Easy Protein Overnight Oats

With just 4 ingredients and 5 minutes to prepare, you can have a delicious and healthy breakfast option with 33 grams of protein! It’s easy to prep the night before for busy mornings and the perfect way to get in a filling meal when you’re low on time!

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I love making overnight oats for breakfast, not only for their convenience but because they just taste so good! When you can make flavors like blueberry cheesecake oats, birthday cake oatmeal, and snickers overnight oats, what’s not to love?

When I need something more filling and satiating on a busy day, I go for these protein overnight oats. They taste incredible, and the extra boost of protein keeps me full for hours!

What are overnight oats?

Overnight oats are a make-ahead breakfast that doesn’t require any cooking. Since rolled oats have been steamed and pressed through a roller to flatten them (hence the name) they can be consumed without cooking.

Instead of cooking, you can simply combine all of the ingredients in a sealable container and store it in the refrigerator for at least a few hours. Soaking the oats softens them enough without requiring any heat. However, you can totally heat them up if cold oats aren’t your jam.

Best protein for overnight oats

When we think of adding protein to our oats, we usually think about protein powder. While there are a lot of awesome plant-based protein powder available, there’s also a lot of whole food sources that are high protein. To get the best of both worlds, we utilize both in this protein overnight oats recipe.

Here are various extra protein sources that would be great to add:

• Chia seeds
• Flaxseed meal
• Nut butter like peanut butter or almond butter
• Seed butter like sunflower seed butter
• Vegan protein powder like pea protein (here’s a homemade pea protein powder recipe) or vegan whey protein

Ingredient notes

This is a great base recipe that you can easily customize with your favorite toppings. For the base you just need 4 simple ingredients:

• Rolled oats—Also known as old-fashioned oats, these are the best type of oats for overnight oatmeal! Don’t used steel cut oats as they won’t soften enough and quick oats will get too soggy. Rolled oats are the goldilocks of overnight oats.
• Unsweetened almond milk—Or any unsweetened non-dairy milk you prefer. For a more creamy consistency you could use oat milk or coconut milk. For some extra protein, soy milk is your best bet since it’s one of the highest protein plant milks available.
• Protein powder—Vanilla protein powder, chocolate protein powder or your favorite flavor all work great in this! You can even use plain protein powder and add cocoa powder or cinnamon for flavor.
• Chia seeds—These humble seeds play a huge role in overnight oats. They help to thicken the mixture to take it from soupy to creamy, and they provide additional protein, healthy fats like omega-3’s, fiber and more!

Optional ingredients:

• Vanilla extract and cinnamon—If you’re not using a flavored protein powder then for extra flavor you can add a dash of cinnamon and a teaspoon of vanilla extract.

How to make these protein oats

In a sealable container, like a mason jar, add the all ingredients and whisk together to evenly combine.

Cover and store in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 3-4 hours to thicken.

The next morning, or whenever you plan to enjoy your protein oats, remove from the refrigerator and add your favorite toppings. I love adding fresh fruit like bananas and berries, shredded coconut, and peanut butter.

Store in an airtight container such as a glass jar.

Serving Suggestions

While you can enjoy these protein overnight oats as-is, here are some fun ways to shake it up:

• Papaya oatmeal bowls – Serve these oats in papaya bowls! It adds a delicious flavor and there’s virtually no cleanup since you can eat the bowl!
• Parfait style – Layer your oats with some Greek yogurt or your favorite dairy-free yogurt for some extra protein and creaminess.

Frequently asked questions

More high-protein recipes for breakfast

Looking for more healthy recipes that are perfect for breakfast? Here’s some of our favorites:

• Snickers Overnight Oats has 17 grams of protein
• Peanut Butter Overnight Oats has 16 grams of protein
• Chickpea Flour Scramble has 9 grams per serving of protein
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie has over 25 grams of protein
• Fluffy Eggless Pancakes have 9 grams per serving

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