Oats Are the Key to a Satisfying Smoothie

Kelli Foster
Kelli FosterSenior Contributing Food Editor
Kelli is a Senior Contributing Food Editor for Kitchn. She's a graduate of the French Culinary Institute and author of the cookbooks, Plant-Based Buddha Bowls, The Probiotic Kitchen, Buddha Bowls, and Everyday Freekeh Meals. She lives in New Jersey.
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updated May 1, 2019
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Love the idea of a smoothie for breakfast, but wish it filled you up a little more? I hear you, and I’m totally with you. My main criteria for any breakfast, including smoothies, is one that isn’t going to leave my stomach grumbling a couple hours later.

The key to a good breakfast smoothie is making sure it has the power to carry me through the morning. One of the easiest ways to do this? Add a scoop of oats!

Make a More Nourishing Smoothie with Oats

That’s right — whole rolled oats, just like the kind you’d eat for breakfast. Think about it this way: A bowl of oats topped with your favorite fruit or nuts makes a seriously satisfying and nourishing start to the day. Well, oats can do the same thing for your smoothie. They make for a drink that’s thicker, heartier, and all around more filling and nourishing. They even impart a subtle nutty flavor.

Here’s How to Add Oats to Your Smoothie

First, you need to choose your oats. Rolled oats are always my first choice, and what I typically have in the pantry, although quick oats will work just as well. However, because of their thicker, tougher texture, steel-cut oats don’t blend up well for smoothie; save those for a bowl of oatmeal.

Read more: What’s the Difference Between Steel-Cut, Rolled, and Instant Oats?

  • The easiest way: Pour the oats straight into the blender with the other smoothie ingredients and blend away until everything is smooth. This will give you a smoothie with a thicker yet very drinkable consistency.
  • A little more work: Grind the oats before adding them to the smoothie. If you have a high-powered blender like a

    Vitamix

    Blendtec, that will do the trick; you can grind the oats right in the blender before adding the other ingredients. You can also use a spice grinder to tackle the oats — just make sure it’s clean first.
  • Make-ahead option: With a little forethought, you can also consider soaking the oats overnight, or at least for a few hours, before adding them to your smoothie. Pour oats and enough milk of choice to cover in a small dish and refrigerate an hour or up to overnight.

The amount of oats you’ll add can vary depending on your smoothie recipe, but a good rule of thumb is about 1/4 cup cup of whole rolled oats per serving, up to 1/2 cup. Remember: You can always add more. So if you’re not quite sure about how much to add, start with less and then you can always use more until you get the consistency you like.

Try Adding Oats to These Breakfast Smoothies

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Beverages
Breakfast
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Ingredient
Rice & Grains
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