How I Make the Best Oatmeal Ever (It's Also the Easiest)

When I was pregnant with my second child, I was nauseous almost around the clock. Some mornings I felt like I couldn't face anything, but I always tried to get something into my system because I'd learned it was the best way to help with the nausea.

It was during this time that I discovered April Bloomfield's English porridge. The original recipe is from her book, A Girl and Her Pig, but it can also be found online. The recipe is made with two kinds of oats, a liquid base made up of half milk and half water, and a bit of salt; it quickly became one of the few things I could reliably handle.

Because I could barely stand up in the mornings, I eventually riffed on the method with a technique I learned from Laura Wright's book, The First Mess. Years later, this mashup porridge is still my absolute favorite because it makes the best bowl of oatmeal I've ever tasted, and the method couldn't be easier.

Now, I never stand and stir oatmeal for 20 minutes, and neither should you.

How To Make the Absolute Best Oatmeal, and Do It Hands-Free

Wright's brilliant technique utilizes the heat of the stove and some extra time to do most of the work, something she says she learned while working at a local cafe. The night before, add 1 1/2 cups of non-dairy milk (this will be important later) and 1 1/2 cups of water (or skip the milk and use three cups of water total) to a pot, along with a generous pinch of salt, and bring it to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, add one-half cup each of old-fashioned rolled oats and steel-cut oats to the pot, stir, and let it come back to a boil.

Then immediately remove it from the heat, cover the pot, and let it sit overnight.  

The next morning, you'll wake up to a hearty, creamy, fully cooked bowl that only needs a gentle rewarming on the stove before serving. It's a trick born from necessity (my extreme nausea), but it's a total game-changer for anyone who's busy (or hates making breakfast).

What I love most is the texture. The rolled oats break down overnight, creating a luxurious, creamy base, while the steel-cut oats retain their shape, providing satisfying little bits of chewiness. It's the best of both worlds—comforting and substantial all at once. My favorite way to finish my bowl is with a small pat of butter, a sprinkling of brown sugar, or a drizzle of maple syrup, and sometimes a splash of cold milk around the edges.

Why It Works

When you bring the oats and liquid to a boil, the starches in the oats start to absorb the liquid and gelatinize. By covering the pot and trapping the residual heat, the oats continue cooking slowly and gently all night long without any risk of burning or sticking—the usual culprits that require constant stirring. 

I have made this with dairy milk many times, but it's safer to use non-dairy milk or all water. The oats will still be delightfully creamy with just water, and you can add milk in the morning, if you want.

The two types of oats work differently, too. Rolled oats have been steamed and flattened, so they have more surface area and break down easily, releasing their starches to create creaminess. Steel-cut oats are just whole oat groats chopped into pieces, so they take longer to soften and retain more of the structure. Together, they create a bi-textural bowl that's both silky and satisfying.

Tips for Leveling Up Your New Overnight Oats

• Don't skip the salt: Bloomfield uses a generous 1 1/2 teaspoons of flaky salt in her recipe, and that's one of the things that makes the porridge taste complex and interesting. Once you've added some sweetener and additional milk, everything will be beautifully balanced. You don't have to use as much salt, but don't skip it altogether.
• No peeking: Once you cover that pot, leave it alone until morning. The sealed environment is what allows the steel-cut oats to soften perfectly without any effort from you.
• Make a double batch: The oatmeal keeps in the fridge for three to four days. Just reheat individual portions with a splash of liquid, and you've got breakfast sorted for the week.