7 Ways To Add More Protein To Oatmeal

Oatmeal is considered the OG of healthy breakfasts, and one of the few health trends that has sustained for centuries.

And it’s no wonder. 

Oats are an incredible source of soluble fiber, vitamins and minerals, and beta-glucans, a type of fiber with known gut health, cholesterol, and immune-support benefits.

They’re also low in fat and incredibly versatile.

The only thing oats lack is substantial protein, which is why plain oatmeal won’t keep you full for very long.

The best remedy for this is to add protein to your oats, and there are many ways to do this.

Here, you’ll learn seven creative ways to add high-quality protein to your oats for a hearty, muscle-building, and deeply satisfying breakfast.

The Benefits Of Adding Protein To Your Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a healthy and nutritious breakfast with or without added protein.

The main benefit of adding protein is that it makes your oatmeal more filling and helps you meet your daily protein targets.

Many health and fitness experts also recommend eating protein at breakfast (up to 30 grams) for metabolic health, weight management, hormonal health, blood sugar balance, and to prevent unhealthy food cravings.

Plus, adding different sources of protein, along with other toppings like antioxidant-rich berries, fruits, dried fruits, and spices, also helps keep things interesting, so you’ll eat more oats.

The only downside to adding protein to your oats is if you do it wrong. 

For example, adding protein powder that lumps up and creates a chalky, sticky mess. Or adding an egg without cooking it through and making yourself sick (blech!).

These seven tips will help you avoid these pitfalls while providing ample inspiration for days of mouth-watering, nutrient-dense oatmeal.

7 Ways To Add Protein To Your Oatmeal 

Oatmeal has about 6 grams of protein per cup cooked, equivalent to an egg (pretty good start!).

You can add as much additional protein as you wish, based on your protein targets and health goals.

You may find adding just one ingredient does the trick. 

However, if you’re aiming for 25-30 grams of protein at breakfast, you can combine these tips to easily hit that target.

We’ve also included modifications to suit nearly every type of diet and eating style, except for grain-free (because oats are a grain).

Let’s stir it up with these seven ways to add protein to your oatmeal.

1. Add Protein Powder To Your Oatmeal the Right Way

Adding protein powder to oatmeal is one of the easiest and most popular ways to add protein to oats.

However, there is a bit of technique to get this right.

Although many recipes recommend pouring a scoop directly onto your oats and stirring a bit, we’ve found this can result in lumps that cause a choking burst of protein powder to hit your throat as you chew.

Plus, the flavor can be uneven at best, and it’s a messy process.

Other recipes suggest cooking the protein powder with the oats. This is a better plan as it creates a more even texture and flavor.

However, cooking it can destroy specific heat-sensitive nutrients and change the flavor of your protein powder.

So, what’s the best way to add protein powder to your oats?

For maximum nutrients, even texture, and awesome flavor, we recommend cooking the oatmeal and gradually adding 1 scoop of protein powder, such as Biochem Whey or Vegan Protein Powder, per 1 cup of cooked oats while stirring constantly.

Add about a third scoop of protein powder at a time, stirring in that addition thoroughly before adding the next.

If the texture becomes too thick (all protein powders and oats are a bit different), add a little more hot water or milk to reach the desired consistency.

Follow this technique and your oatmeal will be the perfect temperature and texture with no chalky, choking lumps or awkward bursts of protein powder flavor.

Biochem offers a variety of certified gluten-free grass-fed whey and sustainably sourced and organic vegan protein powders, including vanilla, chocolate, unflavored, and unsweetened—all of which taste great in oatmeal.

Related reading: Is Gluten-Free Protein Powder Healthier? Discover The Benefits Here

2. Top With Nuts & Seeds

Nuts and seeds add a healthy source of protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and fats to oatmeal, making it stick to your ribs longer.

Plus, research has shown that eating a small handful (about a quarter cup) of nuts and seeds daily is beneficial for heart health, lowers cancer and infection risks, and can help regulate appetite.

Nuts highest in protein per serving include:

• Peanuts (technically a legume): 9 grams 
• Almonds: 7 grams 
• Pistachios: 6 grams 
• Hazelnuts: 5 grams
• Cashews (technically a drupe): 5 grams 

Seeds highest in protein per serving include:

• Pumpkin seeds: 10 grams per quarter cup
• Hemp seeds: 9.45 grams per 3 tablespoons
• Chia seeds: 4.68 per 1-ounce serving

Nuts and seeds can be added whole, roasted, ground, or as butters to oatmeal. For example:

• Chia seeds are also delicious in overnight oats, creating a delightful texture and pop in your mouth
• Hemp seeds are buttery and easy to mix into any oatmeal flavor
• Hazelnuts lend themselves to chocolatey oats, like those made with chocolate protein powder
• Cashews have a naturally sweet flavor that pairs well with fruit
• Ground almonds (also known as almond flour) blend seamlessly with oatmeal

No matter how you add them, nuts add tremendous nutritional value (and protein) to any oatmeal recipe.

3. Use Protein Oats as a Base

You may have seen “protein oats” in your local grocery stores, but what exactly are they?

Protein oats generally fall into two categories:

1. Single-ingredient protein oats made with hulled oats, a higher-protein variety
2. Oatmeal mixes containing rolled or instant oats plus various plant or milk-based protein powders

We recommend the single-ingredient variety of protein oats, which offers more protein (10 grams) than traditional oats, without added ingredients.

Protein oat mixes with added protein powder may be convenient, but we don't recommend them due to issues surrounding contaminants in various types of plant and whey protein powders. 

If you care about ingredients and contaminants like heavy metals and/or are on a specific diet, you’re better off adding your own clean protein powder, like Biochem.

All our protein powder supplements are sustainably sourced and tested for contaminants from raw materials to finished product. 

