As you may or may not know, I’m dairy-free (by choice). After trying almost all the plant-based milks out there, I came to love oat milk. In an average week, I drink two litres – it’s great in cereal, tea, and smoothies alike.
However, I’m acutely aware of the amount of waste this makes, and the sheer expense of it all! It’s why I’ve been debating trying to make my own for the last few months, and this week I finally found myself making it at home. Here’s how I got on – and my foolproof recipe, after much trial and error!
How To Make Oat Milk
If you look at any oat milk recipe, or even on the back of a carton of oat milk, you’ll find out it’s made from two principle ingredients: oats and water. Some call for a pinch of salt, others like a little vanilla, but really, that part is up to your tastebuds.
In order to make oat milk, you need to soak oats in water, and then “milk” the oats to get all their goodness in liquid form. From your oat milk, you’ll get calcium, iron, protein, and vitamin A, and you can also cook up the leftover oats into a tasty granola.
Why Use Organic Oats for Oat Milk?
Before you get started in making your oat milk, it’s worth mentioning why I choose to use White’s Organic Jumbo Oats for my oat milk.
First off, as with anything you’re reducing down, organic is better. It won’t have been grown with pesticides and chemicals, and those won’t leech through to your milk.
I also like White’s Oats because they make a creamy oat milk (and a creamy porridge, too!) They’re suitable for vegetarians and vegans alike, and their packaging is totally recyclable too.
Experiment 1: Can You Make Oat Milk With A Sieve?
So, now it’s down to method. After some fervent research, we found there’s a split between people making oats with a sieve, others using a cotton bag, and finally, those who have invested in a nut milk bag. As a couple with a small, rented kitchen, we wanted to try making these with what we had to hand – so Experiment 1 was with a sieve.
The oat milk we made using our standard metal sieve was bitty, to say the least. It was definitely a low-effort recipe, but our sieve was definitely not fine enough to make a good milk.
Experiment 2: Can You Make Oat Milk With A Cotton Bag?
Next up was Experiment 2: the cotton bag. I’ve got quite a few cotton food bags already, as they come in handy when zero waste shopping. Instead of putting soaked oats into a sieve, we popped these into a small cotton bag, and squeezed the hell out of them!
The result was a creamy, smooth oat milk – as pictured. We’d done it! However, we’d made a whole lot less oat milk than expected. This method took a lot of elbow grease, for very little return. There must be a better way…
Experiment 3: Can You Make Oat Milk With A Nut Milk Bag?
So, it was time for Experiment 3: the nut milk bag. Like us, you probably don’t have a nut milk bag hanging around your kitchen (unless you’ve tried making your own plant-based milk in the past). We ordered ours online, and when it came, I realised that it was like a hybrid of a fine sieve and cotton bag – it was exactly what we needed.
For an easy, efficient, and satisfying oat milk experience, I’d totally recommend a nut milk bag. The holes are fine enough to let the oat milk through without too much hassle, and you can make it almost instantly after soaking your oats.
(My friend Lisa pointed out that you could make oat milk in a cotton bag and leave it overnight to drip through, which eliminates the need for a nut milk bag – so it’s up to you!)
My Organic Oat Milk Recipe
Ingredients:
100g White’s Organic Jumbo Oats
Water to soak the oats in
750ml water for blending
- Cover your oats in water
- Soak the oats for 30 mins
- Drain your oats and discard the excess of water
- Blend oats with 750ml water (we did this for 30 seconds in our Nutribullet, but you can do it up to 3 mins in a standard blender)
- Strain the mixture through a nut milk bag
- (Alternatively, leave to drip overnight in a cotton bag hung over a jar or bowl)
- Enjoy!
