Take your oats to the next level with these new exciting recipes. Discover the different foods that go perfectly well with oats so you can make the most out of them.
Oats are a highly versatile, inexpensive, and wholesome pantry staple. Protein-packed and rich in gut-loving fiber, it really is worth enjoying a bowl a day. Oats’ chewy texture and neutral flavor make it the perfect base for a diverse menu of comforting dishes.
Oats enjoy the center stage as foodies continue to whip up delicious and rather unconventional dishes using the humble grain. While there is nothing wrong with a hearty bowl of creamy oatmeal porridge, it’s time to step up your oat game with an arsenal of exciting new recipes.
What pairs well with oats? What can you do when you are sitting with a bag of rolled oats? How can I add more flavor to my oatmeal?
Are you ready to discover a few sensational ways to make the most of your oat?
We have rounded up sweet and savory (yes, even savory!) oat ideas and recipes that prove how dynamic and scrumptious oats can be.
Rolled or Instant Oats will work well with all of the recipes and ideas below. Steel-cut oats take longer to cook and pair wonderfully with savory oatmeal.
The Classics
Oatmeal and Overnight Oats
Oatmeal is the breakfast of choice for people far and wide. This staple is comforting, nutritious, filling and easy to prepare. Don’t you think it’s about time to be a little more daring with your oatmeal? Something that will get you excited to jump out of bed in the morning?
Liquid-To-Oats Ratio
If you are using quick-cooking or rolled oats, the ratio is usually 1 cup liquid to ½ cup oats. Always read the instructions on the label. Adjust the balance to suit your preference.
Cooking tip: Whether it’s sweet or savory, always add a tiny pinch of salt to your oatmeal. Salt accentuates the different flavors and aromas in your food. Add a sprinkle DURING cooking and not after, especially for sweet dishes.
Sweet Oatmeal or Overnight Oats
Dessert for breakfast? Yes Please!
Build a unique and scrumptious bowl of oats in 3 Easy Steps
1. The Liquid
Cook or soak your oats in one of the following liquids:
- Dairy milk
- Plant-based milk: coconut, almond, oat
- Juice: Apple, orange
- Herbal tea: sweeter teas such as Rooibos, chai, chamomile, licorice or vanilla
2. The Flavor Enhancers
As the oats cook, they will absorb the liquid and take on the flavor of the additional ingredients.
Creamy and oatso dreamy:
- Mashed banana
- Applesauce
- Pumpkin or butternut puree
- Almond or peanut butter
Texture and Zing:
- Lemon, lime, or orange zest
- Grated carrot
- Coffee
Extracts for a burst of flavor:
- Vanilla
- Almond
- Rose
- Mint
- Coffee
Sticky and sweet:
- Honey
- Maple syrup
- Date syrup
- Molasses
- Caramel, coffee, chocolate or vanilla
Spice makes everything nice:
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Allspice
- Pumpkin spice
- Cardamom
3. The Toppings
Add a few of the following to take your oats to the next level!
Tip: Add the toppings right before serving to prevent them from going mushy – or vanishing into the oats.
These ingredients will add an extra touch of flavor, color, and crunch.
- Fresh fruit
- Dried fruit
- Nuts and seeds
- Coconut flakes
- Peanut or almond butter
- Chocolate chips
- Granola or muesli
- Yogurt
Our Favorite Sweet Oat Combinations:
- Carrot cake: Oats + Milk + Grated Carrot + Raisins + Cinnamon + Walnuts + Coconut
- Antioxidant Powerhouse: Oats + Rooibos tea + Berries + Chia seeds + Maple syrup
- Lemon Cheesecake: Oats + Chia seeds + Almond milk + Lemon zest + Honey + Greek yogurt
Have a look at these tasty and unique sweet oatmeal recipes:
Savory Oats
If you don’t have a sweet tooth or simply need another excuse to eat more oats, then you will be thrilled to know that savory oats DO exist…and they are outright drool-worthy!
Savory oats are a wholesome, filling, and comforting meal that you can enjoy for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Build and customize your personalized bowl of savory oats:
1. The Liquid
Cook your oats in one of the following liquids:
- Plain water and a dash of salt
- Chicken stock
- Bone broth
- Vegetable broth/stock
- Miso broth
2. The Flavor Enhancers
Add any of the following ingredients to your oats while they cook:
Aromatics
- Finely chopped onion or leek
- Minced garlic or ginger
- Crushed tomatoes or tomato paste
Herbs and Spices
- Fresh or ground basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano, tarragon
- Spices such as paprika, onion powder, cumin, curry spice, garlic powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, black pepper, cayenne, BBQ spice
3. The Toppings
Sauteed Vegetables, for example:
- Mushrooms
- Kale, chard, or spinach
- Asparagus, broccoli, zucchini, carrots
Roasted, steamed, or mashed veggies:
- Potatoes/ sweet potatoes
- Cauliflower
- Butternut or pumpkin
Freshly chopped vegetables and herbs:
- Tomatoes, peppers
- Arugula
- Avocado
- Chives, spring onion
- Dill, basil, parsley, cilantro
Protein:
- Beans: lentils, chickpeas, black beans, edamame
- Eggs: boiled, poached, scrambled, fried
- Meat or poultry
- Tofu or tempeh
4. The Final Touch – Extra Flavor Boosters
- Sauces: Sriracha, soy, teriyaki, mayonnaise, tomato sauce, pesto
- Cheese or nutritional yeast
- A dollop of sour cream, cream cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt
- Relishes: pickles, kimchi, sauerkraut, chopped chilies, olives
- Toasted nuts and seeds
Our Favorite Savory Oat Combinations:
Breakfast Fry-up
- Cook: oats in vegetable or chicken stock with onion, garlic, and chopped tomatoes.
