Oatmeal can be a delicious, hearty, and nutritious breakfast, as long as you don’t make mushy oatmeal. Win every morning with this easy recipe for Not Mushy Oatmeal.
Children learn what they live.
My mom had that on a plaque at our house growing up. And I’m finding it very true in many instances of life, particularly in food choices.
You see, my parents did not like oatmeal as children. Or liver. As a result, those are two foods I was never required to eat. Neither of them liked it, so why force their kids to eat it? Instead they fed us cream of wheat.
Which I think is nasty and will never subject my children to. You see, I learned early on not to feed my kids things that I didn’t like. Ha!
Children learn what they live — or they go the other way.
Unlike my parents, I love oatmeal. But, I don’t like oatmeal prepared according to package directions. Too mushy. Too soggy. Too much like what prompted poor Oliver Twist to say, “Please sir, could I have some more?”
Uh, no thanks.
Instead, I make my oatmeal to be more like rice with very little moisture left behind. If you don’t care for regular oatmeal, you might like it my way!
The method is pretty simple. Instead of a 2-1 ratio of water to oats that most manufacturer’s recommend, use a 1-1 ratio. Equal parts of oats and water will allow the oats to absorb all the liquid and be slightly al dente. No mush.
Serve with a spoonful of dark brown sugar and a tablespoon of real cream. Or if you want to gild the lily, add to those toppings a handful of toasted nuts and a handful of dried cranberries or raisins or cherries.
The result? A hot breakfast with texture! Something to sink your teeth into.
Please, sir, could I have some more?
This ranks high on my list of whole grain recipes. Whole grains is what we’re working in at our house to improve our family’s diet.
(I also did a series on whole grains several years ago on Good Cheap Eats. If you haven’t visited already, pop over to learn some basics about grains, find some great whole grain recipes, and learn about whole grain storage.)
How I make this good:
Whenever possible, I like to cook with plain old ingredients. While the convenience of mixes and canned sauces is nice, I feel better about feeding my family just real food whenever possible. (Go here for some of my reasons on all that.)
This recipe has no processed ingredients, just real food. I like that. You can use gluten-free oats if you like. I usually try to buy non-GMO oats when I can. If not, I buy them in bulk from Costco or Sprouts.
How to make this cheap:
Here are some of the strategies you can use to make this recipe more economical:
- Stock up on ingredients when they are on sale. Since oats are the main ingredient in this dish, it goes without saying, keep track of the price of oats at your stores and load up when you see a great deal.
(If you don’t already do so, consider following Good Cheap Eats, my food blog, where I regularly share money-saving tips and budget-friendly recipes.)
Tools I use to make this recipe easy:
This is a pretty straight-forward dish. You don’t need any fancy equipment. However, having some good basic kitchen tools can really make your time in the kitchen more enjoyable. Over time, I’ve honed my collection so that they are perfect for my needs. Here are the tools that I like to use in this recipe.
- pot with lid – I have this “chili pot” which is great for making a bulk batch of Not Mushy Oatmeal
- Bob’s Red Mill old fashioned oats – This is a favorite brand of ours.
Not Mushy Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- pinch salt
- 1 cup rolled oats
- toppings for hot cereal , such as: cream, brown sugar, toasted nuts, dried fruit
Instructions
- Bring 1 cup water and a pinch of salt to boil in a pan. Stir in 1 cup old fashioned oats. Do not use quick oats — too mushy! Reduce heat to low and cook 5 minutes, covered. The oats will absorb all the liquid and be slightly al dente. No mush.
- Serve with desired toppings.
Notes
Nutrition
Ann Courtney
This is the only way I eat oatmeal the way my great grandma taught me to make them. I like my oats big and flaky so I use less water than the directions but not your 1:1 ratio. As soon as the water starts to boil I turn the burner off, cover and let sit until All water is absorbed.
Sallie
This sounds great! We add a tiny bit of vanilla to oatmeal, too. It really makes a difference!
Jessica Fisher
That is a brilliant idea. Thanks, Sallie!
Deidre
FINALLY oatmeal I can enjoy! I know oatmeal is really good for me but I have a hard time forcing it down in the morning so I usually opt for something else. BUT NOW, this not mushy oatmeal (combined with cocoa powder and a bit of maple syrup) is like dessert for breakfast! Yay! Thank you so much for an awesome recipe!
Jessica Fisher
Awesome! It is super nutritious so I’m glad you’ve found a way you like it!
Doris
Hi, can this be eaten cold? As in made to your recipe, refrigerated overnight, then add berries, toppings etc the next morning and eat cold? I too hate mushy oatmeal! Thank you for this recipe.
Jessica Fisher
Sure. If you like it cold, by all means. You can also reheat it.
Biya
I dry roast the oats first 2-3 minutes. Then add salt and 3/4 to equal the amount of boiling water (careful of splatter) cook 3-4 minutes. let stand another minute. Serve with favorite toppings.
Jessica Fisher
Sounds great. Thanks for the tip!
Maryann Farrell
All my life I loved the taste of oatmeal. The smell even more. My mom made it for our dogs litter of puppies on chilly fall nights when they were weaning and it smelled so good. I tried it and YUCK, boogie slime texture. The puppies loved it , but not me. I never thought to make it more dry for myself. I’m so excited not slimy oatmeal and a healthy snack for me. Thank you so much. I love the idea of one of the other posters vanilla idea. Mmmmm you have my attention
Crystil
I thought I was the only one who didn’t like mushy oats!! I make mine a little drier/chewier than this even… 1/3 cup old fashioned oats, 1/2 Tbsp butter (could do 1 full Tbsp for a little more moisture), 1 Tbsp brown sugar, pinch of salt. That’s it! Microwave 30-45 seconds, stir, enjoy! This is how I grew up eating it, and still the only way I will. (:
Pam Smith-Rodden
Anyone out there cook rolled oats like pasta? Boil in a big pot of salted water for 5 minutes…rinse in hot water…add milk/littler raw sugar/cinnamon? Texture of the oats is fantastic…no sticky starch.
Jessica Fisher
Interesting! Thanks for sharing, Pam!
Zoya
I am excited to see your recipe…have never liked oats other than dry oats snacks, like cookies and bars…so thank you in advance. Will try tomorrow. What do you mean by cream? Are you talking about creamers or just regular milk?
Jessica Fisher
You can add milk, half and half, or heavy cream (for whipping, but not whipped). All are yummy.
Chloe
Yes! I feel so seen. I also despise mushy oats. Rice-like oats is the only way to go! Thank you for this 🙂
Jessica Fisher
Enjoy! 😉
Legrand quick
Why not just by Quaker Old Fashioned
Oats
Jessica Fisher
You can use Quaker brand. My recommendation is to use less water than the package recommends.
Nate
The mushy texture kept me from enjoying a healthy breakfast. Thanks to this recipe I am able to enjoy the benefits of this great food. Thank You!
Jessica Fisher
Great!