Old-Fashioned Mexican Oatmeal (Avena)
Warm, creamy, sweet, and cinnamon-y, this slow-cooked Old-Fashioned Mexican Oatmeal (also known as Avena) is a bowlful of morning comfort. Start your day off on the right foot with this wholesome and nutritious breakfast made with just old-fashioned oats, water, cinnamon, and milk.
If you’ve fallen into a breakfast slump recently, give this deliciously smooth oatmeal recipe a try! This traditional Mexican breakfast will warm you up from the inside out and keep you full until lunchtime. It’s also entirely customizable, making it the perfect choice for your whole family.
About This Recipe
Warm avena (oatmeal) is one of my favorite winter breakfasts. It’s warm, creamy, easy on the tummy, and feels like a big hug in a bowl. While you can always opt to use instant oatmeal for a quick breakfast, oftentimes the packets are loaded with sugar, not to mention their lackluster consistency. There’s just something different about homemade oatmeal prepared on a chilly morning.
This simple recipe for slow-cooked Mexican avena requires just a handful of ingredients, most of which are probably already in your pantry. Old-fashioned rolled oats, cinnamon sticks, water, and milk are all you need to make this hearty breakfast.
While I can’t claim that this is a quick recipe, the flavor is well worth the minimal effort it requires. It only takes about three minutes of prep time to get on the stove, and then a quick stir every few minutes to ensure it doesn’t burn. The result? A smooth, cozy breakfast that acts like an internal jacket.
This easy avena recipe also allows for plenty of customization. Feel free to use the sweetener of your choice, then top it with whatever your heart desires. I like mine with handful of berries, some chopped nuts, a sprinkle of ground cinnamon, and a drizzle of honey. Delicious!
Health Benefits of Oats
Whether you’re still going strong with your New Year’s resolutions or if you’ve fallen off the wagon and want to get back to a healthy diet, this is a great place to start. Avena is a tasty and nutritious breakfast that should fit well with most diets, and is loaded with good-for-you ingredients.
In case you didn’t already know it, whole-grain oats are naturally gluten-free, high in fiber, relatively high in protein and fat, and are loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. In fact, they are one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet!
A diet rich in oats has also been associated with several positive health outcomes including reduced blood pressure, reduced LDL cholesterol, reduced insulin response, and reduced inflammation. If you’re looking for a superfood to start your day, oats are it amigos!
As if that weren’t enough, the addition of cinnamon increases the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of this avena recipe, and the addition of milk gives the oatmeal a boost of protein. Toss in some fresh berries for a hit of powerful phytonutrients and some nuts for heart-healthy fat, and you have yourself a breakfast that will nourish you from the inside out.
Finally, when you purée the cooked avena in the blender it becomes an atole, which is a smooth oatmeal drink. This is a good way to prepare it for both the elderly and the very young; it was my grandma Jesusita’s favorite breakfast preparation when she got older.
How to Make Old-Fashioned Avena
This simple recipe for slow-cooked Mexican oatmeal is pretty straightforward. It takes a bit of time to prepare, but I promise it will be worth every second! Here’s how it’s done:
In a saucepan (I love my cast iron Dutch oven), bring the water to a boil with the cinnamon sticks. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for one hour. Discard the cinnamon sticks. Make-Ahead Tip: This Cinnamon Tea (Té de Canela) can be done up to a week in advance and kept in the refrigerator.
Add the salt and oats to the water and let it come to a boil, uncovered. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Add milk and simmer for an additional 15 minutes until creamy.
Serve in a bowl and add more milk or water if you want it thinner. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sweeten with sugar, honey, or maple syrup. Serve garnished with blueberries and walnuts. Enjoy!
Watch the video below to learn how quick and simple it is to make avena. Slow-cooked old-fashioned creamy oatmeal is so comforting and beats instant packaged oatmeal any day.
Optional Variations & Customizations
This comforting recipe for avena is simply perfect as is, but there are plenty of ways to make it your own. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
- Play with your toppings! I’m a sucker for antioxidant-rich blueberries and heart-healthy walnuts, but those are just two of about a gazillion options. Feel free to try other berries and nuts, or raisins. Granola will add crunch and sweetness, maple syrup can replace the honey, use cacao powder to make it chocolatey, or add apples.
- Make it vegan. Trade out the dairy milk for your favorite plant-based milk instead. I love rice or almond milk, but you can also double down on the oats with creamy oat milk.
- Make it in a slow cooker. If you aren’t one for morning cooking, I hear you! Simply add all the ingredients to a slow cooker and set it to low for 8-10 hours. When you wake up, this sweetly spiced slow cooker avena will be waiting to greet you!
Frequently Asked Questions
Sure! Take a page out of the overnight oats playbook and add the milk, oats, salt, and cinnamon-infused water to a mixing bowl. Stir well, cover and place in the fridge overnight. During their rest, the oats will absorb the liquids and begin to soften, reducing your cook time significantly.
Alternatively, you can opt to make this yummy avena on your meal-prep day and keep it in the fridge. Leftovers will last for up to a week!
Making avena requires rolled (or old-fashioned) oats to get the proper consistency. While you can technically use instant oats, they end up a little too mushy for my taste. Stay away from steel-cut oats for this one – they take much longer to cook.
Absolutely! Simply toss the cooked avena in a blender (or use an immersion blender to cut down on dishes) and whiz away until it is smooth and sippable.
More Tasty Breakfast Recipes
If you made this recipe for my Old-Fashioned Mexican Oatmeal (a.k.a. Avena), please be sure to rate and review it below!
