4 Simple Methods for Thickening Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a staple breakfast that people all around the globe enjoy. It is a quick and simple breakfast to prepare on mornings when you need to get out the door as quickly as possible, and it can be personalized in a variety of ways.

Yet, with so many various types of oatmeal available, there will always come a moment when you find that your oatmeal is not the ideal texture.

Although this is less prevalent when making oatmeal from scratch since you have perfect control over the thickness and consistency of the oats, it is quite common when preparing instant oatmeal or a derivative of it.

Due of its popularity, many individuals may wish to experiment with thickening their oatmeal themselves.

However, since oatmeal is such a simple breakfast to prepare, there are several methods to thicken your porridge. Some individuals like a creamier consistency for their oatmeal, while others want to avoid the watery nature of certain quick oatmeal.

Whatever the issue is with your oatmeal, you can be confident that there will be solutions to restore it to its original texture.

1 – Using Thickening Agents

Thickening agents are thus named for a reason: their only function in food is to enhance the thickness and volume of the meal. It is normally safe to add thickening agents to your meal, regardless of the kind of food, since these agents only influence the texture of the food and not the taste.

This implies that if your oatmeal is excellent except for the consistency, you may just wish to add one of the various natural thickening agents available.

All-purpose flour is one of the most popular thickening agents available, and although you may absolutely use it in your oatmeal, you will want to steer clear of it while dealing with oats. You should substitute coconut flour instead.

Coconut flour is well-known for its superior thickening capabilities. This means you may achieve a thicker oatmeal with less flour, which is crucial to consider given how difficult it may be to get coconut flour in certain places.

Normally, one or two teaspoons of coconut flour may be added to the cooked oats, stirred together, and set alone for a minute. Before you know it, you’ll have much thicker oatmeal with the added advantage of coconut flour being fairly healthy.

Xanthan gum is another thickening agent that you might consider. Xanthan gum is often used to thicken pastries, sauces, smoothies, and just about any other cuisine. It is also one of the few gluten-free thickening agents available.

Most of the time, the xanthan gum packaging will provide instructions on how much gum to add to your oatmeal. If you don’t have any on hand, try these xanthan gum substitutes.

2 – Using Liquids and Liquid Adjacent

If you don’t have an appropriate thickening agent on hand, you may use almost any sort of liquid you can find in your kitchen.

Of course, the kind of liquid you choose can affect the taste of the oats, so keep that in mind as you rummage through your fridge for the right addition to your porridge. There are also a number of things that aren’t exactly liquids but are near enough.

The most frequent liquid to use is milk, although coconut cream, juice, and water will all work. The key here is to make a reduction.

Reduces effort by simmering the liquid (and oatmeal) in question on the stove until it starts to thicken. The oats should begin to absorb any liquid you have chosen to add to the oatmeal, increasing the volume and thickening it.

Yogurt and egg whites are two of the most prevalent liquid-adjacent ingredients. You may use almost any sort of yogurt for this, but bear in mind that the taste of the yogurt will transfer to the oats.

When using yogurt, cook the oats as you would for oatmeal, simply adding the yogurt at the end to receive the full advantages of this ingredient.

You may also use egg whites for this, which is pretty typical in certain regions of the globe where people eat oatmeal more often than others. Since egg whites absorb whatever flavor you give to the oats, you may need to add a little additional seasoning to ensure that your oatmeal stays as tasty as you want it to be.

Although it is feasible to use a full egg instead of only the egg whites for this, it is not suggested due to the way egg yolks tend to overshadow other meals in flavor.

In the same way that yogurt and milk may be used to thicken oatmeal, if you want a fruity oatmeal, try adding a smoothie to the mix. A smoothie could be an excellent side drink to pair with the oats, but smoothies can also be used to thicken the porridge.

Remember to only add the smoothie after the oats have finished cooking, since you don’t want to disturb them too much.

3 – Using Fruits and Vegetables

You may not know it, but if you want to make a nutritious addition to your oatmeal, you can puree up veggies and fruits and mix them in.

Not only will this enhance the flavor of the oatmeal, but it will also help you acquire the nutrients you need for the day. Yet, certain veggies and fruits function better than others.

Bananas are a fantastic example of a fruit that works nicely. Bananas are inherently smooth and creamy, and they mix well, making them an easy addition to your oatmeal when you’re ready to thicken it.

If you don’t have or don’t like bananas, applesauce, pumpkin, most pureed fruit, and mashed berries are all good substitutes.

Although your oatmeal may turn an odd hue if you do this, you can also add leafy greens to it using the same method. While doing this, make sure that you have blended the leafy greens as much as possible, ideally with milk or water.

This will not only make the oatmeal more full, but it will also give it a more healthy start to your day.

Chia seeds are not technically a fruit or vegetable, but they are another addition to oatmeal that is both safe and simple to create. Chia, flax, and sesame seeds all perform well in this situation.

To include these seeds into your diet, ground them as finely as possible so that they do not impart a gritty or grainy feel to your porridge.

4 – Using Other Foods in Your Oatmeal

Several of the items on this list may add volume and thickness to your oatmeal but do not fit cleanly into the categories of fruit, vegetable, liquid, or thickening agent.

These ingredients are not traditional for thickening oatmeal, but depending on what you have in your cupboard, they may be one of the simplest options to explore. Some of these additives may even significantly increase the flavor as well as the nutrients contained in oatmeal.

Consider how many people add egg whites to their porridge to make it thicker. If you are vegan or cannot eat eggs, this may be an issue for you.

Silken tofu is a surprisingly close substitute that you would not anticipate. Silken tofu is well-known for its ability to substitute for egg whites, and what makes it even better is that it is virtually totally flavorless.

After adding the tofu to the oatmeal, you won’t even realize that you’ve added tofu to your morning. Generally, once the oats have completed cooking, whisk a quarter-cup of silken tofu and add it to the oatmeal. A hand whisk or a stick blender are the finest tools to use for this.

Nut butters are another innovative and savory method to thicken your porridge. Naturally, nut butters are generally thick, creamy, and delicious on toast. Since oats have a similar flavor to bread, adding them to your oatmeal may significantly enhance its flavor.

To achieve the desired thickness, just one or two teaspoons of nut butter should be added to the cooked oats.

Some individuals believe that cashew butter is the ideal option for oatmeal since it is creamier and lighter than almond butter. It will provide enough thickness to your oatmeal to make a difference, but not so much that it becomes inedible.

If the nut butter is causing problems, try combining it with extra milk or water. This will help the oats not cling together as much, leaving you with the ideal oatmeal recipe.