This post is brought to you by Bob’s Red Mill.
Savory oats! Have you tried them? I’ll admit, I was a little nervous. I’m accustomed to oatmeal that tends towards the sweeter side. After publishing my “perfect” steel-cut oats recipe, a few of you suggested attempting mouthwatering oats. Oats are entire grains, after all, so why would not they be good with savory garnishes? Polenta and risotto are creamy like oats, and they’re fantastic with tasty toppings.
I prepared some up and stirred in extra salt, great deals of newly ground black pepper and cheese (Parmesan). I topped one bowl with a fried egg and both with gently dressed, lemony arugula. I was hesitant for the very first couple of bites, but now I can attest the idea.
I can’t claim that my option of garnishes was the be-all, end-all of savory oats, however I’m offering it as a starting point. Think of tasty oats as an alternative to a stir fry– they’re both inexpensive, veggie-packed, improvised suppers, perfect for hectic weeknights. I keep my kitchen stocked with Bob’s Red Mill’s steel cut oats, so savory oats are constantly a choice.
My next tasty oats might include sautéed mushrooms (like this) or sun-dried tomatoes for some extra-savory umami flavor. Strong greens (like kale or collards) sautéed with garlic sound epic. What sounds good to you?
Savory Steel Cut Oatmeal
- Author: Cookie and Kate
- Preparation Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 portions 1 x
- Classification: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Food: American
Savory oats are an excellent clean-out-the-produce-drawer weeknight dinner recipe. You can make them for breakfast and breakfast, too, obviously. Dish yields 4 modest servings (about 3/4 cup each), so I ‘d double it if you’re feeding 3 or more people, or want leftover oats for later.
Scale
Components
- 3 cup s water
- 1 cup neutral-flavored milk of option (like cow’s milk or plain, unsweetened almond milk) or an additional cup of water
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter or olive oil
- 1 cup steel-cut oats (select accredited gluten-free oats if necessary)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- Newly ground black pepper, to taste
- Mix-in concepts: grated cheese or dietary yeast, drizzle of extra olive oil or pat of butter, sautéed veggies or greens, sun-dried tomatoes, red pepper flakes and/or ground spices
- Topping ideas: toasted chopped nuts or seeds, fried/poached/scrambled eggs and/or gently dressed fresh greens
Instructions
- In a big saucepan, combine the water and milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. In the meantime, melt the butter or warm the olive oil in a 12- inch frying pan over medium heat. As soon as the butter is sizzling or the oil is shimmering, include the oats and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and fragrant, around 2 minutes. This toasting step considerably improves the flavor of the oats.
- Stir the oats into the simmering water/milk mixture. Lower the heat to medium low and simmer carefully for about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring sometimes, until the mixture is really thick.
- Stir in the salt. Continue to simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally and minimizing heat as needed to prevent scorching on the bottom, till almost all of the liquid is soaked up, about 10 minutes. (If you have doubled the recipe, your oatmeal might require an extra 5 minutes cooking time here.) The oatmeal will be very creamy when it’s done.
- Get rid of from heat and let the oatmeal rest for 5 minutes before serving so it has more time to thicken up and cool off a tasty temperature level. Season to taste with extra salt (I included another 1/4 teaspoon), pepper and optional spices. Stir in any mix-ins that you ‘d like now.
- Portion oatmeal into bowls and add any garnishes you ‘d like. Let any extra oatmeal cool completely before covering and cooling.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my best steel-cut oats recipe.
Make it dairy free/vegan: Usage olive oil instead of butter, non-dairy milk (or water) and do not include cheese. Sun-dried tomatoes or sautéed mushrooms would add some umami, and nutritional yeast could include some cheesy taste. Don’t add eggs if you’re vegan.
Make it gluten free: Usage certified gluten-free steel cut oats (Bob’s Red Mill makes some) and ensure your toppings are gluten complimentary (all of the concepts listed above are gluten totally free).
Make it egg/nut/soy totally free: Don’t include anything with eggs, nuts or soy.:-RRB-
▸ Nutrition Info
The information shown is a quote offered by an online nutrition calculator. It must not be considered a replacement for an expert nutritionist’s suggestions.
Did you make this dish?
Please let me know how it ended up for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #cookieandkate.
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