If you’ve got the bored-with-breakfast blues, there is no finer remedy than this Savory Oatmeal with Chili Crisp!
Bottom line: we all deserve better than the mushy blandness of standard-issue oatmeal. This grown-up version uses steel-cut oats simmered in a miso-infused broth and layered with umami-boosters (nutritional yeast and soy sauce) for a robustly savory, tenderly chewy porridge—worlds away from the bland slop of instant or rolled oats.
Featuring sautéed Swiss chard for subtle crunch (and loads of nutrients) plus a drizzle of spicy, garlicky, nutty Chinese chili crisp stirred in at the end, this endlessly customizable breakfast is even achievable on busy mornings thanks to a make-ahead tactic!
Table of Contents:
1. Ingredient notes
2. Step-by-step instructions
3. Tips for making this recipe
4. Frequently Asked Questions
5. Recipe card with notes
Oatmeal for oatmeal-haters
Confession: I am not a fan of oatmeal.
It leaves a lot to be desired in the texture department, which is my diplomatic way of saying it’s the consistency of finely shredded cardboard boiled in glue. Also, it’s boring. There, I said it.
So what kind of oatmeal recipe does a self-proclaimed oatmeal-hater develop? A vastly better oatmeal that’s:
(1) Made with steel cut oats which retain a satisfyingly chewy texture;
(2) Super savory and packs in greens (eating vegetables for breakfast means you can strut around the rest of your day feeling superior); and
(3) Drizzled with my favorite condiment: Chinese chili crisp
I drew some inspiration for this recipe from the month Max and I spent in Vietnam during our 2014 backpacking trip. All the hostels we stayed at offered two breakfast options: 1) mediocre Bánh mì (hard pass since I could get a great Bánh mì on the street) or (2) congee (called cháo gà in Vietnamese), which is a warm, savory porridge.
This recipe is decidedly not congee, but it’s a loving nod to the savory porridge I happily ate every morning in Vietnam.
Ingredient notes
Steel-cut oats
Because steel-cut oats are minimally processed as compared to instant or rolled oats, they come out on top in the nutrition department (typically, they’re higher in fiber and come with a lower glycemic index, meaning they stabilize blood sugar levels and give you a sustained energy release).
AND they certainly come out on top in the texture department. Rather than breaking down into a baby-food-esque mush, they retain a chewy bite.
They get a bad rep for taking a long time to cook but, in this recipe, they cook in a very reasonable 20 minutes. For those of you with hectic mornings, I’ve included a make-ahead option in the Tips section that slashes the cook time in half!
The Savory Trio
You’ve heard of miso soup, now meet miso oats: you’ll stir white miso into the boiling water before adding the oats, allowing them to cook in a savory base.
Once the oats are done cooking, you’ll add the other heavy-hitting umami-boosters in this savory trio: nutritional yeast and soy sauce. The result is an anything-but-bland oatmeal, layered with umami savoriness!
Leafy greens
Adding any vegetable to breakfast = win. Adding leafy greens to breakfast = epic win.
I chose Swiss chard because the sautéed leaves add a nice chew, and the stems lend a slight crunch. And also because it’s one of the healthiest vegetables on the planet, and this is a great way to get it into your diet.
Looking for another epic chard recipe? The Swiss Chard & Carrot Slaw with Crispy Bread Crumbs on page 385 of my cookbook, Big Vegan Flavor, is a must-make.
Substitute: Use lacinato kale (be sure to keep the stems!).
Chinese chili crisp
A drizzle of this all-star condiment levels up the entire dish with its signature combo of heat, salt, umami, crunch and, in my opinion, magic. If you have the time to make my homemade Chinese Chili Crisp (p. 187 of my cookbook, Big Vegan Flavor), it would be simply divine here.
Tips for buying: For store-bought chili crisp, I love Lao Gan Ma and Mama Teav’s. I also like Momofuk and Fly By Jing.
Step-by-step instructions
In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, whisk in the miso until dissolved.
Stir in the oats. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Once the oats are tender with a slight bite, remove them from the heat. Rest covered, for 5 to 10 minutes, to thicken.
Stir in the nutritional yeast and soy sauce.
