These Pizza Baked Oats are perfect for busy days – just mix everything in one dish and bake. They’re quick, hearty, gluten-free, vegan, and super versatile!
Why You’ll Love Pizza Baked Oatmeal
While I’m no stranger to baked oats, they’re usually versions like chocolate baked oats and pumpkin baked oats and other ‘desserts in disguise’ to target my sweet tooth. But oats are versatile enough for savory oat tortillas and gluten-free seeded bread, so why not savory oatmeal like these pizza baked oats? Perfect for savory breakfast cravings!
Made with chopped veggies, tomatoes, and cheese, this delicious pizza oatmeal bake captures your favorite elements of pizza but swaps dough for hearty oats. The result is a creamy, fiber-packed casserole that’s gluten-free, vegan, just as customizable as pizza, and easier than kneading traditional Italian pizza dough in the early morning (and less frowned upon at the breakfast table!). Simple, cheesy, child-approved, and great for the whole family… what’s not to love?
Looking for more delicious pizza alternatives? Check out my recipes for eggplant pizza, a keto zucchini pizza, and low-calorie potato pizza crust.
The Ingredients
- Oats: Use regular or certified gluten-free rolled oats for the best texture, though quick oats may work for a softer consistency. Quinoa flakes may work, though I haven’t tried.
- Aromatics: I use a mix of fresh and powdered onion and garlic. Use all powdered seasonings in a pinch.
- Vegetables: Add your favorite pizza toppings. I used mushrooms, bell pepper (any color), black olives, and spinach.
- Seasonings: Along with onion and garlic powder, my pizza baked oats uses a simple blend of Italian seasoning (though dried oregano or dried basil would work), salt, and nutritional yeast (cheesy).
- Tomato: Canned diced tomatoes (fire-roasted for depth) and tomato paste add rich, tomatoey depth to mimic pizza sauce. Add sun-dried tomatoes for even more flavor.
- Plant-based milk: Use unsweetened milk, like almond, soy, oat, cashew, etc., for creamy oats. However, vegetable broth also works.
- Cheese: I used my ultra-quick vegan cheese sauce, though dairy-free parmesan or mozzarella also work.
What Could I Add to Pizza Baked Oatmeal
- Fresh basil: Either within or to garnish.
- Other spices: Like cayenne or red pepper flakes (for heat), smoked paprika, dried rosemary, thyme, etc.
- Nuts/seeds: I.e., chia/flax, pepitas, pecans, etc. For texture, protein, and healthy fats.
- Protein: Feel free to add vegan sausage or pepperoni.
- Baking powder: Just a small amount adds slight lift/fluffiness to the baked oats.
- Other vegetables: sauteed leek and/or zucchini, diced roasted sweet potato or butternut squash, sweet corn, etc.
Please read the recipe card below for the full ingredients list, measurements, complete recipe method, and nutritional information.
How to Make Pizza Baked Oats
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F).
- Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables; chop the onion, bell pepper, and spinach, slice the mushrooms and olives, and mince the garlic.
- Add the oats and the chopped vegetables to a large, greased baking dish.
- Stir in the Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, nutritional yeast, tomato paste, canned diced tomatoes, and dairy-free milk.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the edges are browned and the top is set.
- Top the pizza baked oats with vegan cheese sauce and sliced olives, slice, and enjoy!
Storing Instructions
Store: Leave the pizza baked oats to cool and store it covered in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Freeze: Though the texture can become mushier, it’s safe to freeze – whole or sliced- for up to 3 months, wrapped tightly with plastic wrap. Then, thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheat: Microwave portions for 1-2 minutes, or reheat larger amounts in the oven at 175°C (350°F) for 15-20 minutes. For a softer consistency, add some milk/broth, and stir.
Serving Suggestions
Enjoy a portion of pizza baked oatmeal warm or at room temperature as a great brunch, breakfast, or light lunch option- served alone or with:
- Marinara sauce for dipping
- Yogurt and arugula to garnish
- A simple green salad
FAQs
Can I use steel-cut oats?
I don’t recommend it. The oats take longer to cook, so they won’t soften enough.
Can I air fry the pizza baked oatmeal?
Yes, try air frying it for 14-20 minutes (monitor it to avoid burn) at 350°F/180°C.
Can I use oat flour instead?
Oat flour, when combined with baking powder, will bake into more of a cakey consistency.
Is pizza baked oatmeal healthy?
Yes! Oats provide fiber, protein, complex carbohydrates, and nutrients. With veggies and vegan cheese, this makes a hearty, wholesome breakfast.
Top Recipe Tips
- To adjust consistency: More milk makes looser oatmeal. Don’t add too much, though, or it won’t be sliceable.
