Strawberry Overnight Oats are the perfect healthy breakfast! All you need is six ingredients including oats, chia seeds, yogurt, milk, and strawberries. Easy to meal prep and set overnight for the next morning. Gluten free and vegan friendly.
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This recipe was originally published in June 2021. Same delicious recipe, post updated with more information!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Healthy breakfast, nutritious ingredients, and undeniably delicious!
- Tastes just like strawberry shortcake in the summer time!
- Get a jumpstart on busy mornings with an easy make-ahead breakfast.
- Gluten free and vegan friendly with dairy-free milk and non-dairy yogurt.
If you are looking for more easy breakfast recipes, be sure to make Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal, Vegetarian Breakfast Strata, and Healthy Blueberry Muffins!
What Makes Overnight Oats Healthy?
Overnight oats are a great balanced breakfast packed with whole grains (aka complex carbs), fiber, protein, and healthy fats. And strawberries, in this case! So you get a serving of fruit in there too.
These healthy strawberry overnight oats keep me full for hours thanks to their balanced macronutrients.
Recipe Ingredients
All you need is a few basic ingredients to make overnight oats with strawberries. Here’s a little more info about each one:
- oats – you can use rolled oats, quick oats, or even steel cut oats (certified gluten-free oats, if necessary). Steel cut oats create a texture that is a little chewy, which I actually really love. Just know if you do end up using steel-cut oats, you’ll need to make sure the mixture is refrigerated for at least 8 hours (compared to about 4 hours for old-fashioned oats or quick cooking oats). You can try my overnight steel cut oats recipe, too!
- chia seeds – chia seeds add a good dose of healthy fats and fiber, but also help thicken the oat mixture.
- Greek yogurt or Skyr yogurt – my favorite way to make oats is with yogurt. It keeps the consistency creamy and adds a fair amount of protein. You can use a thick plant-based yogurt (Siggi’s makes a good one) to keep the recipe vegan or plain Greek yogurt, or traditional Skyr.
- milk of choice – I typically go for an unsweetened non-dairy milk (i.e. almond milk, soy milk, hemp milk, coconut milk, cashew milk, etc.) but feel free to use whatever you have on hand. Note: If you’re using a plant protein milk, you may need a little extra liquid.
- pure maple syrup – adding additional sugar here is definitely optional, but I found the oats tastes best with just a hint of sweetness. If you’re using a flavored yogurt, you probably don’t need it. Or, you could always taste test the oats the next morning and add in a hint of maple syrup or honey as needed.
- vanilla extract – adds more flavor! A dash of almond extract gives it that extra bit of cake flavor.
- chopped strawberries – fresh strawberries are the way to go for real strawberry flavor, especially during strawberry season. But if you have frozen sliced strawberries, they can be used as well. Frozen strawberries also allow you to enjoy any time of year.
- protein powder – optional, but you can add a little bit of protein powder for a protein boost. Flavored vanilla protein powder would be nice, too. If using a plant based powder, you’ll need about 3 extra tablespoons of milk. If using whey or collagen, no additional milk is needed.
Find the full detailed instructions with measurements in the recipe card below, at the end of this post.
Useful Tools:
- jars with lid
- mixing bowl with lid
- measuring cups & spoons
How to Make Strawberry Overnight Oats
What’s great about this strawberry overnight oats recipe is that everything can be mixed in one bowl, refrigerated overnight, and then you have yourself the perfect healthy breakfast all ready to go. Here’s how I like to do it:
Mix in a Bowl
In a large bowl, stir together the oats, chia seeds, yogurt, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and strawberries.
Chill in Fridge
Then just cover with a lid and place in fridge for at least four hours, or overnight. If you don’t plan on making these the night before, at four hours the mixture will thicken up well and be ready to consume.
TIP: You can also divide mixture into 2 jars before refrigerating, or make a big batch to have breakfast for the entire week!
Enjoy Cold or Warm
I assume most people enjoy cold overnight oats, but if you’re more of a traditional oatmeal eater, these can easily be warmed up too! Simply:
- Cold: Cold oats can be enjoyed straight from the fridge, finished with your favorite toppings!
- Warm: Add overnight oats to small saucepan. Heat on low, continuously stirring until warmed through. OR, pop a bowl in the microwave and heat in 30-second intervals until warm, stirring in between. Feel free to add a splash or two of milk to thin out the consistency.
Favorite Toppings
There are so many ways to make these strawberry oats your own. I’m all about the texture when it comes to cold oatmeal so I love adding some extra flourishes for more flavor and crunch. Choose your own adventure by finishing the top of the oats with any of the following:
- Fresh berries
- Sliced ripe bananas, for a fun strawberry banana flavor!
- Pumpkin seeds
- Hemp hearts or hemp seeds
- Coconut flakes
- Dark chocolate chips
- Granola
- Strawberry jam
- Cashew butter, almond butter, or peanut butter
How to Store Overnight Oats
Overnight oats with strawberry will keep in an airtight container (or mason jar) in the fridge for up to 5 days.
I find the best texture to be the next day or the day after. The strawberry oats will be softer on day 3. You may also need to add some splashes of milk if you find the mixture is thicker than you’d like.
Recipe FAQs
Are overnight oats gluten-free?
The main factor that makes overnight oats gluten-free is using certified gluten-free rolled oats. If you are celiac or gluten-intolerant, also make sure your non-dairy milk and yogurt are gluten-free to avoid cross contamination.
How long do overnight oats need to soak?
While the name suggests overnight, soaked rolled oats are ready to eat in 2-4 hours. This quick soak won’t be as soft as true overnight oats (8+ hours), but they are still delicious.
Can overnight oats be heated?
Overnight oats are typically eaten cold, but you can enjoy them warm. Simply heat them through in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until warm.
Can overnight oats go bad?
Homemade overnight oats can spoil after too long. When stored properly, overnight oats should stay fresh for 4-5 days in the fridge. But always use your best judgment and discard any oats that smell sour or are slimy.
Strawberry Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats or quick oats
- 1 ½ tablespoons chia seeds
- ½ cup Greek or Skyr yogurt, dairy or plant-based
- ¾ cup non-dairy milk of choice
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, optional
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped strawberries
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to large bowl; stir well to combine.
- Cover with lid and place in fridge, for at least 4 hours, or overnight. NOTE: You can also divide mixture into 2 jars before refrigerating.
- Enjoy the next morning with your favorite additional toppings. Personally I love adding cashew or almond butter!
Video
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information
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If you make this Strawberry Overnight Oats recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating on the blog! I love hearing from you, and it helps others learn more about the recipe too. Xx Ashley
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