Porridge vs. Overnight Oats: Differences and a Delicious Recipe with Psyllium

One of the hottest food trends right now, as well as a quick and delicious solution for a healthy, balanced, and fresh breakfast, is porridge and/or overnight oats.

Many use the terms interchangeably, but they are actually two different preparations, even though they can be made with the same ingredients.

Overnight Oat vs. Porridge: Preparation Differences

The base is the same: natural rolled oats and milk or a plant-based beverage. Very simple, for a humble recipe like porridge, which originated in England and dates back to the 17th century, meant to satisfy with minimal available ingredients.

But what is the difference between overnight oats and porridge? To put it briefly: cooking.

You can serve porridge hot (perhaps with a piece of chocolate melting slowly on top... yum!) or cold, it doesn't matter: the preparation always involves cooking the oats in the liquid you've chosen, whether it's water, cow's milk, soy milk, or something else. In this case, the ratio is about 1:3, meaning 50g of oats for 150ml of liquid.

In contrast, overnight oats, as the name suggests, replace cooking with soaking: the oats are left to soak in the liquid overnight, preferably in the refrigerator, and thus absorb the liquid without cooking. For this version, the ideal ingredient ratio is 1:2, meaning 100ml of liquid for 50g of oats.

Our Psyllium Overnight Oats Recipe

To prepare our psyllium overnight oats, you only need a few basic ingredients and then plenty of creativity and personal taste for the toppings.

We chose the no-cook version because we are approaching summer... but keep following us because in the coming weeks we will release a new recipe book dedicated to summer recipes with superfoods!

Ingredients for One Bowl:

• 40g rolled oats

• 10g NaturaleBio psyllium husks

• 100ml rice milk or another plant-based beverage

• Toppings of your choice (NaturaleBio cacao nibs, almonds, pumpkin seeds, apple slices...)

Procedure:

1. This recipe is very quick; just remember to prepare it before going to bed.

2. In a bowl or a glass jar, mix the oats with the psyllium, then gradually add the liquid, stirring well to combine everything.

3. Cover the container and place it in the fridge until morning. Let it sit at room temperature for about twenty minutes before consuming it, properly decorated with your preferred toppings!

Benefits of This Breakfast Recipe

Besides being delicious and satisfying, this overnight oats recipe also provides a balanced intake of macronutrients and good amounts of micronutrients.

Oats are an excellent cereal, rich in proteins, and psyllium adds a good dose of gentle fiber with a mild prebiotic effect, great for the intestines.

Finally, the toppings you choose can make everything even fresher, tastier, and healthier: select seasonal fruits for a vitamin boost, nuts for minerals and healthy fats, and seed oils or our crunchy cacao nibs for a phenomenal texture play!

A Trick for Psyllium Porridge Without Oats

What if you don't like oats? (The author of this article doesn't, to be honest). But psyllium is also a great substitute on its own: here's a trick to recreate the consistency of overnight oats, but without rolled oats!

Simply choose your favorite yogurt, whether dairy or plant-based, and replace the liquid with it. This way, you'll start with a less liquid base. Then, just add a tablespoon of organic psyllium husks, stir, and wait a couple of minutes... that's it! Thanks to the "magical" thickening ability of this water-soluble fiber.

You'll get a creamy consistency worthy of the best English porridge, ready to be decorated with many fresh and crunchy toppings, healthy and colorful!