Traditional Dominican style oatmeal made with old fashioned oats, cinnamon, sugar, vanilla, and warm spices that helps start off your day just right!
Dominican Style Avena (oatmeal) is hands down one of my favorite things to have in the winter. It reminds me so much of my grandmother that it even brings me to tears. As soon as the weather dropped, my grandmother would make this drink, which would give you immense strength and energy for the rest of the day. You knew your day was going to be spectacular whenever you saw the large pot with dark brown caramelized drippings on the side. That pot meant that there was Avena Dominicana ready, which tastes amazing with toasted Pan de Agua and butter.
Dominican breakfasts are in a league of their own! Make sure to try Mangu Dominicano, Farina, Arepa Dulce, and Arepitas de Maiz for another tasty Dominican delight!
What Ingredients Do You Need to Make Dominican Style Oatmeal?
- Old Fashioned Oats
- Milk (Regular or Evaporated Milk)
- Sugar
- Cinnamon Sticks
- Ground Cloves
- Ground Nutmeg
- Ground Cinnamon
- Vanilla Extract
- Lime Peel *this is the secret to giving it that classic Dominican flavor
- Cocoa Powder* This is optional. My grandmother always used NesQuick, but you can use your cocoa powder of choice
Can you use instant oatmeal to make Avena Dominicana?
You can make avena Dominicana in a variety of ways. You can certainly use instant oatmeal to make Dominican avena, however, the results may be underwhelming. For the best results, I highly suggest using old fashioned oats. This will take longer to cook, but the results will be undeniably delicious!
It’s no surprise that I make Dominican oatmeal weekly during the cool fall and winter months. I’ve tried so many variations, and I always come back to making it the way that my grandmother taught me. Old fashioned oatmeal takes longer to cook, however, you’re also able to infuse so much classic Dominican flavor into this breakfast drink. There are a few ways that you can soften the oats. You can soak them in water for 20mins to an hour or you can simmer them with milk, sugar, and the rest of the ingredients for a little bit longer.
The beauty with this traditional Dominican breakfast drink is that it can be made a few different ways. You can:
- Have it with Chocolate or No Chocolate- I like both! You can also choose to use dark chocolate or milk chocolate. The choice is entirely up to you!
- You can choose to have with the oatmeal chunks or without
- You can also have it super sweet or semi-sweet.
- Lastly, you can also choose to have thick or runny
As you can see, Avena Dominicana varies quite a bit and it honestly tastes different from house to house. However, one thing is for certain, you MUST add the lime peel. The same is true when we’re making Dominican Arroz con Leche (Dominican Rice Pudding). The lime peel adds a subtle citrus flavor that immediately transports you to the Dominican Republic. You also need to add ground and whole cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves in order to make a classic Dominican Avena. Skipping out on these ingredients, just doesn’t feel right.
Aside from this, all of the other ingredients are to taste. You can choose to make it as sweet and as thick as you want. In fact, this is where avena Dominicana becomes personal. I honestly like to have mine somewhere in the middle. Not too thin, not too thick. Right in the middle, just right!
What’s the best way to reheat Avena Dominicana?
Avena Dominicana is a great breakfast drink that you can meal prep. You can make a large batch at the beginning of the week and enjoy it each morning before school or work. Keep in mind that this dish thickens as it cools. This is especially true when you store it in the refrigerator. In order to warm up avena Dominicana, simply add it to a small saucepan with a few tablespoons of milk. This will loosen the avena to your desired consistency. You can also add extra sugar and ground cinnamon.
Tips & Tricks for Making The Best Avena Dominicana:
Tip #1: Cook the avena Dominicana over medium-low heat. Avena can sometimes be tricky! To start, it thickens up as it cooks so you want to be sure to always be stirring. This recipe also calls for sugar which will also have the tendency to stick to the bottom of the pot. Milk + sugar typically have a love-LOVE relationship so you want to be extra careful. The last thing you want is smokey-burnt Avena!
Tip #2: Blend your Avena (oatmeal). When you blend it is also up to you. You can blend it in the beginning after it’s been sitting in water for a bit and softening it up. Or you blend it when I do it, after I’ve added all of the milks but before I’ve added the sugar. You can also choose to use a regular blender or a handheld blender to minimize mess and dishes
Tip #3: Run the avena through a sieve. This is mainly for people who like their Avena silky smooth. If that’s the case, know that the oatmeal left behind is delicious! Before throwing it out, taste it and enjoy with a little extra cinnamon over top. This is honestly one of my favorite parts about making a fresh batch of Avena!
How long does Dominican Avena last?
Dominican Avena can last 4-5 days in the refrigerator as long as it’s kept cool and in an air tight container. Since this recipe calls for milk and sugar, be sure to cover the avena as soon as it’s done to prevent a skin from forming.
Recommended Tools for This Dish:
If you’d like to watch an easy to follow step-by-step video on How to Make Avena Dominicana TWO Ways | Dominican Style Oatmeal, be sure to visit my YouTube Channel: Chef Zee Cooks
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Raw Oatmeal
- 1 cup Sugar or to Taste
- ½ cup Cocoa Powder (My grandmother always used NesQuick)
- 3-4 Cinnamon Sticks
- 1 tbs Lime Peel (~½ Lime)
- ½ tbs Ground Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Ground Cloves
- ½ tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 4 Cups Milk
- 3 Cups Evaporated Milk (2 cans)
- 4 cups Water
Instructions
- Soak raw oats in water and let sit for 20mins to an hour. The longer they soak, the more the oats soften and less you have to cook later on. Afterwards, drain 90% of the water and add oats into a dutch oven. Then add 2 cups of water and simmer for 10 minutes. You can also choose to blends the oats and the water ahead of time before simmering. The choice is up to you
- Once the water and oats have simmered for about 10 minutes, add milk of choice. I personally like to use a combination of regular milk and evaporated milk. Simmer together and then blend using an immersion blender. Note: You can blend the oats before simmering with water if you don't have an immersion blender.
- Afterwards, add sugar, cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, lime peel, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt to help balance the sweetness. Whisk together until well combined. Continue to stir constantly to prevent the avena from burning at the bottom of the pot. As the avena continues to cook, it will thicken. Cook avena until it reaches your desired thickness. Note that Avena Dominicana is a hearty breakfast drink so you want it to be a little runny especially since it will thicken as it cools. Once the avena starts to wrinkle at the very top, you know that your avena is done and ready to be enjoyed while warm! Remove cinnamon sticks and lime peel before serving
- Option #1- you can flavor your avena with chocolate. Just before your avena begins to wrinkle at the very top, add a 2 tbsp of your favorite cocoa powder and whisk until it's well combined. You can make the avena as chocolatey as you like. The idea is to turn your avena into a hearty hot chocolate drink that you can enjoy with bread
- Option #2: Avena Dominicana can be enjoy smooth or chunky. The choice is up to you. If you prefer a smoother avena, simply run the hot avena through a sieve.
- Storage: Store avena in an air tight container in the fridge once it's cooled down. Enjoy within 4-5 days
- Reheat: Avena thickens considerably as it cools. When reheating on medium-low flame, add 1-2 tbsps of water or milk until avena becomes a thick breakfast drink. You can also add extra sugar or cinnamon if desired.