Carrot Cake Oatmeal

4.91 from 41 votes

Start your day off with a cozy and tasty dose of vegetables with this carrot cake oatmeal. It combines carrot, cinnamon, walnuts (or pecans), and hearty oats for a delicious and nutritious plant-based breakfast. Plus, we’ve included options for stovetop, baked, and carrot cake overnight oats!

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Servings: bowl

Calories: 410kcal

Author: Lauren Bossi

Equipment

Ingredients

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup shredded carrots
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (optional)
1/4 cup raw pecans or walnuts (optional)

Instructions

Boil 3/4 cup water over a stove in a small saucepan - once boiling, add in oats, reduce heat cover for 3-5 minutes.
Once oats are prepared, stir in cinnamon, maple syrup and carrots and mix over medium heat for an additional 2-3min to insure no excess water is present.
Add nuts to carrot cake mixture or crumble over the top and serve hot. Enjoy!

Notes

If you prefer looser oatmeal: You can add a little additional milk/water towards the end of the cooking and stir in until you reach your desired consistency.
Adjust the carrot texture: I like to use the medium setting on a grater for texture. However, you can use finely shredded carrot if preferred.
Grate the carrots in seconds: You can use the grating disk on your food processor.
For more tender carrots: You can allow the carrot to boil with the water/milk for several minutes before adding any other ingredients. I recommend boiling for 3-4 minutes.

Variations:

Dried fruit: Raisins/ sultanas/craisins are not only usually low budget, but they are a classic addition to carrot cake and will add some texture and sweetness.
Chia/Flaxseed: Adding some chia/flax seed will not only increase the protein in the recipe, but they pack in a ton of other benefits too. I recommend adding 1 tbsp. Add them in the beginning if you don’t mind them becoming gelatinous within the mixture, or just before serving if you’d prefer them to be crunchier.
Nutmeg/ginger: A small pinch of one or both is all you need for extra flavor. Plus, it costs practically nothing if it’s already in your pantry! Allspice would also work.
Yogurt: I like to finish off this bowl of carrot cake oatmeal with a big dollop of vegan yogurt (like the frosting on the cake).
Vegan cream cheese: Alternatively, you can combine some plain vegan cream cheese with a bit of maple and vanilla to swirl into the top of the carrot cake oatmeal.
Salt: Just a tiny pinch of salt will enhance the flavors in this carrot oatmeal.
Vanilla: Just a little will enhance the overall flavor in the carrot cake oatmeal and make it feel more like dessert.
Coconut: Raw or lightly toasted unsweetened shredded coconut will add texture, flavor, and healthy fats to the carrot cake oatmeal recipe. I prefer mine lightly toasted (in a dry pan for several minutes) then sprinkled over the oats for some crunch.

Nutrition