Snack Recipe: Savory Cheese-Herb Granola

A few months ago, Megan's post on savory granola got my wheels turning. A truly savory, unsweetened granola seemed like a unique, gluten-free alternative to croutons on top of soup. And indeed it is — but it is also a light, addictive snack I can't stop eating by the handful.

The inspiration for this recipe came from a recipe for savory pumpkin seed and rye granola on CHOW. I didn't feel like shopping around for rye flakes and the mustard seeds didn't appeal to me, so I went off in my own direction, using rolled oats, Gruyère, fresh thyme and a little onion powder. Egg white, olive oil and Worcestershire sauce take the place of the usual sugar or honey, coating the oats and pepitas so the seasonings can adhere.

I love the smell of sweet granola while it is baking, but the cheesy, toasty-herb smell of savory granola might be even better. Because there are no sugars to caramelize, the finished granola is lighter in color than its sweet counterpart, but no less crisp. I thought it might be strange to eat a salty version of what is usually a sweet cereal, but I was wrong. It is not strange at all to eat handful after handful of toasty oats and pepitas that taste like the best herb-seasoned cheese cracker. This stuff is good .

So yes, I've been using the granola to garnish soups, where its initial crispness gives way eventually to a nice chewiness, but it can be used for so much more than that: as a casual appetizer, on top of baked dishes in place of bread crumbs, sprinkled over yogurt or eggs for a savory breakfast, and of course, eaten plain by the handful.