The Major Seasoning Mistake You're Making With Overnight Oats

For one of the most convenient and nutritious breakfasts, you'll definitely want to try overnight oats. In its simplest form, this dish is made of just two basic ingredients: oats and a liquid (usually milk or a non-dairy alternative). To make it more interesting, other ingredients are included like fruits, nuts, and sweeteners that customize the dish to suit one's taste. However, one common mistake many people make when preparing overnight oats is failing to add salt.

Sure, since this breakfast dish is generally sweet, the idea of adding salt may seem strange. In fact, the sweet ingredients are some of the biggest highlights of overnight oats, from sugar, honey, or maple syrup to fruits or chocolate. Even so, just a pinch of salt can boost the dish's flavor from good to great. It's about balancing out the notes and preventing an overwhelming or one-dimensional sweetness.

The interesting thing about salt is that it doesn't just impart a salty taste to food; it also enhances the flavors of the other ingredients. That way, the nuanced tastes of each ingredient are brought out which helps to round out the entire dish. Note that we're adding only a small amount of salt so it doesn't overpower the other flavors, just a pinch per serving will do.

Before even getting to the seasoning, making perfect overnight oats requires that you get the basics right. That means the correct type of oats and the ideal ratio of oats to milk. For the uninitiated, out of the three most common types of oats (steel-cut, instant, and old-fashioned rolled oats), the best choice for preparing overnight oats is rolled oats. They produce a nice thick consistency while maintaining their form unlike steel-cut oats which are too hard and may never soften, and instant oats that are likely to become too soft and mushy. As for how much liquid (read: milk) to use, aim for an oats-to-milk ratio of 1:2 — this will produce the perfect porridge-like consistency that overnight oats are known for.

Another ingredient you must take care to use correctly is the fruit. If you have fresh fruits you'd like to add as toppings, it's best to add this right before serving. Adding them the night before is likely to make them turn unpleasantly mushy as a result of absorbing the liquid. On the flip side, if you're using dried fruits, add these to the oats mixture when preparing it so they can soften through the night as they absorb the liquid. Follow these tips for making overnight oats and you'll be enjoying a delicious serving for breakfast.