Savory Steel Cut Oatmeal

This savory oatmeal combines the nutty taste of steel cut oats with the aromatic spiciness of sausage. It is satisfying, delicious, easy on the budget, and full of texture and flavor. So tasty, it may just become a new breakfast favorite.

Savory oatmeal! Who knew? For me there is nothing better for breakfast than some oatmeal loaded with brown sugar, cinnamon, and raisins. It is like desert for breakfast. Real comfort food on a cool morning. Who is with me? So, it is difficult for me to wrap my head around the idea that oatmeal can also be savory.

However, my husband does not like sweet foods for breakfast and that also applies to his oatmeal. If I make it my way and serve it to him, he will eat it, but he definitely prefers his oatmeal to be savory.

After seeing him put hot dogs, spam, and cooked ground beef in his oatmeal I knew I had come up with an oatmeal recipe that would not activate my gag reflex when we eat breakfast together.

Do I have to use steel cut oats?

There are several different textures of oatmeal to choose from and the differences between them are explained below. However, I think the steel cut variety works best with this recipe. I have tried it with rolled oats but the flavor and texture is different. It is too mushy for my husband’s liking. But hey, everyone is different so if you want to try another type of oats go for it. Let me know how it works out, I would love to know.

The Differences Between Types of Oatmeal

lnstant or Quick Cooking oats: are the thinnest and most finely chopped type of oats. They can usually cook in the microwave or on the stove in about a minute. They have a very soft and mushy texture and a mild earthy taste.

Old Fashioned or Rolled Oats: are steel cut oats that have been steamed and rolled flat. They have a mild earthy flavor and because they absorb a lot of water, they take on the flavor of whatever they are cooked in. They cook on the stove in about 5 minutes and are great for making overnight oats, muffins, cookies, cakes, and granola bars.

Scottish Oats: Have been eaten by Scots for centuries but they don’t call it oatmeal, they call it porridge. Scottish oats are whole oat groats that are stone ground and have a coarse texture that is slightly bigger than flour. It takes about 10 minutes to cook on the stove and about 2 minutes in the microwave. I think they are hard to find here in the U.S., but Bob’s Red Mill has them if you are interested in learning more about them. https://www.bobsredmill.com/scottish-oatmeal.html

Steel Cut, Irish, or Pin Head Oats: are whole oat groats that have been chopped into pin size pieces. They have a rough texture and are chewy when cooked. They have a nutty flavor and take about 25 to 30 minutes to cook.

Ingredients

Chicken broth-Most people add water to oatmeal but chicken broth adds another layer of flavor to this savory oatmeal, especially since the oats absorb the broth and the taste permeates the whole dish.

Steel cut oats-My husband loves the nutty flavor and the chewy texture. It is the only kind of oatmeal he will eat.

Onions- It is not typical to add onions to oatmeal but their mellow and sweet taste and meaty texture add to the savoriness of this oatmeal.

Homemade turkey sausage- For this recipe, I used my homemade turkey sausage. I prefer to make my own sausage, because I can control the ingredients and the flavor. Here is the link if you want to try to make it yourself https://www.cleanandflavorfuleats.com/clean-and-simple-homemade-turkey-sausage/ . It is quick and easy to make, but if you want to use store bought, that works too.

Salt- I use about a teaspoon of salt; it enhances the flavors and rounds everything out.

Special Equipment

Instant pot or crock pot

How to Make Savory Steel Cut Oats

Chop the onions.

Cook the onions and loose sausage in your instant pot or skillet until the meat is no longer pink.

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If you did not use an instant pot to brown the meat and onions then transfer the browned meat mixture to a slow cooker.

Add the chicken broth.

Then add the steel cut oats and salt and give it a stir.

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Put the lid on your instant pot or slow cooker. If using the instant pot, make sure to set the knob to venting not sealing and cook on low for two to three hours.

Then serve and savor. It is savory steel cut oats after all!

This is my husband’s favorite oatmeal so he is usually ready and waiting with his bowl when it is done. I take whatever is left and put it in mason jars for him. He will remove the lid and reheat it in the microwave or pour the oatmeal in a pan and reheat it.

If you try this savory steel cut oat recipe, let us know if you like it and what you think by leaving a comment and ★ rating. Your feedback is so helpful to us, Thanks so much!