4.96 14 Published Jul 06, 2022, Updated Jun 29, 2024 They’re bright and refreshing thanks to the hint of lemon and fresh blueberries so are perfect for warm summer mornings. Plus, these oats are packed with protein thanks to the vanilla protein powder and Greek yogurt so they’ll keep you full all morning long!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
It’s summery, healthy and super simple to whip up. Great for meal prep and is the perfect recipe for busy mornings. It’s protein packed and will keep you full for hours! One serving has 26 grams of protein.
Ingredients Needed
old-fashioned rolled oats – rolled oats work best for overnight oats recipes! Quick oats/instant oats get too soggy and steel cut oats don’t soften enough. Oats are naturally gluten-free, but are often cross contaminated, so make sure you grab certified gluten-free, old-fashioned oats! My fave brand is Bob’s Red Mill gluten free old fashioned rolled oats. non-dairy milk – I like using unsweetened vanilla almond milk, but any type of milk (dairy or dairy-free) will work. yogurt – yogurt gives overnight oats an extra creamy texture and thicker consistency while adding a bit of protein. I personally like using plain full fat Greek yogurt since it’s the highest in protein and lowest in sugar, but feel free to use your favorite type of yogurt! To make this recipe vegan or dairy-free you can use a non-dairy yogurt or skip the yogurt altogether and use additional milk. vanilla protein powder – my favorite brand of protein powder is Nuzest! Use code eatingbirdfood for 15% off your order. If you don’t have protein powder on hand or aren’t a fan you can use collagen or skip it altogether! chia seeds – adds fiber, protein and healthy fats to the recipe. It also absorbs some of the liquid and helps thicken the oats. lemon zest – for a hint of brightness! If you’re looking for more lemon flavor feel free to add a squirt of fresh lemon juice to the overnight oats! maple syrup – to add a hint of sweetness to the recipe. Feel free to use honey, agave or your favorite sweetener of choice. fresh blueberries – can’t have blueberry lemon overnight oats without the blueberries! If you don’t have fresh berries on hand, frozen berries will work just fine.
How to Make
Overnight oats couldn’t get any easier to make! All you have to do is combine all your ingredients (except the toppings) in a bowl or mason jar, mix, cover and place in the refrigerator overnight or for at least a few hours. I personally like to make my overnight oats in wide mouth 16 oz mason jars but any airtight container will work. The next morning, grab your overnight oats from the fridge, give the mixture a big stir and top with your favorite toppings. At this point, you can simply dig right in as overnight oats are meant to be eaten cold. See my note below if you’re not keen on eating cold oats.
How Long Do Overnight Oats Need to Soak?
Given the name, you’d assume overnight oats need to soak overnight, but you can actually make them in 2-4 hours if you’re in a rush. While it does take some time for the oats to absorb the liquid, they don’t necessarily have to be soaked overnight. I recommend at least 8 hours for true overnight oats, but there have been mornings where I decide I want overnight oats for breakfast even though I didn’t prep them the night before. When this happens I’ll make them the morning of and let the oats soak for just 2-4 hours. With this quick soak, they’re not as soft as overnight oats that have soaked longer and they’re a bit more liquidy, but they’re still delicious.
Can You Eat Them Hot?
Short answer, yes! You can definitely warm up overnight oats, but the whole point of overnight oats is to eat them cold like muesli. Even if you think cold oats sound strange, I recommend giving it shot before you write them off. Of course, if you simply can’t do the cold oats you can always heat them up. Just pop the overnights oats in your microwave, cooking in 30-second increments until the oats are warm throughout and enjoy.
How Long do Overnight Oats Last?
When stored in a sealed container in the fridge overnight oats should last for up to 5 days. They will soften more the longer they sit so I find they’re best on days 1-3, but they’re still safe to eat on days 4 and 5. With this said, overnight oats are great for meal prep. Feel free to make a whole batch for the week on Sunday so you have an easy and healthy breakfast ready to go throughout the week!
More Overnight Oat Recipes to Try
Strawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats Cottage Cheese Overnight Oats Banana Bread Overnight Oats Blueberry Overnight Oats Low Calorie Overnight Oats Cookies and Cream Overnight Oats Chocolate Overnight Oats Kefir Overnight Oats
Check out all of the overnight oats recipes as well as the full collection of oatmeal recipes on EBF!
