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Overnight oats
Five minutes at night, breakfast sorted in the morning. And you can take it in the jar.
Overnight oats with Greek yogurt
Five minutes at night, breakfast sorted in the morning. And you can take it in the jar.
- 8 h 5 min
- Total time
- 5 min
- Hands-on
- 1 jar
- Servings
- 385 cal
- Per serving
- Easy
- Difficulty
- No cook
- Method
Photo: David Stewart · CC BY 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Ingredients
1 jar
Nutrition facts
per jar385cal
- Protein
- 22 g24 %
- Carbs
- 48 g52 %
- Fat
- 10 g24 %
- Fiber
- 8 g
- Sugarstotal, including the natural sugars in fruit and dairy
- 15 g
Approximate values, calculated from food composition tables. They vary with the brands and cuts you use.
Step by step
4 steps · turn the pages with the arrows or by swiping
1Step 1 of 4
Measure the oats into the jar
Use the jar you'll eat from: a 12-ounce (350 ml) glass jar is perfect. Add the oats, chia seeds and cinnamon.
Tip: Making several jars? Add all the dry ingredients first, then the liquids. It takes half the time.
2Step 2 of 4
Add the yogurt and milk
Pour the Greek yogurt and the milk on top. Stir well with a spoon until there are no dry oats left at the bottom, which is where they always hide.
3Step 3 of 4
Refrigerate overnight
Close the jar and leave it in the fridge for at least 6 hours. After 8 it's perfect, and it keeps for up to 3 days without losing texture.
4Step 4 of 4
Add the fruit when serving
In the morning, stir and add the fruit on top. If you add it the night before it releases water and makes the oats soggy, so it always goes in last.
Tip: Taking it to work? Put the fruit in a small separate container and combine everything just before eating.
About this recipe
Overnight oats are the answer for anyone who has neither the time nor the energy in the morning. Everything goes into a glass jar, sits in the fridge overnight and the next day it's creamy, cold and ready to eat or throw in your bag.
The ratio that works is easy to remember: one part oats to one part liquid, plus a yogurt. Less liquid and it's dry; more and it turns into soup.
Make three jars on Sunday and half your week's breakfasts are done, each with a different fruit so you don't get bored.
Tips for getting it right
- Greek yogurt is what makes it creamy and what boosts the protein. With regular yogurt it's runnier and has half the protein.
- If it's too thick in the morning, add a splash of milk and stir. If it's runny, add a spoonful of oats and wait ten minutes.
- It doesn't need sweetener if the fruit is ripe, but for something sweeter, a chopped date stirred in the night before works wonders.
Variations
Carrot cake
Finely grated carrot, cinnamon, nutmeg and a few chopped walnuts. It tastes exactly like it promises.
Chocolate peanut butter
A teaspoon of unsweetened cocoa in the mix and a tablespoon of peanut butter on top when serving.
Baked apple
Half an apple grated into the oats and the other half diced and sautéed for a minute in a skillet with cinnamon.
Storage
3 days in the fridge, covered. It doesn't freeze well: the oats go mushy when thawed.Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can I eat overnight oats warm?
Yes. One minute in the microwave turns them into porridge. They lose a little creaminess but are just as good in winter.
How long do overnight oats last in the fridge?
Three days with no problem. From day four the oats start releasing water and the texture turns pasty.
Can I use instant oats?
Yes, but they get softer and more like baby food. If you like to feel the grain, use old-fashioned rolled oats.
Keep cooking
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