Trick for tastiest oatmeal: No added ingredients

How to make oatmeal tastier

The key to a fuller, more distinct flavor is incredibly simple: toast the main ingredient of oatmeal before cooking. All you need to do is heat a frying pan and toast the oatmeal.

This process is called the Maillard effect or reaction, which gives a dish its depth of flavor. The process involves the interaction of amino acids with sugars under the influence of high temperatures, which results in the formation of flavor compounds.

The Maillard reaction is an essential process in roasting meat or roasting coffee beans. In addition, the Maillard reaction is also responsible for the formation of a crust on baked goods. And oatmeal will acquire a unique character thanks to frying.

How to roast oatmeal

To enjoy the unique taste of regular oatmeal, you don't need to have any special skills. All you need to do is put the flakes in a hot pan and shake them until you smell a pleasant nutty or caramel flavor.

It is important not to heat the pan to the maximum temperature, otherwise the flakes may burn. It's better to heat the surface moderately. You can also add a tablespoon of butter or brown the flakes with a cinnamon stick to add more flavor.

However, if you don't want to spend time frying oatmeal in the morning, don't worry. You can toast oatmeal in advance, but in this case, it is recommended to put the oatmeal on a baking sheet and bake it in the oven.

After that, store the finished oatmeal in an airtight container. Then, to enjoy a gourmet breakfast without rushing, it is enough to cook oatmeal with water or milk as usual.

We also wrote about how to save food with too much pepper.