It’s funny how oats have been pigeonholed for use in mostly sweet dishes in the U.S. We tend to eat oats sweetened at breakfast, or as part of delicious crumbly desserts, but oats do just as well with savory flavors as do any other grain. This savory oatmeal is a delicious and hearty meal any time of day, and there are so many options for toppings and add-ins, so you can make it work with whatever ingredients you have on hand. This might just end up being your new favorite easy budget meal!
What Kind of Oats are Best for This Recipe?
You can technically make savory oats with any kind of oats, but the recipe below is written for old-fashioned rolled oats, which cook fairly quickly (about 5 minutes). I find that old-fashioned rolled oats are a nice balance between texture and convenience. Steel-cut oats take much longer to cook and you’ll need more liquid. Quick oats cook faster but don’t provide very much texture.
How to Flavor Savory Oatmeal
Oats on their own have a very bland flavor, and I think that’s why they often get a bad rap. Here are some tips for making sure your savory oatmeal is full of flavor:
- Cook them in a really flavorful broth. I like to use Better Than Bouillon because it tends to have a nice vibrant flavor. Plus it comes in several flavors and options.
- Use aromatics. A little bit of fresh garlic or ginger goes a long way! Green onion or shallots are also great.
- Add your favorite seasoning blend. You could experiment with your favorite bottled seasonings like Everything Bagel Seasoning, jerk seasoning, steak seasoning, furikake, onion salt.
- Top with your favorite sauce. Try adding a little chili garlic paste, sriracha, or gochujang!
Savory Oatmeal Topping Ideas
In addition to ingredients that can be added into your oatmeal, you can add all sorts of delicious toppings, too! Here are some oatmeal topping ideas:
- Grape tomatoes
- Sliced avocado
- Bacon bits
- Jalapeños
- Cilantro
- Green onion
- Parmesan
- French fried onions
- Sprouts
- Edamame
- Soft boiled egg or hard boiled egg
- Breakfast sausage
Can I Make it Ahead?
Yes, savory oatmeal is great for making ahead! You can change the number of servings in the recipe card below and the ingredients will auto adjust for you. After cooking, divide your savory oatmeal into single-serving portions and refrigerate. To reheat, simply microwave on high for about 2 minutes, stirring half-way through. If the oatmeal is too thick, just add a splash of water.
Make it Vegan
You can make the savory oatmeal recipe below vegan by swapping out the butter for your favorite cooking oil. Coconut oil would be very nice here because it has a rich mouthfeel, similar to butter.
Savory Oatmeal
Servings 1Ingredients
- 1 clove garlic, minced ($0.08)
- 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger ($0.05)
- 4 mushrooms ($0.62)
- 1 tsp butter ($0.04)
- 1 cup vegetable broth ($0.13)
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats ($0.09)
- 1/2 cup spinach ($0.19)
- 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil ($0.05)
Instructions
- Mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and slice the mushrooms.
- Add the butter, garlic, and ginger to a small saucepot. Sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and continue to sauté for a few minutes more, or until the mushrooms have wilted a bit.
- Add the vegetable broth to the saucepot, turn the heat up to medium-high, and bring the broth up to a boil.
- When the broth reaches a boil, add the rolled oats and stir to combine. Allow it to return to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium low. Let the oats simmer for about 5 minutes, or until thickened.
- While the oats are simmering, roughly chop the spinach. Stir the spinach into the thickened oats, along with the toasted sesame oil.
- Taste and add salt to your liking, if needed, then top it off with your favorite toppings. Serve hot!
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Nutrition
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How to Make Savory Oatmeal – Step by Step Photos
Mince one clove of garlic, grate about ½ tsp of fresh ginger, and slice 3-4 mushrooms. Add the garlic, ginger, and 1 teaspoon butter to a small saucepot. Sauté the garlic and ginger in the butter over medium heat for about one minute.
Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes more, or just until the mushrooms have softened.
Add one cup vegetable broth to the pot. Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring the broth up to a boil.
When the broth reaches a boil, add ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats.
Allow the broth to come back up to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and let the oats simmer for about 5 minutes, or until thickened.
While the oats are simmering, roughly chop a handful of spinach. Stir the chopped spinach and ½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil into the oats.
Give it a taste and add salt, if needed. Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
It’s also really good with an egg on top!
I have been trying to find a good savory oatmeal recipe for ages. This is stellar. Tastes like Ramen, as I think someone else mentioned. I made the mistake of adding salt before tasting…didn’t need any! But still delicious.
