Ashta-Inspired Overnight Oatmeal with Orange Blossom and Rose Water

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My son, who will be turning three later this summer, recently started this weird picky eating phase some time in November. Where before he would eat EVERYTHING, he is now much more cautious and often downright rejective. One thing he has not lost, however, is his love for oats. Hot oatmeal, granola, overnight oatmeal, muesli….anything with oats (even with nuts and dried fruit), he will eat. For the sake of variety, I’ve been experimenting with different ways of preparing them and I’m happy to share today one of my successful creations that I’ve been meaning to post for quite some time now.

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This specific overnight oatmeal recipe was inspired by the flavor profile of Middle Eastern sweets, specifically that of Ashta; a Lebanese clotted cream used as a filling in phyllo pastries and other desserts. From the creaminess of the milk, the fragrant sweetness of orange blossom and rose water, to the nutty bite of the pistachios, this nutritious breakfast will feel like an utter treat. The best part is that it’s naturally sweetened and there is no cooking required; the oats soften overnight as they soak in the milk. You can make them in a bowl if you’re eating breakfast at home or you can pack them in little mason jars for a quick breakfast on the go. According to the Minimalist Baker, one of my favorite food bloggers, overnight oats keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, but are best eaten within the first 12-24 hours so you might not want to make them too far ahead of time. As long as you have your ingredients on hand, you can whip one up every night in well under 10 minutes. Alright, let’s make some Middle Eastern dessert for breakfast!

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Ashta Overnight Oatmeal

  • Difficulty: Easy
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Ingredients
1/2 cup of Old Fashion Rolled Oats (We prefer Bob’s Red Mill Regular or Organic)
1 cup of unsweetened milk of choice
1 teaspoon orange blossom water
1 teaspoon rose water
1 tablespoon honey (more if you like it sweeter)

Toppings
Quality Honey
Ground pistachio, unsalted
Dried rose petal

Notes:
*Serving size: 1.
*If you want your overnight oats to have a thicker, slightly gelatinous texture like pudding then add 1-2 tablespoons of chia seeds. My husband isn’t a fan so I leave them out.
*If you’re not a vegan and would like some extra richness and creaminess, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of ashta or greek yogurt.
* I purchase my pistachios whole  from Trader Joe’s and grind them myself in a small food processor.

Directions
1. In a bowl or mason jar, add milk, honey, orange blossom water, and rose water. Stir to combine.
2. Add in the oats and stir until all the oats are fully immersed in the liquid.
3. Cover securely and place in the fridge overnight.
4. The next morning, take your container out of the fridge and stir the mixture. . Drizzle with quality honey and top generously with crushed pistachios and rose petals. Enjoy

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What are your favorite ways to eat oats? We would love to hear from you in the comments below and if you try this recipe, share your thoughts  and tag us on Instagram so we can see. And as always if you enjoyed this post, please follow us and share.

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10 thoughts on “Ashta-Inspired Overnight Oatmeal with Orange Blossom and Rose Water”

    • Sammy and Sufi

      From what I found online ” Orange Flower Water (also called Orange Blossom Water) is a scented water frequently found in Moroccan homes, where you’ll find it applied as a perfume and freshener or used in culinary preparations as an ingredient. … It calls for infusing freshly picked blossoms in distilled water, using common kitchen equipment” That is the best way explaining it, I use it to scent cool little deserts that I make 🙂

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  3. mammaspeaks

    Lovely post! Had never heard of orange blossom water. But, good to know! I am not a big fan of oats, that too hot oats a big no no for me. But, I can have oats soaked in milk or yogurt once in a while. But, your recipe sounds good, will try it without the orange blossom water, or may be if I can find it on Amazon!

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    • Sammy and Sufi

      I don’t use orange blossom in much else if at all, the kids don’t mind it in these oats and I like the slight difference in the taste profile. You should give it a try without and see if you like it. Oats sounds boring but it’s so nutritious!

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  4. Liz

    I love the idea of mason jars. The only problem for me is cold milk upsets my stomach. I usually just microwave one minute oats with half milk/half water (too much milk upsets my stomach even when heated), then add diced apples, grapes and bananas and eat it furiously. (no sugar or honey). That is my most favourite combination. The apples give the crunch, the bananas have that soft feeling and well the grapes are sweet. Can I heat up this overnight combo before eating or will that mess up the flavour? I love the way you write. Very refreshing.

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    • Sammy and Sufi

      That is such a quick way of putting it together. Isn’t the microwave just amazing! I don’t know about heating up the night before, I am sure if it’s not overly hot the taste would be just as good, I will actually try it this weekend when I make it for the kiddos and let you know 🙂

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    • Sammy and Sufi

      And thank you for always reading and engaging with the content here, I love writing, too many stories to leave untold, I could always just post a recipe and a few pictures, but… no, just you post super detailed cool content 😉

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