Bowl of soaked oatmeal porridge topped with banana slices and walnuts, with honey drizzled from a spoon

Favorite Overnight Breakfast Porridge (Soaked Oatmeal)

Name: Favorite Overnight Breakfast Porridge (Soaked Oatmeal)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 8 h 10 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup whole oat groats, unrolled and uncut; 2 cups water, divided; 2 tablespoons plain yogurt, or lemon juice or apple cider vinegar; 1/4 teaspoon salt

By Elizabeth Ciobanu · May 22, 2024

Satisfying and healthy, this creamy breakfast porridge is as versatile or as simple as you like.

Prep: 5 min
Cook: 5 min
Total: 8 hr 10 min
Makes: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 cup whole oat groats, unrolled and uncut
2 cups water, divided
2 tablespoons plain yogurt, or lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Use a flour mill or high-powered blender to coarsely grind the oat groats.
Place in a glass or stainless steel bowl that is easy to cover.
Add 1 cup of water and 2 tablespoons of yogurt.
Stir until well combined.
Cover tightly and soak at room temperature for 8-24 hours.
When you're ready to cook the porridge, put the remaining 1 cup of water in a saucepan with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and bring it to a boil.
When the water is boiling, add the soaked oat mixture to the hot water and stir constantly, reducing the heat if necessary to keep it from scorching on the bottom.
Cook for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is thickened up and looks like oatmeal.
Serve immediately with your choice of toppings.

Notes

There are a number of alternatives to coarsely milled oat groats. You can use the oat groats whole, rolled oats (old fashioned), or another type of grain seed such as wheat berries, spelt, or rye.
I use the coarse grind setting on my grain mill to crack the oat groats. A few pulses would be enough to achieve a coarse grind if you're using a high-powered blender or food mill.