Protein Overnight Oats with Berries is a healthy and delicious make-ahead breakfast. It’s rich and creamy with a combination of protein, complex carbohydrates, and antioxidants.
Overnight oats are thick and creamy make-ahead oatmeal that doesn’t require any cooking at all. It’s an excellent plant-based breakfast idea when you know you have a busy morning.
A few of my go-to recipes are my Peanut Butter Overnight Oats and my Banana Overnight Oats. They are creamy and chock full of vitamins and nutrients. But if you’re looking to add a boost of protein to your oats, this is the breakfast recipe for you!
Protein Overnight Oats has a combination of complex carbohydrates from the oats to give you energy, a boost of protein for muscle development, and added antioxidants to protect against free radicals.
If you’re waking up early and need a nutrient-rich breakfast on the go, this is the breakfast for you!
Jump to:
💗 Why You’ll Love Protein Overnight Oats Recipe with Berries…
- Great for meal prepping
- High in protein
- A good source of complex carbohydrates
- Added antioxidants
- Low in cholesterol
- Low in fat and calories
- High in nutrients
- Vegan and Plant-Based
- Gluten-Free
- Naturally sweetened
- Rich and creamy
🥣 Ingredients and Notes
- Rolled Oats-There are many different types of oats on the market. Quick oats will end up creating a soupy mixture, while steel-cut oats will not reduce down enough to be edible overnight. Use rolled oats which is a nice in-between of the two.
- Unsweetened Plant-Based Milk-I used almond milk, however, if you have a nut allergy you can use oat, soy, or coconut milk. I recommend using unsweetened and unflavored milk.
- Plant-Based Protein Powder-I used Future Kind Organic Vanilla Protein Powder. It’s a vegan protein powder. Keep it simple when it comes to protein powders. You don’t want one with added sugar, artificial flavors, or artificial sweeteners.
- Maple Syrup-This refined sugar-free sweetener adds natural sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract-Added vanilla extract brings out the natural flavors of the other ingredients and elevates the flavors as a whole. You could also use agave.
- Organic Blueberries and Strawberries-When it comes to berries I recommend using organic for improved flavor. In addition, berries (especially strawberries) are known to have a higher concentration of pesticides than other fruits and vegetables and are on the EWG’s Dirty Dozen list.
📋 Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Fill a mason jar with 1 cup of rolled oats. Cover the oats with 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk, protein powder, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir with a spoon to evenly distribute the ingredients. Cover with a lid and place in the fridge for soaking overnight (or a minimum of 4 hours).
Step 2: When you are ready to serve transfer the lats to two cups, and top with fresh berries. Enjoy!
💭 Expert Tips
- Make the night before, and eat the next morning. You could make up to 2-4 servings to last you for several days of the week.
- Use rolled oats, not quick oats or steel-cut oats.
- Be sure to thoroughly stir all the ingredients together. You don’t want to end up with clumps of protein powder.
- Adjust the sweetness for your preferred taste. You can add a bit more maple syrup but it will add additional sugar.
- Use unsweetened plant-based milk, and unsweetened protein powder so that you have control over the sugar.
- If you want to warm up your oats microwave them for about 45 seconds per serving. Watch it in the microwave so that it doesn’t bubble up too much and create a mess.
📖 Variations and Substitutions
Here are some simple variations and substitutions to make this recipe work for you using your pantry ingredients.
Don’t have rolled oats? Use quick oats, but only refrigerate for half of the time. You could also use old-fashioned oats.
Don’t have almond milk? Use the plant-based milk of your choice. I recommend going with an unsweetened plain version. If you’re not vegan you could use a combination of Greek yogurt and
Don’t have vanilla extract? Try almond extract if you have it. It gives a nice nutty flavor to the oats. Or use a vanilla plant-based milk or vanilla-flavored protein powder.
Not sure what type of protein powder to use? Use the type you have on hand. I’m pretty picky when it comes to my protein powders. There are some not-so-healthy types on the market that are filled with additives, sugar, or artificial sweeteners. Consider using chocolate protein powder for chocolate-flavored high-protein oats.
Want More Protein? Add two teaspoons of chia seeds for added protein and omega-3s. Or sprinkle the top of your oats with chopped nuts, or drizzle with nut butter and a dash of cinnamon.
❓ Recipe FAQS
High in Protein-One serving has 16 grams of protein. A great start to the day to get your recommended protein intake!
High in Fiber-Oats are complex carbs meaning they include needed fiber that helps keep you feeling fuller longer and improves your digestion.
Rich in Vitamins and Nutrients-The added berries provide needed antioxidants, while the oats and plant-based milk provide calcium and iron!
It might seem a bit out of the ordinary to add protein powder to your oats, but it gives this breakfast a true boost in nutrients. Adding the vanilla and berries helps to disguise the flavor of the protein making this a delicious and healthy way to start the day!
While many overnight oats recipes contain some form of protein because oats themselves have some protein, they are not considered a high-protein breakfast. However, protein overnight oats use the power of protein powder to deliver 16 grams of protein per serving.
Protein powder is one way to add more protein to your oats, but it’s not the only way. Adding Greek yogurt instead of milk also increases the protein and makes your oats thicker. Add in nuts, nut butter, chia seeds, or pumpkin seeds for even more protein!
😋 More Protein Rich Vegan Recipes
Please comment below if you found this article helpful or have any additional questions. You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more family-friendly vegan recipes!
Recipe
Protein Overnight Oats with Berries
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk or plant-based milk of choice
- ¼ cup unsweetened plant based protein powder
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup strawberries slices
- ¼ cup blueberries
Instructions
- Fill a mason jar 1 cup of rolled oats. Cover oats the with 1 cup of unsweetened plant-based milk, protein powder, maple syrup and vanilla.
- Stir with a spoon to evenly distribute the ingredients. Cover with a lid and place it in the refrigerator overnight (or for a minimum of 4 hours).
- When you are ready to serve transfer to two cups, and top with fresh berries. Enjoy!
Notes
- Make the night before, and eat the next morning. I don’t recommend making a bunch of overnight oats for the week and letting them sit in your refrigerator. They taste best and retain their consistency better when eaten the next morning.
- Use rolled oats, not quick oats or steel-cut oats.
- Be sure to thoroughly stir all the ingredients together. You don’t want to end up with clumps of protein powder.
- Adjust the sweetness for your preferred taste. You can add a bit more maple syrup but it will add additional sugar.
- Use unsweetened plant-based milk, and unsweetened protein powder so that you have control over the sugar.
- If you want to warm up your oats microwave them for about 45 seconds per serving. Watch it in the microwave so that it doesn’t bubble up too much and create a mess.
Caroline
Overnight oats make such a great easy breakfast, looks like a tasty variation.
Bhawana
Adding protein powder in overnight soaked oats makes it a complete and protein-rich food. A brilliant idea.
Sharon
These overnight oats are the perfect and healthy way to start the day! Full of fiber.
Luci
These overnight oats are delicious! I love how easy and healthy they are. I topped mine with some berries this morning and loved it!
Amanda Marie Boyle
I used to do overnight oats all the time. I should go back to them so, easy, and I love that I can do this to get my protein in!