Chocolate Porridge with Pears & Nuts

Some recipes are so delicious that you could eat them for breakfast, snack, and dessert!

This creamy chocolate porridge is one of these fantastic meals. It’s healthy enough to be a filling and nourishing breakfast, but also sweet and decadent, so you can enjoy it as a dessert any time of the day!

Whenever you feel those chocolate cravings, satisfy your sweet tooth with this wholesome treat.

Since warm and creamy oatmeal tastes especially good during fall and winter, we used crushed nuts, caramelized banana, pear, and almond butter for the topping in the photos.

However, you can simply add your favorite ones!

If you’re curious, try our overnight zoats next and check out our almond milk crepes, blueberry muffins, and breakfast parfait. 

Recipe features 

• Ready in under 15 minutes
• Great for breakfast, snack, or dessert
• Wholesome and indulging
• Packed with nutrients & satiating
• Can be enjoyed year-round

You can keep the toppings really simple and add what you have on hand, or take some extra time to roast nuts and caramelize a banana to make this porridge extra special!

Ingredients needed

• Rolled oats — hearty, healthy, and filling basis for our porridge.
• Soy milk & water — the cooking liquid; choose any dairy-free milk of your liking.
• Bananas — one is cooked with the oats and the other is used for the topping.
• Spices — cocoa powder, cinnamon, and maple syrup taste delicious!
• Toppings — seasonal fruit (pear), crushed nuts, almond butter, vegan yogurt, and dark chocolate.

Find adjustment ideas for many of these components further down in our article. All you need to make this easy chocolate porridge is a pot, measuring equipment, and a spoon.

How to make chocolate porridge

1. Combine all ingredients for the porridge in a medium-sized saucepan: rolled oats, soy milk, water, mashed banana, flax, cinnamon, and cocoa powder.
2. Mix until well combined, then cook over medium-high heat until the oatmeal starts to bubble.
3. Turn down the heat and let simmer for a few minutes until your desired consistency is reached. Be sure to stir occasionally, so the oatmeal doesn’t burn!
4. Divide between serving bowls and decorate with your favorite toppings. Enjoy! 

Storage & serving

You can make larger batches of this chocolate porridge and store any leftovers, once cooled, in an airtight container in the fridge.

It keeps well for 3-5 days. Cooked oatmeal can also be frozen in individual portions for up to 3 months! 

Simply reheat it on the stove or in the microwave with an additional splash of soy milk until warm!

Chocolate porridge tastes best freshly cooked with an extra piece or two of dark chocolate on top — it’s heavenly when it melts and mixes with the almond butter.

We love it alongside our almond latte or golden milk in the morning!

FAQs & tips

Vegan porridge toppings

• Fresh or frozen berries
• Mango
• Peaches 
• Chia jam
• Date caramel sauce
• Cocoa nibs
• Nut butter
• Shredded coconut
• Dried fruit

Make oatmeal without banana

Our chocolate porridge is sweetened with ripe mashed banana. However, if you don’t like this texture and flavor, simply use chopped dates, applesauce, sugar, or maple syrup instead.

Make it in the microwave

Put the oats, liquid, and spices into a big bowl and mix well with a spoon. Place into your microwave and heat for 2 minutes on high.

Give it a stir, check if you’ve reached the desired consistency, then cook again for 1 minute if needed.

Add your favorite toppings and enjoy!

Dietary adjustments

• Gluten-free: use gluten-free certified oats.
• Nut-free: sprinkle with chia, pumpkin, or hemp seeds. Omit almond butter.
• Low-calorie: reduce dark chocolate, banana, and/or almond butter.
• High-protein: add vegan chocolate protein powder or our homemade protein blend.

More breakfast recipes

• Sweet Potato Toasts
• Scrambled Tofu
• Healthy Granola
• Sugar-Free Banana Bread
• Chocolate Mango Smoothie