The BEST Oatmeal Ever: High Protein Ricotta Oatmeal
Last Update: 2/6/2025
This easy Ricotta Oatmeal recipe is high in protein and makes a delicious break from eggs!
It is definitely not your childhood oatmeal. But it is close to mine. And I still eat it at least a couple times a week.
I've incorporated ingredients from my nonna's Sicilian porridge, cuccia, to boost the protein and flavor of traditional oatmeal! Cuccia was something my nonna made every Santa Lucia Day, December 13th, but it was so good, we’d want it all year round.
And once you try my dreamy, creamy, high-protein oatmeal, I bet you’ll make it part of your healthy breakfast rotation. I actually had clients who requested this version of my oatmeal for EVERY breakfast—for years!
For those of you with a sweet tooth, see the Sweet Cinnamon Ricotta Oatmeal Recipe that follows.
High Protein Ricotta Oatmeal Recipe
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1½ cups nonfat milk
1½ cups water
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1½ cups old fashioned or steel-cut rolled oats
Topping of choice
Instructions
1. In a sauce pan, whisk together milk, water, and ricotta. It will be easier to break up the ricotta if you add it to the liquid in small pieces. Heat on medium heat and stir often.
2. Bring liquid almost to a boil and stir in oats.
3. Immediately thereafter simmer and stir intermittently for 5–7 minutes until oats are cooked and have reached your desired consistency. The best way to determine if the oatmeal is cooked is to taste it.
4. If at this point, you want even thicker oatmeal, cover your saucepan, turn off heat, and let sit for 2 minutes.
5. Transfer into 4 bowls, and add toppings if desired.
Sweet Cinnamon Ricotta Oatmeal Recipe
I love the creaminess of my original recipe, but my mom will not eat oatmeal unless it’s sweet. So, I came up with this Sweet Cinnamon version for her. Follow the recipe above, and in Step 1, simply add the additional ingredients below.
Additional Ingredients
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon stevia or Splenda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
The rest of the recipe is exactly the same!
Another option for sweet oatmeal is to add brown sugar or maple syrup after it is cooked.
Optional Toppings For Ricotta Oatmeal
I have another reason why I make the base of my oatmeal plain—my dog eats it too. He has digestive issues and requires a high-fiber diet. Once he started on ricotta oatmeal, he’s been so much better! And, he absolutely loves it!
But back to us humans: You can put anything you want on top of oatmeal. Here are a few of my favorites.
Fruits
I love all fruits, and most can be added on top of oatmeal, but fresh berries are my favorite. Another great option is to try shredding an apple as a topping and adding some cinnamon!
Dried fruits like raisins, dried cranberries, and dried cherries are also nice additions.
Nuts
Most nuts will taste great in oatmeal, but my preferences are chopped or sliced almonds or chopped pecans.
Syrups & Sweetners
Instead of cooking a sweet recipe, you can add the sweetness after. Maple syrup is my favorite sweetener to add on top, but brown sugar, stevia, or any sweetener works.
Tips for Storing & Meal Prep
Don’t be afraid of making a big batch of Ricotta Oatmeal!
Store it in an airtight container and it will last at least 5 days in the refrigerator.
I also freeze oatmeal regularly in freezer bags, and it routinely lasts for over two months!
After I put the oatmeal into a gallon Ziploc bag, flatten it out, and close it tight, I trace my finger over the bag to make a grid pattern before freezing. That way, I can take out as many squares as I need for the particular batch size I want to reheat the day I’m going to have or serve the oatmeal.
