Savory Oatmeal with Egg and Kimchi
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Upgrade your morning oats with a flavorful and savory Asian twist! This Savory Oatmeal with Egg and Kimchi is easy to make in under 20 minutes, high in protein, and customizable with your favorite toppings. It’s great for those who prefer a savory breakfast and can also be enjoyed for lunch or dinner!
About This Recipe
Sweet oat breakfasts like my Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Oats and Cottage Cheese Baked Oats are typically my go-tos most mornings. A few weeks ago I woke up craving a savory breakfast for possibly the first time in my life. That resulted in me creating this Savory Oatmeal with Egg and Kimchi recipe!
This savory oatmeal features rolled oats cooked in bone broth with egg whites for a creamy and fluffy texture. It’s flavored with spicy kimchi, umami loaded gochujang, soy sauce, and a drizzle of aromatic sesame oil.
Top with mozzarella cheese, a fried egg, and any of your favorite toppings for a satiating and protein-packed savory oatmeal breakfast that has over 37 grams of protein! And that’s without protein powder!
These savory oats are 100% customizable with your favorite toppings even though I opted for melty mozzarella, furikake, chili crisp, and green onions. I’ve included more ideas below so you can make these savory oats with your favorite flavors!
Why I love Savory Oatmeal with Kimchi
- Ready in under 20 minutes. Perfect for busy mornings!
- Nice change from sweet overnight oats and baked oatmeal breakfasts.
- Umami loaded and full of delicious spicy and savory flavors!
- High in protein and keeps me full and fueled for hours!
- Great for breakfast but also an easy lunch or dinner!
Ingredient Notes and Substitutes
- Old Fashioned Rolled Oats: I used creamy style rolled oats but regular old fashioned oats will work too. Instant or quick cooking oats can be used but the cooking time will be shorter and the texture will be less thick and creamy. Quick oats tend to become a bit mushy and the texture will be similar to risotto.
- Chicken Bone Broth: Adds a rich and savory flavor to the oats as well as 9-10 grams of protein depending on the brand. Substitute with regular or low sodium chicken broth if desired.
- Egg Whites: I used liquid egg whites from a carton which is convenient when you have a specific amount of egg whites you want to use and don’t want to deal with finding ways to use up extra egg yolks from whole eggs. Either will work though.
- Ice Cube (unpictured): This will help bring down the temperature of the oats so that the egg whites don’t scramble when we add them to the oats base.
- Kimchi: Spicy and tangy Korean cabbage kimchi is great for adding flavor to the oats but also a fantastic fermented food for gut health!
- Gochujang: A Korean hot pepper paste that adds a hint of spice and savory depth of flavor. I like to use extra spicy gochujang but regular gochujang, which isn’t too spicy, works well here too.
- Low Sodium Light Soy Sauce: For savory umami flavors.
- Sesame Oil: Adds fragrant toasted sesame aromas.
- Shredded Mozzarella Cheese: Mellows out the spicy notes with its mild, savory cheesy flavors. It also adds more protein to these savory oats.
- Egg: We’ll pan-fry it in peanut oil (or your preferred oil) to top off the savory oatmeal and make it more filling.
- Other optional toppings: Chili crisp/chili crunch, furikake (Japanese rice seasoning), and spring onion (green onions/scallions), toasted sesame seeds, etc.
Savory Oatmeal with Egg and Kimchi
Upgrade your morning oats with a flavorful and savory Asian twist! This Savory Oatmeal with Egg and Kimchi is easy to make in under 20 minutes, high in protein, and customizable with your favorite toppings. It’s great for those who prefer a savory breakfast and can also be enjoyed for lunch or dinner!
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 12
- Total Time: 17 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Breakfast and Brunch
- Method: Simmer
- Cuisine: Korean-inspired
Ingredients
Savory Oatmeal with Egg, Kimchi and Cheese:
- ½ cup / 40 grams Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (I used creamy style rolled oats)
- 1 cup 245ml Chicken Bone Broth
- 1–2 Ice Cubes
- ⅓ cup / 80 grams Liquid Egg Whites (from a carton, or from 3 whole eggs)
- ⅓ cup / 60 grams Kimchi – cut with kitchen shears into smaller pieces or knife-chopped
- 9 grams / ½ tablespoon Gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste)
- 1 teaspoon Low Sodium Light Soy Sauce
- ½ teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil
- 2 tablespoons / 15 grams Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
- ½ teaspoon Peanut Oil (or your preferred cooking oil), for frying the egg
- 1 Egg
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Optional Toppings:
- Chili Crisp or Chili Crunch
- Furikake (Japanese rice seasoning)
- Spring Onion (Scallions/Green Onions) – chopped
Instructions
- Cook the oats: Add the rolled oats and chicken bone broth to a medium sized saucepan or pot. Cook over medium heat until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the mixture is thick and creamy – about 2-3 minutes for creamy style rolled oats or 5-6 minutes if using regular rolled oats.
- Add the ice cube: Switch off the heat and add an ice cube to the pot. Stir until mostly dissolved to cool the oats slightly.
- Add the liquid egg whites: Pour in the liquid egg whites while mixing slowly. Keep mixing for 2-3 minutes over medium-low heat until the oats are thick and fluffy.
