I'm a Food Editor—Here's How I Make The Perfect Bowl of Oatmeal Every Morning
As far as breakfast foods go, oatmeal won't win any beauty contests or "sexiest dish of the year" awards any time soon. But I can't help it, I love it! No matter how tired or rushed I am in the morning, I never cut corners with my oatmeal.
As an oatmeal enthusiast, I can confirm that putting a little more care and thought into the way you cook oatmeal actually brings out the best of the grain's charms. And it really only takes two easy steps to instantly upgrade the breakfast all-star: toast your oats in butter and cook your oats in a nonstick skillet.
Related: Blueberry Baked Oatmeal Is a Healthy, Easy Breakfast We Love
Why This is the Best Oatmeal of Your Life
Everything I learned about cooking perfect oatmeal, I learned from a group of incredible chefs and recipe developers. First up was cookbook author and oatmeal expert Lukas Volger who taught me to toast my oats before cooking.
My next question was: What's the best way to toast the oats? My former boss and all-round recipe genius, Lauren Miyashiro, came to the rescue with the perfect formula: one tablespoon of butter per cup of oats. Not only does butter add a nutty, toasty, caramelized flavor, but the fat also helps the oats cook up softer and silkier.
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The third piece of advice came from cookbook author, recipe developer and food stylist Samantha Seneviratne. In her recipe for Cocoa Almond Oatmeal, she cooks the oatmeal in a nonstick skillet instead of a pot. The skillet's larger surface helps the oats cook quickly and become super creamy. Bonus: Using a nonstick skillet means there's no sticky pot to clean up.
Related: What Happens if You Eat Oatmeal Every Day
How to Make the Best Oatmeal of Your Life
In a nonstick skillet, melt one tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add in one cup of rolled or steel-cut oats and cook until the oats start to smell nutty. If you're working with rolled oats, you can cook until the oats have become lightly browned around the edges. Immediately add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of water or milk (or a combination of both) and cook oats to your preferred consistency, stirring frequently. I also like to add in a dash of salt because it brings out the nutty flavor of the toasted oats.
Serve with the toppings that speak to your heart. Sliced bananas, nuts, berries, chia seeds, flax seeds, cinnamon, maple syrup are all great add-ons. I certainly never say no to a dollop of peanut butter, a spoonful of jam and some blueberries for the ultimate PB and J vibes.
Up next: The Beloved French Pastry You Can Make at Home With a Box of Frozen Dough
