Savory Steel Cut Oats with Poached Egg
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Cook this recipe for steel cut oats and enjoy a bowl for a savory breakfast or any time of day. This elevated porridge is blended with grated pecorino Romano cheese, black pepper and a extra-special with a softly poached egg on top.
Have you tried mixing up your oatmeal routine lately? Try these savory steel-cut oats to start the day — or make a bowl for dinner!
If you’re like me, skipping breakfast is virtually impossible — I’m pretty sure it’s my growling stomach that motivates me to get out of bed in the first place!
Some mornings call for simple oats with almond milk or a batch of one bowl blueberry oat muffins. Most of the time I’m a person in search of savories and a soft-boiled or poached egg is my usual go-to.
Steel cut oats for breakfast
A experimenting on a few cold mornings, I found that steel cut oats can take under 30 minutes to cook. Totally doable, even for someone with a hollow, hungry stomach.
- Adding a poached egg and Pecorino cheese makes this a perfect alternative to a sweet bowl of oats, with added protein.
- You can cook the oats at the beginning of the week, and reheat servings in a microwave to have on multiple mornings (stir in a little water first).
Savory Steel Cut Oats with Poached Egg
Ingredients
- 1 cup (160 g) steel cut oats
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup (25 g) grated pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- Fresh coarsely cracked black pepper
- 3-4 eggs, depending on servings
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
Instructions
- Put the oats and 3½ cups water into a heavy medium saucepan along with the salt — use 4 cups water if you prefer a looser porridge texture. Bring to a boil, stir the oats, then lower heat to a slow simmer.
- Cook until most of the water is absorbed (stirring occasionally) and the oats begin to get creamy, 25-30 minutes (they won't be totally soft at this point, but pleasantly chewy).
- Remove from the heat and stir in the olive oil, cheese and about 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
To make the poached eggs:
- When the oats are almost ready, bring a small skillet of water to a boil with the vinegar – a non-stick pan makes for easier cleaning. Crack the eggs into the water and adjust the heat down from a boil to a simmer. Cook the eggs until they are done to your liking, about 5 minutes for softly-set yolks.
- Serve the oats with a poached egg on top. Top with more cheese to taste. If you have a hunk of cheese, use a swivel vegetable peeler to shave additional cheese over the top.
Notes
- Serving ideas: Top with a fried egg instead, and add a spoonful of your favorite pesto. So good!
- To make ahead: Cool and refrigerate up to 3 days. Stir in a little water and reheat gently on the stovetop until hot.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
My dad absolutely detests oatmeal. However, he was visiting one day and I happened to make these for myself. While we were in the kitchen and I was cooking, I could see him checking out my breakfast. Of course he asked for a bite, then it was HIS breakfast lol. He still calls me to send him the recipe when he loses it.
Mona – I love this story so much! It makes me really happy to know your dad was converted. Thanks for sharing — you made my day!😄
A take on oats I would never have considered but after trying this recipe once I am hooked! So good!
Poached eggs are my go-to when I want something fast and nourishing, love them!
Ooh, that egg looks so wonderful! I love the idea of punching up a savory oatmeal with the richness of egg yolk. 🙂
Thanks Eileen! I would probably put a poached egg on just about anything!