Air Fryer Oatmeal

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Ready in just a few minutes, this Air Fryer Oatmeal will keep you feeling full and energized throughout the whole day. With only three simple ingredients, this quick and nutritious breakfast is a game-changer for busy mornings.

Two bowls of air fryer oatmeal topped with fresh berries, next to two spoons.

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This Air Fryer Oatmeal recipe is the best quick, easy and healthy breakfast, making it a favorite for both kids and adults. Perfect for busy mornings when time is of the essence, using the air fryer eliminates the need to watch pots on the stovetop or worry about milk boiling over. Simply set it and forget it, allowing it to work its magic while you do other tasks.

One of the best aspects of air fryer oats is its versatility, making it easy to adapt to different tastes and dietary preferences. With just three simple ingredients you can create your favorite breakfast and start the day right.

If you like oats for breakfast, make sure to try this Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats and this Raspberry Overnight Oats.

Why you will love this recipe!

Quick & Easy: It couldn't be any easier than this! Put your bowl of oats and milk in the air fryer and it will come out as a perfect porridge.
Simple Ingredients: You only need oats, milk, and water to make a perfect oatmeal base. Then you can add your favorite sweetener, fresh fruits, nut butter, or your favorite breakfast topping.
Healthy: Oats are full of healthy benefits, which makes them great breakfast food. They're packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fibers.
Dietary Info: Oats are naturally gluten-free, if you have an intolerance, use GF-certified oats. This recipe can also be made vegan and dairy free by using a plant-based milk of choice.

Two bowls of air fryer oatmeal, topped with fresh fruits, on a wooden chopping board.

Ingredients

Oats: This recipe uses old-fashioned rolled oats as they will have the best chewy and soft texture. If you use quick oats they will turn mushy and steel-cut oats would require a longer cooking time so you'll need to adjust the recipe accordingly.
Milk & Water: I like to use a mix of both, but you can use only milk or only water if you prefer. The cooking time will be the same.
Salt: Without salt, oats will taste bland. So it's recommended to add just a pinch to enhance the nutty flavors.

How to make oatmeal in an air fryer

Be sure to scroll down for the full recipe!

Mix all the ingredients in an oven-safe bowl (photo 1).
Cook in the air fryer and then serve it with your favorite toppings (photo 2).

Oats, milk and water in a bowl before and after being cooked in the air fryer.

Recipe Variations

You can use different types of milk, like half and half for a creamier result, plant-based (like oat milk, coconut milk, rice milk, or almond milk) for a vegan and dairy-free alternative, or just plain water for a low-calorie breakfast.

Stir in some brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey for a sweeter oatmeal.

You can mix in other seasonings to spice it up, like cinnamon or pumpkin spice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are oats gluten-free?

Yes, oats are naturally gluten-free, but you can also find gluten-free certified oats if you have an intolerance.

Do you have to preheat the air fryer?

No, you don't have to, but in that case, you will need to add a few couple of minutes to the cooking time.

Can I eat this cold?

Yes, you can enjoy oatmeal hot, room temperature, or cold, as you prefer. Simply let it sit for a few minutes on the counter or in the fridge until it gets to the desired temperature. If needed, add a bit of extra milk if it becomes too dense.

Toppings

The choices of toppings for your air fryer oatmeal can be infinite! These are some of our favorites:

Berries, like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries
Fresh fruit, like chopped mango, peaches, banana, and kiwi
Cooked fruit, like stewed apples and pears, grilled peaches, or roasted rhubarb
Dried fruit, like dehydrated apricots, coconut flakes, cranberries, raisins, mango, and apple chips
Nuts, like almonds, walnuts, pecan, macadamia, pistachios, and hazelnuts
Honey, like acacia honey, manuka honey, or flavored honey
Jam, homemade or storebought jams of your favorite fruits
Something Crunchy, like chia seeds, bee pollen, crushed cereals, chocolate chips, or assorted seeds.

Make Ahead and Storage

I prefer to eat the oatmeal as soon as it's ready as the oats can get mushy if let to stand for too long. If you want to make oatmeal ahead of time, transfer it into separate containers and allow it to cool completely before covering and set in the refrigerator. The refrigerated oatmeal can be stored for up to 5 days.

When ready to enjoy, simply reheat it in the air fryer by adding a small amount of extra water or milk and cooking at 360F / 180C for approximately 3 minutes.

Recipe Notes and Tips

Make a foil sling and place it under the bowl before cooking, to easily remove the bowl of cooked oatmeal from the air fryer basket when it's hot and avoid burning yourself.
Let it sit for a minute or two after cooking, this allows the oats to cool down and soak up more liquid, becoming more tender and creamy.
Make sure the container you cook the oats in is ovenproof for high temperatures.
This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled and made into multiple batches for the whole family.
The cooking time is a guide as air fryer models can vary.

A spoon in a bowl of oatmeal topped with fresh berries.

This Air Fryer Oatmeal is a convenient and versatile breakfast that is both healthy and delicious. If you're looking for a quick no-fuss morning meal, this recipe is a perfect choice for busy families seeking a nutritious start to their day.

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