Overnight Oats are perfect for busy mornings, all you need is a 5 minutes prep before going to bed and you can have a delicious, filling, and healthy breakfast the next morning.
For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned.
Benjamin Franklin
Of all the things that could make my life (a lot) easier, time management and organization are definitely on the top of my list. Because the truth is, I’m not good at neither.
And it’s not like I don’t try. Seriously, every morning I start my day with a plan, a list of things I want to get done and the best intention to accomplish all of them. Problem is, somewhere along the way, my plan magically disappears. It drives me crazy. And everyone around me too, for that matter.
So, I’ve decided, it’s time to do something about it. And in case "someone" (and by someone I mean my sister) doesn’t believe me, here’s the proof: it’s Monday; I have to leave the house by 7:45am; and breakfast is already waiting for me in the fridge. Yep, I actually thought about it and made it ahead of time. How’s that for being organized, uh?
Well, at least it's a start. Baby steps.
What are overnight oats?
Overnight night oats are healthy no-cook make ahead breakfast. The basic overnight oat recipe is made by soaking rolled oats overnight with your favorite plant-based milk or regular milk and letting them sit in the refrigerator overnight. The next morning you will have a ready to eat grab and go breakfast.
Using this method the oats soak up all the liquid and they soften without heat for a creamy satisfying consistency. We also recommend adding seeds, nuts, fruit and a sweetener. While overnight oats are typically eaten cold, they can also be heated for a quick and healthy breakfast in the colder months.
How to make overnight oats
1. Start with a basic overnight oats recipe and adjust it to your liking
1 cup old fashioned oats +1 cup plant-based Milk + 2 tablespoons chia seeds + 1-2 tablespoons sweetener
your basic overnight oats recipe
To the basic overnight oats recipe, you can add fruit, nut butter, nuts, replace sweetener for mashed banana etc.
2. Mix all the ingredients ( see options and add-ons below) really well in a large bowl and divide into 4 glass jars or containers with lids. Refrigerate overnight.
3. As you get used to making overnight you can adjust the ingredients depending on your taste. You can add more oats for thicker oats, more milk for looser oats, more or less sweetener and chia seeds. That’s up to you.
4. In the morning you could add fresh fruit and nuts or have them already mixed into the oats.
Ingredients in overnight oats
Oats: use old fashioned oats for best results, not quick oats ( they will be too mushy) or steel cut oats ( they will not soften)
Milk: You may use your favorite plant-based milk such as soy, almond, oat, flax, quinoa, cashew etc or just plain regular milk.
Chia Seeds: they add fiber, protein, they are filling and give the overnight oats a thicker consistency.
Sweetener: we recommend a liquid sweetener such as honey, agave or maple syrup to make it easier to mix in. For a sugar-free option may try stevia, a mashed banana or some dried fruit.
Fruit: you have the option to use fresh or frozen fruit. We recommend adding the frozen fruit to the oats overnight, and adding the fresh fruit right before eating the oats.
Nuts: sprinkle any nuts of your choice right before eating.
Other toppings: you can be as creative as you like with your toppings . Let us know what your favorite toppings are.
Other Overnight Oats Recipes
- Red White and Blue Overnight Oats
- Easy Overnight Oats with Figs and Coconut
- Pumpkin Spice Latte Overnight Oats
- Cashew and Banana Overnight Oats
- Pumpkin Overnight Oats
Overnight oats are good for you because they are:
- High in fiber
- Satisfying. Keep you full longer and help control hunger
- Delicious
- A healthy breakfast
- Easy and quick to make
- Last in the fridge for 3-4 days
- They can be customized to your liking
"I don't have time for breakfast" Make Ahead Oatmeal
- Prep Time: 7 mins
- Cook Time: overnight
- Total Time: 36 minute
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
If you have 5 minutes before going to bed, you can have a delicious, healthy and filling overnight oat breakfast the next morning.
Ingredients
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or any plant-based milk of your choice
- 2 organic apples
- 2 tbsp honey (vegans sub for maple syrup or agave)
- 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 cup plain or vanilla greek yogurt (vegans sub for vegan yogurt)
- 1 cup pomegranate seeds
- 4 tbsp toasted slivered almonds
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine oats, chia seeds and almond milk. Mix well and set aside
- Peel and grate the apples. Add lemon juice and honey and mix well
- Add greek yogurt and apples to the oat mixture. Mix well, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Alternatevely you can divide the mixture into 4 glass containers with a lid or even better divide into indidual containers in the morning when the oats are set.
- Before serving, top with ¼ cup pomegranate seeds and 1 tbsp almonds per cup of overnight oats.
Notes
- For a breakfast on the go prepare the oatmeal in individual glass jars.
Not pomegranate season? Add strawberries, blueberries, peaches or any seasonal fruit. - To reduce the amount of sugar use unsweetened almond milk and plain yogurt.
