Masala Oats is a mildly spiced Indian Style savory oatmeal breakfast porridge recipe prepared with mixed vegetables and Indian spices.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
  • Cook time: 10 minutes
  • Total time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin (jeera) seeds
  • 1 teaspoon ginger (minced)
  • 1 green chili (finely chopped)
  • 1 small onion (finely chopped)
  • 1 medium tomato (finely chopped)
  • 1 - 1 1/2 cups mixed veggies ((carrot, beans, peas, bell pepper))
  • 1 cup steel cut oats (rinsed)
  • 2 1/2 cups water (adjust to consistency)
  • salt (to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons coriander leaves
  • juice of half lime

Dry Spices

  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala

Method

Instant Pot Method:

  1. Press SAUTE, Add oil, and once it’s hot add cumin seeds, let them splutter.
  2. Then add green chilies, ginger, and saute for few seconds.
  3. Add onions and saute until onion becomes light brown.
  4. Then add chopped tomatoes along with spices like red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, and cook till the tomatoes turn mushy.
  5. Add rinsed steel-cut oats, mixed vegetables, water, salt and mix well. Deglaze the pot i.e., scrape any food particle that is sticking to the inner pot in order to avoid the BURN alert.
  6. Close the Instant Pot with pressure valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 6 minutes. Once the pot beeps, let the pressure release naturally.
  7. Next, open the lid, add coriander leaves, lime juice, and mix everything well. Note: If the consistency of masala oats is thick then add extra ½ cup water and let the mixture boil for 2 minutes.
  8. Instant Pot Masala oats is ready to be enjoyed with masala chai.

Stovetop Pressure Cooker Method

  1. Follow the same steps from the instant pot instructions. Pressure cook on medium heat for 1-2 whistles and let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. All the other steps remain the same.

Stovetop Pot Method:

  1. For making masala oats recipe on the stovetop pot, I highly recommend using rolled oats like "Quick" oats. For every cup of rolled oats, add 2 cups of water. But for Old-Fashioned, you may need 2.5 cups of water.
  2. In a large pan, add oil, and once it’s hot add cumin seeds, let them splutter. Then add green chilies, ginger, and saute for few seconds
  3. Add onions and saute until onion becomes light brown.
  4. Then add chopped tomatoes along with spices like red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, and cook till the tomatoes turn mushy
  5. Next, add mixed veggies and saute for a minute or two.
  6. Add 1 cup of rolled oats and roast for a minute. Followed by 2 cups of water and salt. Mix everything well. Cover and cook for 5-6 minutes on medium-low heat or till the oats get cooked well. Adjust the consistency of the porridge according to your preference
  7. Lastly, squeeze some lime juice and garnish it with coriander leaves.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.