Creamy Zucchini Oatmeal + Blueberry Chia Jam (Vegan)

GFGluten Free

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This Creamy Zucchini Oatmeal can be served hot or cold and makes for the perfect nourishing breakfast! It’s also Vegan, Gluten Free, and Refined Sugar Free.

While I am a fan of Overnight Oats, I will admit they can be…finnicky. If that oats-to-water ratio gets even a little off, you can end up with either soup or sludge.

The solution? Pre-cooked Overnight Oats. Plus, we’re adding some Zucchini to them for some extra nutrients – like Vit A, Folate, Magnesium, and more!

Creamy Zucchini Oatmeal Vegan Make Ahead Breakfast

 Have you ever tried Zucchini in your Oatmeal before? Personally, I love it. It packs a nutritional punch AND it adds extra volume and creaminess. In this recipe, it’s also helping our oats stay moist and soft, even after a few days in the fridge.

Creamy Zucchini Oatmeal Vegan Make Ahead Breakfast

Most Zucchini Oatmeal I’ve seen uses either Quick or Rolled Oats, but I decided to use Steel Cut Oats in this recipe because (1) they keep better in the fridge, (2) they have a wonderful texture, and (3) they have a longer cooking time, which allows our shredded Zucchini to “melt” into the Oat mixture and be almost indecipherable. I can’t even notice it!

Obviously we’re not just going to be eating plain oatmeal here, so I decided to add some Cinnamon to the base recipe, plus create a super simple Blueberry and Lemon Chia Seed Jam. This layers perfectly with the oats, but you could also use it on it’s own!

Creamy Zucchini Oatmeal Vegan Make Ahead Breakfast

I primarily created this recipe for Meal Prep or an easy Make-Ahead breakfast, but it can also be enjoyed warm straight out of that pot. Hey, even if you decide to let it cool and store it in some jars for later, you could always reheat! Personally I enjoy chilled Oats, especially in these warm Summer months. But you do you, girl (or guy) 😉

A Few Final Thoughts:
  • While I personally cannot taste the added zucchini in this oatmeal, I would suggest starting with a small amount if you are a beginner. Feel free to add more as your taste buds get used to it!
  • If you don’t have blueberries on hand you can make the Chia Jam with raspberries, strawberries, or any other berry in your fridge or freezer
  • This Oatmeal is perfect for meal prep – just portion out your oats and jam into old jars or tupperware, and top as desired!

If you make this recipe and decide to post a photo on Instagram, be sure to tag me @frommybowl + #frommybowl so I can see your delicious recreation!

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Creamy Zucchini Oatmeal with Blueberry Chia Jam

This Creamy Zucchini Oatmeal can be served hot or cold and makes for the perfect nourishing breakfast! It’s also Vegan, Gluten Free, and Refined Sugar Free.

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 Servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For the Zucchini Oatmeal:

  • 1 Large Zucchini, peeled
  • 1 cup Steel Cut Oats
  • 2 cup Plant Milk of Choice
  • 2 cup Filtered Water
  • 23 tsp Cinnamon (optional, to taste)
  • 24 tbsp Maple Syrup (optional, to taste)

For the Blueberry Chia Jam:

  • 12 oz Blueberries, Frozen or Fresh
  • 1/4 cup Chia Seeds
  • Juice of 1/2 Lemon
  • 2 tbsp Maple Syrup (optional, to taste)

Instructions

  1. Peel the Zucchini and grate it over a large pot. 
  2. Add in the Steel Cut Oats, Cinnamon, Plant Milk, Water, and Sweetener, if you are using any. Stir well and bring to a boil.
  3. Let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. 
  4. In the meantime, prepare the Blueberry Chia Jam. Add 12 oz of Blueberries to a medium pot with the Lemon Juice, Chia Seeds, and optional Maple Syrup and stir over Medium Heat, until the Blueberries have thawed and the mixture has thickened. (Note: It is best to stop cooking the jam while it is still a little runnier than your liking, as the mixture will thicken as it cools).
  5. Once the Oats and Jam have finished cooking, remove from heat and serve immediately, if eating warm. Top as desired.
  6. For meal prep, let both mixtures cool completely, then layer into 4 jars or tupperware containers, adding any additional toppings, if desired.

Notes

Cinnamon may be substituted for any other spice of your liking.

Blueberries can be substituted for any other berry of your liking.

Keep in mind that both the Steel Cut Oats and the Chia Jam will thicken as they cool, so it is best to stop the simmering process a little bit before these mixtures reach your desired consistency.

* Steel Cut oats can be substituted for Quick Oats or Rolled Oats, but keep in mind that the Zucchini will not incorporate as much. Follow the instructions on your Oat container for proper cooking times and liquid ratios.

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Creamy Zucchini Oatmeal Vegan Make Ahead Breakfast

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About the Author

Hey there, I’m Caitlin! I make easy-to-follow, wholesome, and budget-friendly vegan recipes that are mostly gluten-free and refined sugar-free. I’m also an avid yogi, love the great outdoors, am chocolate-obsessed, and enjoy eating almond butter straight off of the spoon.

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Comments

  1. So so good! I am referring to them as Zucchini Bread Oats. It tastes just like my homemade zucchini bread (need to figure out how to veganize that)! Love it!

    1. Happy to hear you enjoyed it! Zucchini bread and muffins are so great – love them so much!

  2. I really didn’t think I would like this recipe as much as I do! I’m not a huge fan of oats, but the zucchini and the extra milk in this recipe makes them soooo creamy. Thank you, Caitlin

  3. Love this recipe! I’ve made it many many times. I add a little water to the blueberries when I use fresh and I’ve found it helps with the consistency and incorporating the chia seeds. Otherwise, I prepare as written. It’s delicious! Perfect for meal prep!!

  4. I just made these for meal prep this week and they taste so good! I love being able to incorporate veggies into my breakfast with something other than a smoothie. Thank you for the great recipe Caitlin ????❤️

  5. 5 stars
    Awesome recipe! I found that the jam procedure worked with frozen strawberries too. I tried this the first time with rolled oats, which worked really well, but the second time I only had quick oats, which ended up being the texture of rubber, so I don’t recommend that. I think the jam recipe is amazing on its own. It isn’t too sweet and is so easy. I made this two weeks in a row for my breakfast meal prep! Thank you Caitlin!

  6. 5 stars
    This has been amazing to have on hand. The jam was tart with just the right amount of sweetness, and I love the fact I’m getting some veggies in with breakfast. Thanks for a great recipe, for sure I will make again.

  7. Any suggestions for adding frozen berries? I feel like if I put them into the main cooking pot then they will just melt into it too much, but if I put them on top before I warm it up for the day (don’t like cold oats) then they might water it down. Thoughts?

    1. Hi Jeannie, if you add the berries to the oats just as you finish cooking them, they should melt just enough but not break down too much!

    1. Hi Laura, I would cook it for 3-5 minutes, then let it naturally release for 10 minutes. However, I believe the liquid ratios might be different for oats in the Instant Pot

  8. Hey Caitlin! I came across your channel a few weeks ago, and I’ve recently made the decision to transition to a vegan diet. I’ll be using your blog and YouTube channel as a resource for many weeks to come! I can’t wait to try these overnight oats, but I have a quick question: how long will this recipe keep in the fridge? Thanks!

    1. That is awesome, Emily! I’d say this lasts about 6-7 days in the fridge. I usually make it on Sundays and then I don’t have to worry about my breakfast for the rest of the work week!