Make Porridge with Whole Oat (Creamy, Hearty and Warming)

• Food: Whole Oat Porridge 
• Writer: Lizzie Green
• Content-Type: Food Blog

This entire oat porridge dish converted me from a skeptic to a believer! It can be either sweet or savory and is creamy, hearty, and warming.

It’s no secret that oatmeal has never been a favorite of mine. I used to make instant oats for breakfast every morning in college.

They were inexpensive, quick, and filling, but after years of eating them every day, I became tired of their mushy texture and bland flavor.

Nothing could persuade me to try oatmeal again until I saw Amy Chaplin’s new book, Whole Food Cooking Every Day, which has a Porridge section.

Amy has long been a favorite of mine; she is the former executive chef of Angelica Kitchen (the NYC restaurant that originally inspired me to eat more plant-based), and her debut cookbook, At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen, is one of my all-time favorites.

Her second book more than lives up to the hype, with beautiful images and recipes for plant-based bread, soups, sauces, and more!

Each chapter contains a few basic recipes with variations, which is a format that I really enjoy (see here, here, and here).

The book is full of original ideas, but the Porridge section was so beautiful and inventive that I had to try her porridge recipes despite my dislike of hot oatmeal.

Oatmeal vs. Porridge

Oatmeal is a form of porridge, as Amy explains in the book, but porridge doesn’t have to be prepared with oats, and it doesn’t have to be sweet. She offers recipes for making it with a variety of grains, including black rice and millet.

She includes a base recipe for each grain, as well as limitless suggestions for sweet and savory toppings, as well as nutritional information on the components.

I decided to try her whole oat porridge, despite my reservations about oats. Amy uses entire oat groats, which I found in the bulk section of my grocery store, instead of whole rolled oats or even steel cut oats.

She begins by soaking and lightly mixing them overnight. They cook into a rich, creamy porridge that is both delightful and filling. To be honest, they’ve converted me to oatmeal!

Her recipe produces the perfect porridge for warming up on cool fall mornings because it’s smooth, substantial, and delicious.

Variations on Porridge Recipes

I attempted two of Amy’s suggested adjustments after I created the base recipe:

• Butternut Squash and Ginger — Amy adds cubed winter squash and ginger to the porridge oats while they simmer in this version. Amy’s recipe makes a wonderful, easy breakfast with fresh flavors. I added garlic and more tamari to mine to make it more flavorful. In addition to the parsley, scallions, and herbs that Amy recommended, I drizzled it with toasted sesame oil.
• Miso and Avocado — The combination of miso and avocado creates a tasty, velvety morning dish. When you add the miso, the cereal will become much thinner. Cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens, about 20 minutes.

To serve, top with avocado, sesame seeds, scallions, and tamari.

I enjoyed both of these savory variants, but you can still use the main recipe if you want a sweeter breakfast!

Dry or fresh fruit, nuts, and seeds, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, brown sugar, or a drizzle of coconut milk can all be added to the top. Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom can also be added to the oat base.

Make a big pot of one flavor of porridge and eat it for the rest of the week! Alternatively, prepare the base recipe ahead of time and create a different bowl of porridge every day.

Reheat leftovers on the stove, adding milk or water as needed to achieve the desired creamy texture.

Whole Oat Porridge

This nutritious breakfast porridge recipe will be a hit with your family! It’s creamy, hearty, and filling since it’s made with whole oat groats. Adapted from Amy Chaplin’s Whole Food Cooking Every Day.

Ingredients

Whole Oat Porridge

• 1 cup whole oat groats, soaked overnight (SEE NOTE)
• 4 cups of additional filtered water
• Pinch of sea salt

Variation 1: Butternut Squash & Ginger

• Ingredients for 1 recipe Whole Oat Porridge, above
• 3 ½ cups cubed butternut squash
• 1 tablespoon tamari, more for serving
• 4 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• ½ garlic clove, grated
• for serving: scallions, toasted pepitas, parsley, toasted sesame oil

Variation 2: Miso & Avocado

• Ingredients for 1 recipe Whole Oat Porridge, above
• 1 tablespoon white miso paste
• for serving: avocado, tamari, scallions, sesame seeds, microgreens

Instructions For Whole Oat Porridge

1. Transfer the oat groats to a blender after draining and rinsing them. Pulse in 4 cups salted water until the grains are finely crushed. Fill a medium pot halfway with water and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
2. Cover the saucepan, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 30 minutes, or until the grains are soft and the porridge is creamy, stirring regularly to prevent sticking. Serve with chosen toppings while still hot.
3. Follow the guidelines for the oat porridge recipe above, but instead add the squash, ginger, and garlic to the saucepan with the oat mixture, and heat until the porridge is creamy and the squash is tender. Season with tamari and salt & pepper to taste. Serve with sesame oil and tamari for drizzling and garnished with scallions, pepitas, and parsley.
4. Follow the directions for the oat porridge recipe above for the Miso & Avocado variation. When the porridge has thickened, remove it from the heat and whisk in the miso paste until it is completely dissolved. If your porridge grows thinner at this stage (like mine did), keep stirring over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, or until it thickens. Serve with microgreens, sliced avocado, tamari, scallions, and sesame seeds.

Notes

• You CANNOT replace the oat groats in this recipe with rolled or steel-cut oats since the water ratio will be off and your porridge will not thicken. Follow the cooking instructions on the packaging of your oats if you wish to use a different type of oat.