- Experiment with fillings: Choose your preferred vegetables. Wetter vegetables are best pre-cooked, or the baking time may vary.
- For individual portions: Prepare the oat base & veggies separately. That way, people can choose fillings. Divide the ingredients into ramekins and bake for 15-20 minutes.
- For a crispier top: Broil the pizza oatmeal bake for 2-3 minutes at the end. Brush with oil first for extra crunch.
More Vegan Pizza Recipes
- Pizza rolls (pinwheels)
- Mexican pizza with refried beans
- Vegan calzone
- Vegan deep dish pizza
- Spinach pizza crescent ring
- Avocado chickpea pizza
- Gluten-free pizza dough
If you try this easy pizza baked oats recipe, I’d love a comment and ★★★★★ recipe rating below. Also, please don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan #elavegan—I love seeing them.
Pizza Baked Oats
Video
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 6-7 fresh mushrooms chopped
- ¼ cup (45 g) black olives
- 1 big handful of spinach chopped
- 2 cups (180 g) rolled oats
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 2-3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- ½ cup (130 g) canned diced tomatoes
- 1 ½ cups (360 g) dairy-free milk
Instructions
- You can watch the video for visual instructions.First, preheat the oven to 180°C (360°F).
- Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables; chop the onion, bell pepper, and spinach, slice the mushrooms and olives, and mince the garlic.
- Add the oats and the chopped vegetables to a large, greased baking dish.
- Stir in the Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, nutritional yeast, tomato paste, canned diced tomatoes, and dairy-free milk.
- Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the edges are browned and the top is set.
- Top the pizza baked oats with vegan cheese sauce and sliced olives, slice, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically
„Simple and Delicious Vegan“ Cookbook by ElaVeganCLICK HERE to order!If you are using Pinterest, feel free to pin the following photo:
After lunch, my husband says, “Delightful. It tastes like pizza! We could serve this. I just don’t know what to call it.”
Haha I love that update 😄
“Delightful” is a big win, especially from someone who wanted sweet oatmeal for breakfast. And if it tastes like pizza, that’s basically the highest compliment.
Whatever the name, if he says “we could serve this,” you know it’s a keeper. 💛
Thank you, Ela. It’s true. I can already hear him thinking about the next time we’ll have it. Ha ha. To appreciate his comment, you need to know that we are addicted to pizza. We were buying Italian pizzas from Trader Joe’s and eating them every few days. Of course, we would add veggies and uncured pepperoni. This was the first attempt at anything like pizza since we went fully plant based.
Also, I did not use the cheesy sauce. I grated a bit of the Vegan Cheese I had made (following your recipe) onto the top, after I added the sliced tomatoes and olives. (It does keep well in the freezer and is perfect when a small need arises!)
And… I share with him what I tell you here and that you write back! and what you say!! He can’t believe you write back either. He looked at me the other day and said, “I think you have a new friend.” Indeed I do! It’s so much fun to share what works or doesn’t work in the kitchen with someone who understands and is on the same path.
I’m still amazed, and very grateful for you, Ela.<3 Many hugs and prayers for blessings.
Karie
Oh Karie, now I fully understand the weight of his “Delightful. It tastes like pizza!” comment. From Trader Joe’s Italian pizzas to fully plant-based and still feeling that pizza joy… that’s a big deal. 🙂
“I think you have a new friend” made me smile so much. That’s honestly the sweetest thing. This space feels special because of people like you who actually cook, experiment, adjust, and report back.
I’m very grateful for you too. Truly. Sending many hugs right back. 💛
Oh…my…goodness. Simply amazing! I only made half a recipe after reading the comments of others, but also made modifications based on those comments. I love savory oatmeal, and usually have an oatmeal salad for breakfast. My husband is more of a traditionalist, enjoying his sweet oatmeal, so was disappointed when I placed this in front of him this morning, and said it would be great for lunch, but not breakfast. I quickly made him some regular oatmeal (with fruit, flaxseed, and maple syrup).
I cannot even tell these are oats! I did not add the diced tomatoes as I was placing sliced tomatoes on top, along with sliced olives. I also used some sauerkraut brine and water for the liquid (going for more savory goodness), and held back a bit on the liquid added since the veggies were not pre-sauté’d. I used 5 oz of liquid instead of 6. I added some serrano pepper to the veggie mix. I mixed everything in a bowl and then placed it in a parchment lined pan. I covered the pan with foil for steaming. I baked it at 360F for 75 minutes. It was perfection, and so tasty! No need to add anything else.
Thank you, Ela, for another beautiful recipe. You are a gem.
