Classic Oatmeal For One (Easy Single Serve Recipe)

Name: Classic Oatmeal For One
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup of rolled oats; 1/2 cup of hot water; 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup; Pinch salt

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

5 from 1 vote

For a healthy breakfast, there’s nothing like a classic one serving of oatmeal. It gives you a bounty of whole grains to help you start your day off right. This instant oatmeal isn’t made with quick oats. It’s made with good old-fashioned oats. You’ll have a hot bowl of oatmeal in no time with this classic oatmeal recipe for one!

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclaimer for details.

Single-serve oatmeal recipe with strawberry chia jam and sliced strawberries on top.

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Healthy: The nutritional value of whole oats is spectacular. You get plenty of vitamins and minerals, plus a serving of protein, complex carbs, and fiber in every bowl.
Simple and Quick: With classic oatmeal, there’s no excuse not to have a nutritious and healthy breakfast. It takes just minutes to make a good bowl of oatmeal.
Delicious: The best part is that this quick recipe for one tastes fantastic. You can leave it as is or add your favorite toppings to suit your mood.

Nutrition For Mental Health

One cup of raw oats contains 10.7g of protein, 54.8g of carbohydrates (8.1 g of fiber), and 5.3g of fat. Oats contain good amounts of manganese, phosphorus, copper, B vitamins, iron, selenium, magnesium, and zinc. One study found that dietary intake of selenium is associated with improved overall mood and decreased anxiety.

Ingredients + Notes

All you need to make this one-serving oatmeal recipe are just a few easy ingredients. These serve as the basis for your single serving of oatmeal to start your day off right.

Ingredients for single serve oatmeal recipe.

Rolled Oats: Rolled oats (old-fashioned oats) are preferred for this recipe because they cook quickly and will have the best texture for this cooking method.

A full list of ingredients with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Recipe Variations

Want to make changes? These recipe variations can help you keep the classic oatmeal vibe while making it your way. Enjoy this bowl of oats as is, or make some changes to suit your mood.

Sweeteners: While a drizzle of maple syrup works best, feel free to use another sweetener. You can sweeten without refined sugar by using stevia, brown sugar, or monk fruit sweetener.
Milk: Adding a bit of milk will help you make creamy oatmeal with an even better texture. Any plant-based milk would work, such as hemp milk or almond milk.
Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract is well-suited for oatmeal. If you like a sweet taste, this will help you add it without adding sugar.
Oats: The type of oats you use matters. Old-fashioned rolled oats are my top choice for this perfect oatmeal recipe. However, quick-cooking oats will work just fine, too. You will want to avoid steel-cut oats, though, as they won’t come out right with this quick-cooking oats method.

How To Make Classic Oatmeal For One

If you can boil water, then you’re all set for making this stovetop oatmeal. As a side note, I suppose you could get the water boiling in your microwave, too, but this method works best.

Would you like to save this?

Boil water in a kettle.
Add rolled oats, maple syrup, and salt to a bowl and pour hot water over the top.

Rolled oats in a bowl with maple syrup added.

3. Let sit for 3-5 minutes until the oats have soaked up most of the hot water.

Old-fashioned oats in a bowl with maple syrup and hot water added.

4. Stir your bowl of oatmeal and add your favorite toppings!

Large white bowl filled with classic oatmeal breakfast with a spoon sticking out.

Topping Ideas

Top oatmeal with the things you love most. Here are some ideas to make your classic oatmeal for one have the best taste.

Fresh fruit: Choose fresh berries, slices of bananas, or another fruit you love.
Nut butters: Peanut butter, cashew butter, almond butter, and seed butters add more protein to your healthy breakfast.
Protein powder: Speaking of protein, you can add a scoop of protein powder to really make your breakfast work for you.
Seeds: Adding things like chia seeds or flax seeds can give your bowl of oatmeal another layer of flavor. You could also add a spoonful of this Homemade Raspberry Chia Jam!
Chocolate chips: And, of course, who could say no to chocolate chips on top of oatmeal? Just a little bit is all you need to create a healthy breakfast that tastes like an indulgence.

Storage Tips

I always think it’s best to make oatmeal fresh for when you’re going to eat it. That said, you may be too full to finish off your oatmeal for one. Here’s how you can save it for later.

Fridge: In the fridge, oatmeal will last for up to 5 days, though I definitely think it will be best if you get to it sooner rather than later. You’ll probably need to add more liquid to liven it back up again.
Freeze: You can also freeze oatmeal if you need to, though again, making it when you’re ready to eat it will be better. Oatmeal can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months when stored properly.

FAQ

How much oatmeal should I make for one person?

When you’re making oatmeal for one person, you need to measure out a half cup of oats. This will be plenty to fill your bowl with that old-fashioned oatmeal taste.

How much water do I need for one cup of oatmeal?

The ratio of water to oatmeal is 1:1. In this recipe, for one, you need half a cup of rolled oats and half a cup of hot water. If you’re increasing the measurements of your oats to 1 cup, then you will need to measure out 1 cup of hot water.

Is one cup of dry oatmeal too much?

One cup of dry oatmeal would make enough classic oatmeal for two people. If you have a hearty appetite or are making oatmeal for another person, then it’s perfect. You could also make that extra serving ahead though it tastes best when you make it in small batches.

How much does ½ cup of oatmeal make cooked?

A half cup of oatmeal, when cooked, makes for one perfect serving for one person, resulting in the best bowl of oatmeal.

More Easy Oatmeal Recipes

If you tried this Classic Oatmeal For One Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

Recipe

Bowl of single serve oatmeal for one with sliced strawberries on top.

5 from 1 vote