Savoury oatmeal bars recipe

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Serve these savoury oatmeal bars at parties and picnics or pack into lunch boxes instead of sandwiches.

Savoury oatmeal bars in a baking tray
(Image credit: Getty)
  • Vegetarian
Makes16
SkillEasy
Preparation Time10 mins
Cooking Time20 mins
Total Time30 mins
Cost RangeCheap
Nutrition Per PortionRDA
Calories132 Kcal7%
Sugars0.4 g0%
Saturated Fat3.4 g17%
Protein4.9 g10%
Fat7.7 g11%
Carbohydrates9.8 g4%

Savoury oatmeal bars make a great addition to any party buffet and are also a tasty alternative to sandwiches for picnics and lunch boxes. 

If you love flapjacks but fancy a savoury alternative, these savoury oatmeal bars are perfect. These bars are only 132 calories per portion and have nearly 5g of protein. Wholemeal flour gives a lovely nutty flavour but you could also use spelt or rye flour if you like. 

Ingredients

  • 100g wholemeal flour
  • 150g porridge oats
  • 50g mixed seeds
  • 2 medium eggs, beaten
  • 2tsp Dijon mustard
  • 50g butter, melted
  • 100g Cheddar cheese, grated

WEIGHT CONVERTER

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Method

  1. Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan, Gas 6). Grease and line a 23cm square tin.
  2. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl and ensure everything is evenly coated. Press into the prepared tin and flatten into an even layer.
  3. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden on top. Cool in the tin then once cool, cut into 16 squares.

Top tips for making savoury oatmeal bars

For inspiration on what to serve with the bars or when to eat them, read our tips below. We have also included tips on how to store the bars and have provided ideas for different flavour combinations. 

What can I eat with savoury oatmeal bars?

You can enjoy these bars as part of a picnic spread. Serve with some cold sliced meats, extra cheeses and some pickles and chutneys. A caramelised onion chutney would pair well or a spicy tomato one instead. If serving as part of a main meal consider making a leafy green salad and roasting some vegetables for the side. 

What flavour are savoury oatmeal bars?

We have flavoured this recipe with cheddar and mustard but it’s easy to adapt if you prefer something different. We recommend sticking to hard cheeses otherwise the texture will be too soft. You could use a hard blue like stilton or a goat’s cheese if you like the taste. You could add some fresh or dried herbs to the oatmeal bar mix and swap the mustard for some chilli flakes if you like spice. 

Can you freeze homemade oat bars?

Yes you can freeze these savoury oatmeal bars. Simply bake, cool and cut into portions. Then wrap tightly in clingfilm. Use within three months and defrost before eating. 

For this recipe you need to combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Make sure you pick a big enough bowl otherwise ingredients will tumble out when stirring. We love this nesting set from Joseph Joseph which comes with a mixing bowl, measuring cups, a small bowl, sieve and colander. 

Joseph Joseph Nest 9 set - View at Amazon

Joseph Joseph Nest 9 set - <a href="https://amazon.co.uk/Joseph-40101-Editions-9-Piece-Preparation/dp/B07TT79CYC/ref=sr_1_4?crid=123AW6YW6FZNS&keywords=joseph+joseph+nesting+bowl&qid=1688505857&sprefix=joseph+joseph+nesting+bowl%2Caps%2C87&sr=8-4&tag=hawk-future-21&ascsubtag=hawk-custom-tracking-21" data-link-merchant="Amazon UK"" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">View at Amazon

This space-saving set from Joseph Joseph is perfect for enthusiastic cooks and bakers. Included in the set is a large mixing bowl and a five measuring cups which can be very useful when making American recipes. We really like the blue colour but there are brighter options available if you prefer. 

Try something a little sweeter such as our oatmeal bars. For breakfast, you could make our granola bar recipe or if you want an afternoon treat, these chocolate oat bars are perfect. 

Jessica Ransom
Senior Food Writer

Jessica is a freelance food writer, stylist and recipe tester. She previously worked as Senior Food Writer at Future. While at Future Jessica wrote food and drink-related news stories and features, curated product pages, reviewed equipment, and developed recipes that she then styled on food shoots. She is an enthusiastic, self-taught cook who adores eating out and sharing great food and drink with friends and family. She has completed the Level 1 Associate course at the Academy of Cheese and is continually building on her knowledge of beers, wines, and spirits.