Savoury Oatmeal with Cheese – 3 Irresistible Recipes
April 8, 2020
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Enjoy your oats? Enjoy cheese (who doesn’t)? How about oatmeal WITH cheese? Here are 3 creative ways with this delicious combination.
Contents List:
Savoury Oatmeal (with Cheese or without) Is Awesome
So, I’ve spoken about this a little before (such as in my 5 best oatmeal recipes for breakfast post).
A lot of people view oats as “plain” or “boring”, or maybe don’t like it plain but also get bored of adding fruit.
It’s not their fault. In a way, it’s like saying broccoli is boring when we have dishes like classic roasts, Mediterranean salads, Chinese fried rice, vegetable curries, and so many more that wouldn’t be the same without it.
You can be as creative as you want with oats! Really, just like bread and rice (when made / prepared traditionally), it is an amazing staple for any meal of the day.
If across Asia people eat rice for breakfast and dinner, the Italians their pasta, and the French their croissants, we are entitled to our oats! Okay, I am being a little silly, but oats are overlooked.
Much like their staple counterparts, oats are an excellent option for savoury dishes. That means any time of day, and an endless selection of ingredients.
Personally, I’ve enjoyed oatmeal with cheese, vegetables, tuna, sardines, potatoes, herbs, spices, salt, pepper, and more!
I’m not against the simple “fruit and nut”-style pairings on occasion, but there are just so many ways to get more nutrients and higher protein than a banana and some chia seeds.
The Best Way to Eat Oatmeal (Important)
If there’s one thing I want you take away from this article apart from the recipes, it’s this. Even if you change the recipes, learn how to prepare your oats properly.
Properly? Well, I mean how we used to prepare all grains.
Traditionally, our ancestors knew to harness the power of nature, and depended on it! All seeds (including grains) have been soaked, fermented, or sprouted for thousands of years across the globe.
This maximises nutrition and removes harmful compounds designed to protect the seed from digestion!
Also, fermentation – the method we’ll focus on – preserves foods. It’s another reason why fermenting has been a vital skill for our species’ success!
You’ll thank me later. Here are just a few of the benefits:
- Complex flavour
- Improved digestion
- Boosted gut health and immunity
- Increased nutrition (B-vitamins, minerals, protein)
- Fun (plus an awesome new skill)
Discover how you can easily benefit from the best way to eat oatmeal using our article ‘How to Ferment Oats’* by clicking the link* or button below!
Feel free to Pin these recipes, share, or even print them out if you really like them!
1. Savoury Oatmeal with Cheese and Mushrooms Recipe
This one is my favourite oatmeal with cheese recipe (hence number 1)!
I honestly look forward to making any sort of oatmeal, but they work so well with mushrooms that I had to experiment and try this when I wanted cheese, too!
It’s savoury and works perfectly for an easy, even hearty breakfast. For the best texture, make sure you chop the mushrooms into smaller pieces.
You can use any kind, but classic white button mushrooms never go wrong.
Savoury Oatmeal with Cheese and Mushrooms!
Equipment
- Chopping Board
- Sharp Knife
- Teaspoon
- Microwave-safe Bowl
- Microwave-safe Plate small, to cover bowl
- Microwave
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 50 g Oats Whole, steel-cut, or rolled
- 100-150 ml Milk of Choice Avoid soy milk and those with additives. (I used 150ml organic semi-skimmed cow's milk).
- 100 g White Button Mushrooms
- 30 g Natural Cheese pref. raw, unpasteurised, and organic. (I used goat's, but choose your favourite).
- 1 medium Tomato
Seasonings (Optional)
- 1 tsp Oregano
- ½ tsp Thyme
- ½ tsp Cayenne Chili Powder
- ½ tsp Garlic Powder or 2 diced fresh garlic cloves.
- to taste Black Pepper
- to taste Salt (I prefer black salt for this recipe).
