These High Protein Overnight Oats are the ideal solution when regular oats leave you hungry and on the search for food two hours before your lunch break. These protein oats are simple to prepare, gluten-free and contain 42 grams of protein making them the perfect morning staple.
Jump to:
A breakfast that you whip up in minutes and is ready for you as you run out the door in the morning is a win in my books. Make this recipe in a mason jar with a lid and it can fit right in to your car cup holder. Nothing will stop you from getting a solid, protein-packed, balanced breakfast.
Need some high-protein inspiration? Try these Chewy Collagen Protein Cookies (12 grams of protein per cookie!), these High-Protein Healthy Peanut Butter Eggs (10 grams of protein each!), or these Protein Ice Cream Bars.
What I Love About This Recipe
These overnight oats are the perfect make-ahead breakfast. Here is why I love them:
- High-Protein— With 42 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber, these oats will ensure you have a nutritious start to your day.
- Convenience to the Max— These oats take minutes to prepare and are grab-and-go ready for the morning. We all need a little morning convenience sometimes. If you want to try a different overnight oats recipe, try these Lemon Blueberry Overnight Oats.
Ingredients
Old-Fashioned Oats - Quick oats and steel cut oats are not the best for overnight oats. Stick to old-fashioned rolled oats. I like One Degree Organics Sprouted Rolled Oats - I get them from Costco.
Greek Yogurt - Full fat or non-fat Greek yogurt will work. Vanilla yogurt can also be used but you should account for the extra sweetness. If you don't love the tanginess of Greek yogurt I would stick to a full fat version because it is creamier.
Protein Powder - You can use your favorite vanilla protein powder! Unflavored and other flavors also work great.
See the full ingredient list and measurements in the recipe card below.
Possible Substitutions
- Vegan protein powder can be used but sometimes can be extra absorbent. If your oats are very thick after setting, just add a little more dairy-free milk and give it a stir.
- You can use any sweetener in place of maple syrup. I don't like using honey as it has a harder time dissolving in cold foods, but coconut sugar or another type of sweetener will work fine.
- I don't recommend substituting or omitting the chia seeds unless you reduce the liquid by half because they absorb a lot of the moisture and make the oats thick rather than watery.
- If you want to omit the yogurt or the protein powder please see adjustments in the "Variations" section.
If you try any substitutions in this recipe, please let us know what works in the comments below!
How to Make High-Protein Overnight Oats
Step 1: Combine all ingredients in an airtight container or 16-ounce jar with a lid.
Step 2: Stir together until there are no clumps of protein powder or chia seeds. You can also seal the jar and shake vigorously to combine.
Step 4: Place sealed container in the fridge for at least 2 hours or ideally overnight. Remove from fridge, stir and enjoy! Top with fresh fruit, chocolate chips, nuts, seeds, or nut butter if desired.
Commonly Asked Questions
For 42 grams of protein per serving, I use both Greek yogurt and a little protein powder in these high-protein overnight oats. Other options like high-protein milks (like Fairlife or dairy-free milk with added pea protein), blended cottage cheese, or topping with hemps seeds or nut butters can give overnight oats a protein boost.
Protein overnight oats can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for 4-5 days, making them the perfect breakfast meal prep for a busy work week. They continue to get thicker the longer they are stored, but you can freshen them up with a splash of milk.
Avoid adding ingredients that change texture when exposed to moisture. Nuts will loose their crunch, dried fruit will get soggy/chewy, and frozen fruit will thaw and make the oats watery if the extra moisture is not accounted for.
Dietitian Notes
- With 42 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber, these oats are the perfect breakfast for busy days! Eating a high-protein breakfast can help control hunger and reduce food seeking behavior later in the day.
- These overnight oats contain carbohydrate from whole grain oats, healthy fats from chia seeds, and protein from protein powder and Greek yogurt for a macronutrient balanced morning meal.
Recipe Variations
- No Greek Yogurt - If omitting the Greek yogurt, you will want to add an additional ¼ cup of milk and another 1-2 tablespoon of protein powder to get the oats to be thick and creamy. If your protein powder is sweetened, you may want to omit the maple syrup.
- No Protein Powder - If omitting the protein powder, you will need to reduce the milk by ¼ cup so that they are not too liquidy.
