The most Nourishing Oats you’ll ever have
A nourishing, slow-burning, flavor-forward start to your day
Chef’s Notes
Overnight oats are one of those dishes I get asked to make again and again. For retreats, caterings, events, and mornings when people want something familiar, comforting, or inexpensive to feed a large crowd. Most people grew up on the standard breakfast rotation, so oats can feel like home base.
Personally? I skip breakfast most mornings. And while I do enjoy a bowl of these Overnight Oats now and then, they’re not something I reach for in my own daily rhythm. Still, I’ve spent years refining this recipe because so many people do love oats, and if you’re going to eat them, you deserve a version that’s deeply nourishing, easy on digestion, and actually tastes incredible.
This recipe pulls from traditional methods, my own experiments, and the cooking philosophy I use with my clients: what tastes better is better for you, balance carbs with quality fats, use traditional cooking methods to make for easier digestion and elevating simple ingredients with salt appropriately.
It’s the method I’ve found to be the most delicious, the most satiating, and the gentlest on the belly.
Whether oats are a staple for you or just an occasional option, I highly recommend trying this version at least once. It’s simple, it’s adaptable, and it turns a basic ingredient into something that feels intentional, nourishing, and genuinely satisfying.
Chef Gerard
Ingredients
Steel-cut or organic old-fashioned rolled oats (choose the highest-quality you can find)
Fat source: canned coconut milk or melted coconut oil
Fresh citrus juice (lemon, lime, or orange)
Natural sweetener: maple syrup or raw honey
Filtered water
Spices: cinnamon (or any spices you enjoy)
Fine sea salt
Optional extras: nuts, fresh or dried fruit, chia or flax seeds, pinch of cayenne
How to make it
Combine the oats, citrus juice, sweetener, cinnamon, salt, and any extras in a bowl or jar.
Add your fat source, making sure coconut oil is melted so everything blends smoothly. Mix thoroughly.
Add filtered water slowly, a little at a time. You want just enough for a thin layer of liquid to sit on top. That’s your signal there’s enough to fully hydrate the oats by morning.
Cover overnight, By morning, the oats will be creamy, fragrant, ready to heat and enjoy. A gentle heat for 10 min on the stove top should do it.
Meal Prep Hack, Make a big bowl, enough for a couple of mornings. Leave covered in the fridge till you are ready to heat.
Why this recipe works
Start with the best oats you can find
Ingredient quality is everything, and oats are the perfect example. Industrially processed instant oats hit your system fast — their glycemic index can actually exceed that of ice cream. In contrast, old-fashioned rolled oats and steel-cut oats digest much more slowly, landing at almost half the glycemic impact of instant varieties. That slower burn translates to steadier energy, fewer cravings, and a more balanced metabolic response.
Citrus + an overnight soak = better digestion
Fresh citrus does more than add a bright note — its natural acidity helps start the breakdown of the oat’s outer layers. Combined with an overnight soak, it makes the oats noticeably easier on digestion and enhances flavor in a subtle, refreshing way.
Balance carbs with quality fats
Oats are inherently carb-dense, which is exactly why pairing them with generous amounts of clean, nourishing fat creates such a balanced bowl. Coconut milk and coconut oil are my favorites: rich, creamy, and metabolically steadying.
Avoid the “fake dairy” alternatives with long ingredient lists — you don’t want gums, fillers, and stabilizers outnumbering real food.
Cinnamon for flavor and metabolic support
Cinnamon has a remarkable ability to temper the glycemic rise of carbohydrate-heavy foods. There’s a reason so many traditional desserts use it — our ancestors seem to have known what supported blood sugar long before modern nutrition confirmed it. Feel free to explore other spices too; oats are incredibly forgiving.
Filtered water + mineral-rich salt
Use filtered water if possible — old pipes and chemical-treated tap water can introduce unpleasant flavors (and other surprises).
A fine sea salt dissolves easily and brings not just salinity but a broader mineral spectrum, giving your oats a more rounded, consistent flavor.