What can I make with oat milk?
Oat Milk is the backbone of a cheap, filling meal, and it does far more than sit under a stew. These recipes use oat milk, and the notes after them cover ratios, toasting, and resting.
12 recipes with oat milk
Matcha Latte
Frothy hot latte with ceremonial-grade matcha.
Japanese5m1
Acai Bowl
Frozen acai blended thick and topped with granola and fresh fruit.
Brazilian5m1Smoothie Bowl
Thick fruit smoothie topped with granola, seeds, and fresh berries.
American5m1Chia Pudding
Silky pudding of chia soaked in milk overnight.
American5m2Overnight Oats
No-cook oats soaked overnight in milk and toppings.
American5m1
Mango Lassi
Creamy yogurt-mango smoothie with cardamom.
Indian5m2
Golden Milk
Warm turmeric-spiced milk for wind-down.
Indian8m2
Horchata
Cold rice-cinnamon drink sweetened with condensed milk.
Mexican10m4
Chai Tea Latte
Spiced black tea simmered with milk.
Indian15m4
Monte Cristo Sandwich
Ham, turkey, and Swiss battered and griddled French-toast style.
American20m4
Croque Monsieur
French ham and cheese sandwich with bechamel and broiled gruyere.
French20m2Stovetop Mac & Cheese
Ultra-creamy macaroni with sharp cheddar and gruyère.
American25m6
Cooking oat milk so it comes out fluffy
- 1Rinse until the water runs clear when the grain is starchy; skip rinsing when you want it creamy.
- 2Toast in a little fat with aromatics for 60 seconds before adding liquid. It adds a nutty depth for zero extra work.
- 3Use the right ratio and cover tightly on the lowest heat. Peeking releases the steam that is doing the cooking.
- 4Rest off the heat for 10 minutes, then fluff with a fork rather than a spoon.
What goes well with oat milk
Oat Milk is at its best with butter, stock, onion, herbs, lemon zest and toasted nuts. Any two or three of those, plus oat milk, is already a dinner rather than an ingredient list.
Storing oat milk
Dry oat milk keeps for months in a sealed container away from light and heat. Once cooked, cool it quickly, refrigerate within two hours, and use within 3-4 days; cooked grains and legumes freeze extremely well in single-portion bags.
Substituting oat milk
If you are out of oat milk, look for something that behaves the same way in the pan rather than something that tastes the same. Match the moisture level, the cooking time, and the richness, and adjust the liquid slightly if your substitute releases more water. When in doubt, describe what you actually have in the chat and Mr. Chef will rewrite the recipe around it.
Oat Milk recipes: common questions
- What can I make with oat milk and not much else?
- Plenty. With oat milk plus an onion, garlic, oil, and salt you already have the base of a skillet dinner, a soup, or a simple sauce. Add a starch - rice, pasta, bread, or potatoes - and it becomes a full meal. The recipes above are ordered so the ones needing the fewest extra items come first.
- What is the quickest oat milk recipe?
- Look for the entries above marked 20 minutes or less. As a rule, anything cut small and cooked in a hot pan beats anything roasted whole, and one-pan recipes save more time in cleanup than in cooking.
- Can I substitute oat milk?
- In most recipes yes, as long as the replacement plays a similar role - similar moisture, similar cooking time, similar richness. Swapping across roles (a watery vegetable for a starchy one, for instance) usually needs a change in liquid or cooking time too.
- How do I use up leftover oat milk?
- Fried rice, a frittata, a grain bowl, a soup, or a quesadilla will absorb almost any leftover oat milk without a recipe. If you want something specific, tell Mr. Chef exactly what is in the fridge and it will build a recipe around it.