Hearty bowls of piping hot oatmeal flavored with cinnamon and brown sugar, topped with 5-minute caramelized pears and walnuts. Can breakfast get any better – or more flavorful? I think not.
Thanks to our friends at USA Pears for sponsoring this post!
I find that breakfast is the easiest meal for me to get into a rut with – eggs on toast every morning until I can’t even stand the thought of eggs and toast anymore! When was the last time you changed up your breakfast routine? Never?
Ok, let me convince you to try something new and unique – Caramelized Pear Oatmeal Bowls. They taste like a total treat while still being pretty wholesome + nutritious! We all know about the health benefits of oatmeal by now, and pears are certainly not lacking in nutritional points either (Fiber! Vitamin C!). Plus, they are incredibly delicious, and you can enjoy them year-round. Let’s dive into the recipe, shall we?
How to Caramelize Pears
Now, I don’t know how legit this method is, but it’s my method, it works, and most importantly – it’s super simple while still yielding delicious results.
First, get yourself some USA Pears! We want ones that are ripe, yet still a tad on the firm side here – if you’re using pears that are super ripe, the slices might be too soft to begin with and will sort of fall apart in the pan when we cook them.
Rinse your pear, and cut it into slices. Melt a knob of butter in a pan, then add the pear slices. We’ll let them sizzle away in the butter for a minute or two, stirring to make sure each slice gets nice and buttery. Then, toss in your brown sugar and stir everything around so it gets coated with the butter + sugar. Cook for another minute, stir in a pinch of cinnamon, and you’ve got your caramelized pears! Tender, juicy, sweet – but not TOO sweet – and ridiculously easy.
I highly recommend stirring the caramel syrup that’s left in the pan into your oatmeal – SO GOOD. Taste, and add an extra sprinkle of brown sugar, if you want an extra hint of sweetness, and add a pinch more cinnamon. Top your oatmeal with slices of the caramelized pears and a handful of chopped walnuts. (If you don’t like nuts, feel free to omit them! Pecans would be good here, too.)
A few notes about this recipe:
- For the oatmeal – make it using your favorite method! I use the quick cook oats and cook them on the stove according to the package directions.
- This recipe is gluten-free and can easily be made dairy-free and vegan by swapping the butter for any vegan butter substitute
- Since we’re cooking one whole pear here, any leftover pear slices can be stored in the fridge and reheated over the next day or two. You could also just caramelize 1/3 of the pear and eat the rest of it plain!
- I don’t recommend making a big batch of oatmeal and reheating it later, because as you probably know, oatmeal is one of those foods that does NOT make for good leftovers.
- Cook your pears first – then remove them from the heat, and make your oatmeal. Oatmeal starts to get hard + weird pretty fast once it’s cooked, if you just let it sit, which is why I recommend doing the pears first!
I cannot recommend this situation highly enough. Pears are, in my opinion, a little underrated in the fruit world but they are SO delicious and versatile. Add them to your breakfast routine – you won’t regret it.
Thanks again to our friends at USA Pears for sponsoring this delicious recipe!
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Caramelized Pear Oatmeal Bowls
Hearty bowls of piping hot oatmeal flavored with cinnamon and brown sugar, topped with 5-minute caramelized pears and walnuts. Can breakfast get any better - or more flavorful? I think not.
Ingredients
- 1 d'anjou or bartlett pear Ripe, but not super soft
- 2 tbsp butter can sub vegan butter
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup quick cook oats
- more brown sugar and cinnamon, for the oats, if desired
- 2 tbsp walnuts, for topping optional
Instructions
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Make the Caramelized Pears: Rinse your pear, and thinly slice it, discarding the core. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add pears, and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally so pears get evenly coated in the butter. Pears should be fork-tender. Add the brown sugar and stir to coat pears evenly. Cook another minute until you see a sort of caramel sauce forming, then sprinkle on the cinnamon, stir to coat pears, and remove pan from the heat.
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Make your Oatmeal: I recommend doing this second, because oatmeal gets funky pretty quick if you cook it and then let it sit in the pot.
Cook oats according to package directions - I use the quick cook oats. Stir in brown sugar and cinnamon if desired. You can also stir in some of the leftover caramel sauce from the pan - YUM.
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Serve + Store: Add oats to a bowl, top with the pears and walnuts. Enjoy immediately! I DON'T recommend making extra oatmeal and trying to reheat it later - it's one of those things that just needs to be made fresh.
Store leftover pears in airtight container in the fridge and reheat in a pan or in the microwave. I use about 1/3 of a pear in my oatmeal, so this should make enough caramelized pears for three breakfast bowls.
Recipe Notes
NOTE:Â Nutrition info is for one serving of oats (1/2 cup dry) and 1/3 of the caramelized pears.
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Gina Matsoukas says
Delicious! Great way to start the day!
Carrie says
This looks so good. Can’t wait to try it out.
wilhelmina says
This takes breakfast to a whole new level!!!
Lathiya says
The caramelized pears looks so inviting and makes the humble oatmeal a delicacy.
Jacquelyn Hastert says
What a great way to start the day! Filled with so much delicious protein that you won’t get hungry.
Mimi says
I think the center of my attention in this delicious breakfast is those caramelized pears – they look absolutely stunning!
April says
I agree and I think breakfast just can’t get any better because the amount of flavors in these oatmeal bowls goes through the roof! Delicious way to start the day.
Jori says
You’re so clever! I love the addition of the caramelized pear. I have oatmeal pretty much daily but this is definitely a weekend treat for me.
Maman de sara says
Oh yes for a caramelized pear with oatmeal , what a great breakfast!
Karyl Henry says
Now this looks like an amaizng breakfast! I’ve never caramelized pears before, but these look super easy and delicious. I’m definitely adding this to my weekend breakfast list
Cheese Curd In Paradise says
Oh my was this an amazing breakfast! I adore pear, but caramelizing it makes it even better! I can’t wait to make this again!
Jacqueline Debono says
This breakfast bowl looks and sounds so yummy! My pear tree is just blossoming now! Can’t wait to make this with my homegrown pears! Yum!
Candiss says
These caramelized pears look delicious on oatmeal and I bet they would be great on my favorite breakfast, a yogurt bowl!
Kelly Anthony says
This caramelized pear oatmeal sounds like a real treat! I’m also in a rut of eating eggs and sausage every morning so this oatmeal has me dreaming of breakfast!
Stine Mari says
Oatmeal is such a filling and comforting breakfast dish, but I always think it needs some kind of topping. And these caramelized pears looks like the absolute perfect topping!
Amanda says
I always love a good gourmet oatmeal, and this looks like the perfect way to start the morning! I’m definitely giving this a try over the weekend. Thanks for sharing such a great recipe!
dee says
I love that you used pears for this dish! it looks so delicious and healthy! Pears go so well with cinnamon and this is a great way to let them shine!
Danielle Wolter says
you’ve convinced me!! this is the kind of breakfast i envision myself eating every day. loving the flavors – those pears must be incredible!
Byron Thomas says
What a lovely option for a Sunday morning breakfast – especially now that the warmer weather is coming. I’d love to sit on my balcony with a warm bowl of this oatmeal and watch the sun get higher in the sky. (I promise I will not make a double batch to re-heat later!) 🙂
Gloria says
I just bought some caramelized pear yogurt. This looks delicious. I think my grandkids would love to start their day with this for breakfast.
Jere Cassidy says
I am such an oatmeal lover and usually put apples in the bowl. These pears look so good and I love that you caramelized them.