Why we love this recipe
I love a good bowl of oatmeal.
It’s of course fabulous on a chilly morning in its classic form, with some warm milk and a little brown sugar and maybe some raisins, but I also love in oatmeal in savory form for supper, with a little melted cheddar cheese stirred into it and a soft cooked egg on top.
Mmm, mmm, mmmmm.
So I have breakfast and supper covered, and maybe this newest version can be the lunchtime kind? Yes it can…let’s send our oatmeal to the tropics!
Oatmeal is usually cooked in either water or milk, but in this case we are going to cook it in coconut milk.
And no, I’m not going to have you cracking coconuts for this…you can usually find canned coconut milk in either the baking section or the international foods section of your supermarket.
Make sure you get coconut milk, not cream of coconut. (I may or may not have made this mistake myself at one time.)
And for an even better oatmeal experience, we’re going to use steel cut oatmeal.
What is steel cut oatmeal?
Steel cut oats are still oatmeal, but the oats have been processed a different way to make them thicker and chewier than the thinner, more delicate rolled oats we usually use for oatmeal. They almost look like little pieces of brown rice, because they have been chopped instead of being rolled.
Because they are a sturdier consistency, they take a little longer to cook up, but I promise that they are worth the wait. Especially when you team them up with these other ingredients!
Oh, and once I have talked you into trying steel cut oats with this recipe, I also need you to try this super simple recipe for steel cut overnight oats made in your slow cooker. Yep, you put it together before you go to bed and in the morning, breakfast is served!
Ingredients you need to make oatmeal with coconut milk
- Coconut Milk: This comes in a can, usually in the International section of your store.
- Steel Cut Oatmeal: Look in the breakfast aisle near the rolled oats.
- Almonds: Use raw almonds rather than the salted variety.
- Flaked Coconut: In the baking aisle – we like the sweetened version for this recipe.
- Lime
- Honey
How to make this breakfast recipe
STEP 1: Gently heat up your coconut milk to a simmer and stir in some steel cut oatmeal. Give it a stir and let it cook until the oatmeal is nice and tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
STEP 2: Stir in some chopped almonds and a little sweetened flaked coconut.
STEP 3: Dish it up, and give it a drizzle of honey, a little more flaked coconut and a scattering of fresh lime zest.
STEP 4: That’s all there is to it!
Coconut Oatmeal FAQ
You can! Check the package and substitute coconut milk for whatever liquid (usually water) the instructions call for. But promise me that sometime you will try it with steel cut oats!
Yep! You won’t get as intense a coconut flavor, but it will definitely work.
They are usually hanging out with the other packaged nuts in the snack aisle (not the baking aisle), or if your supermarket has a bulk food section, you can usually get just the amount you need in your own measured bag. Then all you need to do is chop them up, either by hand or in by pulsing a few times in your food processor.
Pop your question in the comments and I will answer pronto!
Scoop up a spoonful that has a little bit of everything in it and savor that first tropical bite. You’ll start appreciating your humble box of oatmeal even more!
OTHER OATMEAL RECIPES WE LOVE!
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PrintCoconut Oatmeal
Give your oatmeal a tropical twist with coconut and a dash of lime. Coconut oatmeal for the breakfast win!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 1/2 cup steel cut oatmeal
- 1/2 cup chopped raw almonds
- 1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut (plus more for garnish)
- Zest from one lime
- Honey for drizzling
Instructions
- Bring coconut milk to simmer in a medium saucepan.
- Stir in oatmeal and simmer until oatmeal is tender, about 15-20 minutes
- Stir in flaked coconut and almonds.
- Divide among bowls and garnish with a little more flaked coconut, lime zest and a little honey.
Notes
This is a rich, filling oatmeal so I usually dish out less than I usually do with regular oatmeal. Because it’s the quality, not the quantity! :)
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