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!
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“I’ve been making this for over 3 years on various occasions, and every time it’s a slam dunk! Especially when I can’t afford takeout and their ever-increasing prices. This is very simple and filling breakfast that is cheap and doesn’t sacrifice on flavor!”
David
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious savory oatmeal recipe:
- Oats: 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.
- Fresh Ginger & Garlic: These aromatics add a ton of flavor to the oatmeal. Fresh ginger gives it a warm, spicy kick, while garlic adds savory depth.
- Mushrooms & Spinach: I really like the meaty flavor of mushrooms and the earthy, slightly bitter flavor of spinach, but there are so many options to choose from! You can add bell peppers, zucchini, or any other veggie you like.
- Butter: For sautéing the ginger and garlic.
- Vegetable Broth: Instead of milk or water, I cook the oats in vegetable broth. I use Better Than Bouillon, which is already perfectly salty and flavorful. If you’re using a different kind of broth or stock, be sure to adjust the seasoning accordingly.
- Toasted Sesame Oil: I add a little toasted sesame oil at the end for a serious boost in flavor.
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 seasonings like Everything Bagel Seasoning, taco seasoning, jerk seasoning, burger seasoning, furikake, or 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
- Oven-cooked bacon bits
- Jalapeños
- Cilantro
- Caramelized onions
- Green onion
- Breakfast sausage
- Parmesan
- French fried onions
- Sprouts
- Soft boiled, or hard boiled egg
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.
Can I Make it Ahead?
Yes, just like overnight oats, 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.
Storage & Reheating
If making this recipe ahead, you can store it as recommended above in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat, simply microwave on high for about 2 minutes, stirring halfway through. If the oatmeal is too thick, just add a splash of water.
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 ($0.20)
- 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!
This was delicious! To make it easier I used ginger paste and prewashed baby spinach. Your recipes never fail. Another winner. Thanks for providing meals for us vegans.
I apologize if someone already asked this but did not see one in the most recent comments at least …. can this be made with frozen spinach instead of fresh? Looking for recipes I can buy my ingredients for at the beginning of the month and use them over that month … thanks!
Yep, you could add some frozen spinach, if that’s what you have. :) The texture might not be as nice, but it will work! I add frozen spinach to just about everything. :D
Forgot the rating
Very good! I had already started the batch of oatmeal before I saw your site, so did not saute anything. Added garlic and ginger to cooking oatmeal. Put some grassfed butter on top of the served oatmeal and topped it off with a fried egg, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Yum!
This was really tasty, even though I forgot the garlic and didn’t have sesame seeds. I did scramble an egg and added that. I made multiple servings for this week and will definitely make again. Tasty, filling and inexpensive. Can’t beat that. Thank you Beth!
I went to 3 markets by me and couldn’t find fresh ginger. Would a 1/4 tsp. of the powdered kind work instead? Any suggestions for other fresh seasonings to use? Thanks.
There’s not really a standard conversion for fresh ginger to powdered, since they actually taste quite different, but I think it would be safe to start with ¼ tsp and then just add more to taste. :) This oatmeal is very flexible and I think you could use any number of different seasonings. Even just a bit of everything bagel seasoning would probably be nice!
Thank you. Love your site!!
I made enough to get me through the first week back to work after the holidays, and it’s wonderful! I can’t wait to make it again when I actually have some mushrooms (I subbed red onion and bell pepper). Like another commenter, I much prefer savory breakfasts to sweet, and this dish is a welcome addition to my rotation!
Toast the oats and you’re in heaven.
Oh my goodness, this was awesome. I really loved this!
I had to make this with some substitutions based on what I had on hand, but if you have any doubts about savory oats, throw them out the window. This is SO GOOD, and might be my new favorite go-to breakfast. I didn’t have any eggs and I can only imagine how perfect this would be with a fried egg on top. Versatile, quick, and easy! As someone who usually prefers savory breakfasts to sweet ones and gets tired of scrambled eggs every day, I’ll be making this all the time.
Forgot to rate!
Absolutely phenomenal! I added some chopped green onion to the top after cooking as well as tossed in an egg after I stirred in the oats, covered the pot, let it sit for the 5 minutes. AMAZING!!! This recipe tasted so good. It will undoubtedly become a staple in my diet. Thank you so much for posting this online. I LOVE IT.
So amazingly tasty and easy! I love the possibilities that go with this recipe. As a vegetarian I am always looking for new and easy recipes and your site never disappoints:)
I was very skeptical at first, but my boyfriend insisted. Absolutely delicious! Fantastic umami goodness.
I made this but used kale and miso broth then sprinkled parmesan instead of sesame oil put an egg on top it’s Bomb!I’ve never thought of making oats savory great idea😋
I have been looking for a good savory oatmeal recipe for the longest time and this one just might be my new “go to” morning meal. I have high cholesterol and generally dislike oats with sugar/milk, but I know I should be eating them for health reasons. Thank you Beth for creating an easy but delicious recipe that is cheap, super filling, and great for my cholesterol! I have been a long time Budget Bytes user, but have not been cooking as much in the past years (mostly due to laziness). However, I know that you have a ton of tasty, healthy recipes at your site (and a lot of veggie/vegan options) and I shall once again be returning for more… my arteries (and taste buds) thank you in advance! One question though: do you think you can add cholesterol content to your nutrition info? I know it’s just an estimate, but it would still be helpful.
Hi Jennifer, I’m glad this recipe has inspired you! Unfortunately, we don’t have the capability to add cholesterol to the nutrition facts at this time. I’m sorry!