We all love a good bowl of oatmeal, but have you ever made it savory and had it for dinner? This Savory Mushroom Oatmeal is creamy, comforting and delicious — packed full of mushrooms and topped with parmesan cheese and fresh basil. It’s a simple, quick and easy dinner on a budget.

How to Make Oatmeal

Oatmeal is prepared using quick oats, old fashioned oats or steel cut oats combined with a liquid, traditionally milk or water. In the case of savory oatmeal, stocks and broths are a great liquid alternative to infuse flavor into the oatmeal from the beginning.

Types of Oatmeal

First determine what type of oats you want to prepare. Every oatmeal package will have some general instructions how to prepare oatmeal but a good rule of thumb is that the coarser and less processed the grain, the longer it will take to cook. For quick meals, I love quick cook oats because in under 5 minutes, the oatmeal is ready to eat.

Cooking Tips

Heat the Liquid First

No matter what liquid you choose, make sure you heat the liquid before adding the oatmeal. Allowing your milk, water or stock to come to a simmer and then stirring in your oats will ensure a more even and precise cook.

Be Diligent & Stir

Occasional stirring, especially when cooking with milk, will ensure that your oatmeal does not stick and burn. It’s a good idea to occasionally stir the oatmeal and check the consistency.

The Consistency Will Thicken As It Cools

Remember, that the consistency of the oatmeal will thicken as it cools. So if you have leftovers you can thin out the oatmeal by adding a bit more liquid before you reheat it.

Oatmeal sits in our cupboard waiting for our morning breakfast. Traditionally cooked with milk and water, if you’re anything like me, you’ll sweeten it a bit and maybe add a spice or two. But savory oatmeal? With mushrooms and parmesan sounds like a pasta or rice. But why do we not include oatmeal into the savory mix? After all, oatmeal is a whole grain packed full of vitamins and nutrients.

Why Cook Savory Oatmeal?

Savory Oatmeal works because it’s a:

• Comforting meal or side dish perfect.
• It’s quick and easy with quick cooking oats.
• It’s super delicious!
• It’s budget friendly but elegant.
• It’s reminiscent of risotto but A LOT easier.

Best of all, this mushroom oatmeal is just one variation of a savory oatmeal. You can change the stock (try vegetable, mushroom or beef stock), add more veggies, add more milk or cream, top it with toasted nuts, etc. The possibilities with savory oatmeal are limitless but this Savory Mushroom Oatmeal is a great first step, especially for risotto lovers.

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