Savory Oatmeal with Eggs
Oatmeal isn’t just for breakfast! Add Cheddar and a soft-cooked egg, and you’ve got a cozy savory oatmeal that works for lunch or a light supper.
Oatmeal is always and forever a scrumptious breakfast, especially when it’s dressed up with something sweet. But if you told me I could only have oatmeal one way for the rest of my life (please don’t 😳), I’d pick this savory oatmeal with eggs.
This speedy recipe starts with a bowl of warm rolled oats, adds Cheddar cheese that melts right in, and finishes with a soft-cooked egg on top. Break that creamy yolk into the cheesy oats and you’ve got one of my favorite light lunches or suppers.
A few scallions and a grinding of black pepper make it extra lovely. Best of all, it takes about fifteen minutes from walking into the kitchen to sitting down with your bowl. Happy sigh.
Jump to:
- 🔎 Here’s a Quick Look at this recipe
- ⭐️ Why we love this recipe
- 🧀 Ingredients you need
- 📝 Ingredient notes
- 💡 More ingredient substitution ideas
- 👩🏻🍳 Here’s how you make this recipe
- 🤔 Recipe FAQs
- 🍽️ What to serve with this recipe
- Savory Oatmeal with Eggs
- 🥣 Recipe Variations
- ❤️ Other oatmeal recipes we love
- 🌟 We want to know what you think!
🔎 Here’s a Quick Look at this recipe
- What It Is: A savory version of oatmeal that includes some healthy protein!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Servings: One (can be multiplied easily!)
- Calories: 484
- Cook Method: Stovetop
- Good For: A different take on breakfast, a light lunch or supper, a great pantry recipe with on-hand ingredients
⭐️ Why we love this recipe
- 🥣 Oatmeal gets a savory makeover. Rolled oats become a warm, creamy base for Cheddar and a soft-cooked egg.
- 🧀 Cheese makes every bite cozy. Stir some into the hot oats, then sprinkle the rest on top.
- 🍳 That soft yolk is the finishing touch. Break it into the oatmeal for a rich, silky sauce.
- ⏰ It’s ready in about 15 minutes. Just right for a quick lunch, easy breakfast or light supper.
- 🌿 Make it your own. Add scallions, herbs or a little black pepper to finish your bowl.
🧀 Ingredients you need
📝 Ingredient notes
- Oats: Regular old-fashioned rolled oats make this creamy in about five minutes. Quick oats will be softer; steel-cut oats take much longer. If you use either, follow the package directions for the water and cooking time.
- Cheese: Sharp Cheddar gives the oatmeal plenty of flavor. Monterey Jack, Muenster or another cheese that melts smoothly will also work.
- Egg: Poached, soft-boiled or over-easy all work beautifully. Aim for a set white and a soft yolk that you can break into the oatmeal.
- Scallions: Optional, but they add a little freshness. Chives or parsley are lovely here too, along with freshly ground black pepper.
💡 More ingredient substitution ideas
Missing something or want to swap in something different? Check out the links below to find more ingredient substitution ideas. 👇🏻
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
👩🏻🍳 Here’s how you make this recipe
STEP 1: Cook up some rolled oats the way you usually do…bring a cup of water to a boil and add a half cup of oats, and let it all simmer for about five minutes.
STEP 2: When the oats are done, stir in a quarter cup of shredded Cheddar cheese, saving the rest to sprinkle on top. Give it a stir.
STEP 3: You can stop at the cheese part, but I highly recommend topping your bowl of cheesy oatmeal with your favorite version of a soft cooked egg. Poached eggs , soft-boiled, over-easy eggs…it’s your choice, just so long as the yolk is still nice and creamy.
Because now you are going to plunk that egg into your bowl of cheesy oatmeal, and then break the egg up just a little so the yolk melts in.
Scatter a few scallions on top if you want, and then a grinding of fresh pepper, and you are done!
🤔 Recipe FAQs
I am SO glad you asked, because this is one of the simple things I am so glad to have figured out. So much that I wrote a whole post about how to poach a perfect egg every time!
Yep! Anything that is shreddable and meltable will work. Try it with grated Swiss, shredded mozzarella or even good old chopped up Velveeta.
Yes! Quick oats make a softer bowl, while steel-cut oats stay chewier and take much longer. Follow the package directions for the water and cooking time, then add the cheese and egg as directed.
Drop your question in the comments section below and I promise to answer pronto!
Go give your oatmeal some love now, okay?
🍽️ What to serve with this recipe
This cheesy oatmeal is plenty satisfying on its own, but a little fruit or bacon makes it brunch, while a fresh salad turns it into supper.
Let’s turn that bowl of oatmeal into something savory, cheesy and topped with a gloriously runny egg! 🥣🍳
Savory Oatmeal with Eggs
Creamy Cheddar oatmeal topped with a soft-cooked egg makes a cozy breakfast, quick lunch or light supper in just 15 minutes.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar
- 1 tablespoon sliced scallions (optional)
Instructions
- Bring 1 cup water to boil in small saucepan. Add oats and pinch of salt and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup cheddar and stir.
