The Trendy Ingredient To Transform Morning Oatmeal Into A Savory Dish
Between overnight oats and mason jar oatmeal meal prep, it seems there's never a shortage of trendy ways to enjoy oatmeal. But even though it's frequently served as a sweet, fibrous breakfast, garnished with fresh fruit, drizzles of honey, scoops of peanut butter, or any number of other toppings, oatmeal has the ability to shapeshift to savory as well. And, of course, there's a trendy topping responsible for bringing the savory heat to breakfast: Chili crisp.
Chili crisp is a condiment that typically features oils infused with the peppery crunchiness of various chiles. Alongside the chiles, you can often find other spices like Sichuan peppercorns and aromatics like garlic, contributing to the spicy, rich, fragrant oil. You can find it jared by many different brands in your local grocery store, or you can attempt to make homemade chili crisp yourself. It's the perfect spicy condiment to upgrade your go-to savory oatmeal recipe or a tool to try out savory oatmeal for the first time.
Two ways to implement chili crisp into your savory oatmeal
If you've been cooking your rolled oats in plain water, you're missing out on a huge opportunity to boost your oatmeal. One Youtube Shorts creator added chili crisp directly to the pot of water used to cook the oatmeal. They also added some soy sauce and miso to add to the savory element. The rolled oats then soak up all the spicy-savory goodness, infusing each bite with flavor.
They also even topped the savory oatmeal with a dash of chili crisp for good measure. If you have a lower tolerance for spice, it may be best to ease your way into chili crisp on oatmeal by saving it just for the garnish, as adding the chili crisp into the cooking liquid directly will make the whole bowl of oatmeal spicier. Sure, a simple dash of hot sauce could upgrade savory oats, but chili crisp has a unique flavor, usually stemming from the Sichuan peppercorns. Chili crisp as a garnish can elevate your oatmeal not only in flavor but in texture as well. Crunchy toppings make the perfect garnish, so with chili crisp, you kill two birds with one delicious stone.
More ideas to elevate your savory oatmeal breakfast
Now that you've discovered the wonders of chili crisp, don't count out other ways to transform an oatmeal breakfast from bland and mushy to filling and flavorful. Eggs make for a fantastic savory oatmeal topping and add protein to the fiber-heavy dish. If you're a fan of adding poached or soft-boiled eggs to your ramen or stir-fried dinners, those eggs are fantastic on your savory chili crisp oatmeal as well. The runny yolk will burst and drip into the bowl of oatmeal, mixing with the spicy, oily chili crisp on top for a delectable combination.
Keep the aromatics flowing with a dazzling addition of freshly sliced scallions, which will delicately complement the aromatics already found in the chili crisp. If you find the chili crisp brought too much heat, melt it in a cheese of your choice to make the mixture extra creamy and rich. Toasted sesame seeds on top add a delightful extra crunch as well. As you can see, chili crisp unlocks a whole new world of flavor and texture for your savory oatmeal, so you'll hopefully never see this breakfast food the same way again.