How to make Muesli! A healthy, low-calorie, sugar-free, oil-free, alternative to granola, that can be made ahead with ingredients you probably already have, and best of all, no cooking required! Vegan and Gluten-free, in just 10 minutes.
What is Muesli?
Muesli is a classic European breakfast cereal typically made with raw rolled oats, nuts, dried fruits, and seeds. Created by a physician in Switzerland named Maximilian Bircher-Benner, it is often referred to as “Bircher Muesli”.
Like granola, muesli differs in three ways; muesli is not toasted, nor is there any oil or sweetener added.
It’s granola’s healthier cousin! Sugar-free with no added fat, meaning a lot fewer calories, but still just as filling! But the real benefit here is that raw oats are like little scrubbers for our arteries, lowering our cholesterol levels!
MuElsi Ingredients
- Rolled Oats– I always opt for organic, gluten-free oats when possible.
- Nuts and seeds – Choose 3 varites; pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, pecans, walnuts, almonds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, or any others!
- Dried fruit– I love dried goji berries, raisins, craisins, dried currants, dried cherries, dried apples, dried pears, or even dried mango.
- Coconut flakes – optional but super tasty.
How to make Muesli
This Muesli recipe can be made in 10 minutes flat and is a great way to sift and sort through your pantry and use up what you already have. No cooking is required; simply assemble in a bowl, mix and store!
This Muesli recipe makes enough for 8 cups which will get you through 2 weeks of breakfast. A nice make-ahead breakfast to have on hand when time is short and life is busy.
Store muesli in a 2-quart jar, for up two 2 months.
Ways to Serve Muesli
Changing the fresh fruit you serve overtop gives it enough variety to make it interesting. Pour vanilla nut milk over the top and add berries for a light, filling breakfast. In summer, use fresh berries; in winter, warm milk or warm apples are nice. Or even apple sauce. If feeling especially hungry sometimes I spoon a couple of spoonfuls of almond butter over the top.
- Add milk– warm or cold, dairy milk or nut-based milks, or soy milk. I love vanilla almond milk or soy milk.
- Add Yogurt- again, dairy or plant-based yogurt.
- Add honey or maple syup- optional but tasty.
- Add Applesauce- cold or warm
- Add fresh berries or fruit
- Add almond butter
- Sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon
I love this healthy breakfast- it feels so wholesome and filling. Give it a try and see what you think! Please let us know in the comments below!
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Muesli Recipe
- Prep Time: 10
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 16
- Category: Breakfast, vegan,
- Method: mixed
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
How to make Muesli- a highly nutritious and filling, low fat, sugar-free, make-ahead, alternative to granola! Make this with ingredients you already have! Feel free to use GF Rolled oats or grains! Serve with nut milk- like vanilla flavored, unsweetened almond or hemp milk, and fresh berries and fruit.
Ingredients
- 4 cups organic rolled oats or other grain, toasted if you like
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds, or a mix
- 1 cup toasted nuts – slivered almonds, pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds (optional)
- 2 tablespoons hemp seeds ( optional)
- 2 tablespoons whole flax seeds ( optional)
- 1 cup unsweetened flaked coconut ( optional)
- 1 cup dried fruit- cranberries, raisins, cherries, goji berries, raspberries, blueberries
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
- Store in a large 8-cup air-tight jar.
- Serve with plant-based milk ( warm or cold) or yogurt, fresh berries or fruit and a drizzle of honey or maple.
Notes
Keep this GF, by using gluten-free rolled oats or grains. To cut back further on calories, add less nuts and coconut. If you need to add a little honey to your morning muesli at first ( to make it more palatable) just do it- you can gradually wean yourself off of it. Vanilla-flavored nut milks that are unsweetened work best for me.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ cup-includes all optional seeds, nuts, coconut and raisins.
- Calories: 236
- Sugar: 7.1 g
- Sodium: 4.3 mg
- Fat: 12.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 26.3 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 8.1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Delicious! And so easy to make. It pays to toast the oats, nuts, and even the sunflower and pumpkin seeds 👍👍👍
Can you guide on toasting the muesli for a little crunchiness without a lot of sugar or oil
Muesli is meant to be raw, not cooked. I haven’t tried toasting it, but the oats may be nice toasted in the oven a bit? You could try our granola recipes for some good crunchy oats!
Question: Do you have an air tight jar you like that actually keeps things fresh? I’ve tried so many with no luck! Thank you!
The swing top glass jars are nice with the gasket (you can get replacements for the gaskets when they wear out). Ball makes them or le parfait and lock-eat etc.
I visited a friend in Switzerland this summer and her husband made the best muesli. He would mix a cup of the dry oats, fruit, and nuts mixture into a cup of yogurt and top with whatever fruit was in season. While I was there it was plums. Letting the muesli sit for a few minutes softened the oats and let the juice from the plums permeate the mix–no need for an added sweetener. Thanks for this recipe!
Sounds yummy Olivia!
I basically followed the recipe and then went thru the pantry and threw in any bits and pieces of dried fruit, nuts and seeds I had just a bit of. I’d fix it like overnight oats, and add a bit of yogurt & honey in the morning. Now I will never not have this in my kitchen. Easiest breakfast ever.
Love it Mary!
Hi Sylvia,
I haven’t actually made this yet but have a couple of questions first. 1) Can you make this as an “overnight” muesli by soaking the mixture overnight in plant milk? 2) How many 1/2 cup servings do you get approximately?
Thanks much!
Cary
Hey Cary, You may want to check out our recipe for Overnight Oats- that is essentially what soaking the muesli would turn into. You can search for it on the blog by using the search bar.
Thanks Tonia; I’ll check that out! 🙂
Great!
Delicious! And so healthy! I will be making many variations of this! Thank you!
Glad you liked this Janice!