Panera oatmeal is probably one of the most filling and delicious breakfasts you can get at Panera. This recipe makes it easy to replicate it at home.
When it comes to breakfast choices I’m usually not the one to pick oatmeal as my first pick. I mean most oatmeal recipes you, and most oatmeal dishes you can get at restaurants and cafes are usually kind of boring.
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At least that’s what I thought until I found Panera oatmeal! Their oatmeal is seriously SO good.
It’s made with steel cut oats which are packed with fiber making them a filling breakfast that really holds you up until lunch.
They are topped with fresh strawberries that are really juicy and sweet and crunchy pecans that give it a slightly nutty flavor that’s really good.
But that’s not my favorite part about this breakfast dish. My favorite part is the cinnamon crunch topping.
The cinnamon crunch topping is a combination of brown sugar and cinnamon that’s to die for. It pairs really well with the warm oatmeal, pecans and juicy berries. It really brings the whole dish together.
Here’s why I think it just ties everything together. The strawberry juices mix with the brown sugar and cinnamon mix and create a sort of syrup that seeps into the warm bowl of oatmeal.
I investigated a bit online and turns out the cinnamon crunch topping they use is the same one they use for their bagels. Maybe that’s why it’s so good.
But enough about this really good and healthy breakfast dish you can get at Panera bread. Let’s go to the other part: how to recreate this recipe at home.
🍓What ingredients you need to make a strawberry pecan Panera oatmeal
Strawberries
Pretty self explanatory and obvious. One of the clear stars of this recipe are the sliced berries. Use fresh ones if you want to have a result that’s more similar to the one you can get at Panera locations, but you can also use frozen and thawed strawberries and the result is just as good.
Steel cut oats
Steel cut oats have more fiber and are more filling than rolled oats. I honestly love them! They take a little bit more to cook compared to the other but are really good. They also have a more chewier and somewhat dense texture so the end result is amazing.
Milk
You can use any type of milk you like to make this recipe. I prefer to use 2% milk but have tried it with almond milk, oat milk, whole milk and soy milk and all options work just as well.
Pecans
Pecans give this recipe a little bit of extra crunch and texture and the amazing nutty flavor. You can use any nut you have on hand but I find that pecans pair really well with the cinnamon.
Cinnamon crunch
The cinnamon crunch is a combination of cinnamon and brown sugar. It’s TO DIE FOR and I honestly advise you try it with other recipes you like. It’s warm, sweet and really comforting. Store it in a clear container and have in your kitchen to sprinkle on toast, bagels with butter and coffee.
🥣How to prepare it
Great thing about this recipe is that’s incredibly easy to make! You just need to cook the steel cut oats with milk until creamy and thick.
Then just serve in a bowl, top with strawberries, pecan and the cinnamon crunch and you are all set.
I prefer to not add sugar to the oatmeal while cooking since it’s topped with the cinnamon crunch that’s already really sweet.
🥄 Substitutions for the Panera oatmeal
Another great thing? You can really customize and play with this recipe to make it your own.
- Swap the steel cut oats for rolled oats or instant oats. It will have slightly less fiber and will be less filling but it’s also a quicker option.
- Change the strawberries for raspberries, blackberries or blueberries (or a combination of all three). Any berry goes really good with this recipe.
- If you are in a pinch you can also use a strawberry preserve. Just add a little less of the cinnamon crunch topping.
- Use walnuts instead of pecans, the end result is just as good.
As you see this recipe is incredibly delicious and easy to make and you can really use all the ingredients you have on hand to recreate it.
Panera Oatmeal: Review + Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups milk
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 cup strawberries sliced
- 1/2 cup pecans roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon cinnamon
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium heat add the milk, water, and salt and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer. Add the oats and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and continue cooking stirring ocasionally until the oats are cooked trough and the porridge is creamy. Remove from heat.
- In a small bowl combine the brown suagr wit the cinnamon and set aside.
- Divide the oatmeal between 4 bowls. Top with the strawberries, pecans and brown sugar mix and serve.
Frequently asked questions about Panera Bread oatmeal
Yes! It’s incredibly delicious and made with steel cut oats and fresh berries. It’s fairly low in calories and steel cut oats are really filling and packed with dietary fiber.
Panera uses steel cut oats to make their oatmeal. Steel cut oats take longer to digest making them a great filling breakfast.
The steel cut oatmeal with strawberries and pecans has 17 grams of sugar and 9 grams of dietary fiber.
