How To Make Easy Muesli

Muesli checks all the boxes of a perfect weekday breakfast. You can make it in advance; it’s packed with whole grains, fiber, protein, and antioxidants; and it’s extremely versatile, both in how you make it and how you eat it. I like to make a big batch over the weekend to last throughout the week, which significantly speeds up my weekday morning routine. It’s toasty, nutty, chewy, and truly satisfying — finally, a breakfast that can hold me until lunch.

Muesli originated in Switzerland by a physician named Maximilian Bircher-Benner. His version, often referred to as “Bircher muesli,” consisted of raw oats, grated apples, and chopped nuts mixed with lemon juice, water, and sweetened condensed milk.

Today, muesli more often refers to a mix of rolled oats, nuts, seeds, and dried fruit. Think of it as a healthier, low-sugar alternative to granola. Because muesli isn’t baked, there’s no sugar or oil needed to bind the ingredients together — although I do like to toast the grains, nuts, and seeds before they’re mixed together to bring out their flavors. It’s also nice to toss the grain with a warm spice (such as cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, cloves, or ginger) before toasting.

Although you can now buy bags or boxes of muesli at the grocery store, I prefer to make it at home, which allows me to customize the ingredients and keep the sugar content to a minimum. After playing around with a few different ratios, I came up with the ideal formula for perfect muesli every time, which works with any ingredients you choose to mix and match. Remember that some dried fruit contains added sugar, so be sure to check the label. Any of the suggested ingredients below can be swapped into the recipe at the bottom of the page.

Muesli formula: 4 cups grains + 1 1/2 cups nuts/seeds + 1/2 cup dried fruit

Grains: Rolled oats, wheat bran, whole rye, whole barley, sorghum flakes, quinoa flakes, millet puffs, millet flakes.

Nuts/seeds: Sliced almonds, walnuts, cashews, pecans, pistachios, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, pepitas, chia seeds, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, unsweetened coconut flakes.

Dried fruit: Dried apricots, dried cherries, dried figs, raisins, golden raisins, currants, apple chips.

My personal favorite way to eat muesli is overnight oats-style. Portion out 2/3 cup of muesli into a small lidded jar, cover with 2/3 cup milk or milk alternative, top with frozen blueberries, screw on the lid, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, you’re left with a chilled, soaked, softened muesli that’s especially refreshing in the summer. If you’re a fan of chia pudding, throw some chia seeds on top too, which will plump in the milk overnight.

Muesli can also be enjoyed like cereal (if I eat it this way, I top it with sliced bananas or fresh berries), stirred into yogurt, or warmed up with milk or water and eaten like oatmeal. To keep my breakfast routine from feeling static, I like to switch it up throughout the week. The versatility also makes this a breakfast dish all my roommates can agree on, because we’ve all found our favorite way to prepare it. If you do prefer your breakfast on the sweeter side, any of these preparations can be finished with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup, although I find a topping of fresh fruit provides just the right amount of sweetness.

Once you’ve tried the basics, try folding muesli into baked goods, packing it into energy bars, or sprinkling it over smoothie bowls, salads, or nut butter toast.