How to Cook Old Fashioned Oats

Desire to learn how to make oatmeal? You're in the correct place. Read on to learn about cooking different types of oats & find fun oatmeal topping ideas!

If you lot've been reading the blog for a while, you lot know that oatmeal has never been my affair. But this fall, after I tried Amy Chaplin's whole oat porridge recipe, I started to come up around to it. See, in the by, I ever had plain instant oats, which I idea were bland and mushy. But as I started experimenting with other types of oats, I discovered that, cooked the right way, oatmeal becomes a rich, creamy porridge that's a fantastic canvass for seasonal toppings.

Lately, I've been hooked on two topping combinations, and you'll find them in the recipe below. I is a mix of tart cherries and apples, with a sprinkle of chopped almonds for crisis. The other is a combination of blueberries, orange zest, yogurt, coconut, and chia seeds, with a pinch of cardamom and a drizzle of honey. Topped onto a hot basin of oatmeal, each makes a hearty, warming, and nutritious breakfast. On cold mornings, they brand me excited to become out of bed, and I hope they do the same for yous. 🙂

How to Make Oatmeal

Oatmeal is never hard to make, simply how you cook it will depend on what kind of oats yous purchase. Then, starting time and foremost, yous have to know your oats. In the store, you will typically see these varieties:

Whole oat groats – Whole oat groats leave the grain intact. Consequently, they have the longest to melt and require the most liquid – 4 cups water for every 1 cup oats.
Steel cut oats – My favorite! These are oat groats that take been roughly chopped. They cook more quickly than whole oat groats and result in a hearty, creamy porridge. Find instructions for cooking steel cut oats in the recipe below.
One-time-fashioned oats – One-time-fashioned oats, or rolled oats, are made by steaming oat groats and rolling them into flakes. They have a brusque cooking time, 5 minutes, and they but require ii cups water for every loving cup oats. In my kitchen, I nearly oft apply them for making baked oatmeal, overnight oats, oatmeal cookies, and no-bakes.
Quick oats – Quick oats are similar to old-fashioned oats, but they are steamed longer and rolled more thinly. Like old-fashioned oats, they require 2 cups water for 1 loving cup oats, but they only take one minute to cook. Quick oats are neat for days when you're in a hurry, but for the creamiest porridge, I recommend choosing whole oat groats or steel cut oats.

To cook your oatmeal, bring an appropriate amount of water or milk for your oat variety to a eddy, and stir in the oats and a pinch of table salt. You could too add a spice similar cinnamon, cardamom, or turmeric at this phase. Reduce the heat to a simmer and melt, stirring occasionally, until the porridge has thickened to your desired consistency. Then, load information technology up with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!

Oatmeal Recipe Tips

If you're gluten-complimentary, make sure to buy certified gluten-gratis oats.Oats are a naturally gluten-free food, but many are processed in facilities that as well handle wheat products. If you're gluten-costless, exist sure to seek out certified gluten-free oats, which are processed in wheat-costless facilities and tested to make sure that they don't contain gluten.
Save the leftovers!Overnight oats are famous for being a great catch-and-get breakfast, but did you know that you tin make regular oatmeal ahead of time likewise? Cook a big batch in advance and portion it into individual containers. In the morning, reheat it on the stove or in the microwave, and gradually add h2o or milk, equally needed, to sparse information technology to your desired consistency. Then, load it up with toppings, and dig in!
Add together a dash of salt. Made with only water and oats, oatmeal can exist bland. Adding a dash of salt won't make your cereal salty, only it will bring out the nutty flavor of the oats. To take it over the top, add a driblet of maple syrup or love for a delectable sugariness/salty contrast.
Load it upwards. Oatmeal is a great canvas for all sorts of hearty toppings, and loading upwardly your morning time basin of oats will help proceed you full till lunchtime! I dollop mine with almond or peanut butter or yogurt and sprinkle it with chopped nuts. Fresh or dried fruits, seeds, chocolate chips, and coconut flakes are great too. Alternatively, head to this post to find ideas for making savory oatmeal!

If you love this oatmeal recipe…

Endeavour making a frittata, gluten-free pancakes, a breakfast burrito, shakshuka, or any of these healthy breakfast ideas next!

How to Make Oatmeal

Cook Time: xx mins

Total Fourth dimension: 20 mins

Serves 4

This is my get-to healthy oatmeal recipe. It'south creamy, nourishing, and delicious with all sorts of seasonal toppings! Detect a few of my favorite combinations below.

1 cup steel cut oats
three cups water
¼ teaspoon sea table salt
Pinches of cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or cardamom, optional

Variation 1: Apple tree & Tart Scarlet

Thinly sliced apple
Frozen, and thawed tart cherries
Chopped almonds

Variation ii: Blueberries & Coconut

Frozen, and thawed blueberries
Orange zest
Scoop of Greek yogurt
Chia seeds
Kokosnoot flakes

Bring the water to a boil in a medium pot. Add the oats and salt and reduce heat to medium-low. Melt, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom, if desired. Remove from estrus and let stand for two minutes. Serve hot with desired toppings and honey or maple syrup, if desired.