These Strawberries and Cream Overnight Oats with Yogurt take plain overnight oats to a whole new level! A combination of chia seeds and rolled oats soaked in a deliciously creamy strawberry "milk" made with greek yogurt, plant-based milk and fresh strawberries. All you need is 5 minutes to make this nourishing and delicious breakfast. Perfect for the strawberry lover out there.
As a dietitian, I have a few favorite simple breakfasts that will give me the energy to get through my morning until lunchtime. And while I have been a long-time fan of a savory breakfast with eggs, I love overnight oatmeal for busy mornings recently. If you aren't familiar with overnight oats, it's a way of soaking oats in milk and other ingredients overnight. So instead of eating warm oatmeal, you eat it cold. Soaking oats overnight makes them super creamy and decadent!
It's strawberry season here in Austin and I recently went strawberry picking with my sister, nieces, and nephew at a local farm near me called Sweet Berry Farm. Once we were done, I had more juicy strawberries than I knew what to do with! So I decided to make one of my favorite overnight oats recipes - Strawberry Overnight Oats.
This recipe was inspired by my Blueberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats and Peach Cobbler Overnight Oats. I hope you love it as much as I do! 😊
Wondering whether breakfast is important or trying to find more options that fit into your busy schedule? Here are 7 Health Benefits of Breakfast and Ideas for Hormone Balancing Breakfasts.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- CREAMY AND DELICIOUS - letting the oats soak overnight gives them a super creamy consistency that makes it taste like you're eating dessert for breakfast! It's a great alternative for warm oatmeal in the hotter months when you want a chilled make-ahead breakfast.
- QUICK AND EASY - ready in about 5 minutes and the only kitchen skills you need is to know how to use a blender. The perfect grab-and-go breakfast to make in the evening and have ready the next morning.
- NUTRITION - these strawberry overnight oats hit all the nutritional high points! They contain 14 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber per serving. GF and vegetarian. Oats help support gut health and hormone health, and can help lower cholesterol levels. They also contain antioxidants. This recipe also provides healthy fatty acids and protein from the chia seeds, calcium and phosphorus from the yogurt, and vitamin C, magnesium, and folate from the strawberries.
- KID FRIENDLY - if you're looking for a way to get your kids to eat a more balanced breakfast, this is a family-friendly recipe that kids will enjoy, too!
Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
*This Strawberries and Cream Overnight Oats Recipe is made with basic ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Be sure to check the printable recipe card at the bottom for exact ingredient measurements.
- Rolled Oats - I recommend to use rolled oats for overnight oats because they absorb the milk and become super creamy. I don't recommend using quick oats because they will get mushy. I don't recommend using steel cut oats because they will not become as soft. To make it gluten-free, use certified GF oats. l'm a big fan of Bob's Red Mill brand.
- Plant Milk - I use Califia Farms unsweetened vanilla almond milk for overnight oats, but you could use any milk you like. Coconut or cashew milk will make it even creamier and oat milk works great, too. Feel free to use dairy milk if you don't prefer plant-based milks.
- Vanilla Yogurt - Greek Yogurt or Skyr (Icelandic Yogurt) are both perfect for adding some protein and probiotics to help support gut health. You can also use regular yogurt if the texture of Greek Yogurt bothers you or your favorite vegan yogurt if you prefer. I use either Siggi's or Iceland Provisions brand. I do recommend using vanilla yogurt for this recipe, but you can use plain if you prefer less sugar.
- Chia Seeds - chia seeds add to the texture of overnight oats. They are also high in healthy fats, fiber, and protein. Plus, they are good for your skin! I use Nativas brand. Learn more about the health benefits of chia seeds.
- Sweetener - I personally love using pure maple syrup to sweeten these strawberries and cream overnight oats. You could also use honey, agave, date syrup, or any sweetener you like.
- Strawberries - if you have access to fresh strawberries, I recommend to use those. But frozen will work here too.
- Vanilla Extract - to add a creamier vanilla flavor.
How to Make Strawberry Overnight Oats
*Below are the instructions for how to make Strawberries and Cream Overnight Oats with Yogurt with some process shots that I hope are helpful! Don't forget to check out the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
Step 1 - Dice your strawberries. You'll use half for the first part of the recipe and the other half for mixing in with the dry ingredients.
Step 2 - Combine half the strawberries and the wet ingredients including milk, yogurt, maple syrup, and vanilla extract in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. This is your strawberry "milk".
Step 3 - In a mason jar or other container with a lid, mix together the rolled oatmeal, chia seeds, and the rest of the strawberries.
Step 4 - Pour the strawberry milk into the container and give it a good stir. Cover and store in the fridge overnight or at least for 4 hours for best results. When ready to serve, add your favorite toppings!
