How to Use Oat Bran

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: April 22, 2019 References Approved

If you're looking for easy ways to add more fiber to your diet, try oat bran. It's simple to add fiber and a slightly nutty flavor to baked goods like muffins, pancakes, cereal, and flapjack bars. For an even easier way to add it to your diet, stir a few spoonfuls of oat bran into your soups, yogurt, and cottage cheese. You can also replace breadcrumbs with oat bran when cooking or grilling meat and fish.

Ingredients

High-Fiber Oat Bran Muffins

2 tablespoons (28 g) butter
2 tablespoons (21 g) honey
1 cup (113 g) whole-wheat flour
2 cups (188 g) oat bran
2 teaspoons (10 g) baking powder
3/4 to 1 teaspoon (1.5 to 2 g) mixed spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, mace, cardamom or cloves)
1 teaspoon (4 g) baking soda
1 cup (240 ml) milk
1 egg
1 to 1 1/2 cup (134 to 201 g) mix of dried fruits and nuts, chopped

Makes 12 muffins

Fluffy Oat Bran Pancakes

2/3 cup (80 g) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (31 g) oat bran
1 tablespoon (12.5 g) brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons (10 g) baking powder
1/8 teaspoon (0.5 g) salt
1 cup (240 ml) milk
1 tablespoon (15 ml) cooking oil
2 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks

Makes 12 pancakes

Oat Bran Flapjack Bars

1 1/2 cups (140 g) rolled oats
1 1/2 cups (140 g) oat bran
1/2 cup (100 g) brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon (6 g) desiccated coconut
3 tablespoons (12 g) sunflower and pumpkin seeds
9 1/2 tablespoons (140 g) unsalted butter

Makes 9 to 12 bars

Crunchy Oat Bran Cereal

1½ cups (140 g) oats
1 cup (94 g) oat bran
½ cup (100 g) brown sugar, packed
½ cup (30 g) sweetened coconut
½ cup (85 g) ground flax seeds
1 tablespoon (7 g) cinnamon
½ teaspoon (2.5 g) salt
½ teaspoon (2 g) baking soda
1 pinch of nutmeg
¹⁄₃ cup (79 ml) coconut oil
¹⁄₃ cup (79 ml) maple syrup
1 tablespoon (21 g) molasses
1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) vanilla

Makes 1 sheet

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Adding Oat Bran to Food

1
Make hot oat bran cereal. Instead of just cooking oats for your morning porridge, cook oat bran. Heat 1 cup (240 ml) of water or milk until it boils and whisk in 1/3 cup (31 g) of oat bran. Keep whisking and cooking the oat bran for several minutes or until it absorbs most of the liquid. Sweeten the cereal with honey, fruit, or syrup.^{[1]
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2
Stir 1 to 2 tbsp (5.5 to 11 g) of oat bran into soups or stews. Oat bran is a great way to add heft and thicken thin soups. You can stir a few spoonfuls directly into your bowl or add a larger amount to a pot of soup. Stir the soup well so it absorbs liquid and softens.

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3
Mix 1 to 2 tbsp (5.5 to 11 g) into omelets, yogurt, or cottage cheese. While oat bran is usually cooked, you can stir it raw into some foods. Stir 1 to 2 tablespoons (5.5 to 11 g) into an egg omelet, plain or flavored yogurt, and cottage cheese. This will add a slightly nutty flavor and increase the fiber in your snack.
4
Substitute oat bran for breadcrumbs when cooking. You can replace breadcrumbs that are used for binding ingredients with oat bran. For example, instead of using dry or fresh breadcrumbs in meatballs, meatloaf, or burgers, use an equal part of oat bran instead.
- You can also swap out oat bran for breadcrumbs if you're making a crunchy topping for a casserole.
5
Use oat bran as a breading for chicken and fish. Combine a 1/2 cup (47 g) of oat bran with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and grated parmesan cheese. Coat chicken tenders or fillets of fish such as salmon, cod, or tilapia with the oat bran breading. If you prefer, just place the breading on top of the chicken or fish. Bake or sauté the chicken or fish according to your recipe.^{[2]
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- The oat bran breading should crisp up and become golden brown.
6
Sprinkle 1 to 2 tbsp (5.5 to 11 g) of oat bran on salads. For a quick fiber boost, add a few spoonfuls of oat bran right over your salad. The oat bran will add a slightly nutty flavor so it's great on salads that already have nuts.
7
Increase the fiber in your diet slowly. Oat bran is very high in fiber. To avoid cramping, bloating, and constipation, gradually add more oat bran to your diet. You should also drink more water throughout the day to help the fiber pass through your digestive system.^{[3]
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- You should drink at least 8 glasses (64 ounces) of water a day.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Baking and Cooking with Oat Bran

1
Make high-fiber oat bran muffins. Mix together the wet ingredients and stir in the dry ingredients until they're just combined. Stir in the chopped nuts and fruit before spooning the batter into a prepared muffin tin. Bake the muffins at 375 °F (191 °C) for 15 to 18 minutes.^{[4]
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2
Mix up fluffy oat bran pancakes. Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients and then fold in beaten egg whites. Heat a griddle and pour spoonfuls of batter onto it. Flip each pancake once it's golden brown on the bottom. Serve the pancakes with maple syrup or fruit.^{[5]
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- You can also stir fresh or frozen blueberries into the pancake batter.
3
Bake oat bran flapjack bars. Mix rolled oats with oat bran, coconut, brown sugar, sunflower seeds, and melted butter. Press the mixture into a square pan and bake it at 400 °F (204 °C) for 30 to 40 minutes or until it's golden brown. Slice the flapjacks into bars or squares and let them cool before you remove them from the pan.^{[6]
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4
Bake your own oat bran cereal at 325 °F (163 °C). If you like oat bran cereal that's crunchy like granola, mix up a batch. Combine oat bran with oats, brown sugar, coconut flakes, and spices. Spread the mixture on a baking sheet and cook it until it's crisp enough to break into pieces. Put some in a bowl and pour milk over it to make cereal.^{[7]
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- Mix in dried fruit such as raisins or cranberries after the cereal is baked.

Community Q&A

Question

Can oat bran go on plain yogurt?

Community Answer

Yes, oat bran can be used as a topping on yogurt. It does not need to be cooked to be used as a garnish.
Question

Can I substitute the oats with oat bran?

Community Answer

Good Question! One cup of oat bran can substitute the one cup of oat and also vice versa.
Question

Can oat bran be used instead of natural bran?

Naf Elle

Community Answer

Yes! The main difference is that oat bran has higher fibre content. However, the taste is quite similar.