Steel Cut Oat Risotto

The more I cook with oats the more I find they have an endless amount of uses. Savory oats are my latest obsession. These steel cut oats retain an al dente quality to them just like arborio rice does in a risotto.

Cheryl said she would have never guessed it was made of oats, but I have her prepped with a few barley risottos that I worked on for my new slow cooker book,  Vegan Slow Cooking for Two or Just You!, that comes out this fall.

Of course you can pre-order it right now on Amazon. I promise you it will make my day! (Plus if you pre-order now you’ll get the lowest price it sells for between now and the release thanks to  Amazon’s pre-order price guarantee.)

If you are gluten-intolerant make sure to buy oats that are clearly marked gluten-free. They may be cross contaminated with wheat if they are not labeled.

Last night I made an amazing taco filling with kidney beans and oats – so expect to see more savory oat goodness soon!  The one thing about savory oats is I prefer them to not be made in a slow cooker. I love the creamy texture it gives my breakfast oatmeal, but for some reason it seems unpleasant when I add savory flavors.

You can see my sweet slow cooker oatmeal recipes here. You can also buy oats in bulk at your local health food store – you’ll get more oats for your money that way.

Mushroom Steel Cut Oat Risotto

There’s more than one way to get your daily dose of oats! This mushroom risotto has the perfect al dente texture and has a b vitamin boost from the nutritional yeast. Don’t forget oats are good for heart health and your blood sugar!

• 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ small onion, minced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 cup minced mushrooms
• ¼ cup minced green bell pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
• ⅛ teaspoon ground rosemary or ¼ teaspoon regular rosemary
• 1 cup Roland© Steel-cut Oats
• 2 tablespoons minced sun-dried tomatoes
• 4 to 5 cups water (as needed – see instructions)
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• salt and pepper, to taste

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a saucepan or Dutch oven with a thick bottom until it sizzles when you add a tiny drop of water to the pan.

Add onions and cook until translucent then add the garlic, mushrooms, bell pepper and herbs. Saute for 5 to 20 minutes, until the mushrooms have browned and released their juices. Add in the oats and stir to prevent them from burning. Cook until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.

Add the sun dried tomatoes and 1 cup of water. Simmer over medium heat stirring often to keep the mixture from burning on the bottom.

Once the first cup of water has been absorbed by the oats add a second cup of water and keep stirring.

Add the third cup of water once the second is absorbed and keep stirring (isn’t risotto fun?).

Once the third cup is absorbed add one more cup water (the forth) and after it’s absorbed try a piece of the oats to see if it’s cooked through. You want it to be al dente so tender but a little chewy.

If it’s not tender yet add an additional cup of water to insure the oats are cooked through. They should still have a chewy texture and not be mushy.

Right before serving add the nutritional yeast, salt and pepper.

Don’t forget you can use the same technique to make a clean out the fridge oat risotto!

yield: 4 servings
prep time: 15 min
cook time: 30 min

Pre-order my second book, The Great Vegan Bean Book, or my third book which comes out this fall, Vegan Slow Cooking for Two or Just You! Don’t forget Amazon’s pre-order price guarantee! Order now and if the Amazon.com price decreases between your order time and the end of the day of the release date, you’ll receive the lowest price. Here’s how