Make healthy overnight oats with chia seeds and Greek yogurt for an easy high protein meal prep breakfast. Our easy overnight chia oats start with a base layer and we show you 3 different mix-ins to change up the flavors including peanut butter banana, apple cinnamon, and mixed berry. It's a WHOLE LOTTA YUM!
Overnight Oats with Yogurt
If you haven't yet tried overnight oats, you're definitely in for a treat! And dare we say they're even better than warm oatmeal since they basically become a cold chia oatmeal pudding that does double duty as a snack or healthy dessert.
On a personal note, eating overnight oats for weight loss has honestly been a game-changer for me! No more feeling hungry an hour after eating breakfast. The high protein and healthy fats combo has helped me stay full longer and it reduces cravings for less healthy snacks and treats.
Our overnight oats with chia seeds recipe are:
- Easy to customize! Plus we give you 3 options to start with
- You can make it vegan with plant-based alternatives
- High protein with healthy fats
- PERFECT for meal prep to make your morning easier!
- Healthy overnight oats for weight loss make it easier to feel full longer
While it's totally optional to do so, we love to add Greek yogurt and chia seeds to our overnight oats recipe since it adds so much protein, plus leaves you full. That makes this the perfect healthy breakfast for weight loss meal prep.
And If you're looking for even more breakfast meal prep inspo, be sure to try our chia seed puddings with blueberry sauce, frozen yogurt bark, and homemade maple almond granola.
Ingredient Notes
Our overnight oats with chia seeds recipe starts with a base that really is a recipe in its own right. Then you can either add them to mason jars and chill them OR you can mix in one of our variations to change up the flavor. Either way, eating them simple or with a flavor, you'll love them!
- rolled oats - plain old rolled oats here, we prefer the gluten-free oats but any will work. We don't recommend steel-cut oats or instant oats.
- milk - dairy milk, almond milk, oat milk, soy, or coconut milk all work great.
- Greek yogurt - you can use non fat Greek yogurt, full fat, or a different type of yogurt of your choosing. We prefer Greek yogurt since it's thick and it doesn't water down the oats.
- vanilla
- honey - maple syrup or agave work well too
- chia seeds - these can be left out but we love the extra boost of fiber and protein they give!
- sea salt
** Please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the exact quantities **
Can overnight oats be made with water?
You might have noticed that our overnight chia oats recipe is made with almond milk, you might be wondering if you can make overnight oats with water instead. The answer is yes! Water can be used in place of the milk, however, using plant based milk or cow's milk does give a creaminess and extra flavor that water can't provide.
Variations
Mixed Berry
- blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries (we used fresh strawberries and blueberries)
- lemon zest (optional)
- garnish ideas: granola, peanut butter or almond butter, blueberries, strawberries
Peanut Butter Banana
- banana
- peanut butter
- chocolate chips
- coconut flakes
- garnish ideas: sliced banana, peanut butter, coconut, mini chocolate chips
Apple Cinnamon Raisin
- raisins
- cinnamon
- chopped apples
- garnish ideas: raisins, cinnamon, maple syrup, apples
Equipment
Mason jars- We use 8 oz mason jars, they make the perfect one cup portion for breakfast or a snack.
How to Make Overnight Oats with Yogurt and Chia Seeds
Making overnight oats with yogurt and chia seeds is super simple. Just combine the base layer ingredients in a bowl, add in your flavors of choice, chill the overnight oats, and then garnish with your favorite toppings.
Make Base Layer
Mix the base ingredients together in a medium size bowl, which includes rolled oats, yogurt, milk, vanilla, honey, chia seeds, and salt.
Customize the Overnight Oats
- Mixed berry - ¼ each of fresh blueberries and strawberries. Defrosted frozen berries can be used too but they'll turn your oats purple. We like to add 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon zest too, but this is optional.
- Peanut butter banana oats - add ½ of a mashed banana mashed, 2 tablespoons peanut butter (or almond butter), 1 tablespoon chocolate chips, and 1 tablespoon coconut flakes, and mix well. The chocolate chips and coconut are entirely optional but they add a fun kick.
- Apple cinnamon raisin - add ¼ cup raisins to the overnight oats base. The cinnamon and apple get added right before serving for the best consistency.
