Vegan protein powder and chia seeds add a protein boost to this vegan protein overnight oats recipe. Use a vanilla protein powder and this vegan overnight oat recipe tastes a lot like a yummy sugar cookie!
I love waking up in the morning and not having anything to do but grab my breakfast straight from the fridge. That is why I love these protein overnight oats so much! Since I don’t have much time to make, let alone eat, breakfast in the morning – meal prep friendly options like this recipe are the best!
The base recipe is great since you can mix and match it with a bunch of different flavor combinations so you don’t get bored of the same thing. Need some more meal prep friendly breakfast options? Here are some of my other favorites: vegan breakfast burritos, carrot cake baked oatmeal, pumpkin pie overnight oats, and the BEST vegan granola.
Want more vegan overnight oats recipes developed by a plant-based dietitian? Check out my basic vegan overnight oats recipe post that includes recipes and tons of helpful tips for the perfect batch of vegan overnight oats!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Old-Fashioned Oats: you’ll want to use old fashioned oats for this recipe rather than quick oats as these get too mushy.
- Milk: I prefer plain, unsweetened soy milk because it has more protein than other plant based milks. However, you can use any type of milk that you like!
- Protein Powder: my favorite is Ritual protein powder.
- Chia Seeds: these are optional, but chia seeds are a great source of healthy fats like omega 3 fatty acids, fiber, and protein. (Check out my previous post about the health benefits chia seeds and flax seeds.)
- Cinnamon & Nutmeg: these are optional, but love that they give these protein overnight oats a cookie-like flavor when paired with the vanilla protein powder.
- Salt: it may seem weird to add salt to oats, but it brings out the flavor of all the other ingredients.
Topping Suggestions
- Berries, hemp hearts, and pumpkin seeds (as pictured).
- Mango, coconut, and macadamia nuts.
- Chopped apples, cinnamon, almond butter.
- Sliced banana, peanut butter, chocolate chips.
- Fruit compote: add some cooked fruit on top like this yummy peach compote or this strawberry rhubarb compote.
- Add more texture by topping with a homemade granola like this chocolate granola or this homemade vegan granola.
Step by Step
Step One: Add all of your ingredients to a bowl and stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Step Two: Add overnight oats to a bowl and top with berries or other toppings as desired.
Do I have to soak them overnight?
The short answer is, no! Even though they are called “overnight” oats, you do not have to soak them overnight. The purpose of soaking them is to soften the oats. You can serve these protein overnight oats after soaking them in the fridge for about 2-3 hours. When you soak them for just a couple of hours vs overnight, they will have a chewier texture. The beauty of letting them soak overnight is that you can meal prep them ahead of time to be ready for you in the morning.
Expert Tips
- Avoid clumps. If you find that your protein powder is hard to mix, try adding the protein powder and milk to a small blender cup and pureeing before adding to the rest of the overnight oats ingredients.
- Sweeten as needed. When using a sweetened protein powder, I didn’t feel like this needed any extra sweetener. However, if using a plain or unsweetened protein powder, you may want to add 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or sugar to your overnight oats.
- Batch prep. Want to make enough oats for several days? Just double or triple the ingredients in the recipe card and use a larger bowl to mix. You can then divide individual portions into smaller jars and store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! this vegan overnight oats recipe is a healthy breakfast option for busy mornings since it great source of dietary fiber as well as protein and healthy fats. These protein overnight oats can be more filling than other recipes thanks to the extra protein from the protein powder.
Overnight oats are usually eaten cold but if you prefer warm oats, you can pop them into the microwave for a minute or two and serve them hot. The beauty of chilled overnight oats is that you can eat them on the go. I prefer eating them cold as an alternative to a bowl of hot oatmeal in the summer.
Store your overnight oats in an airtight container overnight. You can use any tupperware you like or you could even make it in a mason jar. You can prep 2-3 days worth of overnight oats at once, but storing them for more than 3 days in the fridge they start to get too mushy.
Look for a vegan protein powder if you want to make sure these overnight oats are vegan. Vegan protein powders usually contain pea protein. You’ll want to avoid protein powders that contain whey protein as this is a milk product so these powders are not vegan. Just one scoop of protein powder adds an additional 20 grams of protein to this recipe!
More Delicious Overnight Oat Recipes
If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below. This helps others find my recipes! I always love seeing your recipe creations so tag me on Instagram.
Protein Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
- 1 cup plain unsweetened soy milk
- 1 scoop protein powder
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds (optional)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- Dash nutmeg
Instructions
- Add all of the overnight oats ingredients to a bowl and stir well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- To serve, add desired toppings like fresh berries, banana, hemp hearts, nuts, etc.
Notes
- My favorite vegan protein powder is Ritual brand, but you can use any brand that you prefer.
- Avoid clumps. If you find that your protein powder is hard to mix, try adding the protein powder and milk to a small blender cup and pureeing before adding to the rest of the overnight oats ingredients.
- Sweeten as needed. If using a plain or unsweetened protein powder, you may want to add 1 tablespoon of maple syrup or sugar to your overnight oats.
- Batch prep. Double or triple the ingredients in the recipe card and use a larger bowl to mix. Divide individual portions into smaller jars and store in the fridge until ready to serve.
Nutrition
Make this recipe?
Share it with me on Instagram @dietitiandebbie and tag me #dietitiandebbie
Comments & Reviews
Mmm… I am sure it would be delicious with toasted coconut shavings. I will have to try that!
Love this idea. Even for dinner. Toasted coconut shavings are great with this too! Heidi@betterthandormfood
Looks great – I haven't tried overnight breakfast yet, so this might be the one!www.nutrishus.com
Good question, Janice! Coconut milk and coconut cream are actually one and the same. I usually buy mine from Whole Foods or Trader Joe's in a can. 🙂 It's definitely worth it for the extra flavor and creaminess!
I have never used coconut cream before. Is it similar to coconut milk? I'll bet it adds a nice flavor to these breakfast oats!
Love overnight oats! Chia seeds only make it better 🙂
Love this! I'm a huge chia pudding fan! Yum!