I love savory oatmeal and will have to try your version. I usually make mine with just a bit of butter and some nice sharp cheddar, then top with a poached or over-easy egg. Soft-boiled would be good too. Chives and/or parsley to top if I have ’em on hand. You’ve got me excited to try riffing with some veg!
So excited to see this recipe by you! I had this favorite pre-packaged savory oatmeal that I used to buy but can no longer find. This recipe is inspiring me to attempt to recreate (or possibly surpass!) something I’ve missed eating!
Hi Beth – I haven’t tried your savory oatmeal yet but my husband and I love our version which is more like jook or congee:
– on top of a bowl of oatmeal add soy sauce and sesame oil to taste.
– sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped scallions.
– add desired toppings like cooked greens, crumbled sausage, sautéed mushrooms, Parmesan cheese etc.
– top with an egg scrambled, fried or poached…and hot sauce!
A terrific start to the day or easy cheap dinner.
Ps. I love love love your site! Thank you
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That sounds perfect! I love congee, so I know I’d like that. :)
I can’t believe this is the first time I’m trying savory oatmeal but my GOD it’s amazing. Made the recipe exactly as written and it came out perfect, so delicious! I stirred in a handful of Parmesan cheese at the very end and topped with a fried egg. With the egg that I salted as it cooked and the parm, I didn’t need to add any extra salt. I’m a busy and broke grad student, and this will become a staple for me!
This is so good! I was hesitant to try a savory oatmeal, but man, it’s awesome. I highly recommend adding lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese at the end, which makes this taste just like risotto—or, rather, “ris-oat-o”. My new favorite meal, and even better that it’s so cheap and quick to make. Also a healthier alternative to rice, which I can’t eat.
Haha! Ris-oat-o! :D
This is maybe more on the line between savory and sweet, but I love oatmeal with a tablespoon of peanut butter or tahini and a dash of cinnamon. No sugar, no honey, no maple syrup. Just creamy goodness.
I had very low expectations here. I made it exactly as the recipe is written, and added a poached egg and a small dollop of chili garlic sauce. I made it as an experiment to see how savory oatmeal would be.
I CANNOT BELIEVE HOW GOOD THIS IS!
It is super fast, super tasty, and healthier than the ramen noodles I was going to make before I saw this recipe and decided to give it a shot. Seriously Beth, you have expanded my palate and recipe range so much in the years that I have been cooking your recipes. Thank you!
I couldn’t have asked for a better compliment, so thank you! :)
About a year ago I realized I needed a gluten free alternative for stuffing, and I found a Scottish dish called skirlie. It was a big hit in my house – this looks like it might be similar but a little more moist? Can’t wait to try it!
Ah I love the list of ideas for toppings. Definitely feeling inspired right now to try out different savory oatmeal combos. And that last photo with the egg on top? Perfection. Thanks for yet another fantastic recipe/post!
I’ve been making savory oats for decade! Eggs are too smelly to eat at work and I don’t care for sweet first thing in the am. I love spinach but have recently seen people adding shredded zucchini which seems fun! I usually add flax, nutritional yeast and everything seasoning or seasoned salt. I LOVE IT!
Hi Beth! Love this ❤️ healthy recipe! Definitely going to make the steel cut oats with broth instead of water next time and enjoy a tasty dish with veggies for breakfast or lunch. So many possibilities! Thanks for another brilliant post😍
I wanted to make a bowl with leftover meat and roasted vegetables but I didn’t have any rice and I didn’t want to wait the 20 minutes to make it. I remembered seeing this recipe and decided it was a great time to try it. I absolutely love this savory oatmeal! I didn’t add the mushrooms or ginger because I didn’t have any, but this was such a good option for a fall/winter leftover night.
I have fallen in love with savory oatmeal over the past year or so. I love chopping up savoy cabbage and sautéing it before adding my oats, as well as adding a splash of soy sauce while cooking.
Hi—can you use frozen spinach or would it add too much liquid?
You definitely can, but it would be best to thaw it first and just squeeze the extra liquid out. :)
I make savory oats with chopped frozen spinach all the time and its fine! Maybe just account for a tiny bit of extra moisture by reducing how much you cook with.
Oh Beth. This. THIS. I’m a huge fan of savory breakfasts, I was first introduced to veggies for breakfast after a trip to Israel. This is right up my alley. Plus, my 1 year old is allergic to eggs, and finding savory breakfast without eggs is like finding a needle in haystack. Thanks for all your work over the years, been a fan from the beginning.
And thank YOU for sticking around since the beginning, Katherine. :)