Slow Cooker Savory Oatmeal with Bacon, Spring onions, and Cheddar

Ingredients for Slow Cooker Savory Oatmeal with Bacon, Spring onions, and Cheddar

• Butter, for greasing

• 90g uncooked steel-cut oats

• Kosher salt

• 230g thick-cut bacon

• 5 spring onions, trimmed, light green and white parts thinly sliced, plus the dark green parts, sliced for topping

• 230g sharp cheddar, grated (about 2 heaping cups)

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Fried or poached eggs, for topping (1 per person

• optional)

• 5- to 7-quart slow cooker

Generously butter a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker. Add the oats, 950ml water, and I teaspoon salt. Cook until the oatmeal is thick and tender: on LOW for 4 hours or on LOW for 2 hours followed by WARM for 6 to 7 hours.

Put the bacon into a cold large skillet and bring the heat to medium. Cook, flipping a couple times, until the bacon has rendered a lot of its fat and is deeply browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then coarsely chop. You can do this right before serving the oatmeal or the day before, in which case store the crisped bacon in an airtight container in the refrigerator and bring it to room temperature before using.

When the oatmeal is done, stir in the bacon, white and light green spring onion slices, and about three-quarters of the cheese (about 170g ). Taste for seasoning and add more salt if necessary and a few grinds of pepper. Serve in bowls topped with the remaining cheese, the dark green sliced spring onions, and eggs, if you like.

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.