Miso Steel-Cut Oats
A few years ago, I would never have imagined eating oatmeal regularly for breakfast but life works in mysterious ways. Like when your boyfriend gets a Costco bag of steel-cut oats that sits in the cabinet taking up space and it just stares you in the face 🥲
I do think oatmeal gets a bad rap, but I seriously cannot stand steel-cut oats. Rolled oats are acceptable — they’re easier to cook and you can transform them into granola, crumble on top of baked goods, etc. Steel-cut oats…why?? But sometimes we have to just make lemons into lemonade, and, for me, that meant making the best of this bag of oats.
Luckily, I can treat it like congee: an empty vessel on which I can add a ton of toppings which probably makes it way less healthy but also way more edible for my tastebuds! One trick I’ve found that has been really helpful is adding miso paste as I cook down the oatmeal and make it extra creamy. Just a tablespoon is enough and then you can add whatever you’d like on top.
Miso Steel-Cut Oats
Makes 1 serving
Ingredients:
¼ cup steel-cut oats (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
¾ cup water (use ½ if you don’t like your oatmeal more watery)
1 tbsp white miso paste
A pinch of salt
Optional toppings (a few of my favorites to combine but not all at once): chili oil, avocado, egg, sautéed mushrooms, roasted garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, pickled onions, pickled jalapenos, pesto, parmesan, fried shallots, Everything but the Bagel seasoning, furikake
Instructions:
In a small pot, combine the oats, water, and salt. Bring to a boil.
Once the water is boiling, keep stirring the oats to keep it from bubbling over and then lower to medium heat. Gently stir in the miso paste.
Keep cooking for 5 minutes or more until the oats have softened up a lot, the water has mostly disappeared, and the mixture in your pot looks more creamy.
Transfer your oatmeal to a bowl and throw on any combination of toppings from above or that you have on hand. Pro tip: an egg goes with everything!