Instructions
Preparing the Oatmeal
- If you haven't done so already, I highly recommend fermenting or at least soaking your oats before cooking. This should be done with all grains maximum nutrition, health benefits, and flavour!
- Drain the oats in a strainer or colander (optionally reuse / save 1-2tbsp oats and water for next batch). Return them to the bowl.
Cooking It Up
- Brush or lightly rinse the mushrooms if necessary. Chop the stalks into small pieces and finally dice the mushrooms.
- Add the mushrooms to a microwave-safe bowl and sprinkle with garlic powder. Add a tablespoon of water and microwave for 3 to 4 minutes, covered with a microwave-safe plate.
- Whilst the mushrooms are cooking, add 100-150 ml milk to your oats and stir.
- Using a tea towel or oven gloves, remove the cooked mushrooms from the microwave and set aside. Microwave oats for 3 minutes on high.
- When the oats are cooked, stir in your mushrooms and season with oregano, thyme, and chili powder if using.
- Slice a tomato and decorate oats as desired. Grate or crumble your chosen cheese overtop, season with salt and pepper to taste, and return to the microwave for 30-60 seconds.
- OPTIONAL: Serve up with your favourite protein! I actually mixed tuna in with this just like you might pasta – it's delicious, trust me.
- Now indulge and enjoy your easy oatmeal with cheese!
Notes
A Few Health Benefits – Mushrooms and Herbs:
This is a great recipe for the immune system (for those who tolerate dairy and grains).
Oatmeal is packed full of immunity-boosting minerals like zinc, magnesium, and selenium, as well as beta-glucans.
Beta-glucans are a type of beneficial fibre which also support your gut microbiome, digestive health, metabolism and blood sugar control, heart health, and more (^)(^)(^).
What’s even more impressive is that mushrooms contain yet another kind with other benefits.
Add to that the vitamin C and other antioxidants provided by plenty of herbs, garlic, mushrooms, and the tomato, and this recipe becomes a great way to help fight and prevent infection, inflammation, free radicals, and support a healthy metabolism, digestive system, and bodily functions.
By the way, mushrooms are literally one of the healthiest foods on the planet! The ancients knew it, we know it, and science proves it.
Read More: ‘Why Are Mushrooms Good for You? Are they MAGIC (wait…)?’
Serving Suggestion:
My favourite way to enjoy this recipe is like a classic breakfast: complimented with a hot, black coffee!
… But that’s only a recent thing. In fact, the past week has been the first time I’ve had coffee for over two years!
Not because coffee is “bad”, but it’s not always for everyone (more on that another time, but Chris Kresser offers a couple of reasons why, for example). However, as I now have less personal worry about the caffeine and antinutrients, I decided to reintroduce it into my diet and I feel fine.
Some people prefer not to, others don’t worry and don’t have to.
Anyway, enough about coffee! Let’s speak oats! There are two main ways to seriously boost this recipe.
What My Recommendation Comes down to:
- Any Simple, Classic Breakfast Beverage (green / black tea, coffee, etc.).
- Protein of Choice.
- Tuna
- Sardines
- Bacon
- Pancetta
- Diced chicken breast
- Diced red meat or even pork
- Eggs
- Etc.
Definitely don’t be afraid to add in any protein you might if this were pasta, for example. I chose tuna, but you go for what you like, maybe a couple of eggs, etc.
This will provide all-important long-lasting energy and a balanced nutrient profile.
2. Mexican-inspired Spicy Oatmeal with Cheese Recipe
Three things:
- Spicy Oatmeal
- Oatmeal with Cheese
- and Mexican food!
You may look at that and see a mismatched fusion of great ideas that come to create one of those not-so-great ideas after a few drinks…
BUT, that’s what this post is about! Oats are amazing. They’re versatile. And yes, they work just as well as other starchy staples (and often with more nutrition)!
If you don’t believe me, only you can try it for yourself. Fun and new ideas make healthy eating exciting, so what are you waiting for?
