Learn how to make delicious savory steel-cut oatmeal with your favorite vegetables. Healthy and nutritious breakfast that is also well suited for lunch and dinner! This savory oatmeal is vegan friendly!
I have never been a fan of oatmeal. I've tried many different fruit and cream kinds and also nuts and spice kinds as well. I liked overnight oats once in a blue moon but it's safe to say oatmeal was just not my thing.
Then I tried savory oatmeal and let me tell you, it was a total game changer! Whenever I wasn't feeling well, my mom would make me a veggie rice soup/jook(in Korea)/congee(in Japan). And I thought why not try to make my mom's rice soup using steel cut oats?
You see, when you are cooking steel-cut oats, they produce tender yet chewy and creamy goodness! I thought it'd be a perfect substitution and I'm proud to say I was right!
What is Steel-Cut Oats?
Steel-cut oats, sometimes called Irish oats, are oat groats that are roughly chopped. It has a chewier texture and nuttier flavor than old fashion oats.
How is old fashion oats different from steel-cut oats?
Old fashion oats/rolled oats are oat groats that are first steamed and flattened to reduce the cooking time. It has a creamier and softer texture than steel-cut oats but some people (including myself) find rolled oats to be mushy in texture. If you'd like to read more about the difference, check out this article from Healthline.
Ingredients for savory steel-cut oatmeal:
- Steel-cut oats - You can use old fashion oats but I much prefer the chewy and creamy texture of steel-cut oats than old fashion rolled oats. Also, if you were to use rolled oats, adjust your water ratio (rolled oats to water, 1:2).
- Mushroom - Mushroom adds such a wonderful umami flavor. You can use any mushrooms but I like the white button, baby bella mushroom, or king oyster mushroom.
- Other vegetables - I used diced onion, carrot, and potato but feel free to use any other vegetables. Broccoli, peas, asparagus, and spinach will be great in this recipe!
- Soy sauce - This delicious savory oatmeal is seasoned with soy sauce for extra umami.
How to cook steel-cut oats?
There are two ways to cook steel-cut oats. One is to cook the steel-cut oats with water and cook them for a longer period of time (30 to 40minutes). The ratio of steel-cut oats to water is 1:4.
The other way to cook steel-cut oats is to pre-soak your steel cut oats. I first come across this method from "The Perfect Bowl of Oats" by Minimalist Baker. Once you soak your oats, you need to adjust the water to oat ratio to 2 to 1 and reduce the cooking time to 15 minutes.
How can I store and re-heat the savory oatmeal?
You can store this savory oatmeal in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can transfer the desired amount of oatmeal to a microwave-safe bowl, add 1-2 tablespoons of water, and heat for 2 minutes. Add more water to reach the desired thickness of the oatmeal.
How to serve savory oatmeal:
I love this savory oatmeal with sprinkles of seaweed flakes. You can buy Nori Komi Furikake at Trader Joe's or at an Asian grocery store. Or you can serve this with roasted seaweed snacks, too!
I like to eat this tasty savory oatmeal with:
- My vegan Kimchi
- Korean spicy braised potatoes and shishito peppers
- Shishito pepper and mushroom stir fry
Savory Vegan Oatmeal (with steel cut oats)
Learn how to make delicious savory steel-cut oatmeal with your favorite vegetables. Healthy and nutritious breakfast that is also well suited for lunch and dinner! This savory oatmeal is vegan friendly!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast/brunch
- Method: Boil
- Cuisine: Asian inspired
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons minced onion
- 2 tablespoons minced carrot
- 2 tablespoon minced potato (or zucchini)
- ½ cup minced mushroom
- ½ cup steel-cut oats
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 cups of water
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- Pinch of salt and black pepper to taste
- Seaweed flakes/nori furikake (for toppings)
Instructions
- On a non-stick pot, add the minced mushroom and cook for a couple of minutes until it releases water. Add a pinch of salt.
- Add oil to the pan and add the rest of the vegetable. Cook with frequent stirring for a couple of minutes.
- Add the steel-cut oats to the pot. Toast the oats with the rest of the vegetables for minutes or two and add the water.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, about 5 minutes.
- Once the oatmeal comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook for 25 to 30 more minutes. Make sure to stir every 5 minutes or so from burning the bottom.
- Once the oatmeal is completely cooked, turn off the heat and add the soy sauce. Mix until everything is well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.
- Serve the oatmeal with seaweed flakes/nori furikake
Notes
- If you are pre-soaking your steel cut oats, reduce the water amount to 1 cup, and reduce the cooking time to 15 minutes.
- Seaweed flakes/ nori furikake are optional toppings but highly recommend them.
- If you were to double the recipe, make sure to cook your oats a little longer. See the above section for how to store and reheat the savory oatmeal.
- Please see the section above for what to serve with savory oatmeal (Asian style).
Elise
Delicious! Doesn't taste different from regular jook.
George
Hi Elise! Yes, I was going for the dish to taste like jook! I'm really happy you like the recipe! Thank you so much for your review!