Protein Overnight Oats (no protein powder)

These healthy overnight oats are packed with 27 grams of protein per serving! This recipe is great if you don’t like the taste of protein powder and makes for a perfect breakfast.

Protein overnight oats are a meal prep staple, because they check off all the important boxes. They’re nutritious, flavorful, and take just a few minutes to make.

And if you’re anything like me, the last thing you want to do in the morning is clean up dirty pots and pans from eggs. Don’t get me wrong – I love a good breakfast sandwich.

But sometimes we might not have the time to cook a traditional breakfast. The best part is, you can prep these protein overnight oats in bulk and eat them for the whole week!

Ingredients

• Rolled oats: You can use any kind of oats for this recipe. I like rolled oats, because I find that quick oats get too soggy when left in the fridge overnight.
• Milk: You can also add your favorite kind of milk to these overnight oats. I like the taste of reduced fat milk the best – but oat milk, cashew milk, and almond milk will also work.
• Greek yogurt: This is where you will get most of your protein from. Plan non-fat Greek yogurt can have a bitter taste – which is why we will need to add other ingredients to improve the flavor.
• Chia seeds: It’s no secret that chia seeds provide many health benefits. But they also add a nice texture and help thicken the mixture in your overnight oats.
• Maple syrup: Up until this point your oats will taste pretty bland. That’s where maple syrup can help. Here I’m using a sugar free version to save on calories.
• Almonds: These last two ingredient are optional – as you can add (or skip) any toppings you like. Almonds are a good source of healthy fats and they provide a nice crunch.
• Strawberries: Adding fruit to your overnight oats can also provide many health benefits. Strawberries are great, because they contain sugar and will help sweeten up the flavor.

Instructions

These no protein powder overnight oats are delicious and easy to make. You can scroll down to the recipe card for more detailed instructions. Here’s an overview of the general steps:

Place rolled oats, reduced fat milk, Greek yogurt, chia seeds, and sugar free maple syrup in a mason jar. Avoid using an 8 ounce mason jar, because it won’t be big enough to hold all of the ingredients.

I found that a 16 ounce jar works best for this recipe. There’s enough space to hold everything with plenty of room for additional toppings. Stir all of the ingredients around before sealing the lid.

Allow your oats to sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (but remember that longer is better). They will become creamy after sitting in the fridge overnight.

Remove the overnight oats from the refrigerator and stir once more. Then all you need to do is add fresh strawberries, sliced almonds, and whatever additional toppings you like.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Are overnight oats healthy?

Yes, overnight oats can be healthy when made correctly. The most important thing is using plain oatmeal (instead of a flavored version). Plain oatmeal will be much lower in sugar and calories.

• Are overnight oats a good source of protein?

Yes, overnight oats are an excellent source of protein when made with the right ingredients. If you don’t enjoy the taste of whey protein powder, Greek yogurt can be a great way to add more protein to this meal.

• Why add chia seeds to overnight oats?

Chia seeds have so many health benefits that I could write an entire article about them. This superfood is a plant-based source of protein, has phosphorus, zinc, and calcium. But it also adds more volume and texture to the mixture.

More Oats Recipes

• Biscoff Overnight Oats
• Low Calorie Overnight Oats
• Low Calorie Oatmeal
• Protein Baked Oatmeal