Savory Indian-Spiced Steel Cut Oats

These Savory Indian-Spiced Steel Cut Oats are an unexpected, delicious breakfast, lunch, or even dinner! They’re naturally gluten free, vegan, and topped with dairy free raita, pickled shallots, avocado and crispy chickpeas. 

This post is sponsored by Flahavan’s. All opinions are our own.

So excited to share this savory steel cut oats recipe with you! We love oats around here, but we get pretty bored with the same old maple-sweetened breakfast oats. Savory oatmeal might sound unusual, but it’s SO underrated. 

Oats are a blank canvas - they can take on pretty much any flavor. This version is spiced with curry powder, cinnamon and coconut milk for the perfect mix of savory & sweet.

And they’re not just for breakfast - this would make for a great, filling lunch or even dinner! 

We’re thrilled to be partnering up with Flahavan’s to share this recipe with you. Flahavan’s is an Irish family company that specializes in all things oats. We recently shared another vegan savory oatmeal recipe with mushrooms and kale, also featuring their steel cut oats. Can you tell we’re obsessed? 

What’s the difference between steel cut and regular oats? 

Steel cut oats are essentially the least processed version of an oat grain. While rolled oats are flattened during manufacturing, steel cut oats are full oat groats that have been sliced into smaller pieces. 

As a result of their minimal processing, steel cut oats are denser and have a chewier texture than regular rolled oats. While they have similar nutritional properties, steel cut oats are higher in dietary fiber. They’re also a complex carbohydrate, providing lasting energy. 

Due to their bulkier state, steel cut oats do take quite a bit longer to cook. Rolled oats absorb liquid much more readily, which is why they’re often the go-to choice for a quick breakfast. 

Quite honestly, I much prefer the taste and texture of steel cut oats to rolled oats most of the time. While rolled oats are better for baking, they don’t have much texture when prepared as a porridge. Some prefer the smoother texture, but I love the added texture that steel cut oats provide.

We absolutely love using Flahavan’s Steel Cut Oats in our recipes. Flahavan’s is the oldest family-owned company in Ireland, at nearly 240 years old.

They’re also the #1 selling oatmeal brand in Ireland. That’s really saying something, considering the Irish eat more oatmeal per capita than anyone else in the world!

Not only do Flahavan’s products taste great, but we also love that they’re committed to sustainability. Flahavan’s generates 70% of its own renewable energy with a wind turbine, solar panels, and burning discarded oat husks, which fires the boiler that steamrolls their rolled oats. Pretty cool, right?!  

You can find Flahavan’s products at quality supermarkets nationwide, including Shop Rite, Stop N Shop, Safeway, Whole Foods (Florida) & more!

How to cook steel cut oats

Steel cut oats aren’t quite as straightforward as regular rolled oats. But once you get the hang of it, they’re pretty easy to make! 

To get started, you’ll need at least 2 ½ cups of liquid per 1 cup of steel cut oats. The more liquid, the creamier the oats will be. You can cook the oats in water, milk, or a mixture of the two. In this recipe, we use lite canned coconut milk. It adds plenty of flavor and an extra creamy texture. 

Next, combine the oats, liquid and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer on low for about 25-30 minutes. Give them a stir every few minutes or so, monitoring the heat so they don’t overcook or burn. 

Once the oats are cooked to your desired texture, stir in any additional spices, sweeteners, etc. For a super simple breakfast recipe, we like to add in a tablespoon or two of maple syrup and a pinch of cinnamon. For this recipe, we add in curry powder, cinnamon, maple, butter and raisins. 

Note that the oats will thicken as they cool. If you’re not eating until a later time, you can always reheat them with a bit of extra liquid. This works well for meal prep. You can also experiment with making steel cut oats in a slow cooker or Instant Pot! 

Savory Steel Cut Oats

Not sure about you, but I get pretty bored of the same old breakfast oats. Why not take things in a more savory direction? 

In addition to the curry-spiced oats, we’ve also loaded this up with plenty of our favorite toppings. Here’s what we used, although feel free to customize based on your preferences/what you have available! 

• Vegan raita. Raita is an Indian yogurt-based condiment, typically mixed with cucumber and fresh herbs as a cooling element to complement spicy dishes. It’s very easy to make! Here’s the recipe we used (via Curious Chickpea). 
• Quick-pickled shallots. We always try to keep some quick pickles on hand. They really come in handy as an acidic, crunchy, refreshing topping! We have a whole guide to quick pickling just about everything here. If you don’t have time to quick pickle, you can use fresh shallots or red onion. Rinse them in boiling water for 10 seconds to reduce the harsh bite.
• Avocado. Sliced avo is a no-brainer. Creamy, delicious, healthy fats - the perfect topping!
• Crispy chickpeas. The perfect textural addition. We used store-bought, but you can also try them homemade. Don’t have any on hand? Try chopped pistachios or cashews instead.
• Fresh mint. Optional, but encouraged. Cilantro would also work!

If you make these Savory Steel Cut Oats, we’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below! We also love to see your creations on Instagram – tag us at @crowded_kitchen so we can see what you’ve been cooking.

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