Egg white oatmeal is my favorite way to turn a bowl of oats into something more substantial. And after much tinkering, this is the version I make on repeat in my own kitchen. The reason this recipe is my favorite comes down to the texture. First, the problem: egg whites have a tendency to go thick and gummy (no one wants that!). But here, they melt right into the oats and set up custardy and impossibly creamy. The solution: Adding enough liquid right from the start. We must begin with a creamy pot of oats. That way, once the egg whites go in, everything will set up silky and just-set (rather than stiff and gluey).
Jump to the recipe to hit the ground running. Or read on to learn where egg white oatmeal is from + how to customize yours to make a perfect bowl.
Hong Kong: The Home of Egg White Oatmeal
I live in Hong Kong, where you’ll find cha chaan tengs all over the city. Cha chaan tengs serve down-to-earth Hong Kong style breakfast items like milk tea, egg sandwiches, pineapple buns with butter, and my favorite: super creamy oatmeal.
Sometimes you’ll even find an option to have oatmeal with egg whites added (蛋花麥皮*). This video of an egg oat porridge recipe is similar to the egg white oatmeal you’d find in a cha chaan teng.
You’ll notice in that Youtube video that she swirls the eggs in slowly to create large wisps of egg. This is a very Hong Kong style of incorporating eggs into oatmeal. But that’s just 1 of 3 options (more on that next).
*Shout out to my friend Harry Ho for helping with this recipe’s Chinese name and cultural context!
3 methods for 3 different textures
There are 3 different ways of incorporating the egg whites, and each way results in a slightly different texture. It’s all a matter of preference. There is no right or wrong, just what’s right for you:
1) Smooth and custardy: drizzle slowly while whisking quickly
If you prefer a custardy texture, the easiest way is to drizzle slowly while whisking quickly. However, if you accidentally slow your whisking hand or speed up your drizzling, you will end up with some curds of egg. But if you execute this carefully, it will turn out very smooth indeed.
This technique is the easiest way to get a smooth texture. Thus, it’s the default option in the recipe below.
2) Even smoother: temper your egg whites
But maybe you absolutely can’t stand the thought of egg white curds in your oatmeal. If you want to reduce your risk of egg curds to zero, then you need temper your egg whites instead. I personally like my oatmeal either way: smooth or with wispy bits of curd. So I don’t usually bother with tempering. It turns out smooth like 99% of the time with the slow-drizzle technique, so why bother?
But if you’re someone who would throw away the whole pot if you found a little curd, then tempering is for you.
How to: With one hand, start to whisk your egg whites in their bowl. With the other hand, add a spoonful of hot oatmeal. Repeat with another spoonful, then again with another, until you’ve whisked about 1 cup of oatmeal into your egg whites. Then pour the egg white/oatmeal mixture back into the pot with the rest of the oatmeal, once again whisking constantly as you add it. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, until bubbles break the surface, then remove from heat.
3) Large curds of white: slowly stir in
For Hong-Kong-style egg white oatmeal with lovely wisps of egg white curds, you’ll need to slowly pour the eggs while very slowly mixing the oatmeal. Alternatively, you can pour it into a spiral and then stir it slowly. The idea is to allow curds to form before mixing the egg in.
More oatmeal!
I’ve got plenty more oatmeal recipes. Check them out in my oatmeal archives.
PrintCreamy Egg White Oatmeal
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
- ¾ cup [75g] old fashioned oats (gluten free ones, if necessary)
- 1 ½ cups [360g] milk*
- 1 ½ cups [350g] water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 egg whites [100 g or scant ½ cup] (to be added later)
- Toppings**
Instructions
- Bring the oats, milk, water, and salt to a simmer in a small saucepan*** over medium heat, stirring every minute or so.
- Once it comes to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the liquid thickens and the oatmeal softens. It will start out watery, and at a certain point it will noticeably thicken (e.g., the bubbles will get bigger), while still remaining very pourable and creamy. Leave it uncovered the whole time, and be careful not to let it bubble over.
- Once the oatmeal thickens, very slowly stream the eggs in while whisking constantly. Continue whisking until it starts to bubble again, and then immediately remove from heat.****
- Pour into bowls and add your favorite toppings at the table (here, pictured with macerated strawberries).
Notes
* You can use a milk alternative. I like soy milk here.
** Go either sweet or savory. You can just do a simple sprinkling of brown sugar or a drizzle of maple syrup. I love macerated strawberries or strawberry compote. Cinnamon apples are also lovely. Add any chopped nuts or spices you’d like. And if you go savory, you could always add a poached egg on top with sautéed scallions and/or garlic. I also really love buttery corn on top of oatmeal. The sky’s the limit!
*** If you’re using a wide pan instead of a small saucepan, you may need to add a bit more water as it cooks (more water will evaporate from a wide pan).
**** Streakiness is a matter of personal preference. If you want some streaks and strands of eggs, pour it in a spiral like you’re making egg-drop soup, then very gently stir it slowly. To prevent streakiness, you can just follow this recipe as written. If you want an absolutely 0 chance of streakiness, read the note on tempering above this recipe.
Video note: You can find the video in the introduction to this blog post. If you don’t see it after scrolling up, please disable ad block and reload the page.
