Savory Caramelized Mushroom Oatmeal

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

A warm bowl of savory caramelized mushroom oatmeal is an easy way to add a nutritious breakfast to your day. The 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.

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.

Ever since I started learning how to cook in early 2020, I've been developing foolproof recipes for beginner home cooks. Oatmeal is such an easy yet nutritious 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 it's savory, it's perfect for any time of the day. It's great for breakfast, but it's also a filling and nutritious dinner served like an oatmeal risotto.
• This recipe is vegetarian, and if you want it vegan, just use vegan butter.
• This recipe is also gluten free - just make sure you buy certified gluten free oats if you are super sensitive to gluten.
• You can easily double or triple this recipe to feed a crowd.

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

1. Melt butter: Melt the butter in a large pan on low heat.
2. Add mushrooms & onions: Add the sliced mushrooms and diced onions, laying all the mushrooms flat on the pan.
3. Cook then flip: After 5 minutes, flip the mushrooms over and stir the onions. Continue cooking.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Season the oats: Divide the black pepper, paprika, salt, and herbs on the oatmeal and stir to mix.
8. Combine everything: Top with the caramelized mushrooms and onion mixture.
9. 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 fried or scrambled eggs.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

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.