- Category: breakfast
- Method: raw
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 309
- Sugar: 25.9
- Sodium: 65
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: .9
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.9
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 49.6
- Fiber: 9.3
- Protein: 11.2
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: gluten-free, kosher, overnight oats, easy breakfast, grab and go breakfast
Apples and Arteries says
I've switched to oats for breakfast and let them cook while I'm putting on my make-up. I finish getting ready and by the time I'm ready for breakfast, the oats are cooked and cool enough to eat!
mayihavethatrecipe says
Thank you for the tip. I will try it when the weather gets colder. Wish me luck ! 🙂
Jenny @ BAKE says
what a brilliant idea! and I love the bowl in the last photo!
mayihavethatrecipe says
Thanks! Great time saver, quick and easy. Perfect for me 🙂
Glad you like it!
Elizabeth Eshelman says
Jenny, I've got the same bowl - it's from Anthropologie and they still have them!
Our Kitchen Inventions says
That looks lovely! I have a baked oatmeal recipe on our blog, and it is perfect for winter and pre-made breakfast - plus it is great for dessert, too! What's not to love about that, right?!? LOL!
It keeps well in the fridge, and is super easy to reheat.
Susan
mayihavethatrecipe says
Hmm... Sounds good to me!!! Thanks 🙂
Ann says
Baked oatmeal sounds great. Can you publish the recipe?
thewindykitchen says
I debated this make ahead breakfast, but it never happened so I just found an instant oatmeal at Trader Joe's that I like (heart healthy blueberry!). But one day maybe I'll get myself organized enough to do this 🙂
mayihavethatrecipe says
Hahaha believe me, if I can do it, anyone can!!
the wicked noodle (@thewickednoodle) says
Your oatmeal looks soooo good! And I just watched the Jennifer Aniston secret security tape video - so funny!
mayihavethatrecipe says
Thanks!! We just watched it too, she's soo funny! Love her!
kitchenriffs says
Good recipe! I've found that cooking old fashioned oats in the microwave actually works. I put them in a big (4-cup) Pyrex measuring cup (they bubble up as they cook, and can overflow a bowl) and nuke for about 2 1/2 minutes (time varies depending on your microwave). Easy, fast, tasty! But I haven't been putting in all the great flavor that you add to your oatmeal - I need to do that!
mayihavethatrecipe says
Thanks for the tip! I'm gonna have to try that in the winter!
Heather says
Any suggestions for substituting the Pomegranate?? They aren't easily accessible or on the affordable side where I am at. Thx!! 🙂
mayihavethatrecipe says
Absolutely! Any kind of berry would work great here. As we get into the fall and berries are not easy to find, dried fruits works really well too. We love dried cranberries or cherries, they add a really nice tart flavor. Hope this helps! 🙂
Michelle Wentling says
I am gonna use Quinoa Flakes vs oats and try this soon, thanks 🙂
mayihavethatrecipe says
Ooohhh... That sounds good! Great idea! 🙂
Minerva Grinage says
Why would I want to use silk if I am going to add yogurt from cows milk?. No thank you!.
mayihavethatrecipe says
That's a good point. If you scroll down after the ingredient list, we have a note on how to make this recipe vegan. You can use your favorite vegan yogurt and agave nectar instead of honey. Hope this helps.
Camila says
Thank you so much for posting this! It is my new go to breakfast. With two jobs and school it is hard for me to get healthy breakfasts in when I am running about getting ready. This is great!
★★★★★
Vicky & Ruth says
You are welcome. We love it!
Diane says
This was completely delicious. What a great time saver and I think the flavors go very well together. Thanks for such a great way to simplify the morning rush with this nutritious twist on oatmeal!
★★★★★
Vicky & Ruth says
Thank you, we love this make ahead oatmeal breakfast!
María says
Hola Vicky y Ruth, tengo una pregunta sobre la preparación. La avena cuando se combina con la chía y la leche ya está preparada, es decir, como se comería normalmente? O en la preparación de la avena cruda, se sustituye el agua por la leche?
Vicky & Ruth says
Hola Maria, no estoy muy segura si entiendo bien la pregunta. En la receta de avena hecha la noche anterior, lo combinamos todo en crudo. Si quieres preparar avena al momento tienes que cocinarla a fuego lento (con leche, agua, zumo) hasta que se ablande y absorba todo el liquido, puedes a nadir mas liquido si lo necesitas. Después si quieres puedes añadir las chía, que habrás remojado en agua o leche para que se hinchen el yoghurt, las manzanas, las granadas y las almendras. Si no he contestado exactamente a tu pregunta, enviamos otro mensaje o comentario.
María says
Hola, sì lo siento, ya una vez escrita mi pregunta pensé que no la había formulado muy bien. Lo que pasa es que sólo sé preparar la avena con agua hirviendo y luego cuando quede como un tipo polenta, le agrego leche y los demás ingredientes. Pero tiene sentido que vaya todo crudo y se pueda cocer todo junto. Muchas gracias y felicidades por el blog, muy lindo. Gracias por responder.
