Savory Oatmeal Recipe
This Savory Oatmeal Recipe makes a delicious start. It’s warming, filling and provides a twist on the traditional sweet breakfast porridge.
Key Ingredients
Rolled/old fashioned oats have the best texture for this recipe. They also cook relatively quickly so you don’t need to spend a heap of time at the stove.
- Rolled Oats – The base of the dish that provides its thick and creamy texture.
- Chicken Stock – I’ve used homemade chicken stock here but any you like is fine. If the one you have is high in salt, just be cautious about adding too much tamari.
- Leek – Provides a deliciously sweet and soft onion flavour that works well with the oats.
- Mushrooms – Any will work fine, though oyster, king oyster, and wood ear mushrooms are an excellent choice. They’re a great combination with the other earthy ingredients here.
- Ginger – Adding warmth and spice, which contribute to the savory taste.
- Tamari (or soy sauce) – Provides a very deep, rich umami flavor to the oats. You don’t need too much of this.
- Sesame Oil – Adds a nutty, earthy taste to the porridge when cooked.
- Egg – A soft poached or fried egg is a perfect match for savory oatmeal. It gives you a golden runny yolk that contributes extra flavour. You can definitely cook it through if preferred though.
While I haven’t used garlic it could definitely be added. My suggestion would be one very small clove, so it doesn’t overpower the other ingredients.
Substitutions And Variations
To make this savory oatmeal vegan – replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock and the egg with pan-fried tempeh or edamame beans.
Spice it up by adding a little chilli of your choosing to the oats as they cook.
Don’t limit yourself to the ingredients and toppings used here. Adding in things like baby spinach, or topping the oats with any leftover beans (adzuki are a fave!), kimchi, and sprouts will make them extra delicious.
How To Make Savory Oatmeal
Instead of using the standard milk or water and sweetener, savory oatmeal is cooked in chicken broth. Extra flavor is added by the seasonings, oil, and sauces along with the vegetables and poached or fried egg on top.
- Warm the oil in a medium-sized saucepan. Once heated, add in the leek, mushrooms, and ginger. Pan-fry until softened. About 5 – 7 minutes.
- Add in the oats and mix through, then pour in the chicken stock, and add the salt. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer the oats for 6 – 8 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the oats are cooked.
- While the oats are simmering – cook the eggs to your liking.
- To assemble – spoon oats into two bowls, top with eggs, drizzle over the tamari and toasted sesame oil then sprinkle with sliced shallots / spring onions.
Again, if you’re not a fan of eggs they can be left out entirely. Or if you prefer them well done cooking them through is no issue either.
Tips For Success With This Recipe
Rolled oats, or old fashioned oats are best choice for this recipe. They’re relatively quick to cook and the texture is well suited to this dish. Rolled/old fashioned oats also have a softer texture than steel-cut oats and are known for their milder flavour, making them ideal for both sweet and savory dishes.
Savory Oatmeal FAQs
Making oats with savory ingredients is one of the best ways to improve their taste.
There are two kinds of sesame oil. Un-toasted and the toasted variety. Un-toasted sesame oil is made from raw, pressed sesame seeds and is best used for cooking. Toasted sesame oil is made from toasted, pressed sesame seeds and should not be heated. This oil has a rich, earthy yet delicate taste and a tiny bit goes a long way. It can take on a bitter taste when heated so use only for drizzling.
More Breakfast Ideas
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Savory Oatmeal
Equipment
- 1 medium saucepan
- 1 small saucepan or frying pan (which you choose will depend on how you like your eggs cooked. Poached or fried).
Ingredients
- 1 cup old fashioned or rolled oats
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger (more or less to your tastes)
- 1 cup mushrooms thinly sliced (king oyster and wood ear are great)
- ½ small leek thinly sliced
- ½ Tbsp peanut oil for pan-frying
- ½ tsp salt (see note 1)
Topping ingredients
- 2 eggs (poached or pan-fried to your taste)
- 1 shallot / spring onion thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp Tamari
- A drizzle of toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Warm the peanut oil in a medium-sized saucepan. Once heated, add in the leek, mushrooms and ginger. Pan-fry until softened. About 5 – 6 minutes. If needed add small amounts of water or a dash more oil while cooking so the veg don't stick to the pot.
- Add in the oats and mix through, then pour in the chicken stock, and add the salt. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer the oats for 6 – 8 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the oats are cooked.
- While the oats are simmering – cook the eggs to your liking. Poached or fried are perfect for this.
- When the oats are done, spoon into two bowls, top with eggs, drizzle over the tamari and toasted sesame oil then sprinkle with sliced shallots / spring onions (see note 2).