prepare
- Balanced and satiating
Key Ingredients
Oats – We use old fashioned rolled oats as they cook more quickly than steel cut oats. If you need to make this recipe gluten free, you can also opt for gluten free oats.
Silken Tofu – This is the secret ingredient to making this protein oatmeal high in protein AND vegan friendly. I will often rely on my whipped protein oatmeal recipe in the mornings which uses egg whites, but silken tofu is an excellent alternative if you need to make this egg-free or vegan.
Banana – A super ripe banana is one of my favourite ways to sweeten oats without the need to add any additional added sugar.
Flavour Enhancers – To give this protein oatmeal a flavour boost we add some cinnamon and maple syrup while also having a little fun with the toppings! You can top these protein oats with anything you have on hand but I love adding fruit, nut butter, yogurt, granola, or sprinkles.
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: In a small pot, combine the oats with the water, salt and cinnamon. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium. Stir the pot occasionally until the oats have absorbed almost all of the water but are still very moist and thick (about 3-5 minutes).
Step 2-3: Blend the tofu in a blender then add them to the pot with the oats. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture is creamy and fluffs up (about 3 minutes).
Step 4: Stir in the vanilla, and banana and again, stir until well combined. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let the oats sit for another 3 minutes until they really puff up and get super creamy and rich.
Step 5: Add toppings of choice and enjoy!
Expert Tips
I am a BIG oatmeal gal, and I take every element very seriously – and that very much includes TEXTURE. Which is why we are using water instead of milk to make this tofu protein oatmeal because water yields a creamier texture. I find that using too much milk will yield a thick and sticky oatmeal and that is no bueno in my books.
A super ripe banana is ideal if you like your oats to be on the sweeter side (because the browner the banana, the sweeter the taste). But if you are impartial to sweetness, a moderately ripe banana is perfectly fine to use and will still add some extra creaminess and flavour to this protein oatmeal.
Recipe FAQs
Definitely! You can make these overnight oats styles or cook them the day before and reheat in the morning with a bit of water or milk and add your favourite toppings when you are ready to eat.
Silken tofu is preferred as it yields a thick and creamy texture when blended, making it ideal as a stand-in for milk or cream. While you can totally try using regular tofu, it may yield more of a crumbly texture and that is just a hard no in my books (like I said, I take texture VERY seriously).
Definitely! You can make this gluten free by using gluten free oats.
So many ways! You can add protein-rich toppings such as hemp seeds, nuts, seeds, or your favourite butters. Otherwise, you can mix in some high-protein yogurt (vegan or otherwise).
More Recipes You Might Like
If you loved this protein oatmeal, then you will love these oatmeal recipes on the blog!
- Whipped Protein Oatmeal (PROATS)
- Creme Brulee Oatmeal
- Pina Colada Oatmeal
- Baked Oatmeal with Chocolate and Zucchini
Have you tried this protein oatmeal with tofu? I’d love to know your thoughts down in the comments below!
Protein Oatmeal with Tofu (Vegan)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup old fashion rolled oats gluten free if needed
- 3/4 cup water
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- 3 oz silken tofu
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 very ripe banana finely mashed
Topping Suggestions
- Yogurt, granola, nut butter, fruit
- Chocolate chips, peanut butter, banana
- Sprinkles and fruit
Instructions
- In a small pot, combine the oats with the water, salt and cinnamon. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium. Stir the pot occasionally until the oats have absorbed almost all of the water but are still very moist and thick (about 3-5 minutes).
- Blend the tofu in a blender, then add them to the pot with the oats. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture is creamy and fluffs up (about 3 minutes).
- Stir in the vanilla, and banana and again, stir until well combined. Turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let the oats sit for another 3 minutes until they really puff up and get super creamy and rich.
Nutrition
Abbey Sharp is a Registered Dietitian (RD), regulated by the Ontario College of Dietitians. She is a mom, YouTuber, Blogger, award winning cookbook author, media coach specializing in food and nutrition influencers, and a frequent contributor to national publications like Healthline and on national broadcast TV shows.
Millie says
“protein oatmeal” and it has 8g of protein for 44g of carbs, you must be kidding.
Lisa says
Can this be heated using a microwave and plain 5 minute oats? What modifications would need to be made?
Abbey Sharp says
Hi Lisa, I haven’t tried it but I think it could work. I would recommend microwaving in 30 second intervals and stirring often to ensure the tofu is mixed in.
KJ says
Do you think this would freeze well? I do a lot of batch cooking and always looking for ways to make breakfast quicker with toddlers
Kate says
This was actually very delicious. I had my doubts before I made it but you’ve come up with a winner! Creamy and plenty of protein to fill you up.
Thanks.
Marti says
The tofu makes this noticeably more filing than oatmeal alone. Hours after breakfast I still feel satisfied.
Dee says
could I make this and refridgerate it overnight and then reheat?
Abbey Sharp says
Yes you can!
Christine says
Delicious and filling!
Jaime says
I made this in bulk (4x most ingredients except water). I added pb fit for some peanut butter flavor. I then reheat each day. Keeps just fine for 4 days although I do add fruit the day I eat it (not when I make it).
Alexa says
So yummy! My sis and I are vegetarian and we’ve never tried silken tofu in a sweet recipe so we were skeptical at first. We were absolutely delighted with how it turned out! It’s so smooth and silky, and it kept us full until lunch time. We topped it with half a banana each, some peanut butter and some Crofter’s Super Fruit Spread. Give it a try, you’ll be surprised!!!