The Unexpected Ingredient I Add to My Oatmeal (It’s Already in Your Pantry)

When one of my editors called my attention to a new (to me) way of cooking oatmeal, I immediately knew I needed to give it a try. It’s a combination of two of the most comforting (also, to me) breakfast items known to man: a creamy bowl of oats and a piping hot mug of tea.

So, when I discovered that people were adding tea to oatmeal, it was a no-brainer to try it.

How to Add Tea to Oatmeal

I’m not a big caffeine person, but I love the taste of black tea. So, for my purposes, I use a bag of decaf for this recipe. Any black tea will work well, from the most basic English breakfast blend to something with other aromatic ingredients, like an orange pekoe, Earl Grey, or an Indian chai-inspired sachet.

To make two servings of oatmeal, I steep a teabag in 8 ounces of boiling water for five minutes, then add it to a pot along with a half cup of whole milk, a cup of oats, and a pinch of salt. The sprouted oats I buy take about 12 minutes of simmering to become tender and creamy.

I always like to sprinkle something extra on my oatmeal, usually a sweetener and some crunchy, toasted nuts or seeds. My favorite combo with the tea-infused oatmeal is a drizzle of honey and a handful of pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds). Hemp seeds, chopped walnuts or pecans, or slivered almonds are good, too. 

How to Tweak Your Tea-Infused Oats

If you’re wondering how much you taste the tea in the oatmeal, it’s actually quite subtle. You get a hint of tannic, complex flavor, amplified just a bit by the salt and honey. If you want a stronger tea flavor, go ahead and brew two teabags in the water instead of one. I like the mild tea taste of just one bag—it’s a nice background flavor that doesn’t overwhelm the oatmeal or become too bitter.

A little pinch of warming spices is a lovely addition, too. I usually keep a batch of Swasthi’s chai spice blend in the drawer with my teas, and just a little pinch makes the oatmeal even more comforting. A dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, or even black pepper would be equally delicious. 

It’s definitely worth taking the extra few minutes to add some tea flavor to your bowl of morning oats, especially in the fall and winter months. Cold weather mornings just beg for all the extra coziness, and creamy, subtly tea-flavored breakfasts are an instant belly warmer and mood lifter.