How to Cook Oat Bran

Co-authored by Sasha Reyes

Last Updated: December 18, 2023 References

Oat bran is a high-fiber, high-protein hot breakfast that you can make in under 15 minutes. You can cook oat bran just like you would oatmeal over the stovetop in a pot or you can even prepare it in the microwave. Most people add additional ingredients to oat bran to enhance the flavor, such as fruit or sugar. If you’re looking for a healthy alternative to sugary cereals, consider making oat bran instead.

Ingredients

Basic Oat Bran

2 cups (470 ml) water
1 cup (94 g) oat bran
Pinch of salt
Fruit (optional)
Sugar or honey (optional)
Cinnamon (optional)

Makes 4 servings

Coconut Oat Bran

.881 ounces (25.0 g) of dried coconut
14 fluid ounces (410 ml) of coconut milk
1.5 cups (350 ml) water
1 cup (94 g) oat bran
Pinch of salt
Fruit (optional)
Sugar or honey (optional)
Cinnamon (optional)

Makes 4 servings

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Cooking Oat Bran on the Stovetop

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1
Bring 2 cups (470 ml) of water to a boil. Pour 2 cups (470 ml) of water into a pot and add a pinch of salt. Place the pot on your stovetop and turn the heat to high. Wait 5-10 minutes for the water to start boiling.^{[1]
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- If you want a creamier oat bran, you can use milk or soy milk instead of water.
- Wait for the liquid to come to a boil before adding the oat bran.
Measure out 1 cup (94 g), of oat bran in a measuring cup. Pour the oat bran into the boiling water and stir it with a spoon.^{[2]
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Turn down your stovetop so that the oat bran and other ingredients simmer. Stir the oat bran with a spoon while it cooks.^{[3]
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Eat the oat bran plain or top it with fruit. At this point, you can add additional things to the oat bran to enhance the flavor like honey, sugar, or fruit. Stir the extra ingredients into the oat bran and pour it out into a bowl to serve it.^{[4]
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- Popular fruit to add to oat bran includes bananas, blueberries, and blackberries.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Microwaving Oat Bran

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Add 2 parts liquid to 1 part oat bran in a bowl. You can use water, milk, or almond milk as the liquid for your oat bran. Add the bran into the bowl first, then pour the liquids over the oat bran.^{[5]
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- For instance, if you're using 1/2 cup (47 g) of oat bran, add 1 cup (240 ml) of water.
2
Combine sugar or fruit in the oat bran to enhance its flavor. Add fruits like strawberries, bananas, or blueberries to the oat bran or sweeteners and spices like cinnamon, sugar, and honey to enhance the oat bran's flavor. Add a dash of salt over the ingredients and mix everything together with a spoon or fork.^{[6]
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- Salt will enhance the flavor of the sweeteners that you add to the oat bran.
3
Microwave the oat bran on high for 3 minutes, stirring it every minute. Set the microwave to cook for 3 minutes. Keep an eye on the timer as it cooks and take it out after 1 minute and stir it. Put it back into the microwave for another minute, take it out and stir it. Continue doing this until the timer runs down.^{[7]
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- Stirring the oat bran will prevent it from over thickening or seizing.
4
Stir the oat bran and serve it. Take the oat bran out of the microwave and stir it before eating it straight out of the bowl. If the oat bran still isn’t the flavor you want, you can add more sweeteners over the top of it.^{[8]
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- The bowl may be hot when you take it out of the microwave.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Making Coconut Oat Bran

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1
Add .881 ounces (25.0 g) of dried coconut to a skillet. Measure out .881 ounces (25.0 g) of dried coconut with a measuring cup or scale. You’ll brown this dried coconut in a skillet and use it to sweeten the taste of the oat bran.^{[9]
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- Use any sized skillet to brown the coconut.
2
Cook the coconut on medium-low heat for 2-4 minutes. Place the skillet on the stovetop and turn the heat to medium-low. Use a wooden spoon to stir the coconut for a few minutes until it turns golden brown.^{[10]
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- Set the coconut to the side for later after you’re done browning it.
Pour the coconut milk and the water into a pot and place it on your stovetop. Stir the liquids together so they are well incorporated. Turn the heat to high and wait for 6-10 minutes for the liquids to start boiling.^{[11]
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Add 1 cup (94 g) of oat bran to the pot and cook it for 5 minutes. Add 1 cup (94 g) of oat bran to the pot with the boiling liquids. Continue cooking the mixture for 5 minutes or until it starts to thicken into a paste.^{[12]
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- Stir the oat bran as it cooks so that it doesn’t thicken too much.
You can also add additional sweetener or fruit if you like your oat bran on the sweet side. Popular additions to oat bran include honey, sugar, and cinnamon. Once you add the additions, serve the oat bran in small bowls or cups.^{[13]
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