As the oats cook, heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat, then add the Swiss chard stems and scallions. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the chard leaves and a pinch of salt and cook 1 to 2 minutes more.
Stir the chili crisp into the oatmeal, top with the sautéed greens, and enjoy!
Tips for making this recipe
Prep overnight, if you want
Because I want you to be able to enjoy this savory oatmeal even on busy mornings when you don’t have 20 minutes to cook the oats, here’s a make-ahead method that shaves ~10 minutes off the cook time:
The night before:
(1) In a medium saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the oats and stir to combine. Take off the heat and cover the pan. Leave on the counter overnight.
Note: Steel-cut oats may develop a bluish-green foam, especially if the soaking water contains certain minerals. While it’s harmless, you can avoid this by using filtered water.
In the morning:
(1) Return the saucepan to the stove and bring to a boil, then partially cover and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the oats are cooked but still have a slight bite.
(2) While the oats cook, add the miso to a glass and pour in a bit of hot (not boiling) water and whisk until the miso is dissolved.
(3) When the oats are done cooking, steam, covered, for 5 minutes, then stir in the miso slurry along with the nutritional yeast and soy sauce.
The chili crisp is NOT optional
There are plenty of recipes where a drizzle of chili crisp would be delightful but isn’t required, like my Malaysian curry noodle soup or these Chinese sesame noodles.
This is not one of those recipes. The chili crisp is as optional as the oats, i.e., it’s not optional and is, in fact, critical. The flavor it lends ties the whole dish together!
Customize with toppings and mix-ins
Pump up the protein
Got baked tofu or air-fried tofu leftover from dinner the night before? Toss them on the oatmeal!
Or, for a no-prep protein topper, add small cubes of either (a) soft tofu—they contribute a soft, cooling contrast—(b) firm tofu, or (c) store-bought smoked tofu.
If you’re a fan of vegan egg products like Just Egg, scramble an “egg” or make an “omelet” and throw that on top!
Vary the veggies
Instead of chard, you can also use lacinato kale or bok choy (saute the white stems first, then the green leaves). Or go in another direction and top with sautéed shiitake or oyster mushrooms, or steamed broccoli/broccolini drizzled with toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds.
Another fun option: Roast cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic and use that as a topper. Instructions can be found in my recipe for Crispy Beans and Juicy Tomatoes for New York Times Cooking (→ gift link!).
In fall or winter, leftover roasted butternut squash or kabocha squash would be fabulous folded into the oatmeal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Two simple substitutions:
1. Use certified gluten-free steel cut oats—oats are naturally gluten-free but may be contaminated unless specifically marked “gluten-free.”
2. Use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce.
Full disclosure: I haven’t tried this recipe in my Instant Pot. However, if you want to give it a go, this is what I’d do, based on my Instant Pot experience:
1. Add 4 ½ cups (1080 mL) water to the Instant Pot. Turn on the Sauté setting to bring to a boil. Once boiling, add in the miso, whisking to dissolve.
2. Stir in the oats. Secure the lid and select the Pressure Cook setting at high pressure; set the cook time to 12 minutes.
3. Once the timer has completed, allow a natural pressure release for 15 minutes, then switch the valve to release steam. Open the pot and stir. Rest for 5 minutes. There may be some liquid on top, but once stirred, it should incorporate and thicken up.
Note: With the time it takes for the IP to come to pressure and depressurize, this method is not any quicker than the stovetop method, so if your only motivation to use the Instant Pot is to save time, you may want to stick with the tested method in the recipe card.
Both the cooked oatmeal and the greens will stay good in the fridge for about 3 days, but be sure to store them separately! When it’s time to reheat, I recommend adding a splash of water to the oatmeal to thin it out.
Was this savory oatmeal the fun shake-up your breakfast routine needed? Let me know by leaving a rating and review—I love hearing what you think!
Big Vegan Flavor
Techniques and 150 recipes to master vegan cooking.