Here’s the next oatmeal with cheese recipe, turned into a spicy oatmeal recipe. The pro point: Mixing in delicious cheese balances the spice perfectly, so you can enjoy this for any meal (but we’ll call it breakfast)!
Mexican-inspired Spicy Oatmeal with Cheese Recipe
Equipment
- Chopping Board
- Sharp Knife
- Teaspoon
- Microwave-safe Bowl
- Microwave
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 50 g Oats whole, steel-cut, or rolled.
- 100-150 ml Water
- 30-40 g Natural Cheese Queso Asadero is the go-to for a full Mexican experience!
- 1 tsp Cayenne Chili Powder hot variety.
- ½ tsp Chili Pepper jalapeño for authenticity!
- to taste Black Pepper
- to taste Salt
Add-ins (Optional Pick & Mix)
- 100 g Bell Pepper
- 1 large Tomato
- 100 g Sweetcorn cooked
- 75 g Avocado
- 1 clove Garlic
Instructions
Preparing the Oatmeal
- If you haven't done so already, I highly recommend fermenting or at least soaking your oats before cooking. This should be done with all grains maximum nutrition, health benefits, and flavour!
- Drain the oats in a strainer or colander (optionally reuse / save 1-2tbsp oats and water for next batch). Return them to the bowl.
Cooking It up
- Wash or rinse and vegetables you’ll be using and set aside.
- Add the water and chili powder to your oats and mix in.
- At this point, dice the bell pepper and finely slice the tomato and avocado if using. Add all of the vegetables you’re using to the bowl and stir, but save the avocado for serving.
- Microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Meanwhile, use a sharp knife to dice the chili pepper (preferably jalapeno) and garlic if using.
- Remove once cooked and garnish with fresh chili and garlic. Neatly lay out the slices of avocado, resting on top.
- Grate over your cheese of choice to create a delicious top layer, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Serve to your liking or you can read my serving suggestions below. Oh, and consider a siesta!
Notes
A Few Health Benefits – Chillies:
Understandably, this recipe will also have the same benefits of oatmeal as the first recipe (see above). But that’s not all.
In general, spice is a good sign when it comes to food! Chillies contain a beneficial compound called capsaicin. This is actually what gives them their flavour, and it has been shown to have potent medicinal effects:
- Aid weight loss (^)(*)
- Reduce inflammation (^)(*)
- Protect heart health (^)(*)
- Improve metabolism (*)
- And more (^)*
In fact, the link study above on inflammation compared the the anti-inflammatory properties of capsaicin to that of the NSAID diclofenac (often sold under the brand name Voltaren), but without any adverse effects.
Basically, don’t shy away from chillies!
If you still want all the health benefits and can’t handle spice very well, you could even use dairy milk or a slightly sweet tasting, unprocessed alternative milk like coconut milk (avoid those with additives).
Either way, I’d highly recommend anyone up their spice tolerance so they can include more in their diet – it’s worth it.
Serving Suggestion:
As I said above, there’s an option those who don’t tolerate spice well but still want to experience the health benefits of chillies and capsaicin!
You could replace the water with a healthy milk in the recipe, but that might not work if you’re going to add in extras like vegetables.
In that case, simply enjoy it with a glass of milk!
Other than that, it’s always great to combine spicy food with something slightly sweet, as the flavours naturally balance each other. In India, this is a well-known practice, where something slightly sweet (maybe something with dairy, coconut, or a small amount of jaggery) often follows a spicy meal!
Sticking to the Mexican theme, a traditional ‘Café con leche’ (coffee made with warm milk) can be the perfect way to accompany a nice, warm breakfast. Sprinkle over a small dash of cinammon and you’ll be in for a treat.
To get some more protein into the meal, a couple of 4-5 minute soft-boiled eggs complement the flavours wonderfully.
What My Recommendation Comes down to:
- Spicy Oatmeal with Mixed Veg of Choice.
