/ Updated Aug 02, 2023 / by Carolyn Gratzer Cope / 8 Comments / This post may contain affiliate links. Learn more.
Equally packed with nutrients and umami, this savory oats recipe makes a quick and easy, nutritious, and somehow slightly indulgent-feeling meal.
Why we love this recipe
Savory oats make a comforting, satisfying, and remarkably easy breakfast, lunch, or dinner. This version is:
- Full of protein, complex carbs, and leafy green goodness to fuel your bod
- Packed with layers of umami
- Ready in about 10 minutes
- Easy to make as a single serving or scale up for a group
I first published this recipe here in 2016. I've since updated the post for clarity, but the recipe remains the same.
What you'll need
Here's a glance at the ingredients you'll need to make this recipe.
- Old-fashioned rolled oatsare heartier than quick oats and make a more robust and toothsome oatmeal. It will keep you full for longer since it takes your bod longer to break them down.
- My favorite boxedvegetable brothby far isImagine No Chickenlower-sodium broth. It has a great flavor profile and none of the rust-colored nonsense that plagues many other brands. Or you can use chicken broth.
- White miso pasteis made from fermented soybeans. It has a salty, sweet, and savory vibe and is among the most mellow of the miso varieties. Buy ithere.
- It's optional of course, but here's howto make afabulousbatch ofseven-minute eggs.
- To make this recipegluten-free, be sure to use certified GF oats, miso, and soy sauce.
How to make it
Here's an overview of what you'll do to make a fabulous pot of this savory oats recipe with spinach. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.
- Place the shallot, oats, broth, soy sauce, and spinach into a pot and give it a stir.
- Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer until tender.
- Off the heat, stir in the butter and miso.
- If you like, serve with a seven-minute egg and plenty of sriracha.
Expert tips and FAQs
What else can I add to this savory oats recipe?
This recipe has an adaptable flavor profile. You can swap in other quick-cooking vegetables like baby arugula, frozen peas, or corn. Layer in pre-cooked vegetables like crispy roasted broccolini, sautéed zucchini and onion, or sautéed mushrooms. Add cheese, like shredded extra-sharp cheddar or grated parmesan. Or even add more protein, from shredded chicken to black beans to sautéed shrimp and more.
Can I make this recipe in advance? What about leftovers?
These oats cook quickly and are at their absolute best shortly after cooking, so I don't recommend going out of your way to make them in advance. That said, if you need to, you can make them in advance and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a big splash of additional broth.
Leftovers will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for a week. Reheat as indicated above.
More favorite oatmeal recipes
Savory
- Vegan, with crispy shiitakes
- Steel-cut
Sweet
- Creamy
- Creamy vegan
- Steel-cut
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Yield: Serves 1
Savory Oats Recipe with Spinach
Equally packed with nutrients and umami, this savory oats recipe makes a quick and easy, nutritious, and somehow slightly indulgent-feeling meal. Make a single serving or easily scale it up for a group.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 small shallot, minced (about ½ cup)
- ½ cup (40 grams) old-fashioned oats
- 1 ½ cups (350 ml) vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 generous cup baby spinach leaves
- 1 tablespoon (14 grams) butter, optional
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) white miso paste, optional
- Sriracha, for serving, optional
- 1 7-minute egg, optional
Instructions
- Place shallot, oats, broth, soy sauce, and spinach in a small pot.
- Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Reduce heat to simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, until oats have softened into a porridge.
- Off the heat, stir in butter and miso paste.
- Transfer to a bowl and top with a drizzle of sriracha and a boiled egg if you like.
Notes
- Old-fashioned rolled oatsare heartier than quick oats and make a more robust and toothsome oatmeal. It will keep you full for longer since it takes your bod longer to break them down.
- My favorite boxedvegetable brothby far isImagine No Chickenlower-sodium broth. It has a great flavor profile and none of the rust-colored nonsense that plagues many other brands. Or you can use chicken broth.
- White miso pasteis made from fermented soybeans. It has a salty, sweet, and savory vibe and is among the most mellow of the miso varieties. Buy ithere.
- To make this recipegluten-free, be sure to use certified GF oats, miso, and soy sauce.
- This recipe has an adaptable flavor profile. You can swap in other quick-cooking vegetables like baby arugula, frozen peas, or corn. Layer in pre-cooked vegetables like crispy roasted broccolini, sautéed zucchini and onion, or sautéed mushrooms. Add cheese, like shredded extra-sharp cheddar or grated parmesan. Or even add more protein, from shredded chicken to black beans to sautéed shrimp and more.
- These oats cook quickly and are at their absolute best shortly after cooking, so I don't recommend going out of your way to make them in advance. That said, if you need to, you can make them in advance and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a big splash of additional broth.
- Leftovers will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for a week. Reheat as indicated above.
Nutrition Information:
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 183Total Fat: 0.1gCarbohydrates: 32.4gFiber: 5gProtein: 6.5g
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Subscribe to Umami Girl's email updates, and follow along on Instagram.
More Breakfast and Brunch
- Tangzhong Cinnamon Rolls
- Sausage Egg and Cheese Croissant
- Bacon Egg and Cheese Croissant
- Pepper and Egg Sandwich
About Carolyn Gratzer Cope
Hi there, I'm Carolyn Gratzer Cope, founder and publisher of Umami Girl. Join me in savoring life, one recipe at a time. I'm a professional recipe developer with training from the French Culinary Institute (now ICE) and a lifetime of studying, appreciating, and sharing food. More about me.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Annemami says
Just tried this. It certainly has a lot of umami…but also a very large amount of salt? I used low sodium broth and low sodium soy sauce. Perhaps it’s the miso that’s high in salt. I also found that 1.5 cups of broth was too much for .5 cups of my sprouted rolled oats, I had to cook it for much longer and it’s still somewhat soupy, so maybe I’ll just follow the package for the correct amount of liquid, and that may lead to less salt as well. The dish has potential, I just found the flavors to be unbalanced.
Reply
Carolyn Gratzer Cope says
Hi Annemami, I would always recommend reducing the liquid ratio when substituting sprouted grains into recipes that don't call for them specifically. Sorry you found the dish saltier than you wanted —people's preferences vary so widely.
Reply
Annemami says
Thanks so much for your reply! I didn’t know that was a known issue for sprouted grains in general! Yes people’s preferences do vary widely, but I’m usually the one in the group who likes more salt than everyone else, so I thought it was worth mentioning my perspective. Of course it may come down to the ingredients in my pantry being saltier for whatever reason.
Annemami says
Just noticed my error! My stock is actually not low sodium, I totally thought it was! But yea I would emphasize that low sodium broth is a good choice!
Seekz says
This is long overdue. I just wanted to tell you we love this meal so much. I’ve been doubling the recipe for me and my guy for late weekend breakfasts now and again for years now. He says it warms his soul. Me, too. 🙂 I make it without the miso because the original recipe I printed out didn’t have that on it, but maybe I’ll try that someday! I also use steel cut oats as a personal preference. Thank you so much for this recipe, Carolyn! It’s a staple in our home and I can honestly say our lives are better because of it. <3
Reply
Carolyn Gratzer Cope says
Yay, Seekz, thank you for the note. This makes me really happy.
Reply
Ken says
Fantastic recipe. So easy and flavourful. I am now a believer amd will work this Into my regular routine. Thanks so much. Ken
Reply
Carolyn Gratzer Cope says
So glad, Ken!
Reply
