Are you a savoury-snack fiend, too? I often find myself rustling around in the cupboards for something to nibble on, but can never quite put my finger on what it is exactly I think I’m going to find.
Yes, I love olives, hummus, nuts and all the other usual suspects, but I’ve had a nagging feeling for absolutely ages that I could come up with something different. Something that’s healthy, yet hits all the savoury notes, and can be eaten in lots of different ways.
And then I hit on the idea of Savoury Granola!
If you’re a regular Whole Ingredient reader, you’ll know by now that I do love to turn sweet recipes on their heads to make them savoury (I’m looking at you, Blueberry Lemon Spelt Loaf and Bramble Polenta Cake). So that’s exactly what I’ve done with this granola. I’ve taken the idea behind my breakfast recipe – that is, not too much oil or sugar – and injected it with a handful of tasty non-sweet flavours.
Flavours of fresh lemon, cayenne, rosemary and salt. Not to mention the sesame tahini! This is one tasty combination.
This savoury granola is:
- DELICIOUS;
- sugar-free;
- packed with whole-food ingredients;
- easy to make; and
- super versatile!
It is most definitely versatile. Some of the ways we’ve enjoyed this crunchy delight are:
- in place of salty snacks, like peanuts;
- packed in a tub and taken on walks;
- as a soup topping (croutons!);
- on salads;
- and even turned into salted chocolate florentines…
Yes you heard me. I bet you weren’t expecting that.
**Bonus recipe alert**
This savoury granola is absolutely delicious paired with extra-dark chocolate, like Seed & Bean’s: it makes a super-special, unique and easy-to-make dessert.
All you need for around 20 florentines is 40g of dark, vegan chocolate and 2 tsp of solid coconut oil. Melt them together in a bowl over simmering water, drop teaspoons of the mixture onto a silicone mat or parchment paper, sprinkle on the granola and leave to set.
Based on the success of this recipe, I’ve already instigated an entire new section of my recipe journal for savoury versions of previously-sweet snack ideas; but I’ll be keeping those in the book until they’re perfect…
- 100g rolled oats (gluten-free if necessary)
- 50g buckwheat
- 30g quinoa (uncooked, but rinsed)
- 2 tbsp dried rosemary
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- Rind of 1 organic/unwaxed lemon
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp coconut oil, melted
- Heat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / Gas Mark 4.
- Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well.
- Line a large roasting tray with parchment paper and spread out the granola mixture evenly.
- Cook for 25-30 minutes, mixing half-way through.
- Leave to cool, then store in an airtight container. This will keep for up to a week.
Yum! This looks delicious 🙂 I’m sure it would be awesome topping for pureed soups 🙂
Thank you Maikki! Yes, it is absolutely delicious on soups – our favourite at the moment is squash and charred red pepper 🙂