Do you ever wish for an overflowing oatmeal bowl?
As opposed to the measly amount you get from one serving of oats? If you answered “yes” to the above, then the Voluminous Oatmeal Trick is for you!
*Ends sales pitch*
What is the Voluminous Oatmeal Trick?
The idea is to add more than the recommended liquid to the oats, prior to cooking. Then you can either microwave or cook on the stovetop, but stop before all the water is absorbed. Come back the next day (or a few hours later), and all the liquid has been absorbed, leaving you with pillow-soft oats that are double the size of regular oats!
Step One: Measure out one serving of dry oats (40g). I also add 1/4 tsp salt.
Step Two: Add a little over 1 1/2 cups liquid (I add 400g).
Step Three: Microwave or cook on the stove, but stop before all the water is absorbed. (I microwave for 4 1/2 minutes, then leave in the closed microwave for 5 more minutes. You might have to watch if for the last minute, and stop and start the microwave, so it doesn’t spill over. It depends on your microwave’s wattage.)
Step Four: Put in the fridge, uncovered. When you return the next day (or a few hours later), the watery mess above will have magically turned into 2 cups-worth of pillowy, voluminous oats! Now, I am strange and like my oatmeal cold (like pudding!). But if you want it hot, you can still re-heat the next day. Re-heat it just until it gets hot, and the volume will stay. Troubleshooting Note: Microwave wattages vary, and therefore if your oats haven’t thickened up by the next day it probably means you need to cook them longer next time.
Try this trick on any of the following:
Hi Katie!
I was just wondering, would a recipe like this work if you blended the oats after they had soaked? I mean, would they still be voluminous if you used them in something like the peanut butter breakfast pudding? Thanks!
Hi Hanna, I just mentioned that we both asked the same question but didn’t receive an answer so far. Did you already tried? And does it work?
Hi, I just found your blog and tried the cookie dough baked oatmeal ( delish!) and I was wondering is you could do this trick ahead of time with the oats, then put the 2 cups that “magically” appeared into a bigger ramican and bake it with the same amount of sweetener and time as the cookie dough baked oatmeal? or do you believe it would not work?
Hi Hanna, I just mentioned that we both asked the same question but didn’t receive an answer so far. Did you already tried? And does it work?
Would this work with steel cut oats?
The ultimate comfort food! Love, love, love this and I eat it cold too! Thank you Katie!
This is a game changer.. I love overnight oats for the simple fact that I can prepare them the night before. Something I don’t like? I lose the volume and softness of regular cooked oats. THIS is the recipe I’ve been missing – I used 1 1/4 cup water with 1/2 cup oats and microwaved for 4 1/2 minutes.. rest overnight and all the liquid was soaked up. Thank you, thank you, thank you! A 2009 recipe still changing lives in 2016 🙂
Did you make this with steel cut oats, or regular?
can you use steel cut oats for this recipe?
Hi will this work with grits and oat bran? Thanks!
hi there! does this work with quick oats? Thank you!
Probably! be sure to report back if you try!
Can’t wait to try! Does this work with quick oats as well?