If you’re like me, you far prefer stove top oats over the microwaved version. For me, there is a huge difference in the texture of the oatmeal when cooked 1 way or the other.
- Microwaved oatmeal seems to be more porridge-like texture – it’s like one big bowl of delicious gooey-oatmeal, almost as though the oats had been blended together.
- Stovetop oatmeal seems to have a more chewy texture. It’s like the oats stay more separate, like you notice the individual pieces of oats as you chew.
While stovetop oats are delicious, they are also more time-consuming and something I typically reserve for lazy weekend mornings.
Usually during the weekdays when I’m in working-girl mode, I am so busy rushing around just trying to get to work that I’m just happy to eat something quick AND nutritious, like microwaved oats, before jetting out the door.
I wondered why the oatmeal had such different texture when cooked either on the stove or in the microwave. The only thing I could think was that when you cook oats in the microwave, you mix the oatmeal and water together BEFORE cooking.
When you cook oats on the stove, you boil the water and add the oats AFTER the water is already boiling.
So, I decided to do an experiment…
I measured out the water for my AM microwaved oats and added it to my bowl. Then, I zapped the bowl for 2 minutes. After the 2 minutes, the water was nice and hot. AFTER heating the water, I added the oats to the bowl, stirred and cooked for 2 minutes, and guess what?
My experiment WORKED! The oats actually stayed separate, and chewy, and were perfect! Definitely trying that method out again soon!
Which do you prefer for oatmeal: microwaved, stovetop, or something else?
What a great method! I am stealing this for sure! Thanks Diana 🙂
I prefer stovetop, I guess I am old fashioned, but I have eaten the microwave kind many, many times and in a pinch, it's quite good too. I never tried this other method so I have to give it a shot since we eat a lot of oatmeal, especially in the winter & fall.
Wow! Great idea!! I always hate microwave oats because of the texture. I'll have to try this!
This is how I have always made my oatmeal. When I met my wife and learned that she nuked the oats and all, leading to a chewy mess I was shocked this was even a thing.
I just had oatmeal I made in the microwave, they were much more watery (milky) and I enjoyed them more than usual.