Miso-Tahini Overnight Oats with Ginger-Poached Pears and Toasted Walnut Crunch

Everything that made the original work — the slightly savory miso-tahini base, the jammy sesame-ginger pears — is still here, scaled up for two, with one addition: a handful of toasted walnuts hit with flaky salt and a whisper of sesame oil, added at serving time so they stay genuinely crunchy against the cold, creamy oats. The base is made with 1 cup of 2% milk — reduced from the original to tighten the liquid-to-oat ratio — yielding a thick, spoonable consistency after overnight soaking rather than a soupy one, with the yogurt contributing its own creaminess. It's the textural contrast the bowl was quietly asking for.

Ingredients

• white miso paste – 2 teaspoons
• tahini – 2 tablespoons
• pure maple syrup – 2 tablespoons
• pure vanilla extract – ½ teaspoon
• 2% milk – 1 cup
• plain whole-milk Greek yogurt – ½ cup
• old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick oats) – 1 cup

• ripe but firm Bosc or Anjou pears, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch cubes – 2 medium pears
• toasted sesame oil – 2 teaspoons
• fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated – 1 teaspoon
• pure maple syrup – 2 teaspoons
• fine sea salt – 1 small pinch

• raw walnut halves or pieces – 6 tablespoons
• toasted sesame oil – ½ teaspoon
• flaky sea salt (such as Maldon) – 1 small pinch

Instructions

1. Make the oat base: Use a 32 oz (1-quart / ~950ml) wide-mouth mason jar if making both portions in one vessel, or two 16 oz (1-pint / ~475ml) wide-mouth mason jars for individual grab-and-go servings — the oats will expand as they soak and need at least 1 to 2 inches of headspace above the liquid line. In your jar or a bowl with a lid, whisk together the miso paste, tahini, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth — the miso tends to clump if you add the milk before breaking it down first. Whisk in 1 cup (240g) of 2% milk until fully combined, then stir in the Greek yogurt. Fold in the oats, making sure they're fully submerged in the liquid. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
2. Poach the pears: In a small skillet over low heat, combine the sesame oil, ginger, maple syrup, and salt. Add the pear cubes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the pears are tender and lightly golden at the edges and the liquid has reduced to a syrupy glaze that coats them. Transfer to a small container, let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until serving.
3. Toast the walnuts: In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the walnuts, tossing frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes until they smell nutty and are lightly browned. Remove from the heat, immediately toss with the sesame oil and flaky salt, and spread on a plate to cool completely. Store at room temperature in a small dish or bag until serving — do not refrigerate them or they'll soften.
4. Serve: Stir the overnight oats — they'll have thickened overnight and may look dense; a quick stir loosens them to a creamy, spoonable consistency. Divide between two bowls or serve straight from individual jars. Top each portion with the cold ginger-poached pears and their glaze, then scatter the toasted walnuts over the top immediately before eating.