- 2-3 Soft-Boiled Eggs.
- A Glass of Milk (Or a coffee made with warm milk ‘Café con Leche’).
Feel free to enjoy this as you like, experiment, and maybe have a siesta!
3. Creamy Cauliflower Cheese Oatmeal Recipe
Satisfying. Satiating. But not heavy and filling. That doesn’t just sound good, it is, and this recipe is perfect if your looking for a guilt-free, feel-good meal.
This is a recipe that nourishes the body and mind – especially with the serving suggestions below!
Creamy Cauliflower Cheese Oatmeal Recipe
Equipment
- Chopping Board
- Fine Grater, NutriBullet, Food Processor, or Sharp Knife
- Teaspoon
- Tablespoon
- Microwave-safe Bowl
- Microwave-safe Plate small, to cover bowl
- Microwave
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 50 g Oats whole, steel-cut, or rolled.
- 100-150 ml Milk of Choice Avoid soy milk and those with additives. (I used 150ml organic semi-skimmed cow's milk).
- 100 g Cauliflower Head
- 30-40 g Natural Cheese Cottage cheese (organic) yields a much creamier texture.
- to taste White Pepper or black pepper.
- to taste Salt
Seasonings (Optional)
- 1 tsp Chives
- ½ tsp Thyme
- 1 clove Garlic
Instructions
Preparing the Oatmeal
- If you haven't done so already, I highly recommend fermenting or at least soaking your oats before cooking. This should be done with all grains maximum nutrition, health benefits, and flavour!
- Drain the oats in a strainer or colander (optionally reuse / save 1-2tbsp oats and water for next batch). Return them to the bowl.
Cooking It up
- Wash the cauliflower head and pat dry.
- Rice the cauliflower. You can use a grater, NutriBullet (or another blender), food processor, or even a knife.
- Add the cauliflower rice to a separate bowl with a tablespoon of water, cover with a small dish or plate, and cook for 4 minutes on high.
- Meanwhile, add the milk to your oats and mix in.
- Add diced garlic clove and herbs at this point if using. Stir.
- Remove cooked cauliflower rice from the microwave using a tea towl or oven gloves, and carefully drain by pouring water out (keeping cauliflower in with the plate) or using a strainer.
- Mix your oatmeal and cauliflower rice together. Grate cheese finely and stir through (simply stir in for cottage cheese).
- Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Finally, season your creamy oatmeal with white or black pepper and a touch of salt to taste.
- See serving suggestions below!
Notes
A Few Health Benefits – Cauliflower:
Again, this recipe will have the same benefits of oatmeal as any oatmeal recipe (see recipe one for more info).
The second main ingredient is cauliflower. This cruciferous vegetable is sometimes overlooked, so let’s learn about some of its most impressive health benefits.
Number one is nutrient density. Despite being very low in calories, cauliflowers are packed full of vitamins, antioxidants (like glucosinolates and isothiocyanates), and minerals!
They’re a particularly good source of vitamins B6, B9, C, and K1. These support natural and healthy growth, immunity, metabolism, and blood clotting, whilst also preventing chronic illness and degeneration.
Regarding minerals, cauliflower is a considerable source mostly of manganese and potassium.
Here are just a few more reasons to eat this veggie more:
- Cancer Prevention (^)(^)(^)
- Improved Digestion due to Fibre Content
- Weight Loss Potential (Fibre is filling, and cauliflower is low in calories)
- Brain Development and Protection (^) (Cauliflower is a good source of choline, which many people are deficient in)
Serving Suggestion:
Grilled chicken! “Seriously, chicken with oatmeal…?”.
Yep! It’s an excellent combo here because of how well this white meat goes with cauliflower (and pretty much any cheese)!
It’s not the only choice, though. Fish is a classic for cheesy dishes like this! Just take a look at the recipe image – that’s a delicious flaky pollock fillet right there.
