This easy overnight oats recipe is a fiber-rich, healthy breakfast that you can make ahead for busy mornings! The best part, there’s no cooking required!
Overnight Oats
Weekdays are hectic, so having a healthy breakfast that I can grab and eat on the go is a must. Overnight oats practically cook themselves overnight in the fridge! A hearty, healthy breakfast packed with whole grains, fiber, vitamins, and nutrients. They are perfect for meal prep, you can make a few batches ahead to eat throughout the week. You can also try these Cinnamon-Raisin Overnight Oats or these Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats for variations!
Overnight Oats are easiest to make because they are no-cook breakfast. So instead of baking, cooking or microwaving the old fashioned oats, they get soft overnight in the fridge.
How To Make Overnight Oats
- To make them simply combine oats with milk of choice, chia seeds and fruit and place them in a jar or a bowl with a lid and refrigerate overnight.
- I use Monk fruit or Stevia to sweeten them but you can sweeten them with whatever you prefer. A little brown sugar or maple syrup would also work, or leave the sweetener out completely.
- The next morning, add more fresh fruit and crunchy toppings and enjoy.
Overnight Oats Ingredients
- Oatmeal: Plain old-fashioned rolled oats or quick oats are best for making them. Do not use steel cut oats.
- Liquid: For the liquid you can use water, 2% or low-fat milk or your favorite plant-based, dairy-free milk like oat milk, coconut milk, soy milk, cashew milk, almond milk, etc.
- Chia seeds: These tiny seeds are highly nutritious, and expand while they soak which helps give the oats a pudding-like texture.
- Protein: If you want to add protein, add Greek yogurt, almond butter or a scoop of protein powder.
- Sweetener: I use monk fruit sweetener or stevia, but you can also use honey or maple syrup to sweeten.
- Toppings: Add fresh fruit and crunchy nuts or seeds, granola or spices like cinnamon or nutmeg. There are so many topping ideas and combinations, the possibilities are endless.
Variations:
- Add some vanilla extract with the milk or non-dairy milk.
- Stir in some nut butter like almond butter, peanut butter, etc.
- For more fiber stir in some ground flax with the oats.
- Top them with sunflower seeds, walnuts, pecans, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.
- To make them gluten-free make sure the old fashion oats are certified gluten-free oats.
- Add some dried fruits like raisins or dried cranberries.
- Make chocolate oats by adding cocoa powder and top them with chocolate chips or chocolate shavings.
- Add whatever fruit is in season – peaches, strawberries, blueberries, mango, etc
Do you eat overnight oats hot or cold?
The answer is both! I usually let them sit out on my counter an hour while I go to the gym or get ready for my day to get the chill out. Some people like to heat them up in the microwave a few minutes, it’s totally up to you.
How To Store and Meal Prep Overnight Oats
To make this for meal prep, you can double or quadruple the recipe. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
More Oatmeal Recipes
- Overnight Oats with Figs and Honey
- Pumpkin Overnight Oats
- Baked Oatmeal
- Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
- Instant Pot Oatmeal
Basic Overnight Oats Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup quick oats, I prefer organic, you can use gluten-free
- 1/2 cup almond milk, or milk of choice
- 1/2 medium banana, sliced (use the other half as a topping)
- 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1/2 cup blueberries, divided
- monk fruit sweetener or stevia, to taste, or your favorite sweetener
- pinch cinnamon
for the topping:
- 1 tbsp chopped pecans, or any nuts or seeds
Instructions
- Place all the ingredient in a jar, shake, cover and refrigerate overnight.
- The next morning, add your favorite crunchy toppings such as nuts, granola, etc and enjoy!
