Japanese-Style Overnight Oats with Raisins
Overnight oats hardly need an introduction — but this is the version I've settled on in my kitchen in Japan, and the detail that matters is soaking the raisins with the oats. By morning they're plump and jammy, and they've sweetened the almond milk on their own.
Five minutes before bed, zero cooking, 8 g of fiber, and breakfast is waiting when you wake up. In fig season I top it with a fresh fig; the rest of the year, berries do the job.
Ingredients
- Rolled oats1/3 cup
- Raisins1 Tbsp
- Almond milk1/3 cup + 1 Tbsp
- Oligosaccharide syrupsee substitutions1 Tbsp
Toppings
- Banana1
- Fresh figor berries1
Nutrition
per serving🛒 Ingredient notes & substitutions
Oligosaccharide syrup: A mild prebiotic sweetener found in every Japanese supermarket. Maple syrup or agave (same amount) is the easy US swap; honey works if you're not strictly vegan.
Almond milk: Soy milk or oat milk both work just as well — the original recipe says so itself.
Instructions
Put the oats and raisins in a bowl or jar, pour in the almond milk and syrup, and stir.
Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours — set it up before bed and it's ready with your morning coffee.
In the morning, slice the banana and fig.
Give the oats a stir, pile the fruit on top, and eat.
Tips
Soaking the raisins overnight is the quiet trick: they plump up soft and sweeten the milk around them, so you need less added sweetener.
Blueberries and strawberries make great toppings when figs aren't in season.