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Rolled oats

Grains, rice & flours · Whole grains

Rolled oats

Oat groats steamed and pressed into flakes; cook into porridge in minutes and add chew to baking.

Also called: oats, porridge oats, oatmeal, old-fashioned oats, yulaf

16 recipes with it

Photo: en:user:Hankwang, via Wikimedia Commons (public-domain)

What it is

Rolled (old-fashioned) oats are dehulled oat groats that are steamed and flattened. Quick oats are rolled thinner and cook faster but give a softer, pastier porridge; steel-cut oats are chopped groats that take much longer and stay chewy. Oats are rich in beta-glucan, a soluble fibre that makes porridge creamy. Pure oats contain avenin rather than wheat gluten, but most are contaminated with wheat unless labelled gluten-free.

Avena sativa

How it’s used

  • Porridge and overnight oats
  • Flapjacks, granola and oat cookies
  • Crumble toppings
  • Binding meatballs and veggie burgers
  • Ground into oat flour

Characteristics

Taste
Mild, sweet and grainy.
Texture
Chewy flakes; creamy when simmered.
When cooked
Releases gummy soluble fibre when cooked in liquid; toasting first gives a nuttier flavour.
Sold as
flakes, whole, ground
Cooking uses
Commonly cooked, Suitable for baking, Used for binding, Suitable for boiling

Storage

Pantry-stable. Airtight in a cool, dry place; oats contain some fat, so use within a few months and discard if they smell stale.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Gluten.

  • Vegetarian
  • Vegan
  • Dairy-free
  • Egg-free
  • Gluten-free
  • Nut-free
  • Soy-free
  • Caffeine-free
  • Usually contains wheat and barley cross-contact; only oats labelled gluten-free are suitable for most coeliacs, and some coeliacs also react to oat protein.

Nutrition per 100 g

Energy
379 kcal
Protein
13.15 g
Carbohydrate
67.7 g
Fat
6.52 g
Fibre
10.1 g
Sugars
0.99 g

USDA FoodData Central: Cereals, oats, regular and quick, not fortified, dry.

Substitutes

Optional — what works if you don’t have it, and how it changes the dish.

  • Quinoa — Quinoa flakes work in porridge for a gluten-free option; different texture.

Related ingredients

Recipes with rolled oats

See all 16

4 more

More whole grains