This Low Carb “Oatmeal” is actually oat free, but it tastes just like the real thing! It’s a hearty, delicious breakfast that’s super satisfying and can be ready in just 15 minutes.
Oatmeal has long been considered a healthy and nutritious way to start your day. However, while oats are high in fiber and have a low glycemic index, they are quite high in carbohydrates.
This means they aren’t a great fit for a low-carb or keto diet.
But that doesn’t mean that anyone following a low-carb way of eating has to give up this hearty breakfast. Instead, they can enjoy a delicious bowl of low-carb oatmeal!
Learn more: Is Oatmeal Good for People Living with Diabetes?
Table of Contents
Why you should make this recipe
This recipe is made entirely without oats. In fact, it’s more appropriate to call this “noatmeal” instead. 🙂
It is delicious and full of flavor and perfectly fits the low-carb diet. In my opinion, this recipe tastes better than traditional oatmeal. And it tastes so much like it that you won’t even miss the oats.
Plus, this low-carb oatmeal is packed full of nutrition! It’s a great way to start the day while keeping the blood sugars stable throughout the morning.
Ingredients
This “noatmeal” comes together with very few ingredients that you most likely already have in your pantry.
Check out this simple ingredient list for the best low-carb oatmeal:
- almond flour: super-fine blanched almond flour is the most common but any almond meal would work.
- coconut flour
- flax meal: can also be called flaxseed meal or flax seed powder
- chia seeds
- ground cinnamon
- liquid Stevia
- unsweetened almond milk: or your choice of milk
- vanilla extract
- sea salt
Step-by-step instructions
If you enjoy the routine of making regular oatmeal, then I have good news for you: this recipe uses almost the exact same process!
You’ll bring all the ingredients together in a pot until nice and thick, then serve with your desired toppings.
Step 1: Add the almond flour, coconut flour, flax meal, chia seeds, and ground cinnamon to a mixing bowl. Whisk together until well combined.
Step 2: Transfer the dry ingredients to a pot over medium heat. Add the stevia drops, almond milk, and vanilla extract, then stir well.
Step 3: Cook the oatmeal for 3 – 5 minutes until it’s warmed through and starting to thicken. Remove from the heat and taste, adding salt if desired.
Step 4: Serve the oatmeal warm with your desired low-carb toppings.
This thick, hearty breakfast is ready in less than 15 minutes! I like to top mine with fresh berries, nuts, and seeds for added crunch and flavor while still keeping the overall meal low in carbs.
Expert tips
This low-carb breakfast is a very simple recipe but here are a few points to consider:
- Great meal prep idea! If you regularly have oatmeal as part of your breakfast, consider doubling the dry ingredients and have the pre-mixed oatmeal ready to go for busy mornings. Just store it in an airtight container away from direct sunlight.
- Want to make overnight oats? This keto breakfast idea is just the thing for you. Make it the night before and enjoy chilled in the morning.
- This low-carb oatmeal can be jazzed up with toppings of your choice. You can keep it super simple with fresh fruit, coconut flakes, and nuts for a tasty little bowl.
- Alternatively, you can make it an indulgent bowl with other sweet toppings like chocolate chips and sugar-free maple syrup.
Variations
There are plenty of variations for this recipe if you find that you’re out of any of the ingredients.
Don’t have chia seeds on hand? Swap them out for hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds!
For a rich, decadent bowl of comfort, substitute some or all of the almond milk for coconut cream (the kind that comes in a can). This will add fat and calories, but it will be incredibly delicious and indulgent.
You can also feel free to swap out the cinnamon for another spice, or simply omit it all together!
I strongly recommend adding a bit of salt to your noatmeal when you remove it from heat. Salt is an incredible flavor enhancer, so if your dish is tasting at all bland, be sure to add a pinch or two.
Serving suggestions
The great thing about this oatmeal is that it can be enjoyed just like regular oatmeal.
Enjoy either warm or cold straight from the refrigerator. If desired, drizzle a little bit of almond milk or coconut milk and top with your favorite toppings.
Storage and reheating instructions
Any leftover low-carb oatmeal can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
This means that breakfast will be as easy as opening the refrigerator and getting yourself a spoon!
To reheat, gently warm the noatmeal in the microwave. Alternatively, you can do so on the stovetop in a small saucepan on medium-low heat, making sure to stir often. You may need to add a little more milk to thin out the oatmeal as it will thicken over time.
Nutrition tips
A serving clocks in at only 323 calories and 5.7 grams of net carbs. Not bad for a traditional breakfast that typically brings on a blood sugar spike.
It’s naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, and grain free. It’s such a wonderful keto-friendly breakfast idea that it’s also guilt-free if you come back for seconds.
Check out these tips to keep this oatmeal healthy and low-glycemic:
- Make sure you use unsweetened almond milk to avoid added sugar.
