The Savory Way You Should Be Cooking Oatmeal

Many oatmeal packages instruct hungry cooks to prepare ingredients using milk or water. But for moments when your palate is craving a dish that is more savory than sweet, you may want to consider cooking oats in broth, instead. Cooking oatmeal in your choice of broth is an easy ticket to a savory meal that can be served any time of the day.

From bone broths to vegetable-based recipes, the distinct umami taste of the included stock can help you make an oatmeal recipe that is neither bland nor boring. When topped with your choice of savory ingredients — fried eggs, slices of avocado, wild mushrooms, grilled chicken, or a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and flaky sea salt — your next bowl of oatmeal will have you looking forward to the next spoonful. Experiment and use beef or fish broth to prepare oats, or reach for broth made from vegetable scraps from last night's dinner. 

After preparing your bowl of grains with umami stock, give yourself permission to go wild with the spices and flavors of your choosing. Red pepper flakes, roasted nuts, and chopped chives can add texture to oatmeal before you sauce up bowls to your heart's content. Homemade sriracha, soy sauce, sesame oil, and chili crisp can be the finishing garnish your savory oatmeal bowls need, or you can crown each serving with crunchy frizzled onions.

With savory recipes at the ready, you may find yourself leaning to oatmeal to make quick and easy meals more often. Turn a savory bowl of oatmeal into a summer-friendly presentation by topping the dish with chopped herbs plucked from the garden or soothe winter cravings with bacon-topped bowls covered in crumbles of goat and parmesan cheese. Oatmeal made with broth offers the culinary foundation to make an endless variety of savory meals at a moment's notice, so you can say goodbye to a basic bowl of grains.