Oats upma recipe – learn easily how to make oats upma in 15 minutes with step by step photos. To make oats upma, regular rolled oats are best. The health benefits of regular rolled oats are more when compared to the quick cook oats. Regular rolled oats have a low glycemic index than the quick cook oats. So those who want to include oats in their diet for health reasons must favor rolled oats.
However if you do not get rolled oats in the place you live, you can still use Instant oats or quick cook oats. A bowl of freshly cooked oatmeal or porridge could be one of the healthiest breakfasts.
But not many folks like to begin their day with porridge or granola, for them there are many alternates to enjoying this grain.
I make use of oats in various ways like to make masala oats, lemon oats, oats pongal, oats pesarattu, oats dosa, vegetable oats porridge, oats chivda.
Here are some of them you may like to check.
32 Oats recipes
Oats khichdi
Oats dosa
Masala oats
Oats idli
This oats upma is one of the healthiest & can be prepared in less than 15 minutes.
Tips to make oats upma
1. Rolled oats are best to make oats upma as they do not turn mushy. However you can also use instant oats by dry roasting them well.
2. Vegetables will enhance the nutrition & taste of the oats upma. You can use carrots, beans and peas.
3. Always keep track of the amount of water you use in the recipe to avoid the whole thing turning mushy. Rolled oats work with 1:1 ratio of Oats:water. Instant oats work with 1:½ ratio.
In this post, I have shared how to make oats upma in 2 ways. Please scroll down for the second method.
Oats upma recipe
Oats upma
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
- 1 cup rolled oats or quick cook oats
- 1 cup water for rolled oats , ½ cup for quick cook oats
- 1½ tablespoons oil
- 1 small onion chopped finely or sliced
- ½ to ¾ cup mix vegetables optional (chopped carrot, peas, beans)
- 1 to 2 green chilies (slit) or broken red chili
- 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice as needed or 1 very small tomato
- 2 tablespoons Coriander leaves for garnish
- 2 tablespoons grated coconut optional
- Salt to taste
For tempering
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- ¼ teaspoon ginger chopped finely, (optional)
- 1 pinch hing (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon cumin or jeera
- ½ teaspoon chana dal (optional)
- ½ teaspoon urad dal (optional)
- 2 tablespoons peanuts or cashews
- 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
How to make the recipe
Preparation
- Dry roast oats in a wide pan for about 5 minutes until crisp.
- They do not become very crisp. Set this aside to cool.
- Heat a pan with oil & add cumin, mustard seeds, peanuts, chana dal & urad dal.
- Fry them stirring often till the peanuts turn golden.
- Next add hing, ginger, green chilies & curry leaves. Fry all of them till the leaves turn crisp.
- Then add chopped onions and saute until golden.
- Optional – If using veggies. Then add all the vegetables and fry for 2 mins.
- Sprinkle 2 tbsp water. Cover and cook until the veggies are done.
How to make oats upma
- Next sprinkle some salt and 1/8 tsp turmeric.
- If using rolled oats then pour 1 cup water. or if using quick cook oats use ½ cup water.
- Mix well and then taste the water.
- The water has to be slightly salty. If needed add more salt. Bring it to a boil.
- Transfer the roasted oats & give a gentle mix to incorporate the water with the oats.
- With in 1 to 2 mins the water will be absorbed.
- Cover and cook on a low flame for 2 mins or until all the moisture is evaporated.
- Add coriander leaves and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Mix and serve.
- You can top it with some fresh grated coconut if you have. It tastes good as it is.
- Oats upma is best served with yogurt.
NUTRITION (estimation only)
Notes
If you are a beginner or new to Indian cooking, I highly suggest you to check the supporting step by step photos for best results. Step by step photos with description available below after the recipe card.
Method – 1
How to make oats upma
1. Dry roast oats until crisp. They do not turn as crisp as poha but a bit. Set these aside to a plate.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard and cumin. When the mustard begins to pop, add chana dal and urad dal.
3. Then add peanuts or cashews.
4. Fry until they turn golden. Then add ginger and curry leaves. Fry for a minute.
5. Add chopped onions & green chilies.
6. Saute until the onions turn transparent.
7. This is optional. If using mix vegetables, add them and fry for 2 mins.
8. Sprinkle 2 tbsps water and cook covered until soft for 2 to 3 mins.
9. Then add turmeric and salt.
Pouring water
10. Pour water and bring it to a boil.
11. Then add oats.
12. Mix well. The water will be absorbed with in a minute or 2.
13. Then cover and cook on a low flame for 2 mins or until no excess moisture is left.
14. With rolled oats it turns fluffy. With Instant oats it turns soft and slightly mushy.
Sprinkle some lemon juice and enjoy with curd.
Method 2
Rolled oats upma in 15 minutes
This method works only with rolled oats. Do not use Instant oats.
1. This is an optional step. Dry roast oats evenly in a skillet for 5 minutes. keep this aside to cool. You can make this a day ahead and save it in a airtight jar.
2. Add oil to a pan and heat. Add peanuts, chana dal, urad dal , cumin, red chili and mustard. fry till they turn golden. Skip peanuts if using green peas.
3. Add chili,ginger, hing and curry leaves and fry till the curry leaves turn crisp. Next add onions and fry till they turn slightly pink. Then add chopped vegetables like carrots, peas, beans. Fry till they turn soft. If needed cover and cook.
4. Rinse roasted oats under running water in a colander. Drain off the excess water immediately. Add turmeric to the pan. If using tomatoes add them and fry till mushy. i do not prefer to use them.
