Spicy Oatmeal Recipe
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure.This incredible spicy oatmeal tastes almost exactly like Kheer, an Indian spiced pudding, but it’s filling, healthy and balanced – the perfect breakfast. This simple recipe is a fun way to mix up your mornings, and it’s ready in just 15 minutes!
Today I decided to spice up my breakfast with some traditional Indian flavors. And what’s the best breakfast base for almost any flavor combination?
Oatmeal.
That’s right – I added Indian spices to oatmeal and it tasted absolutely amazing. You may not think that spicy oatmeal tastes good, but trust me, it’s one of those super easy recipes that has plenty of flavor and will keep you full all the way until lunch!
Latest Recipe Video!
This really has become one of my favorite breakfast recipes — and because it’s super customizable, it makes a delicious breakfast for the whole family!
Why You’ll Love This Healthy Oatmeal Recipe…
- Quick and Easy
- Perfectly Spiced
- Super Creamy
- A healthy Indian breakfast recipe
- Healthy and nutritious
- Can be a savory or sweet breakfast (depending on your mood!)
- Vegan-friendly
- Gluten-free!
How to Make Spicy Oatmeal (Masala Oatmeal)
Recipe Ingredients and Notes
You should be able to easily find the ingredients for this savory oatmeal recipe at your local grocery store!
Rolled Oats: I used old-fashioned oats (or rolled oats) for this recipe. They are quick to make yet retain their shape and texture. You could also use steel cut oats or instant oats, but I like the ease of cooking rolled oats the best.
Ground Flax: Provides added omega-3 healthy fats and added fiber. Flax also gives this oatmeal a nutty flavor. You could also add chia seeds for some more protein.
Slivered Almonds: A good source of healthy fats, slivered almonds also add a nice crunchy texture.
Spices: I really amped up the Indian spices for this oatmeal recipe! I added saffron, ground cardamom, and nutmeg, that gives this recipe a warm flavor and aroma.
Agave Syrup: For a touch of natural sweetness, I like to add a drizzle of agave. You could also use dark brown sugar, honey, or coconut sugar.
1% Milk: In order to make these oats ultra creamy, add your favorite milk! You can opt for unsweetened almond, coconut milk, or soy milk to keep this recipe vegan.
Pinch of Salt: This helps bring out the natural sweetness in these spicy oats!
Optional Add-Ins: Fresh fruit, ground cinnamon, or you could go completely savory and go with cumin, coriander and turmeric!
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1: Cook the oats with the water in the microwave for 2 minutes. Stir, and cook again in the microwave for 1-2 minutes more until all the water is absorbed and the oats have a very creamy texture, like a porridge consistency. Depending on your microwave, you might have to cook them for longer for them to become soft.
Step 2: Stir in the saffron, flax seed, and almonds. The heat of the creamy oats will help melt the saffron until it’s fully combined.
Step 3: Add the rest of the spices (salt, cardamom, nutmeg, sugar/honey/agave) and stir to combine.
Step 4: Stir in the milk until the oatmeal is the consistency you like.
Step 5: Heat the oatmeal again in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until it is hot and ready to eat.
What Makes This Spicy Oatmeal Healthy?
- Made with Natural Sweeteners: This oatmeal is sweet, creamy and dessert like without the addition of artificial sweeteners or sugars. Just a touch of agave is all you need. You can also substitute agave for honey, coconut sugar, or maple syrup if you prefer.
- High in Dietary Fiber: Oats are a whole grain and an excellent source of fiber. This oatmeal has nearly 8 grams of fiber per serving!
- A Good Source of Vitamins and Minerals: Oats are very high in vitamins such as B1 and B5 – and minerals, including folate, zinc and magnesium.
Recipe FAQs
How do I store leftovers?
If you have leftover oatmeal, transfer your oats to an airtight container and store in your refrigerator for 1-2 days. When ready to reheat, transfer to a microwave safe bowl. Add 1-2 tablespoons of water as needed (the oats can become dry) cover with a paper towel, and reheat in the microwave.
What can I use if I don’t have saffron?
If you don’t have saffron, you can leave this spice out. An easy substitution for saffron is turmeric. Just add a pinch of turmeric to your oats.
What are spicy oats?
Spicy oats are a savory oat dish made with vegetables, and Indian spices. It is served as a side dish, or a main dish for dinner with a chutney, and raita.
How do I make this recipe super savory?
If you would prefer a more savory oat recipe, simply leave out the agave syrup. You can also add some additional savory spices such as cumin, coriander, or curry powder. Then a touch of salt and black pepper or red pepper flakes.
Top Tips For Indian Spicy Oatmeal
- Use rolled oats, not quick oats, for the best texture.
- Cooking the oats in the microwave is quick and easy, but it also gives this recipe a nice fluffy texture.