Oh wow, this made me smile so much while reading it. 😍
I love that you really made it your own. Sauerkraut brine for extra savory depth sounds amazing, and serrano pepper is such a good idea.
And I had to laugh about your husband. Oatmeal expectations are real. Sweet breakfast traditions run deep. At least he still got his classic bowl with fruit and maple syrup. Mine is the opposite, he loves savory food and cannot stand sweets lol.
Thank you so much for your kind words. Truly appreciate you being here and sharing your experience. 💛
This is my first attempt at this recipe. It smells delicious but after 50 minutes of cooking it is very sloppy. Any ideas of where I want wrong? I followed the recipe. could I have mixed it too much before putting it in the oven?
Thanks for trying it. Don’t worry, you didn’t mix it too much. It sounds like there was just a bit too much moisture. Some veggies, especially mushrooms, spinach and canned tomatoes, release a lot of liquid while baking. I’d suggest either baking it longer until the center is set, or next time slightly reduce the plant milk or tomatoes, or pre sauté the mushrooms and spinach to cook off excess water. It should firm up nicely once that moisture balance is right. 😊
I love how simple and delicious this recipe is. If I may make one small suggestion, I didn’t see anywhere that the onion, garlic and peppers should be sauteed first. Mine came out not fully cooked, even after baking the full recommended time.
Thanks so much, I’m happy you enjoyed the recipe, Margo! And thank you for your feedback. The idea behind this “dump and bake” version is that everything cooks in the oven to keep it quick and fuss-free, but I agree that sautéing the onion, garlic, and peppers first will add extra flavor and make the veggies softer.
I absolutely love this meal! I made it to have as a weekday lunch. It was such a pleasant surprise!
So happy to hear that, Marie! 😊 Love that it worked well for weekday lunches too. Thanks for sharing your feedback! 💛
I forgot to mention that I took your suggestion and used sundried tomatoes (the kind not n a jar) instead of olives to for the dish and it turned out great. Just FYI for your fans you need a low-sodium option.
I meant to say, “for your fans who need a low sodium option.” Sorry for the typo.
Yay, I am so glad it turned out great! Thanks for reporting back. 🙂
This seems a great idea.
Do you know if I can I bake it in the air-fryer instead?
Hey, yes, I mentioned it in the FAQs: Try air frying it for 14-20 minutes (monitor it to avoid burn) at 350°F/180°C.
I am fixing this tonight but I don’t see any mention as to the size of pan this holds? 8×8 or 9×13?
Hi Cindy, I used a 9×13 pan. 🙂
What would you suggest for a substitute for the oats? And would you still use dairy-free milk or would water or veggie broth be acceptable?
Hi Bobbi, quinoa flakes could work great instead of oats. You can still use dairy-free milk, or swap for water or veggie broth if you want a lighter result. 🙂
Wow – can’t thank you enough for this recipe. Can’t wait to make it for our family! Blessings!
Aww, that makes me so happy to hear! Hope your family loves it as much as I do. Blessings to you too! 🙂
Will it still taste ok without the nutritional yeast?
Yes it will! Just a little bit less “cheesy”. 🙂
To this is so delicious first time having it but I’m impressed
So glad you loved it, Trevor! It’s such a fun and hearty twist on pizza. I’m happy it impressed you on the first try! 🙂
I love savoury oat dishes but cannot have much tomato. Any suggestions?
Thank you!
Absolutely! You can swap the tomato paste and canned tomatoes for roasted red peppers or pumpkin puree. 🙂
Please..please, do not call it pizza!
Haha, I know pizza is serious business in Italy 😄 It’s definitely not pizza in the traditional sense, just all the flavors you love in a cozy, oven-baked oats form. 😉
Pizza Flavored Oats would be more accurate.
Hey, that might be more accurate… 😉 But since no one really searches for ‘Pizza Flavored Oats’, I used the “trend name” so more people can find it!
Ela, Annalisa was wrong. You didn’t call this “pizza,” you called it “oats”. “Pizza”” was used as a descriptor, not the dish itself.
BTW, I haven’t made this yet, but I will soon. It sounds like a great recipe, and you give so many suggestion for customizing. Thanks.
Thank you so much, Dawn! I hope you love it when you try it. Feel free to customize with your favorite veggies or toppings and tell me how it goes! 🙂
This looks great. I would like to try this recipe. What do you suggest I use instead of olives. I have to have a low sodium diet so I cannot eat olives. Thanks
Hi Marie! You can simply leave the olives out, or replace them with something like sun-dried tomatoes (unsalted if possible), roasted red peppers, or even chopped artichoke hearts. They’ll still add that nice savory flavor without all the sodium. 🙂
Capers might work.