Tropical Overnight Oats
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Published May 12, 2021, Updated May 31, 2023
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These tropical overnight oats have a unique combo of creamy banana, sweet pineapple, delicious mango and toasted coconut. One bite and you’ll feel like you’re on a beach.
As soon as the weather turns slightly warm I switch from stove-top oats and baked oatmeal to overnight oats.
I have so many different overnight oats recipes already, but lately I’ve been day dreaming about sitting on the beach with my toes in the sand, which inspired me to create these tropical overnight oats.
This delicious overnight oats flavor combines all of your fave tropical fruits in one bowl. Think banana, pineapple, mango and coconut – oh yeah!
What Are Overnight Oats?
If you’ve never made overnight oats, you might be wondering what the heck these are! Essentially, it’s a no-cook way to enjoy oatmeal. Instead of cooking oatmeal on the stovetop or in the microwave, you soak the oats in milk. Overnight, the oats absorb whatever liquid you’re using and soften them up. The next morning you will wake up to a ready-to-eat, delicious breakfast! If you’re looking for traditional oatmeal, check out my tropical oatmeal recipe!
Tropical Overnight Oats Ingredients
Here everything you’ll need for these “taste of the tropics” overnight oats:
- old fashioned oats – rolled oats work best for overnight oats. Steel cut oats are too chewy and quick oats get too mushy.
- dairy-free – any milk will work in these oats, I used unsweetened almond milk, but coconut milk would obviously be a delicious choice.
- plain yogurt – I used Greek yogurt for a protein boost, but you could use coconut yogurt for a non-dairy option (and more coconut flavor).
- banana – I like mashing up the banana to add flavor throughout the oats.
- pineapple – fresh or frozen works! Just chop into bite-sized pieces.
- mango – again, fresh or thawed frozen works! Just chop into bite-sized pieces.
- chia seeds – for extra fiber, protein and healthy fats. They also soak up some of the liquid.
- vanilla extract – adds a slight vanilla flavor that balances the recipe.
- unsweetened shredded or flaked coconut – I recommend toasting this for extra flavor and crunch, but raw coconut works as well.
How to Toast Coconut Flakes
If you’ve toasted nuts, toasting coconut is very similar! It adds a delicious flavor and texture to these tropical overnight oats. Add coconut to a large skillet. Heat over low-medium heat, stirring frequently until the coconut is golden brown. Make sure you’re focused on the coconut and not trying to multitask as it can burn easily!
Overnight Oats Ratio
The base “recipe” for overnight oats is so simple! The hardest part is getting the right ratio of oats to liquid, but if you follow my recipes you’ll be set!
I aim for a 1:1 ratio of rolled oats to milk, plus half as much yogurt. So for 1 cup of oats, I use 1 cup of milk + 1/2 cup of yogurt (or an additional 1/2 cup of milk). This seems to give the oats the perfect consistency, not too thick, but not soupy. For the liquid, I usually go for non-dairy milk like almond milk, but you can use whatever milk you have on hand and if you really want to experiment you can try using different liquids like fruit juice.
How Long Do They Need to Soak?
Given the name, you’d assume overnight oats need to soak overnight, but you can actually make them in 2-4 hours if you’re in a rush. While it does take some time for the oats to absorb the liquid, they don’t necessarily have to be soaked overnight.
I recommend at least 8 hours for true overnight oats, but there have been mornings where I decide I want overnight oats for breakfast even though I didn’t prep them the night before. When this happens I’ll make them the morning of and let the oats soak for just 2-4 hours. With this quick soak, they’re not as soft as overnight oats that have soaked longer and they’re a bit more liquidy, but they’re still delicious.
Can You Eat Overnight Oats Hot?
Short answer, yes! You can definitely warm up overnight oats, but the whole point of overnight oats is to eat them cold like muesli. Even if you think cold oats sound strange, I recommend giving it shot before you write them off. Of course, if you simply can’t do the cold oats you can always heat them up. Just pop the overnights oats in your microwave, cooking in 30 second increments until the oats are warm throughout and enjoy.
How Long do Overnight Oats Last?
Most overnight oats will last 3-5 days in the fridge but these tropical overnight oats are a little different! Fun fact: pineapple has an enzyme in it that breaks down animal protein. When pineapple is combined with dairy products, that enzyme breaks down a protein found in dairy and the end result is bitter tasting oats.
To avoid this, just make sure you eat the oats within 12 hours of making or use plant-based yogurt!
More Overnight Oat Recipes to Try
- Protein Overnight Oats
- Peach Overnight Oats
- Strawberry Overnight Oats
- Banana Bread Overnight Oats
- Zucchini Bread Overnight Oats
- Apple Pie Overnight Oats
- Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
- Cherry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
- Blueberry Crumble Overnight Oats
- Strawberry Shortcake Overnight Oats
- Zucchini Bread Overnight Oats
- Raspberry Lemon Overnight Oats
- Blueberry Lemon Overnight Oats
- Low Calorie Overnight Oats
- Cookies and Cream Overnight Oats
- Bircher Muesli (Chilled Swiss Oatmeal)
Check out all of the overnight oats recipes as well as the full collection of oatmeal recipes on EBF!
Tropical Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/4 cup plain yogurt, I used Greek, but you could use almond or coconut for a non dairy option
- 1 banana, mashed
- 1/2 cup frozen or fresh pineapple, chopped into bite-size chunks
- 1/2 cup frozen or fresh mango, chopped into bite-size chunks
- 2 teaspoons chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons unsweetened shredded or flaked coconut, toasted* or raw
Instructions
- Mix ingredients: Add oats, almond milk, yogurt, mashed banana, 1/4 cup pineapple, 1/4 cup mango, chia seeds and vanilla into a bowl. Stir well to combine. Cover container with a lid or plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight.
- Add toppings and enjoy: Take the container out of the fridge the next morning and stir the mixture. You’ll notice that the oats and chia seeds soak up a lot of the liquid so you may want to add a little more almond milk before serving. Portion overnight oats into two bowls, top each with remaining pineapple and mango chunks and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of coconut. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe looks like the perfect summer breakfast food- can’t wait to try it out!
I so love adding pineapple, mango, bananas and coconut to my oats – but I’ve never added them to my overnight oats – this sounds delicious!
How amazing it is! I would give it a try, thanks for sharing this tropical overnight oat recipe!
I really love the flavors in these overnight oats.
So yummy!! I had a ripe mango just sitting in the kitchen, and this was a perfect way to use it!
Woo! I love when that happens! So glad these overnight oats were a hit, Gwen! Thanks so much for the review. It means the world to me!
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Tropical fruits and overnight oats are the perfect summer breakfast (or dessert) combo! I add coconut yogurt and cashew butter for an extra tropical vibe 🙂
So glad you enjoyed this overnight oats, Lexi! I really appreciate the feedback 🙂
This was such a refreshing and fun twist on my usual overnight oats! The mango and pineapple (I also added strawberries) were so tasty and light. Topped mine with more coconut and some pb. Felt like I was headed to the beach while enjoy my breakfast on the couch!
Woo!! So pumped this recipe was a hit, Gretchen! Thanks so much for the review and star rating. It means so much to me!