
Alright, I’ma need you to bear with me through this one with some TRUST, people. Because this recipe sounds weird, and it might be a little hard to wrap your head around. Savory oatmeal…I was the most skeptical of all time when recipe testing this. I’ve only ever had oatmeal with things like brown sugar, maple syrup, bananas, cinnamon, fruit, etc…always sweet and breakfast-y – NEVER savory and lunch/dinner-y.
So I was very skeptical to try this, but I heard someone talking about a savory oatmeal that they topped with a poached egg, and I was morbidly intrigued and had to try it out.
And let…me…tell…you…OH MY GOSH I AM OBSESSED. I no joke have made this and eaten it most days for lunch since I created the recipe a few weeks ago. I bought a giant double pack of goat cheese from Costco so I’d have enough of it in the fridge to make this whenever I wanted (the rest of the ingredients are always staples in my fridge and pantry).

Where to even start in my description of this beautiful little bowl of creamy goodness? I’ll start with how crazy easy it is to make. Here’s your process:
- Microwave your oats in chicken stock + garlic and a pinch of salt…yes…microwave them. I use quick oats in this recipe because it’s what I always have in my pantry for my son’s breakfast. And – I’m definitely not an oat snob – but I think the quick oats work great for this. If you want to go even more legit and use steel cut oats, I bet it’d be awesome. However…one of the appeals of this recipe is how quick and easy it is, so if you want to ride that train with me, stick with the quick oats that microwave in less than two minutes!
- Poach an egg. This sounds scary and intimidating, but I promise it’s literally the easiest thing ever if you follow a few foolproof little tricks. One: add a splash of vinegar to your water. Two: add your egg to a small bowl so that you can add it to the water more gently. Three: when the water is simmering, create a vortex in the pan by swirling a spoon in circular motions around the edge of the pan. These three things will allow you to pop the egg into the water and forget about it for four minutes. At the end of those four minutes, you will have THE most perfect poached egg.
- Stir goat cheese into the oatmeal and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Finish it off – add the poached egg to the top of the oatmeal, and sprinkle with lots of chives (we’ve also done pickled red onions, which are also delicious).

And this is what you are left with 👆🏼.
The oats are rich and complex in flavor from the chicken stock and garlic, and they are luscious and creamy from the goat cheese. When you break open that poached egg and stir it into the oats, it ups the rich, velvety, unctuous flavor and texture even more. And then the chives add some freshness and onion-y bite. YOU GUYS. I can’t. It’s like a ten minute, microwave risotto. LOVE.
It’s my new favorite thing. I eat it all. the. time. Like at least every other day probably.
So yummy, so easy, so fast, and so so so insanely good. You have got to try it out!

Savory Poached Egg Oatmeal

- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 servings 1x
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup quick oats
- 2/3 cup chicken stock
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1/2 ounce goat cheese
- 1 egg
- 1–2 tablespoons minced chives
- Splash of white vinegar
Instructions
- Add your oats, chicken stock, garlic, and a large pinch of salt to a big coffee mug (bigger the better so it doesn’t boil over – you can also use a bowl)
- Microwave for 1 minute and 45 seconds, or until the liquid is absorbed into the oats*
- Meanwhile, add at least a few inches of water into a skillet and bring to a simmer. Season the water with a little salt and add a big splash of vinegar
- Crack one egg into a ramekin (or small bowl) so you can add it to the water more gently
- When simmering, create a vortex in the pan by swirling a spoon around the edge of the pan in a circular motion (will help the egg white come around the yolk)
- Gently add the egg to your pan while the water is still simmering, and simmer for 4 minutes
- Add your goat cheese into the cooked oats, stir well to combine, and season to taste with salt and pepper
- When your poached egg is done, add it to the top of the oatmeal and sprinkle over your chives
Notes
*Microwave cook times will vary based on your microwave. 1 minute and 45 seconds was perfect for me, but if the oatmeal is still soupy and the liquid isn’t absorbed at the end of 1 minute 45, pop it in for 30 second intervals until most of the liquid is absorbed. It will thicken a bit as it sits, too.
This recipe is 4 Freestyle Smart Points per serving!
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mug of oatmeal
- Calories: 325
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 357 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 17 g

If you make this or any of my other recipes, be sure to Instagram it and hashtag #thegarlicdiaries so I can see!
In the mood for more oatmeal recipes? Check these out:
Flank Steak with Goat Cheese Ris’oat’o
Maple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal Cups
The first time I made this I thought, “that was good, but I probably won’t make it all the time.” Well, I was so wrong. I’ve made it at least a half-dozen times over the past couple weeks! I love how quick and easy it is, and that I always have the ingredients on hand. I use dried chives, but they seem to work out well. Thanks for opening my eyes to the world of savory oatmeal!
★★★★★
Haha – it is a little crazy to wrap your mind around savory oatmeal the first time! It’s so good though!!! So glad you like it, Mary :). Thanks for the comment!
It certainly does sound a bit scary, but I was a little peckish and it was past breakfast time and almost time for lunch, plus I had all of the ingredients to hand. I used old fashioned oats and microwaved for 3 minutes with an added bullion cube. The resultant mixture actually tasted pretty good. I used a green onion instead of chives, Plenty of fresh black peeper. Not sure I’ll make this often, but it was warming on a raw March day.
★★★★
It is strange but yummy! Warming is a good way to describe it :).