Protein Overnight Oats
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Published May 14, 2021, Updated Mar 05, 2024
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With protein overnight oats you can have your oatmeal and get your protein in! This simple breakfast packs over 20 grams per serving.
Lately I’ve been focusing on my protein intake and looking for easy ways to increase the amount of protein I’m eating each day.
I eat oatmeal for breakfast almost daily and love it, but on it’s own it’s not super protein-rich. So recently I took my basic overnight oats recipe and added protein powder to create this protein overnight oats recipe.
Why Overnight Oats?
During the summer months, when it’s too hot for warm oatmeal, overnight oats are the perfect way to satisfy your oatmeal craving! You still get to chow down on a bowl of oats, but they’re cool and refreshing.
Added bonus: they’re so easy to make and you can prep everything the night before.
Why Add Protein?
I am a huge proponent of making protein oatmeal (aka proats)!
If you have ever eaten oatmeal and been hungry an hour later, it’s likely because you didn’t add any protein to your oats!
Adding protein to overnight oats ensures that breakfast will keep me full for hours and the vanilla protein powder I use adds extra flavor (and sweetness) as well.
Protein Overnight Oats Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need to make these protein-packed overnight oats:
- old fashioned oats – make sure you’re using old fashioned oats and not quick/instant oats.
- unsweetened vanilla almond milk – you can use any type of milk, but I prefer almond milk because it’s low in sugar and calories.
- vanilla protein powder – my favorite protein powder is Nuzest. Use code eatingbirdfood for 15% off your order!
- chia seeds – for added fiber, protein and healthy fats. Chia seeds also absorb some liquid, making the end result a little thicker.
- vanilla extract – a staple ingredient for overnight oats!
- cinnamon – I love adding a hint of cinnamon to bring the flavors together.
- optional toppings – berries, sliced almonds and almond butter.
Other Protein Options
If you don’t have protein powder on hand or simply don’t want to use it, here are some other ways to add protein to your overnight oats!
Greek yogurt: Add 1/4 cup of plain Greek yogurt to the overnight oats mixture. This will add about 4 grams of protein, depending on what brand you use.
Cottage cheese: Add 1/4 cup cottage cheese to the overnight oats mixture. This will about around 7 grams of protein.
Nuts and nut butter: Chopped nuts and/or nut butter are a great way to add a little bit of extra protein to your overnight oats. They also add healthy fats, which will make the oats even more filling!
Do You Have to Soak the Oats Overnight?
You actually don’t! I know the name is “overnight oats” but you actually just need to soak oats for a few hours.
When I am on top of my meal prep I prefer to soak the oats overnight. But if I forget to prep them, I just make the oats in the morning and let them soak for about 2-3 hours. The longer you soak the oats, the softer they will be. When I only soak for a few hours, the oats are a little chewier, but I don’t mind!
How to Eat Protein Overnight Oats
This is a great “base” recipe for protein overnight oats. It’s designed to eat cold, but if you would rather eat them warm you can heat in the microwave for 30-60 seconds after the oats soak.
You can enjoy the overnight oats plain, but I recommend adding some toppings for extra flavor! I love adding fresh berries, sliced bananas, drizzled nut butter and/or sliced nuts.
How Long do Overnight Oats Last?
One of the best parts about overnight oats is that they can be prepped in advance! After prepping your oats, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. You can make a double or triple batch and enjoy for multiple days! The longer you store overnight oats, the more liquid they will absorb so you may need to add an extra splash of milk before serving.
More Protein Packed Recipes
- Protein Balls
- Protein Pancakes
- Protein Mug Cake
- How to Make a Protein Shake
- Peanut Butter Protein Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Protein Cookies
- Protein Waffles
- Protein Baked Oatmeal
- PB&J Protein Yogurt Bowl
Popular Overnight Oats Recipes
- Chocolate Chip Overnight Oats
- Blended Overnight Oats
- Strawberry Overnight Oats
- Strawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
- Cottage Cheese Overnight Oats
- Apple Pie Overnight Oats
- Banana Bread Overnight Oats
- Chocolate Banana Overnight Oats
- Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
- Low Calorie Overnight Oats
- Cookies and Cream Overnight Oats
Be sure to check out all of my overnight oats recipes as well as all of the protein recipes here on EBF!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Protein Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup old fashioned oats, not instant
- 3/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1 – 2 scoops vanilla protein powder, (25g total)
- 1/2 Tablespoon chia seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- toppings: berries, sliced almonds, almond butter (for topping)
Instructions
- Prep oats: Combine all ingredients except the toppings in a small container.
- Soak: Cover container with a lid and place in the fridge overnight (or at least 1-2 hours).
- Stir: Bring out of the fridge in the morning and stir. You’ll notice that the protein powder, oats and chia seeds soak up a lot of the liquid so you may want to add a little more almond milk or water before serving.
- Add toppings and enjoy: Top with toppings of your choice and enjoy. I love berries and sliced almonds or almond butter.
Video
Notes
- Greek yogurt: Add 1/4 cup of plain Greek yogurt to the overnight oats mixture. This will add about 4 grams of protein, depending on what brand you use.
- Cottage cheese: Add 1/4 cup cottage cheese to the overnight oats mixture. This will about around 7 grams of protein.
- Nuts and nut butter: Chopped nuts and/or nut butter are a great way to add a little bit of extra protein to your overnight oats. They also add healthy fats, which will make the oats even more filling!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have a question about protein powder. I’ve tried a couple kinds and find they leave have a grainy texture. does your protein powder do this? I just haven’t found one I like it.
I’ve found Nuzest to be one of the best protein powders texture and taste wise! You can use the code eatingbirdfood for 15% off if you want to try it. 🙂
Love this recipe! Wondering if instead of powdered protein we can use a protein shake?
I’m sure that would work just fine!
What is the substitute for protein powder.
Hey Thanaa – I would just use my basic overnight oats recipe, which has Greek yogurt if you’re looking for a little protein in your overnight oats. 🙂 You can also skip the yogurt and just use more liquid instead.
This is my go-to overnight oats recipe. I know there are alot of recipes out there but this one is perfect every.single.time. It’s the perfect proportion of every ingredient and then you can top it with whatever fruit you like! Highly recommend.
Can you make a weeks worth of overnight oats with protein powder or does the protein powder loose its potency?
Hey Joanne! You can definitely make a weeks worth of protein overnight oats. No need to worry about the powder loosing its potency as long as it isn’t already expired. 🙂
I’m a fan of the ingredients, so I thought these would taste great. I followed the recipe to a T and yet 24 hours later, the (steel cut) oats are barely edible and there is way too much liquid (almond milk).
I would look for a different recipe next time.
Hey Carly – I’m so sorry to hear that these oats didn’t work for you, but the recipe called for rolled oats, not steel cut oats. That is probably what went wrong. Next time, I would make this recipe with rolled oats, but if you want to try making overnight oats with steel cut oats here is a good recipe.
Hi can this last more than one day. Can you leave in frig and eat it the next day
Yes! You can definteily prep it ahead of time. It should actually last 2-3 days in the fridge.
I tried the recipe as is & it turned out great! Will be making again for sure! I might add a spoonful of peanut butter or cut up some bananas..
I love the overnight oats. Sometimes too hot to eat cooked oatmeal in the summer and this is just perfect. Thanks!
Can those be warmed up? Or do you have to eat them cold because of the protein powder?
They can be warmed up!