- Top: with your favorite eggs, sauteed spinach and mushrooms, sliced avocado, spring onion, and seasoning of choice.
- Add: a dollop of cottage cheese and sriracha sauce.
All The Greens
- Cook: oats in stock or broth of choice, with finely chopped leeks.
- Stir in: ready-made pesto sauce
- Top with: sauteed kale, zucchini, and peas
- Add: a dollop of Greek yogurt, scallions, and toasted cashew nuts.
Burrito Bowl
- Cook: oats in stock or broth of choice, with onions, garlic, and tomato paste.
- Top with: Warm, seasoned black beans or beef mince, sliced avocado, corn, slaw, and chopped peppers
- Sprinkle: with grated cheese of choice. Broil or microwave to melt the cheese.
- Top with: a dollop of sour cream, chopped cilantro, and extra seasoning.
Beyond Oatmeal
Oats are worthy of so much more! There is an abundance of creative ways to appreciate this grain’s fullest potential.
Granola
Another classic breakfast item, granola is made by mixing oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit with oil and a sweetener (sugar, maple, honey, or agave). You can add spices such as cinnamon, allspice, or pumpkin spice before baking the mixture until crunchy and golden.
Enjoy granola as a snack, with milk, or as a crunchy topping on smoothies, yogurt, and fruit.
Base For Tarts, Pies, and Cheesecake
Had enough of Graham Cracker crusts? Oats make a fabulous crust that tastes just like oatmeal cookies. Bonus: it’s gluten-free.
Sandy from How To Cook Smarter is an oat fanatic. He can whip up just about anything using this dynamic grain. Here is one of his epic recipes.
Oatmeal Cookies
Just like Grandma’s! Sweet, chewy, and buttery, oat cookies are truly nostalgic. They are quick and easy to whip up for unexpected guests and afternoon cravings. Experiment with various flavors and add-ins to keep them exciting:
- Dried strawberries and white chocolate
- Peanut butter, butterscotch chips, and sea salt
- Dried apples, cinnamon, and pecans
- Chocolate chips and mini marshmallows
4-Ingredient Oat Cookies
Gluten-free, vegan, refined sugar-free
Just 4 ingredients, 1 bowl, and 20 minutes are needed!
Ingredients:
- 2 large, very ripe bananas
- 4 tbsp almond or peanut butter
- 1 cup rolled oats
- Add-ins of choice: choc chips, cacao powder, raisins, cranberries, crushed nuts, seeds, desiccated coconut, etc.
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 180c
- In a large bowl or food processor, combine bananas, almond butter, oats and add-ins of choice.
- Form mixture into balls and place on a lined baking sheet. Press each ball into a cookie shape.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes, or longer if you prefer them crispy.
- Leave to cool and harden for 5 minutes before eating.
Fritters, Patties, Pancakes, and Quiches
Oats provide a firm, hearty and chewy texture to fritters, patties, pancakes, and quiches. When you don’t know what to do with all the leftovers, throw them into a bowl with oats, baking powder, and an egg or two. Form into patties or fritters and fry. Or bake in the oven as a quiche.
Fruit Crumble
Sugar, spice, and everything nice.
The crisp, crunchy texture of the oat topping is the perfect contrast to the sweet and soft cooked fruit. Crumble is a mixture of oats, butter or oil, sweetener, and flour. This is sprinkled over a fruit base before it is baked until golden and crisp.
This Easy Mango-Blueberry Crumble by Café Delites will undoubtedly be a crowd-pleaser
Baked Delights
Oats add a healthy punch of protein and fiber to baked items. You can blend rolled oats into flour for a finer texture, or use whole for a chewy bite.
- Muffins and cupcakes
- Loaves and quick bread
Pizza Crust
This is an ingenious hack for a simple, gluten-free pizza crust – no yeast, flour, or proving necessary!
Pinch Of Yum has an incredible pizza crust recipe using 3 basic ingredients:
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 2/3 cup rolled oats
- 1 egg