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Swiss

Bircher muesli

Vegetarian

Birchermüesli

Rolled oats soaked overnight with milk and yogurt, then mixed with freshly grated apple, lemon, hazelnuts and a little honey — the original Swiss soaked muesli.

Bircher muesli is a Swiss porridge from Switzerland, ready in about 8 hours 10 minutes and made with rolled oats and apple. It serves 3 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep
10 min
Cook
0 min
Rest
8 h
Total
8 h 10 min
Serves
3
Level
Beginner
Calories
372

Soak overnight, or at least 1 hour.

Ingredients

3 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Mix the oats (opens in a new tab), milk (opens in a new tab) and yogurt (opens in a new tab) in a bowl or jar, cover and refrigerate overnight.

    • 3 min

  2. Step 2

    In the morning, grate the apple (opens in a new tab) and immediately toss it with the lemon juice (opens in a new tab) so it doesn't brown.

    Grating on a box grater
    How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Stir the apple (opens in a new tab) and honey (opens in a new tab) into the soaked oats (opens in a new tab), loosening with a splash more milk (opens in a new tab) if needed. Top with hazelnuts (opens in a new tab) and berries.

    • 2 min

About this dish

Origin
Zürich, Switzerland · Well documentedAlso popular in Germany, Austria, United Kingdom, AustraliaMore food from Switzerland
Dish
Breakfast · Brunch · Porridge & cereals
Cooking method
No-cook
Taste
fruity, creamy, fresh, nutty
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo)
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · Egg-free · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-sodium · DASH-style
With the listed swaps: Vegan, Plant-based, Ovo-vegetarian, Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Make-ahead · Meal-prep friendly · Portable / lunchbox · Everyday
Cook more with
Rolled oats · Apple · Milk · Yogurt · Lemon juice · Honey

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom milk, yogurt
  • Contains: Tree nutsfrom hazelnuts
  • Contains: Glutenfrom rolled oats

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

372 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 301 g · recipe makes 3

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 11%
  • Carbohydrate 59%
  • Fat 30%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy372 kcal124 kcal
Protein11 g3.7 g
Carbohydrate57.1 g19 g
Net carbohydrate49.1 g16.3 g
Sugars25 g8.3 g
Added sugars5.7 g1.9 g
Fibre7.9 g2.6 g
Fat12.8 g4.2 g
Saturated fat3.3 g1.1 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol13 mg4 mg
Sodium56 mg19 mg
Salt equivalent0.1 g0 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
518 mg
Calcium
178 mg
Iron
2.4 mg
Magnesium
91 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
49 µg
Vitamin C
8 mg
Vitamin D
0.9 µg
Vitamin B12
0.5 µg
Folate (DFE)
36 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: blueberries.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Grate the apple just before serving for the freshest flavour.

Common mistakes

  • Using quick-cook oats — they turn to mush overnight; use rolled oats.
  • Grating the apple the night before; it browns and goes watery.

Serve with

  • Top with seasonal fruit such as berries, sliced banana or plums.

Storage

  • Keeps covered in the fridge for up to 2 days (add the apple on the day).

History

Created around 1900 by the Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner for patients at his Zürich clinic.

Confidence: Well documented

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 3

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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