Savory Oatmeal with Chili Crisp
Ingredients
- 4 cups (960 mL) filtered water
- 1 ½ tablespoons white miso
- 1 ⅓ cups (240g) steel-cut oats
- 3 tablespoons (15g) nutritional yeast
- 1 ½ tablespoons soy sauce or tamari (see Note 1)
- 1 medium head (~ 8 oz / 227g) Swiss chard (see Note 2)
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced on a bias (reserve dark green tops for garnish)
- 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil or neutral-flavored oil of choice
- 2 tablespoons (30g) Chinese chili crisp (see Note 3)
Optional Protein Toppers (pick one)
- soft or firm tofu cubes
- Baked Tofu
- Air Fried Tofu
- edamame
- smoked tofu
Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Once boiling, add in the miso, whisking to dissolve.
- Add the oats and stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, or until oats are tender but still have a bite and are chewy. If the water gets low during cooking, add a bit more.
- Take off the heat and cover for 5 to 10 minutes to thicken. Then stir in the nutritional yeast and soy sauce.
- While the oats cook, prep and cook the chard: Strip out the center ribs from the chard, either using your fingers in a pinching motion or using a sharp knife.a. Slice the ribs thinly, then wash and dry; keep separate from the leaves.b. Tear the leaves into about 2” (5 cm) pieces, then wash and dry; keep separate from the ribs.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, add the chard stems and scallions (whites/light greens). Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add in the chard leaves and season with a pinch of salt. Stir frequently (tongs are helpful) for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the leaves are a bit softer but the stems are still a bit crunchy.
- Assemble: Divide hot oatmeal between four bowls. Stir 1 ½ teaspoons of chili crisp into each bowl, then top each bowl with the chard and garnish with scallion greens and any optional protein topper. Taste and add more chili crisp as desired.NOTE: If the oatmeal has thickened too much before serving, loosen it with a little bit of water
- If keeping leftovers, store the oats and greens separately; add a splash of water to thin out leftover porridge when reheating.
Notes
- To make this recipe gluten-free, use tamari or gluten-free soy sauce and be sure to use gluten-free certified steel cut oats.
- This yields about 4 tightly packed cups (120g) of chard leaves and about ⅔ cup (80g) of sliced stems. You can also use lacinato kale.
- For store-bought chili crisp, I love Lao Gan Ma and Mama Teav’s. I also like Momofuk and Fly By Jing. If you have my cookbook Big Vegan Flavor, my homemade Chinese Chili Crisp on page 187 will certainly take this recipe over the top!
PLEEEEEEASE Do a video with this recipe!!!!! This sounds like a great option that could be breakfast, lunch, or dinner!
I didn’t take the time to make steel cut oats, but I did use this recipe as inspo to make my daily quick oats savory and it was So Good. As always the flavors are on point. Chili crisp is definitely the star of the show.
Made this while camping and it was just what we needed on a chilly morning! Topped it off with some sautéed umami oyster mushrooms and it really elevated the dish.
This is delicious! I already was a fan of savory oatmeal, thanks to Mark Bittman, but this is next-level. I am not vegan, and I added a poached egg to each bowl, but next time I want to add roasted mushrooms or tofu. 😌 It makes a great meal for any time of day! Thank you!
Yay, we appreciate the kind words, Michelle! Thanks for the review!
This was excellent! I’ve always been a fan of savory oats, but I’ve never made them with steel cut oats or chili crisp. I didn’t have chard, so I used bok choy that was about to turn. I added a bit of onion powder and garlic powder to my oats (personal preference); they were delicious! I haven’t received my bi-weekly shipment of maitake and lion’s mane but, when I do, I’ll add them as a topper. Thank you for this recipe!
Oooh, those mushrooms sound like a wonderful addition to this oatmeal, Emm! Thanks for sharing!
I am a huge fan of congee so I was immediately intrigued by this. Let’s just say I have a new favorite breakfast! The savoriness was next level and made this so much more exciting than a bowl of oats. I used rainbow chard but I can see myself using whatever vegetable I have on hand in the future.
Thanks for the lovely feedback, Shruti!
My oatmeal loving husband and kids (5 and 7) were extremely skeptical, BUT they all loved it! Thank you for another great recipe!
Hi there, we’re thrilled to hear everyone enjoyed this recipe! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating alongside your review? Star ratings are big help to readers who are thinking of making the recipe. Thanks!