- Prepare a few servings at one time to save you time making breakfast in the morning. Cooked oats will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. I recommend adding the milk when you’re ready to eat.
- Feel free to omit the sweeter spices to make this a bowl of completely savory oats. I recommend using cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala and even a green chile if you want it to have a little heat!
More Oatmeal and Healthy Breakfast Recipes!
- Vegan Baked Oatmeal
- Banana Oatmeal Cookies with Peanut Butter
- Chocolate Chip Baked Oats
- Masala Oats
- Tiramisu Overnight Oats
- Matcha Overnight Oats
- Vegan Breakfast Cookies
- Peanut Butter Banana, Protein Packed Overnight Oats
- Vegetarian Breakfast Ideas
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🎥 Watch How to Make It
Spicy Oatmeal
This incredible spicy oatmeal tastes almost exactly like Kheer, an Indian spiced pudding, but it’s filling, healthy and balanced – the perfect breakfast.
Servings: 1 bowl of oatmeal
Calories: 304kcal
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1½ cups water
- 3 tsp ground flax seed
- 2-3 tsp slivered almonds
- 1 pinch saffron
- ⅛ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp ground cardamom
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp coconut sugar or agave or honey
- ½-⅔ cup 1% organic milk the creamier you want the oatmeal, the more milk you should add
Instructions
- Cook the oats with the water in the microwave for 2 minutes. Stir, and cook again in the microwave for 1-2 minutes more until all the water is absorbed and the oats have a very creamy texture. Depending on your microwave, you might have to cook them for longer for them to become soft.
- Stir in the saffron, flax seed, and almonds. The heat of the oatmeal will help melt the saffron until it’s fully combined.
- Add the rest of the spices (salt, cardamom, nutmeg, stevia) and stir to combine.
- Stir in the milk until the oatmeal is the consistency you like.
- Heat the oatmeal again in the microwave for 1-2 minutes until it is hot and ready to eat.
Notes
Top Tips For Indian Spicy Oatmeal
- Use rolled oats, not quick oats, for the best texture.
- Cooking the oats in the microwave is quick and easy, but it also gives this recipe a nice fluffy texture.
- Prepare a few servings at one time to save you time making breakfast in the morning. Cooked oats will last for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. I recommend adding the milk when you’re ready to eat.
- Feel free to omit the sweeter spices to make this a bowl of completely savory oats. I recommend using cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala and even a green chile if you want it to have a little heat!
Nutrition
Calories: 304kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 365mg | Potassium: 439mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 13g
I LOVE the idea for this recipe, i don’t really follow recipes exactly. I didnt have saffron, ground flaxseed or. Almonds so i was worried it wouldnt come out right. Turned out pretty good though, so that i can get that crunch i love so much I used unsweetened coconut flakes & evaporated milk since i ran out of my almond milk. Only thing is though i missed was the sweetness & richness of condensed milk in it. Have any hacks to find a healthy alternative so that I still get that flavor & richness without the extra not so good for you stuff.
Hi Kess! So glad you liked this recipe! I’d definitely recommend adding saffron next time! Regarding the condensed milk — you can try making your oatmeal with organic whole milk and vanilla for the richness and half a banana with a pinch of salt for the sweetness (the salt will bring out the sweetness of the banana even more) – but condensed milk is so sweet and rich you may not be able to mimic it exactly (you’d have to add a TON of sugar to the oatmeal to mimic the sweetness, which I don’t recommend). Try the whole milk/vanilla/banana combo and let me know how it goes!
I have four kids how would I make it for a group and can I do it on the stove
Hi Marisa! I’d just quadruple the recipe (so you have 4 servings). You can cook the oats on the stove with the water and milk (just follow the directions on the package of oats you have), and then add in all of the toppings in the last 3-4 minutes of cooking. Hope that helps! Let me know how it turns out!
This was delicious – great twist to traditional oatmeal! The saffron smelled amazing and added great flavor, I also added some kismish (raisins) and shredded coconut Turned out perfect! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Woohoo!! Love the additions of raisins and coconut 🙂 So glad you liked this recipe Sabrina!
Hi, just for another idea, this is how I make my morning quinoa! I haven’t tried it with oatmeal because I don’t love oatmeal and because quinoa is supposed to be healthier? Another alternative is sooji halwa/sheera, you can make it into a healthy breakfast version with much less ghee, sugar, half milk and water or no milk.
Hi! You can absolutely use quinoa instead of oats in this recipe! Honestly both are super healthy — quinoa has more protein than oats but slightly less fiber, oats have more fiber but less protein. If you don’t like oats, it’s totally fine to use quinoa instead. But if you do like oats – I’d recommend mixing it up and doing quinoa some days and oats other days since both are good for you and have different sets of nutrients! Sooji halwa I wouldn’t recommend actually, because it doesn’t have any fiber or protein so compared to oats or quinoa it’s not as good for you 🙂 Hope that helps!
can I use the flax seeds as such or shud b boiled or fried
Hi Nirmala! You can use the flax seeds as is – you don’t have to cook/boil/fry them beforehand. But you should get them ground (not whole) — or if you have them whole, then grind them yourself in a spice grinder before adding them to your oatmeal. They are much easier to digest that way!
