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    Home » Recipe Course » Breakfast

    Indian Masala Oats (Savory Oatmeal)

    September 7, 2022 . By Meeta Arora . 36 Comments | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe
    Indian Masala Oats (Savory Oatmeal)
    Indian Masala Oats (Savory Oatmeal)

    Masala Oats is a savory oatmeal breakfast porridge cooked with lots of vegetables and aromatic Indian spices. A healthy & delicious vegan breakfast recipe.

    Savory oatmeal with veggies and spices in a bowl along with yogurt

    Savory Oatmeal with Spices and Veggies

    Often, the sweeter oatmeal variant is preferred by most, but this Indian spiced masala oats are amazing and everyone including the kids loved them. You can also call this recipe - oats upma, curry oatmeal or spicy oats!

    This healthy oatmeal recipe is made with wholesome veggies, so it is a great breakfast option and an excellent way to start the day. You can also try to have Indian masala oats as your lunch or dinner.

    If you have tried and are a fan of the popular Indian superfood, Khichdi, then you are sure to fall in love with this savory vegetable oats porridge aka masala oats. My kids love this oatmeal with plain yogurt.

    Looking for more ideas? Check out 15+ Indian Breakfast Recipes Collection.

    How to make Masala Oats in the Instant Pot?

    I have used steel-cut oats to make this masala oatmeal in the Instant Pot. Steel-cut oats take longer to cook on the stovetop, but are great to cook in a pressure cooker.

    I have used onions, tomatoes along with a frozen mix of carrots, green beans, peas, corn for this savory masala oatmeal recipe. You can use fresh or frozen veggies. Both will cook well in the suggested cooking time.

    This masala oatmeal recipe does not use any milk. It is cooked in water or you can use vegetable broth.

    So let's get started-

    • Set the instant pot in sauté mode and let it heat. Then add ghee/oil, along with some cumin seeds, and let them sizzle.
    • Then add the green chili, onions, ginger, and garlic. Sauté them well for a few minutes until the onions are translucent.
    • Add tomato and spices. Mix well. If you like, you can also add cashews to the masala oats.
    • Now, add the mixed vegetables along with steel-cut oats and water. Stir and mix them well. In case any veggie or oats is stuck at the bottom, deglaze it and close the Instant pot lid.
    Step by step for masala savory oats in the instant pot
    • Now pressure cook mode for 8 minutes at high pressure.  (5 minutes for quick cooking steel-cut oats)
    • When the Instant pot beeps, wait for 10 minutes, then release the pressure and open the lid. It is okay to do a natural pressure release too.
    • Add a bit of lime juice to the cooked masala oats and mix well.
    • Garnish them with fresh cilantro leaves and enjoy with a dollop of yogurt.
    Masala Oatmeal in a ladle

    How to make Masala Oats on the Stovetop?

    When making this Indian masala oats on a stovetop, I suggest using rolled oats as they cook quickly on the stovetop. For every cup of rolled oats, add 2 cups of water.

    Follow the above steps for cooking the masala oats on the stove. But, after adding the oats and water, cook them covered for 10-15 minutes on medium-low heat or till they have cooked completely and reached the desired consistency.

    Curried Masala oatmeal cooked in the instant pot garnished with cilantro

    Serving Suggestions

    You can enjoy these spicy oats just as it is or add a dollop of fresh yogurt on the side and enjoy them.

    Garnish with some cilantro and roasted nuts.

    Salty oatmeal with veggies and yogurt In a bowl

    Give these delicious Masala Oatmeal a try and I would love to hear how they turn out!

    Here are other breakfast recipes you might enjoy:

    • Avocado Chutney Sandwich
    • Banana Bread Pudding
    • Sweetened Oatmeal with Cardamom and Nuts
    • Banana Chocolate Chip Overnight Oats
    Tried this recipe?Give a rating by clicking the ★ below
    Masala oats with veggies and spices in a bowl along with yogurt

    Indian Masala Oats (Savory Oatmeal)

    Meeta Arora
    Masala Oats is a savory oatmeal breakfast porridge cooked with lots of vegetables and aromatic Indian spices. A healthy & delicious vegan breakfast recipe.
    4.93 from 38 votes
    Print Save Saved! Pin
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 198
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: Indian
    Diet: Vegan
    Method: Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker, Stovetop
    Prep Time: 5 mins
    Cook Time: 25 mins

    Equipment

    • Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 tablespoon Ghee or Oil use oil for vegan
    • 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
    • 1 Green Chili Pepper diced, optional
    • 1 cup Onion diced
    • 1 teaspoon Ginger grated
    • 1 teaspoon Garlic minced
    • ½ cup Tomato chopped
    • 1.5 cup Steel-cut Oats
    • 3.5 cup Water
    • 2 cup Mixed vegetables Carrots, Green Beans, Peas, Corn, Edmame, frozen or fresh
    • 1 tablespoon Lime juice
    • Cilantro leaves to garnish

