Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal
Creamy stovetop rolled oats simmered in milk, enriched with a splash of heavy cream and vanilla, then topped with a quick jammy strawberry compote and fresh sliced berries. Tastes like a bowl of strawberry shortcake, but it's breakfast.
- Prep
- 9 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 24 min
- Makes
- 2 bowls (about 1 cup / 250 g of oatmeal each, roughly 1½ cups / 375 g per bowl with compote, berries, and cream)
Steps
Before you start
- Use old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant (too mushy) or steel-cut (needs far longer cooking and more liquid).
- Use ripe, fragrant strawberries. Out-of-season berries need the full amount of sugar and the lemon juice.
- Timing: the diced berries stand with the sugar while you cook the oats, so the whole recipe takes about 24 minutes from start to finish. Read the steps through once so you know when to switch tasks.
- Choose a medium saucepan (2-quart / 2 L). Milk foams up when it heats, and a larger pan prevents boil-overs.
- If using almonds, toast them first (see the tip in the last step).
Prep the strawberries
- Rinse the strawberries, pat dry, and slice off the green tops.
- Cut 6 oz (170 g) into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice and place in the small saucepan.
- Thinly slice the remaining 4 oz (115 g) and set aside on a plate for topping.
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Ready when: Diced pieces are roughly uniform, about the size of a pea or small blueberry.
Tip: Keep the diced and sliced berries separate. The diced ones are cooked, the sliced ones stay fresh.
Macerate the diced berries
- Add the sugar and lemon juice to the diced strawberries in the small saucepan and stir to coat.
- Leave them at room temperature, off the heat, while you cook the oatmeal in the next three steps (about 10 minutes in all).
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Ready when: A pool of red juice has collected around the berries and the sugar has mostly dissolved.
Tip: This standing time overlaps with the oat steps, so don't wait idly. Move straight on to heating the liquids.
Heat the liquids
- In the medium saucepan, combine the milk, water, and salt.
- Warm over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes, stirring now and then, until small bubbles form around the edge and wisps of steam rise.
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Ready when: Liquid is steaming with tiny bubbles at the edge, just below a full boil.
Tip: Stay nearby. Milk can foam and boil over within seconds once it reaches a boil.
Simmer the oats
- Stir in the rolled oats and reduce the heat to medium-low.
- Cook at a gentle simmer for 6 minutes, stirring every minute or so and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the oats have softened and absorbed most of the liquid.
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Ready when: Oats are tender with a slight chew, and the mixture is thick but still a little loose and pourable.
Tip: Constant vigorous stirring makes the oatmeal gluey. Stir gently and just often enough to prevent sticking.
Finish with cream
- Stir in 2 tbsp (30 ml) of the heavy cream, the maple syrup, and the vanilla.
- Cook for 1 to 2 minutes more, stirring, until the oatmeal is glossy and spoonable.
- Remove from the heat and cover the pan; it will rest while you make the compote.
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Ready when: The oatmeal looks creamy and glossy and a spoon drawn through it leaves a trail that slowly closes.
Tip: Adding vanilla near the end preserves its aroma, which fades with long cooking.
Cook the compote
- Set the small saucepan with the macerated berries over medium heat.
- Bring to a gentle bubble, then cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Scrape into a small bowl.
- Meanwhile the covered oatmeal rests and thickens to a soft porridge; stir it before serving, adding a tablespoon of milk or water if it is too thick.
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Ready when: Berries are soft but still hold their shape, and the juice coats the back of a spoon like a loose syrup.
Tip: Don't cook until the berries collapse completely; you want distinct pieces of fruit, not jam.
Assemble and serve
- Divide the oatmeal between two bowls.
- Spoon the warm strawberry compote over the top, scatter with the fresh sliced strawberries and toasted almonds if using, and drizzle each bowl with 1 tbsp (15 ml) of the remaining cream.
- Serve right away.
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Tip: To toast almonds, stir them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and fragrant. Tip them out right away so they don't burn.
Good to know
Tips
- Toasting the dry oats in the saucepan for 1 to 2 minutes before adding the liquid gives a nuttier flavor.
- Don't skip the salt. It makes the strawberries taste sweeter and the cream taste richer.
- For a thinner, looser oatmeal, add 2 to 3 tablespoons extra milk at the end; for a thicker one, cook 1 minute longer.
- Swirl a spoonful of the compote into the oatmeal, rather than just topping it, if you want strawberry flavor in every bite.
Make ahead
The compote can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated in a covered container; warm it gently in the microwave for 20 seconds before serving. The oatmeal can be cooked up to 3 days ahead (see storage), but it is best fresh.
Storage & reheating
Store oatmeal and compote separately in airtight containers. Refrigerate both for up to 3 days, and freeze the oatmeal for up to 2 months (the compote is best not frozen). Don't leave either at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Reheat oatmeal in a saucepan or microwave with 2 to 3 tablespoons of milk per serving, stirring until hot and creamy (about 1 to 2 minutes in the microwave, stirring halfway). Add fresh sliced berries just before serving.
Substitutions
- heavy cream → half-and-half or full-fat coconut cream. Half-and-half gives a lighter result; coconut cream makes it dairy-free in combination with a plant milk.
- whole milk → unsweetened oat milk or 2% milk. Oat milk keeps the oatmeal creamy; 2% milk gives a slightly less rich texture.
- fresh strawberries → frozen strawberries, thawed and drained. Use the same weight for the compote; thawed berries release more juice, so shorten the standing time to about 5 minutes. Use fresh berries for the topping if possible.
- pure maple syrup → honey or light brown sugar. Use the same amount; honey adds a floral note and brown sugar adds a caramel taste.
