Savory Steel Cut Oats Recipe

Savory steel cut oatmeal topped off with veggies and a fried egg on top.

This Savory Steel Cut Oatmeal is packed with fresh veggies and fragrant spices for a hearty, filling meal that will fuel your day. Customize it with add-ins and toppings to accommodate your family's preferences and serve it for an easy breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American Vegetarian

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Overnight Soak 8

Total Time 8 20

Servings servings

Calories 417kcal

Author Aysegul Sanford

Ingredients

For The Steel Cut Oats

2 cups vegetable stock or water plus a bit more if needed
1 cup steel cut oats
½ teaspoon kosher salt

For The Topping:

1 tablespoon olive oil or unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground paprika
8 ounces baby bella mushrooms sliced / or any other one of your favorite mushrooms
5 oz. fresh baby spinach leaves
1 clove garlic minced or ½ teaspoon garlic powder - optional
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 large eggs - fried or soft boiled - optional
1/8 teaspoon Red pepper flakes optional

Instructions

To soak steel cut oats: Place vegetable stock (or water) in a medium saucepan with a lid. Bring it to a boil. Off the heat, stir in the steel-cut oats and salt. Cover it with the lid and let it sit on the kitchen counter overnight.
To make the veggie topping: In the morning, before cooking the steel-cut oatmeal, prepare the topping. To do so, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add spices and cook them for a minute or so.
Add the sliced mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they are fully cooked, for about 6-8 minutes.
Add the baby spinach and cook until wilted, for 3-4 minutes.
If using, add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Finish it off with salt and pepper and set it aside.
To prepare the savory steel-cut oatmeal: Put the saucepan back on the stove and heat it over medium heat. Stir it frequently using a wooden spoon to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. As it cooks, the excess liquid will evaporate, and the steel-cut oatmeal will form a thicker and creamier texture. If it gets too thick, feel free to add ¼ cup of water (or vegetable broth) to thin it out. This process happens in 3-4 minutes, so do not leave site of it.
Taste steel-cut oatmeal for seasoning and add more if necessary.
When ready to serve, ladle steel-cut oatmeal into a bowl. Top it off with cooked mushrooms and spinach. If using, add a fried egg on top.
Finish it off with salt and pepper and red pepper flakes. Serve.

Video

Notes

Serving size: This recipe yields about 2 to 2 1/4 cups of cooked steel cut oatmeal. I listed it as 2 servings (as shown in the photos), but if you keep the portions smaller, it could be served to 4 people.
Steel cut oats: If you are following a gluten-free diet, be sure to purchase gluten-free certified steel cut oats.
Make-Ahead Instructions: You can prep the steel cut oatmeal and the toppings and store them in separate air-tight containers in the fridge for up to 4 days. When you are ready to serve, you can reheat each component and assemble it as directed.
Storing Leftovers: I recommend storing the savory oatmeal and vegetable toppings in separate airtight containers if you can. Bring them to room temperature and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheating: To reheat, microwave the steel-cut oatmeal in 30-second increments, stirring after heating, until they are warm. You can also heat it on the stovetop in a small pot. Simply heat it over medium heat and stir frequently until the oats are warm, which will take about 3-5 minutes. You may need to add an extra splash of vegetable stock, coconut milk, or water to thin out the oats a little bit.
Nutrition Information: The calorie and nutrition information below does not include the optional egg on top.

Nutrition