- Stir in the kimchi, soy sauce and gochujang. Add the kimchi, gochujang, and low sodium soy sauce and mix until evenly combined.
- Stir in the sesame oil: Switch off the heat and stir in sesame oil. Transfer to a bowl or plate and immediately scatter the shredded mozzarella cheese on top. It will melt from the heat of the freshly cooked oatmeal.
- Fry the egg: Heat ½ teaspoon peanut oil in a nonstick fry pan. Crack the egg into the pan and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook as per your preference – sunny side up, over easy, over medium, over hard, or scrambled. (Alternatively, you can make a hard-boiled egg, soft-boiled egg, or poached egg instead if desired.)
- Serve: Top the savory kimchi oats with the cooked egg, and other optional toppings such as chili crisp or chili crunch, furikake, and spring onion. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary with substitutions. It is not inclusive of the optional toppings.
- Check out the full article for ingredient notes/substitutions, storage information, tips on customizing this recipe, and more!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 462
- Sugar: 8.3g
- Sodium: 1469.6mg
- Fat: 16.6g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9.9g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Carbohydrates: 35.3g
- Fiber: 5.5g
- Protein: 37.2g
- Cholesterol: 208.3mg
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Cook’s Tips and Variations
- Add a touch of honey. Pairs well with Korean flavors and will yield a delicious spicy, sweet and savory oatmeal breakfast!
- Top with veggies. Baby spinach will add a boost of nutrients and greens, sautéed mushrooms, pan or oven-roasted cherry tomatoes, green peas, sweet corn kernels, microgreens, etc. Grated zucchini (squeeze out the excess water first) is another great option. It can be stirred into the oats base and will help bulk up the oats. You can also top with sliced or diced avocado for a creamy finish and healthy fats!
- Add dried or fresh herbs. Dried thyme or oregano, fresh basil, parsley, coriander (cilantro), etc.
- Use gochujang sauce instead of gochujang. Bibigo gochujang sauce is sweet and spicy and very tasty! Use it instead of gochujang paste for a milder heat level.
- Cook the eggs differently. Scrambled, hard-boiled, soft-boiled, poached, etc.
- Stir in or top with a different cheese. Stir in cottage cheese for more protein and a creamy texture or top with/stir in crumbled feta, Parmigiano Reggiano (parmesan cheese), Grana Padano, asiago, sharp cheddar, etc.
- Add meat. Cooked regular or turkey bacon strips, spam, cooked breakfast sausage or chicken sausage, air fryer chicken, grilled chicken. The chicken options are especially great for a filling high protein lunch or dinner!
Dietary Modifications
- Vegan: Use plant-based liquid egg whites and vegan kimchi.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free certified oats, tamari or a gluten-free soy sauce, a gluten-free gochujang such as Sempio gluten free gochujang, and make sure that your kimchi doesn’t have any wheat ingredients like soy sauce, gochujang, or straight up wheat flour to act as a thickener. Also, be cautious about fish sauce in the kimchi. Some commercial brands that make fish sauce use wheat or barley components even though traditional fish sauce is gluten-free.
How to Make High Protein Savory Oatmeal with Kimchi – Step-by-Step
Add the rolled oats and chicken bone broth to a medium saucepan (image 1). Cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and creamy. Stir in an ice cube (image 2) to help cool down the oats slightly.
Then stir in the liquid egg whites until the oats are thick, fluffy and creamy (image 3). Add the kimchi, gochujang, and low sodium soy sauce (image 4) and mix until evenly combined. Stir in the sesame oil (image 5).
Transfer to a bowl or plate and immediately scatter the shredded mozzarella cheese on top. (It will melt from the heat of the freshly cooked oatmeal.)
Fry your egg in a separate skillet however you like it. You can also make a hard-boiled egg, jammy soft-boiled egg, or poached egg instead.
Top your savory kimchi oats with the cooked egg, and other toppings like chili crisp or chili crunch, furikake, and spring onion. Then enjoy!
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Storing: These savory oats can be made ahead for meal prep. Once cool, store in an airtight sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. I don’t recommend storing with toppings as they will soften further in the fridge.
- Reheating: Reheat the oats in a pot on the stovetop with a splash of water or broth to help loosen it up. Once warmed through, transfer to a plate and add your toppings just before eating.
FAQs
Yes, you can. Soak steel-cut oats overnight in a bowl of water and to help soften them. Drain and cook in bone broth for about 5-6 minutes. You may need to add a splash of water as steel-cut oats absorb more liquid than rolled oats.
Allow to cool completely and freeze in a freezer-safe container or freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in a pot on the stovetop, adding water if needed to help loosen up the texture if it thickens too much.
Yes. Combine the oats and chicken bone broth in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1.5-2 minutes, stirring once, until the liquid has been mostly absorbed and the oats are soft. Add the ice cube and pour in the liquid egg whites. Stir continuously until the egg whites have evenly combined and the oats are fluffy and creamy. Be sure not to pause while stirring as the egg whites may clump and scramble instead. Stir in the kimchi, soy sauce and gochujang until combined. Then stir in the sesame oil last. Top with or stir in the mozzarella cheese until melted. Then top with a fried egg (or your desired type of cooked egg), plus other toppings of choice just before eating.
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