Fresh Pear Overnight Oats Recipe

Upon hearing the words overnight oats, the uninitiated are likely to picture leftover hot oatmeal that is eaten soggy and cold the next morning. But — if you're still with us after that unsavory description — that is definitely not the case! The oats are not cooked but mixed with a combination of tasty ingredients and left to soak overnight in a liquid, such as milk or water. Come breakfast time, they've reached the right consistency, they're full of flavor, and they're ready to enjoy. Overnight oats are a delicious breakfast dish or snack, and they can be customized in many ways by using different kinds of milk, fruit, nuts, seeds, or other add-ins to make them your own.

Recipe developer Michelle Bottalico has created a recipe for pear overnight oats that is tasty, healthy, and easy. Ripe pears are mixed with oats, chia seeds, almond milk, and spices, while mashed banana and raisins add natural sweetness. The whole recipe comes together in only 8 minutes. Whip up a batch once or twice a week. It will last for 5 days in the refrigerator but will be at its best for 3 days before turning softer. Fill individual serving-sized cups, parfait glasses, bowls, jars, or containers, and try stackable containers to save space in the fridge. They'll be ready to grab and enjoy on busy mornings or when you don't feel like cooking. Breakfast meal prep has never been easier.

As the name of the recipe shows, you'll first need oats and pears to make this dish. Make sure to use old-fashioned rolled oats, since quick or instant oats will get too mushy, and steel-cut oats won't soften enough. Any kind of pear will work, so choose what's available or what you prefer. For best results, use ripe pears. You'll also need a banana and raisins for sweetness, chia seeds, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt. Lastly, unsweetened almond milk provides the liquid, although you can sub in other kinds of milk, if desired.

Dice 1 of the pears and thinly slice the other. Set aside, keeping the two pears separate. (You may choose to slice the second pear right before serving to prevent it from browning overnight.)

Mash the banana with a fork in a large bowl.

Add the oats, chia seeds, cinnamon, ginger, salt, and milk to the bowl and whisk or mix with a fork until evenly incorporated.

Stir in the raisins and the diced pear.

Evenly spoon the mixture into 3 serving-sized containers and top with the sliced pear.

Seal or tightly cover the containers and refrigerate overnight before serving. Consume within 3–5 days.

Overnight oats are very customizable. You can make the dish exactly like the recipe details or choose the ingredients you like best. The only ingredient we don't recommend changing is the old-fashioned rolled oats, as mentioned earlier. Instead of unsweetened almond milk, you can use the sweetened kind, another kind of plant-based milk, or dairy milk. Soy milk will add more protein, and liquid coconut milk will make it creamier. You can even use yogurt (plant-based or dairy) if you prefer a thicker texture.

The banana and raisins in the recipe add natural sweetness, but if you want to leave one or both of them out, you can choose to sweeten the dish with maple syrup, honey, or stevia. Chia seeds give the dish a big omega-3 boost, and they also absorb a lot of the milk. If you use other kinds of seeds, reduce the liquid a little or it will be too moist. The exception is ground flax seeds, which also soak up liquid. There are many other optional toppings or add-ins you can use. Some people like their overnight oats with nut butter or chopped or ground nuts. Protein powder can add a protein boost, and berries, apples, or apricots are some of the fruits that can complement or substitute the pear, if desired.

Although there are over 3,000 varieties of pears, the selection in most grocery stores will be more limited. Some of the more common varieties found in the US are Bartlett (also known as Williams), Bosc, Anjou, Concorde, Forelle, and Asian pears. The good news is that any kind of pear will work in this recipe, so choose what you like or what is available. Like apples, some pears are sweeter, tarter, or juicier than others.

We recommend using ripe pears for overnight oats. It may seem tricky to tell when a pear is ripe because it can feel firm while having soft, sweet flesh at the same time. A good rule of thumb is to gently press the top of the pear near the stem. If the flesh is soft there and yields under light pressure, it is ripe. The rest of the pear will still be firm, but it shouldn't feel rock hard. An exception is Asian pears, which are a crunchier pear that are firm when they're ripe.

Pears actually ripen after being picked, and they do so in a few days after being removed from cold storage. If you want them ripe sooner, place them in a closed paper bag with an apple or a ripe banana. The ethylene gas those two fruits give off will make the pears ripen faster.