- Keep in mind that the majority of the carbs in this dish will come from the toppings you use. So watch them closely. Stick to low-carb fruits such as strawberries and blueberries so you don’t inadvertently spike your blood sugar.
- Remember that any modifications you make to the recipe will change the nutrition of the dish. For example, substituting coconut milk for almond milk will increase the calories. Likewise, adding high-glycemic toppings like sliced bananas will increase the carbs substantially and no longer be compliant with a low-carb diet.
Frequently asked questions
A serving of this low-carb oatmeal has 11.7 grams of protein. You can bump that up by easily adding protein-rich foods to your bowl. Greek yogurt, egg whites, good low-carb protein powder, nut butter, or cottage cheese are all great sources of protein.
Liquid stevia is an easy way to sweeten most foods and still keep them sugar-free. Additionally, you can skip any sweetener and use berries like strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries to sweeten your bowl of noatmeal. Coconut flakes can also have a subtle sweetness that pairs well with oatmeal.
Other healthy low-carb breakfast recipes
Looking for more healthy, delicious ways to start your day the right way? Check out a few of these popular breakfast recipes:
You can also read this roundup I created of low-carb breakfast ideas for diabetics for even more great breakfast inspiration!
When you’ve tried this dish, please don’t forget to let me know how you liked it and rate the recipe in the comments below!
15 Minute Low-Carb Oatmeal
Ingredients
- ½ cup almond flour
- 4 tablespoon coconut flour
- 2 tablespoon flax meal
- 2 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 10 – 15 drops liquid Stevia
- 1 ½ cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Add the almond flour, coconut flour, flax meal, chia seeds, and ground cinnamon to a mixing bowl. Whisk together until well combined.½ cup almond flour, 4 tablespoon coconut flour, 2 tablespoon flax meal, 2 tablespoon chia seeds, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Transfer the dry ingredients to a pot over medium heat. Add the stevia drops, almond milk, and vanilla extract, then stir well.10 – 15 drops liquid Stevia, 1 ½ cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Cook the oatmeal for 3 – 5 minutes until it’s warmed through and starting to thicken. Remove from the heat and taste, adding salt if desired.salt to taste
- Serve the oatmeal warm with your desired toppings.
Thank you for the recipe. The “oatmeal” was very satisfying…I could really taste the cinnamon and vanilla, and there was just the right amount of sweetness.
Can the leftovers be eaten cold like overnight oats?
They could, I’m not sure if it will taste as well though
Can I skip the coconut flour completely and just use almond flour?
It does have a slightly different texture so I’m not sure how well it would work. If you do, I’d start with 2 TBSP flour rather than 4 and assess the consistency
Delish! Thank u sooo much!! 😀🙏🙏🙏
This “non-oatmeal” turned out great and didn’t spike my blood sugar (gratefully)!! The only downside was that when I printed it for 1 serving, the nutritional information still came up for 2 servings. Do you generally eat the 2 servings instead of 1? Thanks for a great breakfast idea!
Hi Christie, glad you liked the recipe. The nutrition info is always for one serving so it doesn’t change when you change the number of servings.
Helloo dear
Can type1diabetic take quacker oats in breakfast with nuts as my hba1c is 9 will u plzz suggest some more diet meals for me
Thank u
If you dose your insulin correctly you can. That means taking the right dose (for you) and at the right time (you might have to pre-bolus). Discuss your carb ratio with your medical team and you can also learn more about it here: https://diabetesstrong.com/insulin-to-carb-ratios/
You can find more recipes here: https://diabetesstrong.com/recipes/
This looks great, will give it a try it. Just double-checking: is the almond flour supposed to be just ground almonds or the de-oiled kind?
We just used regular almond flour (straight-up ground almonds). I’ve never worked with a de-oiled version, is that any good?
Well, i tried in both ways 🙂 it is good and holded together also without flaxseeds powder, but with flaxseeds powder it is perfect. And most important the bloodsugar stays low. I love it. Thank You!
What can you used instead of stevia?
If you don’t want any blood sugar impact you can use Stevia, Monkfruit or artificial sweeteners (Read more here: https://diabetesstrong.com/how-natural-artificial-sweeteners-affect-blood-sugar/). If you don’t care about the carbohydrate content you can use any sugar product
This was quite good!! I used a sprinkle of swerve instead of stevia and topped with toasted pecans and coconut and a few tablespoons of blueberries 😃
But what if i make it without flax seeds powder? I just don’t have these and i want to make the breakfast now 🙂 Is it ok or do i have to add something else instead?
It might work, might. Flaxseeds aids, almost like eggs, in making the porridge hold together. If you do try it please let us know if it works
Very useful recipe, Oats are rich with fiber and useful for breakfast
The recipe is delicious—but it doesn’t have oats in it. 😉
Exactly! That’s why we describe is as “oatmeal” or non-oats 😉