Refrigerate
Cover the overnight oats with a lid or plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator overnight to chill. Just before serving, add the extra toppings of your choice. Get creative or try our suggestions below!
- Mixed berry - chopped strawberries, blueberries, granola
- Peanut butter banana - add sliced bananas, a drizzle of peanut butter, unsweetened coconut flakes, and chocolate chips (optional).
- Apple cinnamon raisin - chopped apples, a sprinkle of cinnamon, raisins, a drizzle of maple syrup
Recipe Tips
- Do not use steel cut oats or quick oats in this recipe. Steel cut oats don't soften with this method and the quick-style oats will get too soggy.
- Our overnight chia oats will last for 5 days in the refrigerator, make a big batch for the week!
Common Questions
Can I make this in a large jar instead of individual sizes?
Definitely, you can chill the overnight chia oats in the mixing bowl you combined them in. Just portion it out into 1-cup portions before servings and add garnishes to each bowl.
How long do they keep?
Overnight oats last in the fridge for up to 5 days, perfect for meal prep breakfasts for the entire work week!
Are they eaten warm or cold?
Homemade overnight oats are meant to be eaten cold, straight from the fridge. The oats absorb the liquid overnight and turn out like a breakfast pudding or muesli. You could eat them warm if preferred, however, they are typically served cold.
Are overnight oats good for weight loss?
Overnight oats for weight loss truly make the perfect balanced breakfast. Our recipe with non-fat Greek yogurt and chia seeds is not only high protein, but they're filled with healthy fats, they're high in fiber, and they have healthy grains, dairy, protein, and fruit all in one low calorie dish!
More Weight Loss Meal Prep Recipes
- Blueberry chia seed pudding
- Frozen granola bark
- Vegan gluten-free granola
- Bacon egg cups
If you loved our recipe, please leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review and leave us a comment too! Connect with us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube!
Overnight Chia Oats
Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Additional Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Our overnight oats with chia seeds and Greek yogurt start with a base layer and we show you 3 different mix-ins to change up the flavors including peanut butter banana, apple cinnamon, and mixed berry.
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats (180 g)
- 1 cup non-fat milk or almond milk (240 ml)
- 2 cups non-fat Greek yogurt (454 g)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (12 ml)
- ¼+ cup honey (84 g)
- 2 ½ Tablespoons chia seeds (30 g)
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
Make Base Layer
Mix the base ingredients together in a medium size bowl, which includes rolled oats, yogurt, milk, vanilla, honey, chia seeds, cinnamon, and salt.
Customize the Oats
- Mixed berry - to each mason jar add ¼ cup each of fresh blueberries and strawberries. Defrosted frozen berries can be used too but they'll turn your oats purple. We like to add 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon zest too, but this is optional.
- Peanut butter banana oats - to each mason jar add ½ of a mashed banana mashed, 2 tablespoons peanut butter (or almond butter), 1 tablespoon chocolate chips, and 1 tablespoon coconut flakes, and mix well. The chocolate chips and coconut are entirely optional but they add a fun kick.
- Apple cinnamon raisin - to each mason jar add ¼ cup of raisins to the overnight oats base. The cinnamon and apple get added right before serving for the best consistency.
Chill
- Cover the overnight oats with a lid or plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours up to overnight to chill.
- Just before serving, add the extra toppings of your choice. Get creative or try our suggestions below!
- Mixed berry - chopped strawberries, blueberries, granola
- Peanut butter banana - add sliced bananas, a drizzle of peanut butter, unsweetened coconut flakes, and chocolate chips (optional).
- Apple cinnamon raisin - chopped apples, a sprinkle of cinnamon, raisins, a drizzle of maple syrup
Notes
All flavors are easy to customize, be creative and add flavors that suit your taste. We often just eat the base layer without all of the toppings when we're in a hurry!
Serve with: egg white bites, and egg white scramble, or chicken breast sausage to increase the protein.
Overnight oats will keep up to 5 days in the fridge, our recipe makes 6 portions of oats for the week.
Each serving is 167 g, and the total grams per batch is 1001.4 g if you need the weight for making this by the bowl and not mason jars.
Nutrition Information
Yield 6Serving Size 1
Amount Per ServingCalories 241Total Fat 4gCarbohydrates 39gNet Carbohydrates 34gFiber 5gProtein 15g
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