Apple Ginger Steel-Cut Oats – Oh My Veggies


Creamy, gingery steel-cut oats topped with tender caramelized apples make the coziest fall breakfast – and it is already vegan, no swaps wanted.

Overhead view of two bowls of apple ginger steel-cut oats topped with caramelized cinnamon apples

Key Elements & Substitutions

  • Metal-cut oats. These give the oatmeal its signature chewy, hearty texture – they are not interchangeable with rolled or instantaneous oats, which cook dinner a lot sooner and prove softer. If steel-cut is all you could have readily available, search for the quick-cooking steel-cut selection and shorten the simmer time accordingly.
  • Almond milk. Provides creaminess with out dairy. Any unsweetened non-dairy milk works, or swap in common milk in the event you’re not conserving this vegan.
  • Floor ginger. Warms up the oat base with out overpowering it. You’ll be able to swap in 1 tablespoon of grated contemporary ginger for a brighter, sharper ginger taste.
  • Maple syrup. Sweetens the oats simply sufficient. Honey works too in the event you do not want this vegan.
  • Apples. Agency, sweet-tart baking apples maintain their form finest when caramelized. Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala, and Braeburn are all good selections.
  • Olive oil or coconut oil. Used each for toasting the oats and caramelizing the apples. Coconut oil provides a delicate sweetness; olive oil retains issues impartial. Butter works nice right here too if dairy is not a priority.
  • Brown sugar and cinnamon. That is what turns plain chopped apples right into a caramelized topping. Gentle or darkish brown sugar each work – darkish brown will style barely richer.

Useful Ideas

Toast the oats earlier than simmering. Cooking the dry oats in oil for a few minutes earlier than including the liquid deepens their taste and offers the completed oatmeal a nuttier, toastier style. It is a small step nevertheless it makes an actual distinction.

Stir often, not consistently. Metal-cut oats want about 25 to half-hour of light simmering, and so they’ll scorch on the underside in the event you stroll away for too lengthy. Examine in each 5 minutes or so, scraping the underside and sides of the pan every time.

Cook dinner the apples whereas the oats simmer. Because the oats want an extended, largely hands-off simmer, use that point to caramelize the apples in a separate skillet. Each elements end across the similar time, so nothing sits round getting chilly.

Style earlier than you add additional sweetener. This recipe is deliberately solely evenly candy, because the caramelized apples add their very own sweetness on prime. Stir within the maple syrup on the finish, style, and add extra solely in order for you it sweeter.

Watch the apples, not the clock. Relying on how ripe and the way thick your apples are lower, they could caramelize sooner or slower than quarter-hour. Search for apples which are fork-tender and coated in a shiny, deep-amber sauce, and decrease the warmth in the event that they’re browning too quick earlier than they’ve softened.

Variations

  • Swap the fruit. Pears caramelize fantastically instead of apples, and diced ripe peaches or a cup of contemporary cranberries work nicely too.
  • Add crunch. High with toasted pecans, walnuts, or a sprinkle of granola for texture towards the creamy oats.
  • Enhance the spice. Add a pinch of nutmeg, allspice, or cardamom to the oatmeal together with the ginger for a chai-like heat.
  • Make it a sluggish cooker breakfast. Mix the oats, water, milk, and spices in a sluggish cooker on low for six to 7 hours, then prime with the caramelized apples within the morning.
  • Flip it into in a single day oats. For those who’d somewhat skip the stovetop completely, our Ginger Peach Overnight Oats use the identical warming ginger taste with a no-cook methodology.
  • Stir in nut butter. A spoonful of almond or peanut butter stirred into the completed oats provides richness and a lift of protein.

Serving Concepts

This oatmeal is hearty sufficient to face by itself, however a splash of additional almond milk poured excessive proper earlier than consuming makes it additional creamy. A drizzle of extra maple syrup or a sprinkle of chopped nuts by no means hurts both.

For a much bigger fall breakfast unfold, serve it alongside Vegan Cinnamon Rolls or a batch of Apple Pie Coconut Chia Pudding for anybody who desires one thing make-ahead. It is also nice with a sizzling cup of espresso or chai on a chilly morning.

Storing & Freezing

Let the oatmeal and apples cool fully, then retailer them in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 5 days. You’ll be able to retailer the oats and apples collectively or in separate containers – both means works nice, although conserving them separate makes it simpler to reheat simply what you want.

To freeze, portion the cooled oatmeal (with or with out the apples) into freezer-safe containers or luggage and freeze for as much as 2 months. Thaw in a single day within the fridge, then reheat on the stovetop or within the microwave with a splash of milk or water stirred in to loosen it again as much as a creamy consistency.

Three bowls of apple ginger steel-cut oats with spoons, topped with caramelized apples

Extra Cozy Breakfast Recipes

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Apple Ginger Metal-Lower Oats

Creamy ginger-spiced steel-cut oats topped with tender caramelized cinnamon apples make a heat, cozy fall breakfast that is straightforward to make vegan.