Savory Oatmeal with Miso Butter
There is a light dusting of snow outside this morning. Before he even had time to eat breakfast, Riley insisted on going outside to throw snowballs. So, I bundled him up and sent him outside to enjoy himself before school. As I watched him scoop up clumps of wet snow, smashing them together into ragged balls, I remembered the butterflies that would well up in my stomach when I was a kid. That first snow of the season is still magical for me, but nothing quite like what it is for my little almost-four-year-old. He came inside, cheeks rosy and hands chilly, and sat down to eat a bowl of warm apple-cinnamon oatmeal. Which he promptly turned up his nose to because *gasp* I used a different brand of oatmeal, which means IT'S NOT THE FLAVOR I LIKE MOMMY.
He had a last-minute peanut butter sandwich instead. Ugh.
Still, it was a lovely morning. After I dropped the oatmeal-hated off at preschool, put Braden down for his morning nap, and made my coffee, I whipped up a bowl of this savory oatmeal with miso butter. It's warm, comforting, full of umami goodness, and perfect with a fried egg on top. I love oatmeal, but it can get a little tired. This savory version is my new obsession!
Savory Oatmeal with Miso Butter
Makes 2 servings
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus 1 additional tablespoon for frying eggs
- 1 tablespoon miso paste (I like white (shiro) miso)
- 1 cup quick cooking oats
- pinch of salt
- black pepper
- red pepper or shichimi togarashi
- 2 eggs
- Make the miso butter by combining 4 tablespoons unsalted butter and the miso paste. Mash with a fork until smooth. Set aside.
- Prepare the oatmeal according to package directions with a pinch of salt.
- While the oatmeal cooks, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in a frying pan. Crack the eggs into the pan and fry to desired doneness.
- Add 2 tablespoons miso butter to the oatmeal and stir until melted.
- Season with black pepper, red pepper (or shichimi togarashi).
- Spoon the oatmeal into two serving bowls and top with a fried egg. Sprinkle with additional pepper, red pepper, or shichimi togarashi.