Vicky & Ruth says
Si tienes algún otra pregunta, estamos a tu disposición. Feliz Año nuevo!
Tati says
Maria, no Es necesario que lo cocines...todos Los ingredientes crudos se "cocinan" overnight con la leche y el yogurt, como un muesli! Es delicioso, mi esposo le agrega frutas secas tipo pasas y mangos. Inclusive le puedes poner zumo fresco de naranja!
Ashley @ Big Flavors from a Tiny Kitchen says
This looks wonderful! I've been making overnight chia oats for a while, but always use the same recipe. This looks like a great way to switch things up! Yum 🙂
Vicky & Ruth says
So glad we can inspire you to change things around. Happy New Year!
Selina says
How long will this last in the fridge? I'm cooking for myself and I could reduce the recipe size, but I'm just wondering if this can be kept for several days?
Vicky & Ruth says
It will last 3- 4 days in the fridge. Just give it a good stir before eating, because the water from the yogurt may separate a little. Enjoy!
Celeste says
I absolutely LOVE this recipe! I was hesitant at first because yogurt isn't really my "thing" but it is delicious. I used vanilla soy milk instead of vanilla almond milk, because I already had some and it was mmm mmm good! Thanks for this recipe.
★★★★★
Vicky & Ruth says
Thank you!! So glad you decided to give it a try! Enjoy 🙂
Carmen says
Do the oats need to be cooked first? It doesn't say but from reading the comments it sounds as if they do need to be cooked.
Vicky & Ruth says
No you so not need to cook the oats. You put them in raw they "cook" overnight.
Carmen says
thank you! I can't wait to try it!
Vicky & Ruth says
Great! Let us know what you think.
Gracie too says
I had actually seen the recipe first made in individual mason jars. I made mine with mango and blueberries, chobani Greek yogurt and almond milk, chia seeds and granola. So yummy.
Vicky & Ruth says
We have also seen make ahead oatmeal in individual mason jars. They are so cute. We decide it to make it "family style".
Damion says
I made this a few weeks ago and my wife really enjoyed it! I used Dred cranberries instead of pomegranate as Don't enjoy that flavor much.
I made the oatmeal tonight again and added a tbsp. of coconut! I'll see if the wife notices the something extra! This is a great dish that we thoroughly enjoy! Thanks for sharing it! 🙂
★★★★★
Vicky & Ruth says
Glad you guys enjoyd it! We love when our readers put their own spin in our recipes 🙂
Judy says
I have just found your site and recipes and I love them. I'm am preparing this for tomorrow's breakfast. Does it last for a few days or am I best to reduce the quantities to only make one serve.nthanks
Vicky & Ruth says
Hi!
Thank you for your email. We're so glad you found us! The make ahead oatmeal will last 3-4 days. Please let us know if you have any more questions! Enjoy 🙂
Andrea says
What is the nutrition count? I love this recipe
★★★★★
Vicky & Ruth says
Thank you very much! We don't have a calorie count for this recipe but you can easily calculate it on this site http://nutritiondata.self.com
Michelle says
I recently found your recipe and WOW! I have already made this 3 times. I take it to work and I don't have any for the next day because everyone wants some. I used some sliced strawberries because I didn't have any pomegranate seeds, SO GOOD! Thank you!
★★★★★
Vicky & Ruth says
Thank you so, so happy that you liked it. It is also delicious with some fresh blueberries when they are in season.
Sarah Williams says
HI! This may be a weird question, but I'm wondering if you heat the oatmeal up in the morning before you eat it, or is it eaten cold? I'm assuming since it doesn't say to heat it up that it's eaten cold, but I just wanted to make sure (never eaten cold oatmeal before! :)). Thank you! I am excited to try it.
Vicky & Ruth says
We eat it cold. Let us know what you think when you try it.
Patricia says
This is absolutely amazing and wonderful. I made it yesterday and had it this morning. I used my favorite apples, grany smith and the flavor was terrific.
Can you share the calorie count? Couldn't find it anywhere. For context, I am a retired senior living alone and don't cook often or eat properly. This has inspired me to pay attention to what I eat. I will spend a lot of time on your site. Thank you
Vicky & Ruth says
Thank you so much Patricia :)! We are so glad to hear that, we love being able to inspire people to live a healthier lifestyle! We don't have a calorie count for this recipe but you can easily calculate it on this site http://nutritiondata.self.com
johanna says
i have been making this for me and my boyfriend's breakfast for a couple of weeks. it's good in the fridge for 3 days - the 4th day, it gets a little weird.
anyway, I LOVE IT! awesome recipe!
Jessica says
Could this be made ahead and then microwaved in the morning for a warm meal? Not a huge fan of the overnight oats.
Vicky & Ruth says
Hi Jessica,
Yes, you can absolutely warm the overnight oats. We do it during the winter when we would rather have a warm breakfast.