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Protein Overnight Oats

Name: Protein Overnight Oats
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, or quick oats; 1 scoop vanilla protein powder; 1 tablespoon chia seeds; 1/2 cup milk; 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt; 1/2 cup fresh berries, or frozen berries

Published on July 5, 2023 by Stephanie Kay

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Turn basic overnight oats into a protein-packed breakfast with these high-protein overnight oats! Ready in 5 minutes and filled with over 45 grams of protein, this easy protein overnight oats recipe is a wonderful meal prep idea that will keep you fueled and full all morning long.

Two glass jars of high-protein overnight oats on wood cutting board topped with blueberries and raspberries.

I don’t know about you, but I love oatmeal. It’s quick, easy, and inexpensive, and I could easily eat it every morning if I had to. Give me warm oatmeal in the winter, and overnight oats in the summer, and I’d be a happy camper.

The only downside to oatmeal is that it’s not particularly high in protein. Fortunately, there are many ways to add protein to oatmeal and by using a combination of those ingredients, you can easily turn basic overnight oats into high-protein overnight oats in a few simple steps.

Overhead shot of protein overnight oats with berries in a glass jar with a gold spoon on a wood cutting board.

Why You’ll Love This Protein Overnight Oats Recipe

High in Protein – With over 45 grams of protein per serving, these oats are a protein-packed breakfast!
Full of Fiber – The combination of rolled oats, chia seeds, and berries ensures this protein overnight oats recipe is high in fiber too.
Easy to Make – Just add everything to a jar and stir!
Great for Meal Prep – These high-protein overnight oats keep well in the fridge for days, which makes them perfect for meal prep!
Versatile – Once you get the basics down you can flavor these protein overnight oats any way that you like and they are a fun way to use protein powder.

Ingredients for protein overnight oats; rolled oats, milk, Greek yogurt, protein powder, chia seeds, and honey.

Ingredients for High-Protein Overnight Oats

Oats – I recommend using old-fashioned rolled oats but quick-cooking oats will also work well. Do not use instant oats (i.e. pre-cooked oats) or steel-cut oats, they will not absorb as much liquid or provide as good of a texture.
Chia Seeds – To thicken the overnight oats, create a rich and creamy texture, and add some healthy fats and a bit of protein at the same time.
Protein Powder – The recipe calls for vanilla protein powder, but you can use any flavor your like. Be sure to use the best protein powder possible.
Greek Yogurt – To add a big boost of protein and help to creamy a creamy texture. You can use whole milk or non-fat Greek yogurt. You can use plain yogurt; however, it won’t be as high in protein.
Milk – Using cow’s milk helps to add additional protein to the oats. Although you can use almond milk or non-dairy milk, they will not provide nearly as much protein.
Berries – To add some extra flavor and fiber. You can use fresh berries or fresh fruit of your choice.

Although optional, you can add a spoonful of honey or maple syrup to sweeten the protein overnight oats if you like. Depending on the flavor and sweetness of your protein powder you may or may not need it.

Dietary Adaptions

To Make them Gluten-Free: No adaptations are needed, this recipe is gluten-free. Just be sure to use certified gluten-free rolled oats.

To Make them Dairy-Free: You can make this recipe dairy-free by swapping the cow’s milk for unsweetened almond milk, soy milk, or coconut milk, and swapping the Greek yogurt for dairy-free yogurt, such as coconut milk yogurt, however, the oats will not be as high in protein.

Rolled oats, vanilla protein powder, and chia seeds in a glass container.

Rolled oats, vanilla protein powder, chia seeds, Greek yogurt, and milk in a glass container.

How to Make Protein Overnight Oats

Here’s how you’ll make these high-protein overnight oats:

Add the dry ingredients to a jar. Add the old-fashioned rolled oats, protein powder, chia seeds, milk, and Greek yogurt to a mason jar.
Give it a good stir. Using a small spoon, stir the ingredients together until well combined.
Place in the fridge overnight. Once mixed, cover the mason jar with a lid and place it in the fridge overnight.
Serve with toppings of your choice. In the morning, take the mason jar out of the fridge and serve the protein overnight oats with fresh berries, nut butter, sliced bananas, or other toppings of your choice.