- No Chia Seeds - Omitting the chia seeds will make these oats more liquidy and would require reducing the milk by at least ¼ cup. If they are still too thin, adding another tablespoon of protein powder could help thicken them up.
What Type Of Protein Powder Should I Use?
Any protein powder that fits in to your diet would work! I would select a protein powder with around 20 grams of protein per serving and less than 5 grams of carbohydrate, looking for minimal ingredients and organic and/or grass-fed options. Because protein powders can be a source of heavy metal contamination, always make sure they are third party tested for metals.
Some protein powders are more or less drying and may require a slight adjustment in the liquid ratio. Here are options I have tested:
- Levels Grass-Fed Whey in Vanilla Bean is a great animal-based option and is sweetened with stevia and monk fruit.
- Naked Whey in Vanilla is another minimal ingredient whey protein that is sweetened with coconut sugar.
- Amazing Grass Glow is a super creamy vegan option. It is a little lower in protein but has great flavor.
- IsoPure Zero Carb is just pure whey protein isolate with nothing extra. You will definitely need to add a little sweetener if you use a plain whey protein.
- Orgain Simple in Vanilla is a good vegan option but required a splash on milk because the oats were quite thick.
Topping Ideas
Because these protein oats are such a blank slate, the topping possibilities are endless. Here are some ideas:
- Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, or sunflower seed butter
- Fresh blueberries, strawberries or raspberries
- Mini chocolate chips
- Banana slices
- Slivered almonds, shredded coconut, toasted coconut chips or hemp seeds
Recipe Tips
- Account for the sweetness of your protein powder. You may not need to add any maple syrup if your protein powder is pretty sweet.
- If changing/omitting any of the thickening ingredients (protein powder, greek yogurt, chia seeds) be sure to adjust the liquid to ensure the oats are not too watery once set.
- Use full fat Greek yogurt to reduce tanginess.
Try These Other High-Protein Recipes
Looking for other tasty recipes? Here are a few you might like:
Did you try these High-Protein Overnight Oats?
I would love to see how it went! Share a photo and tag me on Instagram or leave a comment on Pinterest.
Love this recipe? Connect with me by leaving a comment below! 😊
📖 Recipe
High-Protein Overnight Oats
Equipment
- 16-ounce jar or airtight container with a lid
Ingredients
- ½ cup Gluten-free old fashion oats Not steel cut or instant
- ½ cup Plain Greek yogurt any fat %
- ½ cup Unsweetened dairy-free milk or regular milk
- 2 tablespoon Vanilla protein powder I used whey
- 1 tablespoon Chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon Maple syrup or to taste
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon Salt or taste (I prefer ¼ tsp)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in an airtight container or 16-ounce jar with a lid. Stir together until there are no clumps of protein powder or chia seeds. You can also seal the jar and shake vigorously to combine.
- Place sealed container in the fridge for at least 2 hours or ideally overnight.
- Remove from fridge and stir. If the oats are a little thick (depending on what type of protein powder you used) you can add a little more milk. If they are a little thin, you can add a tablespoon an additional tablespoon of protein powder or chia seeds to thicken. Top with fresh fruit, chocolate chips, nuts, seeds, or nut butter if desired, and enjoy!
Notes
-
- Account for the sweetness of your protein powder. You may not need to add any maple syrup if your protein powder is pretty sweet.
-
- If changing/omitting any of the thickening ingredients (protein powder, greek yogurt, chia seeds) be sure to adjust the liquid to ensure the oats are not too watery once set.
-
- Use full fat Greek yogurt to reduce tanginess.
-
- No Greek Yogurt - If omitting the Greek yogurt, you will want to add an additional ¼ cup of milk and another 1-2 tablespoon of protein powder to get the oats to be thick and creamy. If your protein powder is sweetened, you may want to omit the maple syrup.
-
- No Protein Powder - If omitting the protein powder, you will need to reduce the milk by ¼ cup so that they are not too liquidy.
-
- No Chia Seeds - Omitting the chia seeds will make these oats more liquidy and would require reducing the milk by at least ¼ cup. If they are still too thin, adding another tablespoon of protein powder could help thicken them up.
Amanda McGillicuddy says
Such an easy way to get protein in the morning!