20+ Quick, Oat-Free Breakfast Recipes For Better Blood Sugar

Switch up your routine oatmeal with these delicious breakfast recipes! Oats are a great option for healthy blood sugar levels, but if you want something different, we have plenty of options to help you meet your goals. You won’t find any oats in these quick dishes that take no more than 15 minutes to make. Each recipe also meets our parameters for a diabetes-appropriate eating pattern by being lower in saturated fat and sodium and mindful of carbohydrates and calories. With options like our Feta, Egg & Spinach Breakfast Taco and our Cottage Cheese Toast, you’re sure to find something new and delicious to add to your rotation.

Love any of these recipes? Join MyRecipes to save, search and organize your EatingWell recipes all in one place. It’s free!

Chocolate-Strawberry Protein Shake

Photographer: Ali Redmond. 

Soy milk and strained (Greek-style) yogurt provide a solid protein base for this protein shake. Sweet strawberries, sliced banana and rich cocoa powder create a sweet flavor without needing any added sugar.

Egg, Tomato & Feta Breakfast Pita

Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Lexi Juhl

This breakfast pita is perfect for anyone looking to enjoy a delicious start to their day! This easy breakfast combines fresh veggies and feta cheese with za’atar, a fragrant spice blend that enhances the taste without adding sodium or sweeteners.

Banana–Peanut Butter Yogurt Parfait

Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Lexi Juhl

This yogurt parfait features a tasty combination of banana and peanut butter. It’s a classic pairing that also provides healthy fats and a boost of protein.

BLT Breakfast Sandwich

Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Lexi Juhl

This open-face sandwich is a delicious way to start your day. Turkey bacon provides savory flavor and crunch while keeping fat and calories in check. Country-style whole-wheat bread (or sourdough) often comes without added sugars, making it the best choice here.

High-Protein Orange-Mango Smoothie

Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen

This high-protein smoothie is a bright and refreshing drink that combines the tangy sweetness of fresh orange juice with the tropical richness of mangoes. A scoop of protein powder and strained (Greek-style) yogurt make this smoothie a satisfying breakfast. Using unflavored protein powder allows the natural fruit flavors to shine.

Cottage Cheese-Berry Bowl

Photographer: Grant Webster, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco

This no-sugar-added berry bowl highlights the natural sweetness of thawed mixed berries with a hint of vanilla for extra flavor. It’s a simple snack you can prepare in advance, but add the cereal just before serving so it stays crunchy.

Feta, Egg & Spinach Breakfast Taco

Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Gabriel Greco

It doesn’t get easier than this healthy breakfast taco that’s ready in just five minutes. Kale or arugula will work just as well if you don’t have spinach on hand. If you want an over-hard egg instead, and notice the egg is browning too quickly, add a tablespoon or two of water to the pan to help steam the egg and set the yolk faster.

Watermelon-Peach Smoothie

Ali Redmond

Made with ripe watermelon and frozen peaches, this smoothie bursts with fruity flavor without the need for added sugar. Use frozen peaches from a bag or freeze your own ripe, in-season peaches for the best sweet and fruity flavor.

High-Protein Black Bean Breakfast Bowl (No Eggs!)

Ali Redmond

While eggs offer plenty of protein, you can make a satisfying, high-protein breakfast without them. This breakfast bowl includes black beans, yogurt and Monterey Jack cheese, providing 18 grams of protein to keep you feeling full and energized throughout the morning.

Batida de Lechosa (Papaya Smoothie)

Photographer: Rachel Marek, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Addelyn Evans

This smoothie highlights one of the most popular fruits in the Caribbean—papaya. Dominican vanilla extract will result in a more authentic version of the recipe, but any vanilla extract will do.

Cottage Cheese Toast

Ali Redmond

This toast, made with whole-grain bread and topped with creamy cottage cheese, is just the beginning. We’ve added six variations, both sweet and savory, perfect for kick-starting your morning or powering through the afternoon.

Berry-Mint Kefir Smoothies

Kefir is similar to yogurt, full of gut-friendly probiotics. But it has fewer carbs and a more drinkable consistency–perfect for smoothies.

Copycat Dunkin’ Avocado Toast

Photographer: Grant Webster,  Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Joseph Wanek

This copycat Dunkin’ avocado toast is inspired by the popular menu item. We love the flavors of creamy, mashed avocado spread over a slice of toasted sourdough bread, topped with a sprinkle of everything bagel seasoning for added flavor and texture. It’s a quick and easy way to enjoy the flavors of the original without having to leave your house!

Two-Ingredient Banana Pancakes

These delicious and unbelievably simple pancakes are best enjoyed right after cooking. With just eggs and a banana, you can have healthy grain-free pancakes with no added sugar.

Breakfast Salad with Egg & Salsa Verde Vinaigrette

Salad for breakfast? Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. We love how this meal gives you 3 whole cups of vegetables to start your day.

Ham, Egg & Sprouts Breakfast Sandwich

Sara Haas

This open-faced sandwich feels like something you would get at a fancy breakfast spot, but you can make it at home in just five minutes! Don’t skip the step of tossing your sprouts in the mustard-lemon juice mixture; it ensures each bite is full of peppy, bright flavor!

Pistachio & Peach Toast

This breakfast is great when you have leftover ricotta cheese–plus it comes together in just 5 minutes.

Spinach & Fried Egg Grain Bowls

Photographer: Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn

Wheat berries, a nutty-tasting whole grain with a pleasantly chewy texture, are the base of this hearty breakfast bowl. The fiber-rich grain freezes very well, so cook up a batch to stash away for salads, bowls and more. Topped with spinach, peanuts and an egg, these bowls make for a satisfying breakfast.

Salsa-Topped Avocado Toast

Photography: Carson Downing, Food stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop stylist: Gabe Greco

Spin leftovers from taco night into this easy salsa-topped avocado toast for a quick snack or use it as a jumping-off point for breakfast by adding an egg on top. Single-serve packages of mashed avocado or guacamole can stand in for the fresh avocado.

Breakfast Beans with Microwave-Poached Egg

In Costa Rica, this popular breakfast bean dish is called gallo pinto, which means spotted rooster, referring to the dark beans amid the pale rice. We call for cooked barley here, but you can use whatever leftover cooked grain you may have on hand.

Peanut Butter & Chia Berry Jam English Muffin

The addition of chia seeds in the quick “jam” topping adds heart-healthy omega-3s to this healthy breakfast recipe.

Spinach & Egg Scramble with Raspberries

Jen Causey

This quick egg scramble with hearty bread is one of the best breakfasts for weight loss. It combines protein-packed eggs with filling whole-grain toast and nutrient-rich spinach, plus a side of superfood raspberries. The protein and fiber help fill you up and keep you going through the morning.

Peanut Butter-Banana English Muffin

Peanut butter and banana are the original power couple. Top a simple toasted English muffin with the duo, then sprinkle everything with a hit of ground cinnamon for a healthy breakfast of champions.

Baby Kale Breakfast Salad with Bacon & Egg

Breakfast salad? Oh yes! Start your day off right with this healthy breakfast recipe. A bowl of good-for-you greens, such as baby kale, will knock out half of your daily veggie quota with the first meal of the day.