Butternut squash oatmeal sounds a little wild for breakfast… but trust me on this one. A cup and a half of mashed squash goes into the batter, and what comes out of the oven is a soft, cake-y vanilla oat bowl with 16 grams of protein and 7.8 grams of fiber for 219 calories.
You bake them right in 12 oz glass meal prep containers, so breakfast is portioned and packed the second they come out of the oven. I use a bag of frozen butternut squash and steam it in the microwave, then stir everything together in one bowl.
If you’re already a fan of sneaking veggies into breakfast, you probably know my brownie baked squash oats and snickerdoodle zucchini baked oats. This banana butternut version is softer and more fall-ish, and if you want the classic, the best baked oats are right here.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: High Protein Banana Butternut Baked Oat Bowls
- Ready In: 45 minutes
- Serves: 2 bowls
- Calories: 219 cal
- Protein: 16g
- Fat: 3.9g
- Carbs: 30.8g
- Why You'll Love It: These high protein banana butternut baked oat bowls hide mashed butternut squash in a vanilla protein oat batter, baked right in meal prep containers. 16 grams of protein and 7.8 grams of fiber per bowl!
Why Put Butternut Squash in Baked Oats?
Mashed butternut squash does the job a lot of baked oat recipes give to extra banana or sugar. It makes the batter moist and naturally a little sweet, adds volume so a ⅓ cup of oats turns into a full bowl, and helps push the fiber up to 7.8 grams per serving along with the chia seeds.
Then vanilla protein powder and egg whites bring the protein to 16 grams, so this actually keeps you full until lunch. You don’t taste “squash” so much as a warm, cinnamon-vanilla oat cake.
Before You Start Baking
- Get the squash soft first. It needs to be very tender so it mashes smooth. A steam-in-the-bag frozen butternut squash is the easiest route, or you can roast it.
- Have two 12oz glass containers ready. Grease them well. The recipe makes 2 bowls, one container per serving.
- Use a baking sheet underneath. Set the containers on a sheet pan so they’re easy to move in and out of the 350°F oven.
- Decide on texture. Stir the batter for a chewier, oat-y bowl, or blend it if you want it smoother.
- Tracking it? Search “Lillie Eats and Tells High Protein Banana Butternut Baked Oat Bowls” in MyFitnessPal, MacrosFirst, or Lose It. Changing the protein powder or milk? Here’s how to create a recipe in MyFitnessPal so your numbers stay accurate.
Important Ingredients and Substitutions
- Butternut squash: 1 ½ cups cubed (170g), steamed and mashed. Frozen works great. If you’d rather roast it, my roasted butternut squash is an easy way to do it.
- Vanilla protein powder: ¼ cup (30g). For dairy-free bowls, use a dairy-free protein powder. My favorite is the beef protein by Active Stacks.
- Egg whites: 4 tablespoons (60g) from a carton help the oats set and add protein without adding much fat.
- Chia seeds: 1 tablespoon (12g) for fiber and a little texture.
- Cashew milk: ½ cup (120g), or any other milk you like.
- Old fashioned oats: ⅓ cup (35g). Use certified gluten free oats if you need these GF.
How to Make Banana Butternut Baked Oat Bowls
- Preheat. Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Steam and mash the squash. Cook the cubed squash until very tender, then mash it with a fork or puree it.
- Mix the batter. Add the mashed squash and everything except the banana to a bowl and stir well. Blend it if you want less oat texture.
- Fill the containers. Divide the batter between greased 12oz containers and top with very thin banana slices.
- Bake. Set the containers on a baking sheet and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until set.
How to Top and Serve Your Oat Bowls
Eat them warm out of the oven or cold straight from the fridge. Top with your favorite no-sugar syrup, yogurt, whipped cream, fresh fruit, nut butters… whatever you love! I like Greek yogurt, a little whipped cream, and walnuts.
Want a bigger breakfast spread? Add a couple of egg white cups on the side. On other mornings, mix it up with my sweet potato breakfast bowl with egg whites, chocolate protein breakfast bake, cinnamon protein chia pudding, or apple cinnamon protein chia pudding. If you’d rather not turn on the oven at all, try banana pudding overnight oats, overnight protein chocolate oats, or apple pie overnight protein oats.
Are Baked Oats Healthy?
They can be, and it mostly comes down to what’s in them. A lot of baked oat recipes lean on sugar and a big pile of oats. These use ⅓ cup of oats for two bowls, get their sweetness from banana and vanilla protein powder, and add squash and chia for fiber. One bowl lands at 219 calories, 16g protein, 30.8g carbs, 3.9g fat, and 7.8g fiber.
Storing and Reheating Baked Oat Bowls
- Fridge: Put the lids on the containers once they cool and keep them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Eat cold or warm: They’re great cold right out of the fridge, or reheat them in the microwave until warmed through.
- Toppings: Add yogurt, whipped cream, or fruit right before eating so nothing gets soggy.
These oat bowls have shown up on my weekly meal plans, which come with complete macros on every recipe plus meal prep tips for the week.
Butternut Squash Oatmeal FAQs
Can I roast the squash instead of steaming it?
Yes! Roasting works too, which I’m sure would be delicious. Just make sure it’s very tender so it mashes smoothly into the batter.
Are these gluten free and dairy free?
They can be! Use gluten free oats, and for dairy-free, use a dairy-free protein powder like Active Stacks beef protein along with a non-dairy milk.
How much protein is in each bowl?
Each 183g bowl has 16g protein, 219 calories, 30.8g carbs, 3.9g fat, and 7.8g fiber.
Can I make more than two?
Yes. The batter divides between as many containers as servings you’re making, so scale the recipe and use one greased 12oz container per serving.
How do I know when they are done?
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 350°F, until the centers are set.
Tried these oat bowls? A 🌟 rating and a quick comment below would mean a lot, and it helps the next person figure out if this breakfast is for them. Come hang out on Instagram too for more high-protein breakfast ideas.
High Protein Banana Butternut Baked Oat Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup butternut squash cubed (170g)
- ⅓ cup old fashioned oats 35g
- 1 Tbsp chia seeds 12g
- ¼ cup vanilla protein powder 30g
- ½ cup cashew milk or other milk (120g)
- 4 Tbsp egg whites 60g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ cup banana sliced into coins (30g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Steam your cubed butternut squash until very tender. You can also roast it if you’d prefer, which I’m sure would be delicious! I like to use a bag of frozen butternut squash that I can steam in the microwave for EASE. Mash with a fork or puree.
- Add mashed squash along with everything but the fresh bananas to a mixing bowl, and combine well. You can also blend it if you want less oat texture.
- Divide batter evenly amongst greased 12oz Pyrex containers (as many containers as # of servings you’re making), and top with very thin sliced bananas.
- Place the containers on a baking sheet and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until set.
- Enjoy these warm out of the oven, or store in the fridge and enjoy them cold throughout the week. You can also reheat if you prefer! Top with your favorite no-sugar syrup, yogurt, whipped cream, fresh fruit, nut butters… whatever you love!
Notes
Nutrition
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