Savory Oatmeal with Crispy Apple Sausage and Drippy Egg

Quick truth bomb: we've been eating oatmeal wrong our whole lives.

Don't run away. I have to be honest, I had my doubts about savory oatmeal. Don't we only eat oatmeal as a vessel for melty brown sugar, lots of cinnamon and crunchy granola? That was the case until I had a bite of this Savory Oatmeal with Crispy Apple Sausage and Drippy Egg and everything I thought I knew about breakfast went out the window.

This is the actual breakfast of champions. Warm oatmeal, seasoned just slightly with a bit of salt and cracked black pepper, is the base. It's hearty and healthy and comforting. Then comes the star of the show: crumbled apple chicken sausage is cooked over high heat until it becomes brown and slightly caramelized. The texture and slight sweetness is out of this world. A drippy, sunny side up egg, over-seasoned with cracked pepper and red pepper flakes binds the whole dish together and keeps us full for hours. For crunch and freshness, chopped scallions are just the ticket. Oh, and how could I forget the cheddar cheese! Salty, melty, a perfect compliment to the apple and egg.

I don't really know what to say. I just love this oatmeal so much! It is absolutely going to be a regular breakfast for me this fall. And the varieties are endless! Oatmeal is such a versatile base that really anything goes - bacon and caramelized onions with goat cheese? Broccoli and cheddar? Ham and swiss? Ah!

I'd love to know - have you had savory oatmeal before? What are your favorite toppings? If you haven't, are you willing to try it? I don't want to be a nag, but I insist that you should. Oh, also, this meal comes together SUPER quick, sooo...why limit it to just breakfast? This has quick weeknight dinner written all over it!

Here's what you need for Savory Oatmeal with Crispy Apple Sausage and Drippy Egg* (Print Recipe!)

2 cups water
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 links apple chicken sausage, casings removed (I used Al Fresco)
non-stick cooking spray
2 eggs
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
1 scallion, white and light green parts sliced thin
salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste

Here's what you do

In a small saucepan, bring the water and salt to a boil. Stir in the oats and reduce heat to medium. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until thick. I added a pinch of black pepper to the oatmeal as well. Set aside and keep warm until ready to serve.

In a non-stick skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and crumble finely. Cook, tossing frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes until the sausage is dark brown. Set aside.

Wipe clean the same skillet that the sausage cooked in and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Crack in one of the eggs and warm over low heat. Be careful not to break the yolk. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes for desired spiciness. Do not flip, but cover the skillet for a minute or two to set the egg whites without hardening the yolk. Repeat with the second egg.

To serve, ladle a generous portion of oatmeal into two bowls. Sprinkle sausage on top then carefully slide the eggs onto the oatmeal. Top with shredded cheddar and scallions. Serve at once.

*Gas Stove Girl Original Recipe