Overnight oatmeal (also called refrigerator oatmeal) is oatmeal that can be prepared the night before and enjoyed completely cold. It's a perfect make-ahead option for busy weekday mornings.
In this article, we share our basic recipe , some topping ideas , and 6 of our favorite recipes .
THE ULTIMATE BASIC OVERNIGHT OATMEAL RECIPE
Below is the basic recipe for making overnight oatmeal for 1 serving. However, it's possible (and recommended) to make a few extra servings to have some on hand throughout the week.
(SERVING: 1)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) oatmeal
- 1/3 cup (85 ml) milk or plant-based beverage
- 1/3 cup (85 ml) plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp (5 ml) maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) chia seeds
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ground flax seeds
Preparation
In a bowl, mix the oatmeal, milk, plain Greek yogurt, maple syrup , chia seeds and ground flax seeds.
Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Notes
Overnight oatmeal can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. However, if it contains fruit, such as bananas, it will only last 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator.
VARIATIONS OF "OVERNIGHT" OATMEAL
1. The liquid
In most overnight oatmeal recipes, the liquid used is milk or some other plant-based beverage. By substituting another liquid, such as tea infusion , orange juice , or even espresso , you can vary the flavor of your oatmeal a bit.
2. Yogurt
When it comes to yogurt, it's perfectly possible to vary the flavor. However, keep in mind that flavored yogurts generally contain sugar, while plain yogurts do not. Therefore, we recommend omitting maple syrup or honey from the basic recipe if you're using flavored yogurt.
Finally, it is essential that the yogurt is thick, so preferably Greek or skyr yogurt so that the oatmeal has a nice consistency.
3. Aromatics
The basic recipe we're offering doesn't contain any spices or extracts because we wanted it to be easy to customize. However, adding ground cinnamon , cocoa powder , or even vanilla or almond extract are great alternatives to explore to give your oatmeal a little more flavor!
4. The toppings
Of course, toppings are always a great way to vary the flavors! As toppings, we suggest you include nuts, seeds or dried fruits , nut or peanut butter , fresh fruits , jam or small pieces of dark chocolate .
"OVERNIGHT" OATMEAL CHAI LATTE
BLACK TEA & ALMONDS
(SERVING: 1 )
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup (85 ml) boiling water
- 2 tsp (10 ml) Chaitian black tea - Me first
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) oatmeal
- 1/3 cup (85 ml) plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp (5 ml) maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) chia seeds
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ground flax seeds
- A few almonds as a garnish
Preparation
Steep the Chaitian black tea in boiling water for about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the tea and set aside the infusion.
In a bowl, mix the oatmeal, tea infusion, plain Greek yogurt, maple syrup , chia seeds and ground flax seeds.
Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
When serving, garnish with almonds.
To make this recipe...
OATMEALS “OVERNIGHT” PIÑA COLADA
MATCHA, COCONUT & PINEAPPLE TEA
(SERVING: 1 )
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) oatmeal
- 1/3 cup (85 ml) milk or plant-based beverage
- 1/3 cup (85 ml) plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp (10 ml) maple syrup or honey
- 2 tsp (10 ml) matcha tea Piña colada - Me first
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) chia seeds
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ground flax seeds
- Crunchy Coconut Chips - Big Cove Foods , as a topping
- Pineapple pieces, as a garnish
Preparation
In a bowl, mix the oatmeal, milk, plain Greek yogurt, maple syrup , Piña colada matcha tea , chia seeds and ground flax seeds.
Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
When serving, garnish with Coconut Crunchy shavings and pineapple chunks.
To make this recipe...
OATMEAL "OVERNIGHT" BROWNIE
WITH HOT CHOCOLATE
(SERVING: 1 )
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) oatmeal
- 1/3 cup (85 ml) milk or plant-based beverage
- 1/3 cup (85 ml) plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp (10 ml) of Mocha hot chocolate - Terra
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) chia seeds
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ground flax seeds
- A few pieces of dark chocolate, as a garnish
Preparation
In a bowl, mix the oatmeal, milk, plain Greek yogurt, Mocha hot chocolate , chia seeds and ground flax seeds.
Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
When serving, garnish with a few pieces of dark chocolate.
To make this recipe...
OVERNIGHT OATMEAL BANANA BREAD
BANANAS, ALMONDS & DARK CHOCOLATE
(SERVING: 1 )
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) Maple & Walnut Oatmeal - La Pause Magique
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) mashed banana
- 1/3 cup (85 ml) milk or plant-based beverage
- 1/3 cup (85 ml) plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp (5 ml) maple syrup or honey
- 1 tsp (5 ml) ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) chia seeds
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ground flax seeds
- A few slices of banana, as a garnish
- A few pieces of dark chocolate, as a garnish
Preparation
In a bowl, mix the Maple & Walnut oatmeal , mashed banana, milk, plain Greek yogurt, maple syrup , ground cinnamon, chia seeds and ground flax seeds.
Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
When ready to serve, garnish with banana slices and a few pieces of dark chocolate.
To make this recipe...
OVERNIGHT OATMEAL WITH CASHEW BUTTER & JAM
CASHEW BUTTER AND PEACH & LAVENDER JAM
(SERVING: 1 )
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) oatmeal
- 1/3 cup (85 ml) milk or plant-based beverage
- 1/3 cup (85 ml) plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) chia seeds
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ground flax seeds
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) of Cashew, Coconut and Maple Butter - Mille et une noix
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) of Worthy Jam Lavender Peach Jam
Preparation
In a bowl, combine the oatmeal, milk, plain Greek yogurt, chia seeds, and ground flax seeds.
In an airtight container, place a little cashew butter in the bottom of the container. Add 1/3 of the oatmeal mixture and a little lavender peach jam. Repeat this step until all the cashew butter and lavender peach jam have been used.
Refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.
To make this recipe...
OVERNIGHT OATMEAL CARROT CAKE
CARROTS & ALMONDS
(SERVING: 1 )
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) oatmeal
- 1/3 cup (85 ml) milk or plant-based beverage
- 1/3 cup (85 ml) plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp (5 ml) maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) chia seeds
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ground flax seeds
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) grated carrots + as garnish
- A few almonds, as a garnish
Preparation
In a bowl, combine oats, milk, plain Greek yogurt, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, chia seeds, ground flax seeds, and grated carrots.
Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
When ready to serve, garnish with the remaining grated carrots and almonds.
To make this recipe...
