Start Your Busy Morning Right With This Nutritious And Quick Oats Upma Recipe For A Healthy Breakfast

Perfect for busy mornings, try this oats upma recipe that is nutritious and super quick to make to help you stay clear of takeouts.

Right after you snooze the alarm in the morning, a race against time starts. Between packing lunches, responding to emails, and the racing clocks, breakfast often gets skipped. To ensure you don’t replace the first meal of the day with a sugary beverage or a protein bar, try this oats upma recipe.

Healthy Oats Upma Recipe (Freepik)

It’s super easy to make, wouldn’t require much kitchen time, and can also be prepped in advance. Swapping the traditionally used rava or suji to make upma, this recipe includes rolled oats to make your breakfast healthier.

Unlike other South Indian recipes, oats upma doesn’t require any fermentation, soaking, or elaborate prepping. In under 20 minutes of chopping and cooking, your breakfast will be ready to serve or packed into lunchboxes.

Made with a colourful blend of vegetables, oats upma is rich in fibre. It can further be made healthier by adding protein sources like paneer, tofu, or boiled chickpeas. Also, since oats are gluten-free, the recipe is an impeccable option for people with an intolerance to gluten.

Oats Upma VS Regular Rava Upma: Which Is The Best Choice For You?

Feature	Oats Upma	Regular Rava Upma
Main Ingredient	Rolled oats	Semolina
Calories (per serving)	~220 kcal	~280–300 kcal
Fibre Content	High	Lower
Glycemic Index	Lower	Higher
Digestibility	Easier to digest	Can feel heavier
Cooking Time	~15 minutes	~20 minutes
Texture	Slightly chewy	Soft and fluffy
Weight Management	Better suited	Less filling per calorie
Heart Health	Lowers cholesterol	Fewer heart benefits

Quick Recipe Snapshot

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 22 minutes

Servings: 2

Difficulty: Easy

Cuisine: South Indian

Calories: ~220 kcal per serving

Best Served With: Filter coffee, nariyal chutney, bowl of dahi

Healthy Oats Upma Recipe

Whether you want to quickly pack tiffin for your kids or whip up breakfast for yourself before that office meeting, oats upma is the perfect option. Made with rolled oats and assorted veggies, your bowl will be packed with all the essential nutrients.

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled oats

2 tablespoons ghee or oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon urad dal

1 teaspoon chana dal

10 curry leaves

1 green chilli

1 inch of ginger

1 onion

1 carrot

¼ cup peas

¼ cup beans

A pinch of hing

Salt to taste

2 cups water

Lemon juice as required

Chopped coriander leaves for garnish

Roasted cashews for garnish

Instructions:

1. Dry-roast rolled oats on medium flame till they turn golden brown. Set aside.
2. Heat some oil and sauté mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, and chana dal.
3. Add curry leaves, chopped green chilli, grated ginger, and hing and sauté till fragrant.
4. Toss in chopped onion, boiled peas, and chopped beans. Cook till the veggies are soft.
5. Pour in water and salt and bring to a boil.
6. Add roasted oats and stir continuously to avoid lumps.
7. Mix well and cover the pan. Let it cook for about 5 minutes.
8. Once the oats absorb all the water and turn soft and fluffy, mix in a squeeze of lemon.
9. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and roasted cashews. Serve hot.

Easy Ways To Make Your Oats Upma Even Healthier

1. Use steel-cut oats instead of rolled oats.
2. Swap ghee with a drizzle of coconut oil.
3. Load up more vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers, spinach, peas, and more.
4. Add soaked moong dal or sprouts to give a protein boost.
5. Stick to low-sodium salt for seasoning.
6. Swap roasted cashews with flaxseeds or chia seeds.
7. Cook the oats in vegetable broth instead of water.
8. Toss in paneer or tofu cubes and boiled chickpeas.
9. Use freshly minced ginger instead of store-bought pastes.
10. Serve with a side of chopped salad or fruit and a bowl of curd.

Nutritional Value Per Serving

A bowl of oats upma has a low glycemic index, which is perfect for people struggling with diabetes and high blood pressure. Having oats upma is considered to be an optimal and well-balanced breakfast option.

Nutrient	Approximate Amount
Calories	220 kcal
Protein	6 g
Carbohydrates	30 g
Fat	9 g
Fibre	5 g
Calcium	40 mg
Iron	2.1 mg
Potassium	280 mg
Sodium	320 mg
Vitamin C	12 mg

FAQs

Can I prepare oats upma in advance for the week?

Yes. You can pre-chop the veggies and dry-roast oats in advance. Mix everything together whenever you want to eat oats upma.

Is this recipe gluten-free?

Since oats are naturally gluten-free, the recipe is as well. However, cross-check the ingredients if you have gluten intolerance.

Why is my oats upma turning mushy?

Oats upma can turn mushy if you use more water or overcook the oats. Stick to a 1:2 ratio of oats to water and turn off the flame on time.