- Meanwhile, soft-cook the egg in whatever way you like best. Soft-boiled, poached or over easy will all work, so long as the egg yolk is still a little liquid and creamy.
- Ladle oatmeal into bowl. Sprinkle with remaining cheddar and top with cooked egg. Scatter scallions on top and eat at once.
Notes
-
- Oatmeal: We like regular rolled oats for this recipe, but you can use any kind (instant, steel-cut, etc) as long as you follow the cooking instructions on the package.
-
- Cheese: Cheddar is our first choice, but any melty cheese will work…American, Muenster, Monterey Jack and yes, Velveeta!
-
- Garnishes: If you are looking to level up, chopped scallions, chives and parsley are all lovely. So is a nice grinding of black pepper!
🥣 Recipe Variations
- Add some greens: Stir a handful of baby spinach into the hot oatmeal just before adding the cheese. It will wilt in a minute or two.
- Make it smoky: Top your bowl with crumbled cooked bacon and a few sliced scallions.
- Switch the cheese: Try Monterey Jack for a milder bowl or pepper Jack for a little kick.
- Turn up the heat: Add a dash of hot sauce or a pinch of red pepper flakes just before serving.
- Add mushrooms: Spoon some sautéed mushrooms over the finished oatmeal with the egg for an extra hearty supper.
❤️ Other oatmeal recipes we love
Looking for more comfort food inspiration? Here is our complete collection of comfort food recipes!
🌟 We want to know what you think!
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section below the recipe card.
honestly this looks so comforting, never thought of doing oatmeal savory with a soft egg on top like that. kind of blew my mind lol. the toppings thing is a nice touch too, feels like you could switch it up depending on mood
quick q though — any trick to keep the egg from overcooking? mine always end up rubbery when i try soft-cooked stuff. wanna try this out this weekend fr
Pixxen
Hi Neil! The trick is to slightly undercook the egg, since it will keep cooking for a bit after it comes off the heat. I usually aim for whites that are just set but a yolk that is still nice and soft and creamy. And have your oatmeal ready to go so you can pop the egg right on top and eat it immediately! Hope you love it! 😊
OMG why would you go to so much trouble and dirty up at least 3 pans. I make this in the Microwave – one bowl one spoon. First put the Oatmeal in the bowl and I add 3 times the amount of water (1/4 oatmeal, 3/4 cup water). Microwave for 1 minute, or when it starts to bubble up. I stir it then I add a raw egg, shredded cheese, sometimes chopped fresh spinach and chopped green onions. Then I microwave one more minute. The egg is perfectly cooked, the cheese is melted and creamy, the spinach and green onion add freshness. Done in 2-3 minutes perfectly cooked, one bowl one spoon. Make it easy on yourself.
Hi Jeanine and thank you for sharing your microwave method for this recipe. I find that microwaving whole eggs makes them explode, but maybe your microwave is better behaved then mine! Or maybe you are lightly beating the egg first? (For those readers wondering why eggs explode in the microwave, egg yolks cook faster than the whites because they are high in fat. If the yolk is whole, steam gets trapped under its membrane, leading to a messy explosion, even if the egg is out of the shell). One way or the other, glad you are enjoying your savory oatmeal with eggs!
Hi Kate – thank you for the follow up – perhaps I wasn’t thorough in my explanation of how i prepare my savory oatmeal in the microwave.
The eggs explode because they are cooked too long and left exposed – just under 1 minute for an egg. I do not beat in the egg and I make sure the egg is completely immersed in the oatmeal. I just gently drop it in. I want the yummy yolk running over the creamy oatmeal. I have never had an egg explode and I’ve cooked oatmeal like this for years in at least 3 different microwaves. Perhaps people are afraid of undercooked yolks? I’m not. Or perhaps you have a dishwasher – I am the dishwasher in my home!
My wonderful husband is the dishwasher in our house! 🥰 Thanks for the extra info – we definitely want a creamy soft yolk for this recipe, so that cooking time and the fact that you cover it up with the oatmeal before cooking definitely explains why it doesn’t explode (phew!). I will give your method a try!
Absolutely delicious, especially with the addition of the poached egg.
I’m so glad you liked it! We just had it (with the poached egg) as a light post-Christmas supper. One of our comfort food faves!
This savory oatmeal recipe was such a pleasant surprise! I usually think of oatmeal as a sweet breakfast, but the soft-cooked egg and Parmesan really transformed it into something hearty and satisfying. I added a few sautéed spinach leaves on top for some greens, and it worked perfectly. Thanks for the inspiration—definitely adding this to my regular breakfast rotation!
Visit Aladdin Mediterranean Grill – Garden Oaks
Hi Brock and thank you so much! Love your additions – I will have to give those a try!