Masala oats recipe – We love the non-sticky and non-mushy version of the oats upma that is made with rolled oats. This masala oats is a recent addition to our quick fix dinner menu. It can be served alone without any accompaniment but is best with papad, chutney, podi or raita. This masala oats turns non mushy if made with rolled oats, if made with quick cook oats it turns mushy and can also be made to a porridge consistency.
You can also check this collection of oats recipes
Oats egg omelette
Oats khichdi
Oats idli
Vegetable Oats porridge
Oats pongal
How to Make Masala Oats (Stepwise Photos)
Toast 1 cup rolled oats or instant oats in a pan until slightly crisp and aromatic. They won’t turn crunchy but will become slightly crisp. This helps to avoid masala oats from turning sticky. Keep this aside.
Pour 1 to 2 tablespoons oil to a pan and heat it. Add half teaspoon jeera (cumin seeds). When the seeds begin to splutter, add ½ to ¾ teaspoon ginger garlic paste.
Quickly saute till the ginger garlic turns aromatic, for about 30 to 60 seconds. Then add 1 sliced onions (medium sized) and 1 green chili (slit). Saute until the onions turn golden.
Add ¾ cup veggies like chopped carrots, peas and chopped green beans (French beans). I have used 1 small carrot and 1/4 cup peas. Saute the veggies for 2 to 3 mins.
Add 2 small to medium sized tomatoes, chopped and deseeded. Also sprinkle half teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon turmeric.
Cook until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy. Add ¼ to ½ teaspoon garam masala, ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder and ¼ tsp coriander powder (optional).
Give a quick stir and saute until aromatic for a minute.
Pour ¾ cup water if using instant oats or 1 to 1¼ cup water if using rolled oats. Bring it to a boil. The amount of water to use depends on the thickness of your oats. Feel free to use more if you want. If you want a soupy khichdi like masala oats, you may add up to 2 to 2.5 cups water. Taste test and adjust the salt.
Reduce the heat to low. Add the roasted oats and mix well.
Cover and cook on a low heat for 2 mins. If it looks too dry you may splash more water.
Drizzle some ghee or lemon juice. Serve masala oats immediately, while it is still hot.
Recipe Card
Masala Oats Recipe
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (US cup = 240ml )
- ¾ cup veggies (carrots, peas, beans etc)
- 2 tomatoes medium sized
- 1 onion thinly sliced medium
- 1 cup oats (Instant or rolled)
- ¾ cup water (for instant oats, 1¼ cup for rolled oats, refer notes)
- Salt as needed
- 1 pinch Turmeric
- Oil as needed
- ½ to ¾ tsp ginger garlic paste
- ½ tsp cumin / jeera
- 1 to 2 green chilies
- ¼ to ½ tsp Garam masala powder or pav bhaji masala
- ¼ tsp coriander powder (optional)
- ¼ tsp red chili powder
- Coriander leaves as needed
Instructions
- Dry roast oats until golden or they begin to smell good. Set aside.
- Heat a pan with oil. Add cumin and allow to crackle.
- Sauté ginger garlic until the raw smell goes off.
- Add onions and fry until they turn slightly golden or pink.
- Saute veggies for 2 to 3 mins. Add tomatoes, sprinkle salt and turmeric.
- Cook until the tomatoes turn completely mushy.
- Add chili powder, garam masala or pav bhaji masala and coriander powder.
- Mix and fry for 2 to 3 minutes until it smells good.
- Add water and bring it to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add oats and stir well. If needed add more or less water to adjust the consistency.
- Cover and cook for 2 mins. Add coriander leaves.
- Drizzle some ghee or lemon juice over the hot masala oats. Serve it as it is or with podi, chutney or raita.
Notes
To make it to a porridge consistency, you may need to triple the quantity of water mentioned in the recipe card. That works perfectly well for me.
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Mza AA gya
Thank you!
Will it enhance the taste if we add chana to this recipe? Or it will bounce back???
Delicious! It tastes like a healthy version of Maggi Noodles! Sooo good! Going to make it again for sure!
Hi N
So happy to know you liked the masala oats. Maggi noodles! Haha hope everyone feels the same and enjoys this often as it is healthy. Thanks a lot!
🙂
super recipe
What do you mean by dry the oats ? isn’t clear to me
Hi Natts
I meant to dry roast the oats. Just fry them in a pan without any oil or fats.
Nice tips
i have no cooking experience but i made it and it turned out great! thanks for the recipe 🙂
Hi swathi I made this recipe very tasty enjoyed very much,in your recipes I saw salt in pink colour is it Himalaya pink salt ,if it is whe re can I find in Singapore
Hi Uma
Thanks for trying. I buy himalayan salt from mustafa. It is also available in fairprice & cold storage. You will have to use it in moderation. So if I use it for 2 to 3 months then I give a break for 1 month to 6 weeks. During the 2 to 3 months, I use it in all our foods. Hope these help.
Hi swathi thank you for your reply. Pink salt is’nt good to take continuesly why we need to give break for 1m.
Too much of minerals in pink salt isn’t good, i just heard on a tv show
Thank you for the information ?
This is the first time preparing oats.the recipe was delicious. Everybody at home loved it
Hi usha
Glad to know you all liked it.
🙂
Thanks dear…I tried masala oats and it came out nicely…Finally got something right thanks to you
Welcome Nimitha
Love this. Never thought oats can be this delicious
Thanks a lot
welcome
I made it today.. It was yummy.. Husband liked it so much… Thanks for the receipe… 🙂
Welcome Simran
Glad to know you liked it
yum! Tried this at the weekend and it was delicious!
Thanks Maria
Glad to know it turned out delicious