    Spices

    • ½ teaspoon Ground Turmeric (Haldi powder)
    • ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or paprika, adjust to taste
    • ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
    • 1 teaspoon Salt adjust to taste
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Start the instant pot in sauté mode and heat it. Add ghee/oil, then add cumin seeds and let them sizzle.
    • Now add the green chili, onion, ginger and garlic. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until onion are translucent.
      onion, ginger, and spices in the instant pot
    • Add tomato and spices. Mix well.
      Onion, tomato and spices in the instant pot
    • Add the mixed vegetables, oats and water. Mix well. If anything is stuck to the bottom of the pot, deglaze it. Press Cancel and close the lid with vent in sealing position.
      ready to cook masala oats in instant pot.
    • Change the instant pot setting to pressure cook (manual) mode for 8 minutes at high pressure.
    • When the instant pot beeps, do a 10 minute NPR. This means let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then release the pressure manually.
    • Open the lid and add the lime juice. Mix well.
      Curried Masala oatmeal cooked in the instant pot garnished with cilantro
    • Garnish with cilantro leaves and enjoy with a dollop of yogurt.
      Masala oats with veggies and spices in a bowl along with yogurt

    Stovetop Method

    • To make this recipe on stovetop, I recommend to use rolled oats.  For every cup of rolled oats, add 2 cups of water.
    • Follow the above steps for cooking the masala oats on the stovetop in a large pan. But, after adding the oats and water, cook them covered for 10-15 minutes on medium-low heat or till they have cooked completely and reached the desired consistency.

    Video

    Notes

    Quick cooking steel-cut oats: If you have quick cooking oats, then you can reduce the pressure cooking time to 5 minutes. 
    Variations: 
    • Oats Upma - To make this more like Upma, add curry leaves and mustard seeds along with cumin seeds at the start. 
    • Adding nuts - Cashews are a great addition to these savory masala oats. You can add cashews along with the cumin seeds, so they are sautéed in oil before being cooked. If you have roasted cashews or other nuts, you can add them at the end as garnish. 
    Lunch or Dinner: This savory oatmeal is great even for lunch or dinner! 

    Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 198kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 7gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 674mgPotassium: 305mgFiber: 7gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 4850IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword indian masala oats, instant pot oatmeal, savory oatmeal, vegan oatmeal
    Tried this recipe?Share your photo and tag @PipingPotCurry or #pipingpotcurry

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    674 shares

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Marilyn says

      November 06, 2022 at 5:01 pm

      I dislike sweets for breakfast, so this was a wonderful change! It is great to have breakfast made for the week. It is flavorful, a little spicy, and full of delicious veggies. Love it!!

      Reply
      • Piping Pot Curry says

        November 07, 2022 at 10:34 am

        Hi Marilyn. - so happy to hear that 🙂

        Reply
    2. Abha says

      September 13, 2022 at 5:40 pm

      This sounds delicious. If I made a batch for the week, what is the best way to reheat?

      Reply
      • Meeta Arora says

        October 04, 2022 at 1:14 pm

        Hi Abha - I would suggest to reheat these masala oats in the microwave. You can store in small portions in air tight containers in the refrigerator, so it is easier to reheat each day.

        Reply
    3. Priya Mason says

      July 05, 2022 at 6:52 am

      Excellent and fast recipe. I will be making this very often now. Thank you for sharing!

      Reply
      • Meeta Arora says

        July 05, 2022 at 9:29 am

        Hi Priya - Happy to hear you enjoyed it!

        Reply
    4. Brandon says

      April 28, 2022 at 12:22 pm

      I would definitely either double the seasonings/spices or use half the oats next time. Very bland.

      Reply
    5. Abby Brady says

      April 24, 2022 at 8:23 pm

      Love love love this recipe! I cook this for breakfast and it lasts us almost the entire week. I alternate garnishing with roasted pepitas / pumpkin seeds, yogurt, cilantro and avocado. It tastes so good! Thanks for this great recipe!

      Reply
      • Meeta Arora says

        April 26, 2022 at 6:47 am

        Hi Abby - Happy to hear you enjoy the masala oats. Thanks for sharing the topping ideas!

        Reply
    6. Phania says

      April 17, 2022 at 8:04 am

      I tried it and it tastes great! Thanks for sharing all these IP recipes. You are my go to IP recipes blog.

      Reply
      • Meeta Arora says

        April 19, 2022 at 11:02 am

        Thank you, Phania!

        Reply
    7. Liv says

      April 11, 2022 at 6:57 pm

      I will never stop making this. Thanks for the phenomenal recipe!

      Reply
      • Meeta Arora says

        April 19, 2022 at 7:13 am

        Hi Liv - So glad to hear you enjoyed the masala oats.

        Reply
      • jelly says

        November 06, 2022 at 9:30 am

        first time i've liked any kind of oats, added chaat masala since i had some

        Reply
        • Meeta Arora says

          November 15, 2022 at 12:49 pm

          Hi Jelly - so glad to hear you enjoyed the masala oats.

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