Crunchy, cheesy Italian-inspired Savoury Granola perfect for topping salads, pastas and snacking.
We asked our Patreon community what kind of videos they wanted right now. We wanted to help them cook with the pantry staples they have at home. The top request was for oats, specifically recipes that aren’t for oatmeal or breakfast. Boy was this more difficult that we thought it would be.
I tried my best to avoid the common oat-based recipes, but ultimately still ended up with a recipe for granola. However this ain’t no ordinary granola recipe. Instead we swapped the traditional sweetener and cinnamon for nutritional yeast and dried herbs. This crunchy, golden granola is the perfect savoury topping for salads, pastas, snacking and more!
Best part!? This granola is nut-free and vegan!
What is savoury granola and how do I eat it?
Savoury granola is what it sounds like. Instead of a crunchy topping for yogurt parfaits, cereals and smoothie bowls. It’s a crunchy baked topping with savoury seasonings perfect for topping salads, soups, pasta and just easy snacking.
Some of our favourite uses are topping a tomato-y pasta, creamy soups and easy vinaigrette salads.
What can I substitute?
Certain ingredients are hard to come by right now, so don’t worry if you don’t have everything. See below for the a list of substitutions that should be okay for this recipe. Keep in mind that this recipe was only tested the way its been posted so we cannot guarantee that the flavour and texture of your Cheesy Savoury Granola will be the same.
- Whole Oats – Whole oats are great for a crunch, but you’re welcome to use any kind of oats you can find. If you’re looking for a grain-free option you can substitute in a mixture of nuts and seeds of choice.
- Puffed Quinoa – If you can’t find puffed quinoa, you could also use puffed rice cereal for a similar texture and flavour. Again if looking for a grain-free option you can use a mixture of nuts and seeds.
- Sunflower Seeds – Substitute with any other nut or seed in place for the sunflower seeds.
- Italian Seasoning – If you don’t have Italian seasoning you can sub in each of the individual spices. For best results, use a combination of basil, oregano, rosemary, parsley, thyme, chili flakes, garlic powder, onion powder and salt.
- Nutritional Yeast – You can leave this out, but you wont have the cheesy quality to it.
- Smoked Paprika – Regular paprika works here or some chili flakes.
- Olive Oil – Olive oil complements the Italian flavourings well, but you could also use avocado oil, melted coconut oil or vegetable oil.
- Balsamic Vinegar – To replace use a combination of red wine vinegar and sugar.
- Maple Syrup – Any liquid sweetener here would work.
Savoury Granola
Ingredients
- 90 g (1 cup) whole oats
- 10 g (1/2 cup) puffed quinoa
- 70 g (1/2 cup) sunflower seeds
- 2 tbsp italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 30 mL (2 tbsp) olive oil
- 15 mL (1 tbsp) balsamic vinegar
- 5 mL (1 tsp) maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F
- Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix until combined.
- Place mixture on a lined baking sheet and bake in oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden.
- Allow to cool before storing.