COOK: Golden Oats Steel-Cut Breakfast Porridge
Start your day with a heart-healthy breakfast of steel-cut oats with sweet spices and earthy golden turmeric with this golden oats breakfast porridge recipe. You can make this savory or sweet. Say goodnight to boring oatmeal and good! morning! to this flavorful grain bowl. The bright yellow turmeric-tinged pottage is full of prebiotic fiber, iron, and antioxidants and is sure to fuel whatever your day has in store for you.
This nutritious golden oats recipe makes two very generous double servings, or you can scale up the recipe to meal prep for the week. Golden oats reheat well… you can make a big batch on Sunday and portion them into wide-mouth mason jars. Microwave in the jar for a hot breakfast or lunch, or enjoy them cold with fresh fruit and nuts.
Sweet Golden Oats
This chai-spiced oatmeal pairs especially well with tropical fruits like mango, banana, kiwi, papaya, or pineapple. Sweeten lightly with just a spoonful of brown sugar, coconut sugar, honey, or maple syrup.
Top with whole milk and butter for a rich and creamy treat. Or, use coconut cream, or your favorite non-dairy milk to make this vegan!
Savory Golden Oats
One of my favorite things to make with steel cut oats are savory bowls, and these healthy golden oats lend themselves to savory dishes as well as sweet ones. Top the warm oats with a fried or poached egg (or crispy tofu or nuts for a vegan version). Spice it up with a little bit of hot sauce like sambal, Sriracha, or chili crisp. Add some goat cheese or labnah (yogurt cheese) for a rich and tangy contrast to the warm masala spiced oats. Garnish with cilantro, chopped purslane, crisp cucumber, or pickled red onions or lacto-fermented slaw if you want to really take it up a notch!
Notes on Gluten Concerns
If you are cooking for someone with gluten-sensitivities, make sure that the oats you are using are actually gluten-free. Oats are naturally gluten-free, but often processed on the same equipment or in the same facility with other grains, or grown near other grains that can end up in the same field. If the oats are certified gluten-free, you shouldn’t need to worry about these sources of cross-contamination. Everyone is different though, and bodies and allergies or food sensitivities are very individual things.
Varieties of Steel-cut Oats, Liquid Amounts, & Cooking Times
This recipe was written for quick-cooking steel-cut oats, but you can use any kind of steel-cut oats that you prefer or have in your pantry. You may need to increase the liquid amounts and cooking time. The quick cook steel-cut oats I use have a liquid to oat ratio of 2:1, although I find they are better at about 2.5:1. Most conventional steel-cut oat preparations are more like 3:1, with double the cooking time.
You can also pre-soak the oats to help shorten the cook time. Measure out all the ingredients into your cooking pot the night before you plan to make them. Let them soak in the fridge overnight, then bring them up to a simmer the next day.
Golden Oats Steel-Cut Breakfast Porridge (two ways)
Ingredients
Golden Oats
- 1 cup steel-cut oats (use quick-cook steel cut oats or extend cook time)
- 2½ cups boiling water (use the recommended water to oat ratio for the oats you use)
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated or minced can substitute ½ tsp dried ginger
- ¾ tsp turmeric, ground
- ½ tsp cinnamon, ground
- ¼ tsp sea salt increase to ½ tsp for savory oats
For Sweet Golden Oats
- ½ cup whole milk or coconut milk can substitute milk replacement of your choice
- 2 tbsp brown sugar, coconut sugar, or honey
- 1 tsp butter can use coconut cream for vegan oats or omit
- ½ cup fresh fruit and/or nuts
For Savory Oats
- 2 large fried or poached eggs (use nuts or crispy tofu for vegan version)
- 2 tbsp crumbled goat cheese or labneh
- ¼ cup sliced or diced cucumber or pickled vegetables
- 1 tbsp cilantro, minced
- sriracha, sambal, or chili crisp to taste
Instructions
- Measure out all the ingredients for the golden oats and place in a small pot that can hold all ingredients at a simmer. Grate the fresh ginger with a microplane or grater or mince very fine, or use dried ginger.
- If you like, you can now put the pot in the fridge overnight to soak and reduce cooking time, or start cooking them immediately.
- Bring up to a simmer on medium-low heat and reduce heat to low. Simmer until liquid is absorbed and oats are chewy-tender. This is about 7-10 minutes for the quick-cook steel-cut oats, or up to 25 minutes for conventional steel-cut. Stir occasionally at the beginning and often as they thicken so they don't scorch.
- Top with your choice of savory or sweet ingredients and enjoy!