Savory Oats with Avocado & Kale

We are in that weird time of spring where it’s still cold, but not too cold, but also sometimes rainy and dreary af. And when those super rainy days hit, all I want is comfort food. Allllllll of the comfort food. And for me, savory oats are the most quick, comforting and satisfying meals of all time.

And these savory oats are like an umami explosion. Plus packed with nutritious and affordable ingredients? Sign me up buttercup. Now a lot of times people will come to me and say, “Savory oats? You’re insane.” But trust me on this one! Oats are just like any other grain, so why not make them dinner?

This recipe is heavily inspired by congee, which is a traditional Chinese rice porridge that varies by region, but is always delicious. Savory oats can give the same porridge consistency as congee, but unlike its rice counterpart, it can be ready in minutes!

This whole recipe takes 15 minutes tops, and then you are left with a vegetable-filled, savory, spicy bowl that is a perfect cozy meal. You can mix and match as you’d like, and truly make these oats your own. It’s all about how creative you want to get!

The main flavors in this congee are from the liquid aminos, sambal oelek and scallions. But the actual base ingredients of the bowl can totally be swapped based off what you have on hand! Here’s the breakdown of what I used for this recipe:

the base ingredients for these savory oats

The ingredients are pretty standard (and oh-so cheap!) You will want:

• 1/2 cup rolled oats – now this ingredient you can’t compromise on (it’s savory oats, duh!) BUT if you only have quick oats or oat flour on hand, you can use either of those as a sub! The only thing I wouldn’t use is steel cut oats. They are processed in a different way than rolled oats and take much longer to cook.
• 3 cups water – seems like a lot – but you’ll need it!
• 3 cups kale – or any hefty green! I also sometimes use roasted broccoli in place of the kale sometimes, or even spring mix or shredded carrots!
• 2 large eggs – I love using eggs because I use one to thicken the oats (kind of like egg-drop soup!) and another as a fried egg on top (hellooooo runny yolk!) But if you are vegan or allergic, silken tofu is another amazing option! I’d recommend using about 6 ounces.

The flavor-flav for these savory oats

Now THIS is the good stuff. I mix up my savory oats all the time, but for this recipe I like to stick with some of my favs:

• 2 tbsp liquid aminos – liquid aminos are a flavoring similar to soy sauce. I get mine from Bragg. They are usually made of soybeans or coconut sap and are naturally gluten-free! But if you want to use coconut aminos or soy sauce here, you can totally do that as well!
• 1 tsp sambal oelek or sriracha – gotta get some SPICE in your life! And if you’re a longtime follower, you know I love sambal oelek, which is an Indonesian chile paste. But I know a lot of people don’t have that on hand, so you can also use sriracha for some similar heat!
• 1 scallion stalk, sliced – scallions add a subtle freshness and crunch that makes this recipe!
• 1/4 large avocado – or more if you want! I just love the avocado for some contrasting texture and some healthy fats. Plus it helps offset the spiciness of the oats!
• 1/2 tbsp chili oil – This makes all the difference. I love the version at Trader Joes or Momofuku’s Chili Crunch (which always seems to be sold out?)

Even though this recipe takes less than 15 minutes, there are still a few tips & tricks that will help you get the best results! After a few times making it, it will be totally intuitive.

here’s how to make these savory oats

• In a small pot, combine the oats and the water. Put it on high heat and let the water come to a boil.
• Let the oats boil for 15-30 seconds, then lower the heat so that the oats come to a simmer. Let the oats simmer for 3-4 minutes. There’s so much water so they won’t thicken like normal oats, but that’s ok! We want that.
• Add in one egg to the simmering mixture and stir vigorously to break up the yolk. This will thicken up the oats and give an egg-drop-soup feeling to the mix!
• After you can see the egg start to cook, add in all three cups of kale to the pot (yes, all three!) and use a wooden spoon to push the kale down so that most of it is submerged. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. The kale will cook down, lose its volume and become fully combined with the oats.

when to season your savory oats

One big tip is don’t season too early! Unlike ground spices, you don’t need too much heat to bring out the flavor in your add-ins. I like to add in half of the scallions and liquid aminos first, then the sambal oelek, and save the rest for toppings!

Here’s the system I use:

• When your oats look fully thickened up, add in 1 tbsp of liquid aminos and the sambal oelek. Add in half of your scallions and mix well.
• Top your oats with a sunnyside-up egg, the avocado, the rest of your scallions, liquid aminos and chili oil.

a note on the egg

One aspect of these oats that might seem counterintuitive is adding in an egg to thicken the oats. But once you get the hang of it, it’s totally easy and especially delicious! This is common method in making egg drop soup, but of course I do it with my own twist.

Here are the tips to remember:

• Right after you add the egg to the oat mixture, stir vigorously to break up the yolk and the egg white. You want it almost cooking in tiny pieces within the mix. This is what will help the oats thicken!
• After you have broken up most of the egg (you should be able to see it happen) do a large stir around the edges of the pot to make sure no egg sticks to the side. Then continue to cook the oats until you see that the egg has emulsified and combined. And then you should be good to go!