Nourishing Savoury Oats Recipe
Savoury Oats make a delicious and nourishing start to the day being rich in fibre, protein, and a host of vitamins and minerals. They’re especially great for breakfast providing a twist on the traditional sweet breakfast porridge.
In This Article
Nutritional Benefits
This recipe was very much inspired by traditional Chinese congee, which is a type of savoury rice porridge. It incorporates many umami flavours associated with Asian-style cooking that results in a very warm, comforting, and earthy meal.
Many hearty and nourishing ingredients come together in this recipe to produce a wonderful nutrient profile. The most prominent being the oats that are abundant with many vitamins, minerals, and fibre. They’re especially rich in soluble fibre, including beta-glucan, which has been linked to health benefits such as reduced cholesterol, improved blood sugar control, and supporting immune function. Oats are anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties (1). The oats, mushrooms, and leek are all very beneficial for the gut too (2,3,4).
Ingredients – What You’ll Need To Make This Recipe
Rolled/old fashioned oats are best for this recipe. They’re high in nutrients and have a great texture. They also cook relatively quickly so you don’t need to spend a heap of time at the stove.
- Rolled Oats – Rich in the gut loving fibre beta glucan, oats bring much nourishment to this dish.
- 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 savoury taste.
- Tamari (or soy sauce) – Provides a very deep, rich umami flavour to the oats. You don’t need too much of this.
- Sesame Oil – This oil is rich in antioxidants and adds a nutty, earthy taste to the porridge when cooked.
- Egg – A soft poached or fried egg is a perfect match for savoury oats. 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.
How To Make These Savoury Oats
Instead of using the standard milk/water and sweetener, these savoury oats are cooked in chicken broth. Extra flavour is added by the seasonings, oil, and sauces along with the vegetables. Protein is added with the inclusion of eggs to ensure this is a filling and satisfying meal.
- 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.
Substitutions And Variations
To make these savoury oats 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.
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 savoury dishes.
FAQ
Making oats with savoury 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. Un-toasted sesame oil can be hard to come by in Australian supermarkets. It’s often found only in Asian grocery stores.
More Breakfast Ideas
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Savoury Oats
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 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).
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Gabby Campbell
Gabby is a degree qualified Naturopath/Nutritionist (BHSc Nat) with a love of all whole foods. She started her Naturopathic career in clinical practice before making the move to recipe development and online education – a result of wanting to combat the misinformation that abounds on the internet about food and health. Whole Natural Kitchen aims to transform the way you think about healthy eating by helping you embrace an abundance of nutritious foods while leaving the health fads behind. MORE ABOUT GABBY