Old-Fashioned Mexican Oatmeal (Avena)
Ingredients
- 8 cups water
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup milk, low-fat evaporated milk, milk, or almond milk
- ground cinnamon, optional
- sugar, optional
- honey, optional
- raisins, optional
- blueberries, optional
- walnuts, optional
Instructions
- In a saucepan bring the water with the cinnamon sticks to a boil. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep for 1 hour. Discard the cinnamon sticks.
- Add salt and oats to the water and let it come to a boil uncovered. Lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Add milk and simmer for an additional 15 minutes until creamy.
- Serve in a bowl and add more milk or water if you want it thinner. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sweeten with sugar or honey. Serve garnished with blueberries and walnuts.
Video
Notes
- When you puree it in the blender it becomes an atole, smooth oatmeal, which is a good way to prepare it for the elderly and the very young.
- If you are lactose intolerant, use lactose-free milk. Or substitute regular milk for a vegan version like oat, almond, or soy milk.
- Refrigerate leftovers for up to 1 week.
49 Comments on “Old-Fashioned Mexican Oatmeal (Avena)”
I love making this oatmeal recipe. I love it, my family loves it. It’s so creamy and delicious.
Can this recipe be cut in half? And how
I’ve made this many times, my son and I love it!
When do you put it in the blender ?
I love avena. 🙂 I never thought of boiling the cinnamon first, but man, I have to try that.
I made this oatmeal this morning for my mom, and we both loved it! The only thing I did differently from the original recipe is I used steel cut oats instead. Still had a nice consistency, though. Now I’m set for the whole week. Thank you! By the way, my mom commented how nice the house smelled too!!
Okay, so I’m getting ready to try this recipe. But I’m only making it for two people. So, my question is, what are the best ways to reheat the oatmeal the next day to serve? Otherwise, I’ll have to “halve” the recipe. Thank you! I agree, though, homemade oatmeal from scratch is much more comforting to eat than the instant; I have the time to make so I would like to do it.
Someone else ask about using Quick 1 minute oats. Does it change the time for this recipe? I didn’t see a reply for the question earlier?
Do you have any vegan recipes?
Thank you for bringing back a loving
Memory from my youth. My grandmother
would have ready & kichen smelled so good.
❤️
What is the nutritional information for the Avena oatmeal? Carbs and dietary fiber in particular
I’m hooked on your recipe for Mexican apple cinnamon oatmeal, which is very similiar to this one. I have never used shredded apples in oatmeal, but it is the best. As you recommended, I added the golden raisins and ground cinnamon. The only thing I did different was to add a little vanilla extract. I’ve made this at least 3 times and it is my go to recipe for oatmeal. It reheats well and my husband loves it.
Rose, when you reheat the oatmeal, what do you do? I’m getting ready to make the Mexican oatmeal but for only two people. I’m not sure best way to reheat for same or similar consistency. Suggestions, please?!
What about using steel cut oats? I have never made this recipe, but it sounds amazing. I only have the steel-cut oats on hand right now.
The pic, do you have the retail source for the spoon, bowls and dish towel? Love them!
Hello
I ground the oatmeal in my coffe grinder and need to know what the quantities of water and milk are appropriate for one half cup of ground oatmeal. Thank you
I made it per your recipe and it was great. My daughter who doesn’t even like oatmeal ate the whole bowl. This recipe is a keeper.
Question : If ( & I seriously doubt it ), but if, there are leftovers. How do you reheat it?
Hi Charlie, it can be reheated in microwave on in a saucepan. You might need to add more water or milk if you want thinner. Enjoy!
Hello I’ve made your recipe before and I love it! Thank you for sharing. Quick question what if I don’t have but 1 cinnamon stick? Could I use ground instead??
Hi Jessica, sorry for the late reply. Yes, absolutely! It won’t be quite the same, but will still be amazing!
Just a quick question can I use the quick oats instead and does that change the recipe or cook time because it says ready in 1 minute on the container.. thank you
Hello..excellent recipe. I add some butter and vanilla to my recipe, otherwise everything the same. Key is to definitely cook it longer than indicated on container directions, thus obtaining a creamier texture. 🙂
This recipe is amazing!! The taste and consistency is perfect. I love that I can cook my oatmeal for the week, but the best thing about this oatmeal is it doesn’t matter if it’s the first or last day, the consistency of the oatmeal is the same(it doesn’t thicken up, stays creamy). I do use a little bit of fat free sweetened condensed milk for sweetening and also add vanilla while it’s cooking. Thank you for sharing your recipes.
I was wondering if I don’t have low fat evaporated milk, can I just add regular 2% milk instead?
Hi Margarita,
Yes, 2% milk should taste just as delicioso! Enjoy!
Hi, LATELY I BEEN FINDING MYSELF DRIVING TO EAST LOS ANGELES ON A COLD MORNING IN SEARCH OF SOME HOT AVENA FROM THE STREET VENDORS, (YUMMY) WELL THAT HAS COME TO A STOP ( WELL NOT A COMPLETE STOP) SINCE I TRIED YOUR RECIPE FOR AVENA.
ALL HAVE TO SAY IS “OH MY STARS” BROUGHT BACK SOME GREAT MEMORIES THANKS.
Mom couldn’t get me to eat avena when I was very very young. Now as an adult I love it, especially in winter. Come to find out its very nutritious.
Oh boy but this sounds good to me. I love oatmeal in almost any form, but with sweetened condensed milk? That would never have occurred to me and I’m quite excited to give it a try! I don’t see how it could be anything but wonderful! 🙂
Hi Debra, thank you for your email! I just realized my recipe is incorrect. It should be low-fat evaporated milk not sweetened condensed milk. Sorry for the confusion. The recipe has been edited.