Soaking oats can literally transform the flavor of porridge. For a healthy yet delicious breakfast, soak oats in the refrigerator the night before so they're ready for the next morning. After soaking, it will need very little preparation - just add a little milk and your favorite ingredients.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Choosing a Variety of Oats Suitable for Soaking
Step 1. For a healthy option, choose whole oats
Refined oats tend to lose fatty acids and other nutrients during storage. This is why if you are interested in the health benefits of oats, it is best to opt for the whole version. Thanks to its vigorous taste, it is also excellent for the overnight oatmeal recipe.
Whole oats must be ground at home, so it is essential to have a grinder that is also suitable for cereals
Step 2. Choose oat flakes if you want them to keep for a long time
The taste and nutrients of oat flakes remain intact over time. Before packaging, in fact, the oats are steamed and "flaked". Note that oat flakes easily absorb flavors when soaking.
Rolled oats are easier to find than whole oats
Step 3. Choose the authentic taste of non-steamed, non-steel cut oats
Generally this variety of oats is fragmented before being packaged, retains its characteristic taste reminiscent of walnuts and has a creamier consistency than the wholemeal or flaked version, since it remains more compact after absorbing the water.
Step 4. Don't buy instant oats
Leaving it to soak will tend to become mushy. Additionally, it has low nutritional value due to inexpensive processing and added preservatives. In other words, quick cooking oats are practical and very inexpensive, but not the ideal choice.
Part 2 of 3: Prepare and Soak the Oats
Step 1. Combine the oats, water, and lemon juice
The ratio of oats to water should be 1: 1. For example, pour 250 g of oats into a bowl and add 250 ml of water. Add lemon juice to taste, in most cases one tablespoon (15ml) will suffice.
It is preferable to use fresh lemon juice, just squeezed, but if necessary you can use the packaged one
Step 2. Add apple juice or apple cider vinegar for a sweeter taste (optional)
Add it to the water, one teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the desired degree of sweetness. Keep in mind that the liquid should not submerge the oats completely.
- If you want to use vinegar, add a small amount. If you overdo it, the porridge will have a sour taste.
- Oats absorb liquids, so it's best not to overdo the amount of juice or vinegar.
Step 3. Add chia seeds to improve the texture of the oats
Most of the ingredients that enrich the porridge should only be added after leaving the oats to soak. Chia seeds, on the other hand, absorb liquids well and still remain firm. Add one tablespoon (15g) at a time to improve the consistency of the poridge.
Step 4. Stir the oats until moist
It must only be moist, not soaked or submerged in water. If you accidentally used too much water, gradually add more oats until you reach the correct consistency. Conversely, if the oats are too dry, gradually add more water.
Step 5. Cover the oats and let them soak in the refrigerator for 12 hours
Cover the bowl with cling film and place it in the refrigerator. The oats must soak at least 12 hours. The longer it stays soaked, the more it will absorb the flavors.
Once ready, you can store the porridge in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. It is not recommended to freeze it
Part 3 of 3: Making the Porridge
Step 1. Place the soaked oats in a saucepan
After soaking, it is ready to be cooked. Transfer it to a saucepan and add 80ml of milk to give it a creamy texture. Turn on the stove over low heat, then adjust the heat so the oats can simmer gently.
If the milk starts to boil, reduce the heat
Step 2. Stir the porridge when it has thickened
Let it cook for at least 4-6 minutes. It will gradually thicken. Taste it periodically to check if it has reached the consistency you want.
Step 3. Enrich the porridge to taste
Turn off the stove and pour the porridge into the breakfast bowls. You can garnish it as you wish, for example with fresh fruit, jam, yogurt, cinnamon, maple syrup, spices, peanut butter or dried fruit. Bring the additional ingredients to the table so that you and your family can customize the porridge to taste.
Step 4. Sweeten the porridge with sugar
Having left it to soak, oats will need a little extra sugar to be sweet. If possible, use brown sugar (preferably whole) which has a more intense taste than refined.
If you want, you can also add a pinch of salt
Advice
- If you don't want to use oats right away, you can dry them in the dryer and store them.
- If you are celiac or gluten intolerant, check carefully that you have chosen a gluten-free product.
- Oats left to soak are more digestible, so they are also suitable for those suffering from digestive problems. During soaking, the starches break down, so the body absorbs them more easily and the risk of suffering from stomach ache decreases.
- You can use plant-based milk, such as almond, coconut or soy milk, for a vegan alternative.