Our Whey Proteins have been listed as one of the cleanest and safest brands in third-party testing from Consumer Reports (our plant proteins were not tested), our vegan protein powders are DNA-verified vegetarian, and all our products are NSF-certified gluten-free.

If you choose to go with protein oat mixes, read the labels carefully and try to buy a small size to make sure you like the taste before going all-in.

4. Make Cheesecake Oats

Have you heard about the cottage cheese ice cream and cheesecake trend?

You can apply this to oatmeal and create a sinfully delicious, protein-packed oatmeal.

Cottage cheese is another health trend that has remained unchanged for decades. 

It’s low in fat and high in protein and offers a wealth of nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin D, and selenium.

To make cheesecake oats, blend a serving of cottage cheese in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.

Add directly to cooked oatmeal and top with your favorite fruit (cherries or blueberries are nice), natural sweetener, and a crumble of graham crackers.

It’s like dessert for breakfast, but healthy.

Like this idea? Then you’ll love this 4-Ingredient Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream.

5. Try Baked Oatmeal With Eggs & Milk

Baked oatmeal is making a comeback, and we’re here for it!

This old-world take on traditional oatmeal involves mixing up leftover oatmeal with eggs, a sweetener, milk, baking powder, vanilla, and optional dried fruit and baking in the oven until everything sets.

Then slice and eat.

The addition of eggs naturally adds protein, and you can modify the recipe to include protein oats, protein powder, Greek yogurt, nuts, and other protein add-ons.

Need a faster version of baked oatmeal?

Try baking individual servings in muffin cups to enjoy throughout the week.

Or check out this super-easy PBJ Baked Pro-Oatmeal Recipe, featuring Biochem’s Vanilla Whey Protein, egg, and peanut butter or your favorite nut or seed butter.

The oat mixture sits overnight and is then microwaved for 2 minutes, resulting in a tasty, slow-cooked baked oatmeal flavor.

6. Make Overnight Oats With Nut or Seed Butter

Overnight oats are a busy non-morning person’s dream come true!

These tasty concoctions contain very few ingredients, can be made days in advance, and require zero cooking.

Mix everything up, let it sit overnight in the fridge, and breakfast will be waiting for you in the morning.

They’re also super easy to turn into protein-rich oats by adding protein powder, nut butter, seeds, Greek yogurt, or milk.

A quick search of “high protein overnight oats” will yield dozens of recipe ideas.

Don’t like the idea of cold oatmeal? Overnight oats are already soft, so they’re a snap to heat up on the stove or microwave.

Now you have no excuses, so try them already!

7. Add Milk, Greek Yogurt, or High-Protein Plant Milk

We’ve mentioned this previously, but it’s so simple it’s worth mentioning again.

Adding a serving of your favorite dairy or non-dairy milk or yogurt will instantly pump up the protein content of your oatmeal with minimal effort.

For example, adding half a cup of Greek yogurt will increase protein by about 12 grams.

Many vegan yogurts now offer high-protein versions that can add about 10 grams per serving.

Plain dairy milk provides about 4 grams of protein per half cup.

Plant milks highest in protein include pea, hemp, and soy milk, but check labels as the exact number of grams per serving may vary.

Looking For More Protein-Centric Breakfast Recipes?

BioChem is a leader in healthy, certified gluten-free, contaminant-tested, certified kosher, and certified vegetarian whey and vegan protein powders.

Our product line is simple and consists of sustainably sourced, naturally sweetened or unsweetened grass-fed whey in vanilla, chocolate, sugar-free, and natural, and DNA-verified, sustainably sourced, naturally sweetened, and organic vegan plant proteins in vanilla and chocolate.

We invite you to check out the Recipe section of our blog for more protein-centric breakfast recipes, like:

• How to Make Your Own Vegan Protein Bars + Recipes
• Keto Strawberry Muffins With Coconut Butter Glaze
• Simple Greens Breakfast Smoothie
• And many more!

References mentioned in this article:

• “Steel Cut Oats”. USDA FoodData Central.
• “Oatmeal porridge: impact on microflora-associated characteristics in healthy subjects”. Br J Nutr.
• “Short- and Long-Term Effects of Wholegrain Oat Intake on Weight Management and Glucolipid Metabolism in Overweight Type-2 Diabetics: A Randomized Control Trial”. Nutrients.
• “The effects of protein supplements on muscle mass, strength, and aerobic and anaerobic power in healthy adults: a systematic review”. Sports Med.
• “Are Dietary Proteins the Key to Successful Body Weight Management? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Studies Assessing Body Weight Outcomes after Interventions with Increased Dietary Protein”. Nutrients.
• “Acute and Long-Term Impact of High-Protein Diets on Endocrine and Metabolic Function, Body Composition, and Exercise-Induced Adaptations”. J Am Coll Nutr.
• “Evaluation of the Effect of Macronutrients Combination on Blood Sugar Levels in Healthy Individuals”. Iran J Public Health.
• “Consumption of Nuts and Seeds and Health Outcomes Including Cardiovascular Disease, Diabetes and Metabolic Disease, Cancer, and Mortality: An Umbrella Review”. Advances in Nutrition,
• “Peanuts, Raw”. USDA FoodData Central.
• “Almonds, Raw”. USDA FoodData Central.
• “Pistachios, Raw”. USDA FoodData Central.
• “Cashews, Raw”. USDA FoodData Central.
• “Hazelnuts, Raw”. USDA FoodData Central.
• “Pumpkin Seeds, Raw (Peptias)”. USDA FoodData Central.
• “Seeds, hemp seed, hulled”. USDA FoodData Central.
• “Seeds, Chia, Dried.” USDA FoodData Central.
• “Health risks of protein drinks. You don't need the extra protein or the heavy metals our tests found”. Consumer Reports.