Ready in about 20 minutes, this savory oatmeal with shaved asparagus and a fried egg is an easy vegetarian breakfast packed with flavor. Creamy, comforting, and full of savory flavors, this spring-inspired breakfast makes a satisfying start to the day.
A Savory Oatmeal that Looks Elevated but Comes Together Quickly & Easily!
I get into breakfast ruts where I eat the same thing for weeks (hello overnight oats!) but recently I decided to change things up. I took humble oats but made them savory with a little butter and miso. Since asparagus is in season at the moment, I shaved it with a vegetable peeler and piled it on top of the savory oatmeal. When raw, asparagus has the most delicate nutty flavor that is absolutely delicious!
You might be thinking what the heck that doesn’t sound easy, but it is! This breakfast takes 20 minutes tops (if you’re quick, it will be closer to just 15 minutes!) and feels elevated despite using fairly simple ingredients. This vegetarian breakfast recipe has around 12 grams of protein but you can easily increase that with some of my tips below. This has quickly become my new favorite breakfast and I can’t wait for you to try it!
Key Ingredients
I like the texture and relatively quick cooking time of old fashioned rolled oats but if you want an even faster breakfast, use quick-cooking oats. For a budget-friendly option, cook the oats in water. For extra savory flavor, use low sodium vegetable broth! It’s much easier to shave the asparagus when the spears are fatter so avoid the pencil-thin ones for this recipe. I love increasing plant diversity by adding a tangle of microgreens with the shaved asparagus but you can also use sprouts or a handful of finely chopped baby greens. The pickled onions are a completely optional garnish but I love their tangy flavor here!
For more ingredient notes and substitutions, check out the notes section of the recipe card down below!
How to Make Savory Oatmeal Bowls with Shaved Asparagus and a Fried Egg
The oatmeal will take the longest to cook so I recommend starting it first. Once it has thickened and is creamy, remove it from the heat and stir in the butter and miso. While the oatmeal cooks, you’ll have plenty of time to shave the asparagus and toss it with microgreens, chives, parmesan, and a little bit of lemon juice.
You should also have time to fry the egg while the oatmeal cooks! I like to fry mine in a little bit of butter since it gets all browned and nutty arond the edges. You can absolutely use olive oil or even make a soft-boiled or poached egg if you prefer. The tangle of shaved asparagus is piled on top of the savory oatmeal then the egg right on top. Time to eat!
How to Easily Shave Asparagus with a Standard Vegetable Peeler
Place a spear of asparagus parallel to the very bottom of your cutting board. hold down the tip of the spear with one hand then use the other hand to carefully shave off strips of the asparagus spear (just like you would peel a carrot). You’ll get to a spoint when you can’t easily shave off anymore. At that point, you can thinly slice what’s left and add it to the mix, or do what I do and consider it a little snack while you’re waiting on the oatmeal and egg to cook!
Serving Suggestions and Seasonal Swaps
- Add spice – add some hot sauce, chili crisp, or sriracha on top of the egg and asparagus. And, try pickled jalapenos instead of pickled onions.
- Make it vegan – instead of a fried egg, you can try some of this tofu scramble or a couple of beyond breakfast sausage patties (not sponsored). Use vegan butter in place of the butter and vegan parm or nutritional yeast instead of the parmesan.
- Use zucchini for a summer version – instead of asparagus, swap in 1 small zucchini and shave it the same way with a vegetable peeler. Or, try a handful of halved fresh cherry tomatoes!
- Add more protein – between the oats, parmesan, and egg, this vegetarian breakfast bowl sits at about 12 grams of protein. If you replace half of the water with unsweetened soy milk you’ll add about 6 more grams. Or, stir 1/2 cup of lowfat cottage cheese into the oatmeal to add about 12 more grams of protein.
Savory Oatmeal with Shaved Asparagus
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
Description
Savory oatmeal gets a spring-inspired upgrade with shaved asparagus, microgreens, and a perfectly fried egg on top. Creamy, comforting, and full of savory flavors, this easy vegetarian breakfast comes together quickly and makes a satisfying start to the day!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 1/4 cups water, or vegetable broth
- Sea salt, to taste
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon butter, divided
- 1 heaped teaspoon mellow white miso paste
- 3–4 spears fresh asparagus
- 1 large handful microgreens, or sprouts
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped chives
- 1 tablespoon parmesan
- 1 large egg
- Pickled onions, optional
Instructions
Add the oats, water or broth, and a small pinch of sea salt to a small pot. Set it over medium heat. Stir every minute or so until it comes to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium low. Cook until thickened and creamy, stirring regularly to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. It should take about 5-8 minutes. Remove the oatmeal from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of the butter and the miso paste. Once the butter is fully melted, spoon the oatmeal into a bowl.
While the oats cook, make the other components. Shave the asparagus with a vegetable peeler then toss with the microgreens, a small pinch of salt, lemon juice, chives, and parmesan in a small bowl. Set aside until the oats are ready.
Heat the teaspoon of butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted and starts to sizzle, add the egg and reduce the heat to medium-low. Fry the egg to your desired doneness. If you like a runny yolk, go with sunny side up. If you want a firmer yolk, go with an over easy or over medium egg.
Top the warm oatmeal with the shaved asparagus mixture and the fried egg. Add pickled onions and any other toppings you like such as extra parmesan or hot sauce.
Notes
- If you want these savory oats to come together even quicker, use quick-cooking oats. They will be ready in 5 minutes or less but they will have a mushier texture.
- I love pickled onions on top but they are absolutely optional. Feel free to use your favorite toppings here.
- Not all miso is gluten free so make sure to check the label!
- To make this breakfast vegan, use vegan butter, vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast in place of the parmesan, and tofu scramble or a vegan breakfast patty in place of the egg.
- 1-2 thinly sliced scallions can be used in place of the chives. The light green and white portions have a much sharper flavor than chives so add sparingly and taste before adding more.
- You can use olive oil or avocado oil to fry the egg instead of butter if you prefer.
- Don’t like fried eggs? You can poach it, hard boil it, scramble it, or swap in some of your favorite breakfast sausage.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
I tried this savory oatmeal with asparagus and it was such a nice change from sweet oatmeal. So simple, and it made a perfect easy breakfast. Thanks for the recipe!