A tutorial to make the BEST Overnight Oatmeal to save you time in the morning and keep you powered all throughout the day. Check out my ideas for 9 Awesome Oatmeal Mix-Ins so you NEVER get bored.
I've been eating overnight oatmeal since before it even became a ''thing" on the internet. It's been my staple work-day breakfast for at least six years now, and here's why:
- It is deeeelicious.
- It keeps me full longer than any other healthy breakfast.
- It has an awesome texture - I really dislike the mushiness of cooked oatmeal.
- It is SO easy to make! Less than 5 minutes of prep for several days of breakfast. Works for me!
- It's so easy to take with me to work, so I don't have to spend time on breakfast at home. Extra sleep!
- I can eat it cold, warm, or hot, depending on my mood for the day. Cold is actually my favorite, but some days I need a little something warm in the morning.
- It is heart-healthy.
- Fiber!! I am a big fan of fiber.
- There are hundreds of combinations of mix-ins to keep me from getting tired of it.
So you can see why I am a fan. I usually make a big batch of it on Sunday night, and that is my breakfast through Thursday (Fridays I work at home so it is less essential to have breakfast ready to go in the morning). Sometimes I make a batch of oatmeal with all the mix-ins added from the start, sometimes I make a batch of ''plain" oatmeal and mix it up every morning. Either way is super easy!
My ''base" recipe for overnight oatmeal has chia seeds and ground flax seeds for some extra energy, fiber, and healthy fats. I also add a bit of agave so that it has a touch of sweetness. After the oatmeal sits overnight I add some mix-ins for just a bit more sweetness, flavor, and crunch.
Here are my favorite mix-ins for overnight oatmeal:
- Brown sugar + cinnamon + raisins
- Agave syrup + dried cranberries (craisins) + cinnamon
- Unsweetened dried coconut + pineapple chunks + coconut extract (like a piña colada!!)
- Freeze dried raspberries + sweetened dried coconut
- Sliced bananas + maple syrup
- Peanut butter (or lately, PB Fit powder) + cocoa powder
- Sliced strawberries + condensed milk
- Sweetened cacao nibs (Wild Sweet Nibs) + peanut butter
- Sliced almonds + honey
If you are trying to find healthy breakfast options and struggle with time in the morning, this is definitely a recipe worth trying. You might need to experiment with the oatmeal-to-milk ratio at first (depending on your preference), but the recipe below should give you a good start.
Other easy breakfast ideas:
- Mango oatmeal - make this overnight or in the morning!
- Instant Pot chocolate cherry oats
- Greek yogurt oat pancakes
- Breakfast grits with peach compote
- Cottage cheese breakfast bowls
- Mango whipped cottage cheese
If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!
Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 3 cups oatmeal , instant
- 4 cups milk (almond milk or 1% cows milk is my favorite)
- 6 tablespoons agave nectar
- 3 tablespoons chia seeds
- 3 tablespoons gound flaxseed (you can also grind your own)
- 1/3 - 1/2 cup (about 1 rounded tablespoon per serving)
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients for the overnight oats base in a large bowl. Cover and place in the fridge overnight. In the morning, add any combination of mix ins that you like. Heat in the microwave (30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on your microwave strength. If heating for 2 minutes, stir halfway through).
Little Cooking Tips
Friday 8th of January 2016
We never had overnight oats before:) It's actually the 1st time we read about it, thank you Kate!:) Sounds like a very interesting way to start the day, and we're very curious as to how this might taste. We like oats and milk, usually with some fresh fruit, like a piece of apple, pear, whatever is in season (figs in late summer is the best addition) and nuts. Your combinations are excellent. We don't have agave syrup, but we do have petimezi (natural grape syrup) which is perfect for this:) Thank you for letting us know about the organic green powder as well, we use one from time to time. Sending you lots of sunshine from Athens! xoxo
Kate
Saturday 9th of January 2016
Grape syrup! That sounds awesome! I need to find a Greek grocery store around here and try some new things that are not sold in our American stores. Or perhaps I should just take a trip to Greece... one day!
Karen - 2Teaspoons
Thursday 7th of January 2016
I love the idea of a dish preparing itself in my refrigerator overnight. It's like the cold version of a crockpot! I bet the strawberry and condensed milk add-in is divine. Berries and oatmeal go so well together. And the condensed milk sounds like delicious addition :-)
Kate
Saturday 9th of January 2016
Ha, I love that analogy. The fridge *is* a cold crockpot! And yea, condensed milk is AWESOME. I don't do that often because I try to stick to healthier things in the morning, but when you happen to have some condensed milk left over in a can... gotta use it somehow! :)
Yelena
Thursday 7th of January 2016
Hmmmm, you may be able to convert me into making overnight oatmeal after all. I've never heard of green powders so I looked up. It's kind of expensive... Can you bring me a little to try on Sunday?
Kate
Saturday 9th of January 2016
Of course I can, if you remember to bring the tripod. Deal?