Oatmeal is one of my favorite breakfasts, and a warm bowl of savory caramelized mushroom oatmeal is a fun twist on sweet oatmeal bowls. The spiced oats are creamy, and the mushrooms and onions develop a buttery, caramelized flavor.
I know, I know. You may be thinking, wait - did she just say savory oatmeal? With mushrooms?? Gross! But trust me - it's so delicious! Oatmeal is my favorite stick-to-your-ribs breakfast. And when it's savory, it's even more filling and delicious.
For sweet oatmeal breakfasts, try oatmeal with stewed apples, strawberry baked oatmeal with caramel, creamy almond butter oatmeal with blueberries, cozy baked apple oatmeal, and pumpkin pie overnight oats.
The rich flavor of the caramelized mushrooms and onions mixed with garlic and a few key spices is just so dang good. Plus oatmeal is the perfect blank canvas on which to paint the depth of flavor from caramelized mushrooms.
Growing up in Germany, oatmeal was the second breakfast I learned how to make, after breakfast cereal. Oatmeal is such an easy meal to learn how to make. And this savory caramelized mushroom oatmeal is a slightly elevated, fancy version!
Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Since mushroom oatmeal is savory, it's perfect for any time of the day. It's great for breakfast, but it's also a filling lunch or dinner served like an oatmeal risotto.
- You can easily double or triple this recipe to feed a crowd.
- The caramelized mushrooms and onions are buttery and delicious.
- It only takes about 30 minutes to make this recipe, so it's great for slow mornings or weekend breakfasts.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Butter - I recommend using unsalted butter to control the quantity of salt in your food
- Mushrooms - pretty much any mushrooms will work in this recipe; I usually use Portobello, Shitake, or Button Mushrooms
- Onion - any onion will work great in this recipe; I usually use sweet onion
- Garlic - freshly minced garlic provides the best flavor; you can substitute garlic powder if you don't have fresh garlic
- Salt and ground black pepper - seasons both the oats and the vegetables
- Oats - quick cooking and rolled oats work best to create a creamy texture; steel cut oats should be cooked separately in a pot to get the same creamy texture
- Paprika - adds a smoky, slightly sweet flavor
- Fresh herbs - thyme, oregano, parsley, and rosemary all work great in this recipe; you can use dried herbs if you don't have fresh herbs
How to Make Caramelized Mushroom Oatmeal
- Melt butter: Melt the butter in a large pan on low heat.
- Add mushrooms & onions: Add the sliced mushrooms and diced onions, laying all the mushrooms flat on the pan.
- Cook then flip: After 5 minutes, flip the mushrooms over and stir the onions. Continue cooking.
- Caramelize the vegetables: After another 5 minutes, stir the mushrooms and onions and continue stirring occasionally until everything is dark golden brown, after about 20 minute total.
- Add the garlic & salt: Stir in the minced garlic and salt. Continue to cook on low heat for about 5 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant and has softened.
- Cook the oats: Measure one cup of quick cooking oats into two bowls. Pour boiling water over the oats until the water line just reaches the top of the oats. Let sit for 2 to 3 minutes, until the oats have absorbed the water and become creamy.
- Season the oats: Divide the black pepper, paprika, salt, and herbs on the oatmeal and stir to mix.
- Combine everything: Top with the caramelized mushrooms and onion mixture.
- Garnish and serve: Optional - sprinkle extra herbs, grated cheese, or a drizzle of olive oil on top.
Recipe Tips
- Use quick-cooking or rolled oats for this recipe. They cook so quickly and become so creamy just by being soaked in boiling water. Steel coats oats have to be boiled separately in a pot.
- Caramelizing onions and mushrooms takes time. Don't rush it, or else you won't develop the rich flavors.
- Oatmeal is best served fresh and warm. It can become kind of hard after sitting out or being refrigerated.
- If you don't have fresh garlic, you can use garlic powder.
- If you don't have fresh herbs, you can use dried herbs.
- To make this meal even more filling, serve it with toasted bread, fried eggs, or fresh fruit.
How do you add flavor to bland oatmeal?
Salt brings out the natural flavor in oatmeal. For sweet oatmeal, add berries, cinnamon, honey or nuts. And for savory mushroom oatmeal, add cheese, herbs, and spices.
More Recipes Featuring Oats
- Homemade Oat Milk
- Blueberry Almond Butter Oatmeal
- Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
- Vegan Apple Crisp
- Apple and Hazelnut Baked Oatmeal
- Vegan Baked Oatmeal with Caramel Sauce
- Four Ingredient PB Oatmeal Balls
- Winter Oatmeal with Stewed Fruit
- Almond Cashew Chocolate Granola
- Healthy Cowboy Cookies
Savory Caramelized Mushroom Oatmeal
Ingredients
Caramelized Mushrooms & Onions
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 ounces mushrooms (of your choice), sliced
- ½ onion, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Savory Oatmeal
- 2 cups quick-cooking oats
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground or fresh herbs of your choice like thyme or oregano
Instructions
Caramelized Mushrooms & Onions
- Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pan on low heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and chopped onions, laying all the mushrooms flat on the pan. Flip the mushrooms over and stir the onions after 5 minutes. After another 5 minutes, stir the mushrooms and onions and continue stirring occasionally until everything is dark golden brown, after about 20 minute total.
- Stir in the minced garlic and ¼ teaspoon salt to the pan. Continue to cook on low for about 5 minutes, until the garlic is fragrant and has softened.
Savory Oatmeal
- Measure one cup of quick cooking oats into two bowls. Pour boiling water over the oats until the water line just reaches the top of the oats. Let sit for 2 minutes.
- Mix the savor oatmeal seasonings into both bowls, then top with the caramelized mushrooms and onion mixture.
- Optional: sprinkle a little extra salt and pepper or a drizzle of olive oil or truffle oil on top and enjoy!
Notes
- Use quick-cooking or rolled oats for this recipe. They cook so quickly and become so creamy just by being soaked in boiling water. Steel coats oats have to be boiled separately in a pot.
- Caramelizing onions and mushrooms takes time. Don't rush it, or else you won't develop the rich flavors.
- Oatmeal is best served fresh and warm. It can become kind of hard after sitting out or being refrigerated.
- If you don't have fresh garlic, use garlic powder. And if you don't have fresh herbs, use dried herbs.
Nutrition
Caramelized Mushrooms
I first learned how to caramelize mushrooms when I was in middle school. I would babysit my neighbor's kids and the mom was an incredible cook. She would sometimes invite me to stay for a meal, and one of those times involved butter-laden caramelized mushrooms.
We cleaned any dirt off the mushrooms with a damp towel and sliced them about a quarter-inch thick. Then she dumped a ton of butter into her cast iron skillet and we oohed and aahed at the aroma as the butter slowly melted. We added each mushroom slice, one at a time, into the warm buttery bath. And after five minutes, we carefully flipped over each mushroom to soak its other side in butter.
Like magic, they developed a rich shade of golden brown. I burnt my tongue tasting one straight out of the pan, but I didn't care. I was in love.
Yum-number1
Savory oatmeal…hmmm…. I have to try this sometime because it looks delicious!!
strawberryandcream
Definitely! Let me know how you like it! 😊
Jim
Looks yummy. I like my walnuts, raisins, brown sugar and sweet cream but this looks pretty tasty. I will have to try it with one of those home made croissants!
strawberryandcream
Yumm, those are classics on a warm bowl of oatmeal! 😠Haha exactly - go all out with all possible breakfast options!