Now I know chicken won’t make your oatmeal won’t look all that colourful and exciting… But, nor do cauliflower cheese, chicken soup, or oatmeal in general!
Usually, the more colour the better when you’re looking at nutrition, but this time, because we already know the foods are well-diversified, that’s a rule of thumb we can pass over.
Although, you can always season with some herbs and spices. Some top ideas would be aromatic dill or basil, or a sprinkling of mild smoked paprika.
So, what kind of chicken is best? Well, we’re looking to mix it through, meaning we want a delicate, meaty cut, which leads me to suggest chicken breast.
To make the most of it, grill gently with a dash of olive oil and shred into pieces before stirring through.
As for a drink, this one’s down to you… I can’t think of any one hot or cold beverage to compliment this as a breakfast or other meal in particular.
However, if you’re one of the many who enjoy sipping on bone broth (it’s easy to make or buy, uniquely tasty, and seriously good for you), it’s perhaps the best choice I’d recommend!
The absorption and benefits of collagen-building proteins in bone broth will be boosted by the cauliflower’s vitamin C and vitamin B6! It’s savoury (umami-rich), makes you feel good, and is certainly a great way to relax.
What My Recommendation Comes down to:
- Cauliflower Cheese Oatmeal.
- Shredded Grilled Chicken (Chicken breast is ideal, but thigh, leg, or wings are all “fare game”).
- Steamed or Raw Cauliflower Leaves (Don’t throw them!).
- Chicken Bone Broth!
Re-designing Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner: Oatmeal with Cheese!
If you’re not convinced by now that oatmeal with cheese, and in fact any savoury oatmeal, is an amazing idea, I’m lost!
In this post we covered just 3 recipes, so they’re purposefully quite contrasting. Taking inspiration from different cuisines, incorporating distinct flavours, using bold and mild ingredients, there are countless possibilities.
I encourage you to try this, and don’t be afraid to enjoy your oatmeal like any other grain or starchy food!
Please rate your favourite recipe, comment your thoughts below, and share with friends and family!
Oh, and if you like these healthy oatmeal recipes, why not look at 5 more of our best oatmeal recipes for breakfast (sweet, savoury, and fun)!
Until next time, stay healthy
James
Frequently Asked Questions:
Compared to most grains, oats are a great source of protein at around 6g protein per 50g raw oats (on average). However, oatmeal is best served with an extra protein source for a more balanced meal, higher energy, longer-lasting satisfaction, and for delicious recipes.
After seeing just how versatile oats are, it’s easy to enjoy oats for a healthy dinner, substituting recipes like pasta, noodles, rice, and other starches. They’re perfect for all sorts of savoury combinations, including with meat, fish, vegetables, herbs, spices, and beyond. So yes, oats can be great for dinner!
Bonus: Get your hands on your own FREE recipe book:
"Oat-my-goodness! A Step-by-step Guide to Six Savoury and Sweet Oatmeal Recipe".
Thank you for this well-written, detailed post of various recipes. To be honest, Creamy Cauliflower Cheese Oatmeal Recipe sounds extremely delicious to me so I thank you for introducing me to that. As someone who loves cooking in general, I will definitely put these recipes to use for next time especially since you made it quite easy to follow the instructions. Once again, appreciate this.
I’m glad to have inspired you to try something new! 🙂 My personal favourite of these three is probably the mushroom oatmeal with cheese recipe, but I suspected the cauliflower cheese oatmeal would be a bigger hit haha. Thanks for the nice comment Vatsalya, enjoy your new oatmeal recipes!
Thanks,
James
Great article! I love oatmeal and the detailed recipe and preparation instructions are a great touch to include. I haven’t tried the combinations you suggested but I’m sure I will.
I appreciate the positive feedback there! Oatmeal has to be one of my favourite foods, so I get where you’re coming from. Enjoy the recipes, I definitely encourage you to try even more combinations, too. Mix it up because oatmeal can work well in so many creative ways!
Thanks Bryce,
James