THIS LOOKS AMAZING! I love indian flavors and have been tinkering with the idea of indian oatmeal for a while now. A quick google search revealed this recipe- and I could not have done it better myself!
Thanks so much Abby! This is honestly one of my favorite oatmeal recipes ever 🙂 I’m sure you will love it!
This is such a unique recipe. I love how you changed up traditional oatmeal into an ethnic dish. The use of spices is great, especially with all the health benefits they provide. I will definitely have to try this out since I am always trying out new recipes with my oatmeal!
Thank you so much!! I’m sure you will love this recipe when you try it – keep me posted on how it goes!
You are representing a great version of kheer. I love it. I will definitely try this new version of kheer. Thanks for sharing it.
Thank you! Let me know how you like it!
For a Picky Eater like me it looks really tasty… question about trader joe’s, what do you do if there isn’t a trader joe’s by you as I live in Flint Michigan so we only have Walmart, Kmart, Krogers the big brand grocery stores.
Hi Anthony! While I do like shopping at Trader Joe’s, you can actually find all of the ingredients for this recipe at any local grocery store – Walmart, Krogers, Safeway, etc. should have everything on this ingredients list. The only thing they may not have is the pre-ground flax seed. But they should have whole flax seeds which you can buy and grind yourself. If they don’t have flax seed at all (or if it’s too expensive – because the cheapest way to buy flax seed is in bulk at the grocery store vs. in pretty packaging) – you can just leave that ingredient out, the rest of the oatmeal is still very nutritious and delicious! Hope that helps!
Interesting … I’ve started using Indian spices a lot more, but hadn’t thought of adding it to my breakfasts! Thanks 🙂
No problem at all! This is one of my favorite ways to use Indian spices actually – you’ll have to let me know how you like it!
I am eating this as I write. It’s just perfect, especially on a damp, cold day. Wonderful recipe. Thank you.
Awesome!! So glad you enjoyed this for breakfast today!
Very yummy. The saffron looks so pretty in my oatmeal 🙂 I didn’t care for the cardamon though.
Thanks Angel! I’m so glad you liked (most) of this recipe 🙂 Cardamom is a strong flavor – so totally understand if it wasn’t for you (it’s not for everyone!) Next time just make it without the cardamom and I’m sure it will still taste great. Thanks again!
Gr8 site and a gr8 oatmeal recipe. But I prepare in another way like more and drink.
Pl. visit https://www.upala.net/recipes/desserts/oatsbuttermilk for a different taste.
Great food, I am teaching professional dancers and always looking for recipes like this one. Finding food they can eat a few hours before a dance performance. Because of the energy factor and its light.
Thanks, so glad you like it!
Yum!
My dude is in India right now too 🙂 I can’t wait to cook him some more of your delicious treats upon his return.
These oats look SO good.
Oh wow! I hope he’s having a great trip! I hope he likes the recipes when you make them for him 🙂
He will/does – 🙂 I love to cook but ran out of ideas a while ago and am constantly scouring the net for flavorful things we both can enjoy. Your site in particular hits home as he is from Chennai and I am from the midwest U.S. where most of the cuisine I grew up on would bore him to tears :). I really truly appreciate your healthy and flavorful (often Indian inspired) recipes that both he and I can enjoy. You help bring harmony to our dining room table for certain!
He is having a great trip. Only 18 more sleeps until he returns 🙂 🙂
Aw that’s so good to hear! Hope he has a safe flight back! My hubby came back this past week – he’s still a bit jetlagged – but it’s so nice to have him home!
Made this for breakfast – AMAZING! Thank you for the great idea!
Woohoo!! So glad to hear that Smitha!
Dishes made out of oats is very healthy, it lowers fat in the body. It can used along with milk and yogurt too.
That’s true! Mixing oats in yogurt and letting it sit overnight gives a “muesli” type effect!
wow what a great idea, so bored of the regular flavors . definitely trying this. Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks Richa!! I’m sure you will love this recipe – if you love Kheer it tastes exactly the same!
What a cool fusion! I just had a “Why-did-I-never-think-of-that” moment! I can see this becoming a global phenomena/part of the Indian healthy movement back in the subcontinent 😉 Thanks so much for sharing, I need to try this tomorrow morning
Haha! Thank you so much Arushi!! If people in India started making this for breakfast, that would make my day 🙂 I’m sure you will love it as your breakfast tomorrow!
What a great idea! I am always looking for good breakfast recipes that are filling. Love your blog!
Thanks so much Lauren! Can’t wait to hear what you think of this when you try it! 🙂