Adding oats
5. Add the rinsed oats.Sprinkle salt, lemon juice if you like. Mix everything well.
6. Cook covered on a low flame for about 7 minutes.
7. Add coconut, coriander leaves and lemon juice (if you have not used tomato). If you like it to be soft and mushy, just sprinkle some water and cook further for another 2 minutes.Mix everything well and serve.
Best served with curd/dahi or chutney podi or flax seeds powder.
To make this oats upma , you can use ¼ cup of chopped mixed vegetables like green peas, carrots, capsicums. I have used peanuts, you can replace them with cashews.
beth says
Can you substitute fresh curry leaves with dry curry leaves?
swasthi says
Yes you can or even skip it.
Gwen says
Love this recipe, it’s such a wonderful variation on breakfast porridges, and the only dish with oats that my husband loves! My south Indian friend recommended your website, and it has opened a whole new world of healthy vegetarian cooking for me – thank you so much!
swasthi says
Hi Gwen,
You are welcome. So glad your husband loves the oats upma. A special thanks to your friend for recommending my blog. Have a wonderful week ahead! Thank you so much!
Mayuri says
Dear swasthi
I love your recipes. they are crisp and clear. I have been trying a lot of recipes from here and the results are outstanding always. Can you please share Black Forest cake?
swasthi says
Hi Mayuri
Thanks for following the recipes. Sure I can share it.
Nidhi says
it was AMAZING! Loved oats made this way! I didn’t know rolled oats could just be soaked like poha. Thank you for a good recipe!!
swasthi says
You are welcome Nidhi
Thanks for trying. Yes rolled oats can be used just by soaking like poha.
🙂
Jagruti Patel says
Hi Swasthi ! Thank You for yami Oats receipes which are easy to make & very tasty.
swasthi says
Welcome Jagruti
Glad to know you liked them
anne says
Hi Swasthi! Thanks for all the great recipes over the years. I always make your recipes and my family always raves about them.
I wanted to ask if the chana and urad dal is supposed to be dry/raw or is it soaked or cooked?
Also, do you recommed keeping grated coconut in the fridge? How long can I store it? Thanks!
swasthi says
Welcome Anne
Thanks for trying the recipes. I always use chana dal and urad dal without soaking. They get roasted in the tempering and turn hard but after adding some moist ingredient like onions, tomatoes or any veggie they become slightly soft.
Soaked dal will not lend that nutty aroma. Yes you can store grated coconut in fridge for about 5 to 7 days. I usually chop the coconut and store in a glass container in the fridge. When ever needed i just run them in the blender.
Hope these help
Priyanka says
Is there any app for using ur recipes without internet connection…
I would like that u to open an app from ur recipes please
swasthi says
Hi Priyanka
We do not have one yet.
Sridevi says
Hi swathi….very healyhy recipes….plz make healthy n ready to eat recipes for children…as my girl is very choosy…thnq..
swasthi says
Hi Sridevi
Thanks. You can check this link on kids recipes. Hope this helps
Sandeep says
Loved this. I would call it more like Poha but still a good recipe. Made it Rolled oats, which looks more like Poha and so the end dish gives look of Poha and taste of Oak. 🙂
Thanks for the recipe.
swasthi says
Welcome Sandeep,
Nice to know you liked it. Yes when made with rolled oats it looks almost like poha. Thanks for the feedback.
Niru says
healthy and tasty. Love your ideas and recipes. made this today for a quick brunch with quick cook oats. Thank you
swasthi says
Welcome and Thanks Niru
glad to know you like the recipes
David says
Hello.
Sorry, I do not quite understand: you do not cook rolled oats in water? Rinsing the oats in water provides sufficient moisture for cooking ?!
Quick cook oats you cook in 3 (!) cups of water and non quick oats you cook almost without water. Where is the logic?!
Many thanks in advance for elucidation.
swasthi says
Where did u find 3 cups of water in the recipe? i haven’t mentioned it anywhere.
I have used half cup water to cook quick oats and not 3 cups. Read step 5 in the first method, where i have very clearly written , an addition of even little more water can make upma mushy.
The logic behind rinsing the rolled oats is simple. When kept under running water, rolled oats absorbs water which is good enough to cook them.
soujanya says
Nice recipe thanks for posting this recipe swasthi
I always refer swasthi for any recipe i want to know thank u
swasthi says
Welcome Soujanya,
Iam so happy reading your comment. Thanks for your time to share the feedback. Have a wonderful day
Kranti says
thanks for sharing this recipe Turned out great substitute for poha breakfast
swasthi says
Welcome Kranti
kushi says
I love oats upma very much. Nice post !!!Healthy and yummy!!
kushi says
Nice post !!!Healthy and yummy!!
suvesh says
Excellent recipe tasted like a sundal with coconut lemon juice . thanks
sulekha says
Loved the second recipe, with coconut and little garam masala it tasted great. Thank you.
kayset says
I tried this out for breakfast this morning it was very tasty. thank u 🙂
I didn’t know if the oats i had was rolled or the other kind, i still tried the second method it came out really well.
tanvi says
We love upma with rolled oats, has more nutritional value. I tried the second method, it was very good. Even kids enjoyed it. Thanks
shanti says
Tried this good, thanks
Nisa Homey says
Love the new layout of ur site and the recipe box! Oats upma looks so healthy and easy to make…bookmarked! BTW pics are yum!
swasthi says
Thanks Nisa 🙂