You can find the step-by-step instructions in the recipe card below.

Red’s Nutrition Tip

Want to add some extra protein to your protein overnight oats? Add a drizzle of almond butter or peanut butter on top!

Close up of high-protein overnight oats in a glass container.

Best Protein Powder for Overnight Oats

You can use a whey protein powder, plant-based, or vegan protein powder to make protein overnight oats. This recipe calls for vanilla protein powder, as it provides a neutral base flavor for toppings, however, you can use any flavor of protein powder for protein overnight oats. In addition to vanilla protein powder, chocolate protein powder, peanut butter protein powder, strawberry protein powder, and unflavored protein powder would all work well in this recipe.

Do you need to add protein powder to protein overnight oats?

Adding protein powder to overnight oats helps to ensure the oats contain extra protein, however, it is not essential. If you prefer to make your overnight oats without protein powder, you can combine rolled oats with milk, Greek yogurt, and chia seeds and still create overnight oats with over 20 grams of protein per serving.

Optional Add-Ins for High-Protein Overnight Oats

Once you’ve got the basic ratio of oats, milk, yogurt, and protein powder down, you can add a variety of add-ins and toppings to your protein overnight oats to flavor them any way that you like.

Berries
Fresh fruit
Banana slices
Peanut butter
Almond butter
Chocolate chips
Coconut flakes
Maple syrup
Honey
Brown sugar
Vanilla extract

More Flavors to Try:

Spoonful of protein overnight oats coming out of a jar.

Protein Overnight Oats FAQs

Are overnight oats healthy for you?

Yes, overnight oats are a healthy and balanced breakfast rich in fiber and micronutrients including manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, iron, and zinc (1).

Is overnight oats a good source of protein?

A basic overnight oats recipe, made with rolled oats, chia seeds, and almond milk, is not a great source of protein, however, you can increase the protein content of overnight oats by making them with cow’s milk, Greek yogurt, and protein powder.

How much protein is in overnight oats with almond milk?

Overnight oats made with almond milk are not particularly high in protein since almond milk is not a significant source of protein. To make high-protein overnight oats, it is best to make overnight oats with cow’s milk as it contains 8 grams of protein per cup, compared to almond milk which contains only 1 gram of protein per cup.

Are overnight oats healthier than regular oatmeal?

Overnight oats and regular are both healthy breakfast recipes. In fact, overnight oats and regular oatmeal are far more similar than they are different, they are merely prepared a different way; overnight oats are soaked in liquid, while regular oatmeal is made by boiling oats in liquid.

Storage

Once prepared, protein overnight oats can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Protein overnight oats cannot be frozen.

More Healthy Breakfast Recipes:

Protein Overnight Oats

Author: Stephanie Kay

With over 45 grams of protein, these protein overnight oats are a hearty and filling breakfast. You can whip up a big batch today and store them in the fridge for days to come.

Author: Stephanie Kay
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving
Category: Breakfast
Method: No Cook
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, or quick oats
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup fresh berries, or frozen berries

Instructions

In a mason jar or small container with a lid, add rolled oats, vanilla protein powder, chia seeds, milk, and Greek yogurt.
Using a small spoon, give everything a good stir until well combined. If using frozen berries, add them on top now.
Once mixed, cover the jar or container with a lid and then place it in the fridge overnight or for at least 2 hours.
In the morning, remove the overnight oats from the fridge, remove the lid and give them a good stir, and serve with fresh berries and/or toppings of your choice.
If making them for meal prep, the oats can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 jar
Calories: 474 calories
Sugar: 18 grams
Fat: 9 grams
Carbohydrates: 55 grams
Fiber: 10 grams
Protein: 48 grams

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