Hint: Use a wide mouth mason jar or even an almost empty peanut butter or almond butter jar to make your overnight oats.
Variations
The beauty of overnight oats is the freedom to adjust a recipe to your taste. There are so many ways to customize these Strawberries and Cream Overnight Oats so get creative with your toppings and add-ins.
- Sweeter - if you like things on the sweeter side, double up on the maple syrup or use strawberry syrup. You can also make these sweeter by using vanilla milk instead of plain, or a fruit flavored yogurt instead of vanilla.
- Vegan - use vegan yogurt and plant-based milk to make this recipe vegan-friendly. Some yogurt options are coconut yogurt, cashew yogurt, or almond milk yogurt.
- High Protein - add more protein with a scoop of plain or vanilla protein powder. You may need to adjust the consistency by adding more milk.
- Heartier - in addition to chia seeds, add flax seeds or hemp hearts (hemp seeds) for even more thickness and hearty texture, healthy fats, and protein.
- Strawberry Shortcake - turn it into a strawberry shortcake version of overnight oats by adding crumbled graham cracker or shortbread cookies and some whipped cream or extra dollop of yogurt on top of the strawberry oats!
Ideas for Toppings for Overnight Oats
- Fruit - add some extra fruit as a topping. Blueberries, bananas, peaches, or mangoes pair nicely with delicious strawberries!
- Dark Chocolate Chips - top with dark chocolate chips or chunks of your favorite dark chocolate bar.
- Nuts - sliced almonds, toasted walnuts, or chopped cashews on top add crunch and even more flavor.
- Nut butter - add a Tablespoon or a drizzle of your favorite nut or seed butter to the top! Peanut butter, cashew butter, or almond butter work great. For an allergy-friendly nut-free option, use sunflower seed butter.
Equipment
All you need is a blender and a container. I have this Ninja Blender and LOVE it! I held off on getting one for years but have never regretted it. Here are some options for containers to use for overnight oats:
- Wide Mouth Mason Jars, 16 oz works perfectly
- Overnight Oats Containers with Lids and Spoon
Storage
Refrigerator: Store overnight oats in an airtight container. You can keep overnight oats in the fridge for up to 5 days. They will continue to get creamier the longer they sit. I typically make them the night before and let them soak overnight, but you could meal prep multiple jars to have them ready for you throughout the whole week.
Registered Dietitian Tip!
Did you know that oatmeal contains a dietary fiber called beta-glucan? Beta-glucan may help lower cholesterol levels, can help support your digestive system, and stabilize blood-sugar levels. Just a half cup of oats contains around 15% of your daily fiber intake for the day and 5 grams of protein. These overnight oats are a delicious way to nourish your body with care and stay full and satisfied until your next meal.
FAQ
While healthy eating means something different to everyone, overnight oats are a nourishing option that can help you meet your daily dietary needs! Oatmeal is high in soluble fiber and extra filling with the addition of the chia seeds and Greek yogurt in this recipe. It is also high in several nutrients including magnesium, iron, and zinc. Chia seeds add heart-healthy fatty acids, protein, and more fiber and strawberries add vitamin C and manganese. This recipe is gluten-free if using certified GF oats, and vegetarian.
The best oats for overnight oats are rolled oats, also called old-fashioned oats. Quick oats are smaller pieces and cook faster so they tend to get too mushy for overnight oats. Steel-cut oats are not steamed or rolled as rolled oats are. Because of that, they take much longer to cook or soften and don't work so great for overnight oats. I like to use Bob's Red Mill brand.
As it is with all things that have to do with nutrition, the answer is not so simple. But I would say that oatmeal can certainly help with weight loss. The soluble fiber found in oats can help you stay full for longer making it less likely that you will overeat at your next meal or snack. A recent study in the Physiological Research Journal showed that fiber, starch, and other phytochemicals in oatmeal can have an anti-obesity effect and can also help to promote healthy gut bacteria.
Absolutely! I love getting strawberries from the grocery store or farmer's market when they are in season and freezing them so I always have strawberries on hand. Or you can use a bag of frozen strawberries from the freezer section of the grocery store. You may just need to let them thaw a bit on the counter for about 10 minutes so you can dice them.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Strawberries and Cream Overnight Oats:
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Here are some of my educational posts you may enjoy:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram....I LOVE knowing there’s people out there trying out my recipes! 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian.
📖 Recipe
Strawberries and Cream Overnight Oats with Yogurt
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup diced strawberries, divided about 6-8 large strawberries
- ½ cup rolled oats look for certified gluten-free if you eat GF
- ½ tablespoon chia seeds I use Nativas brand.
- ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or your favorite milk, I use Califia Farms.
- ¼ cup vanilla nonfat greek yogurt or Skyr or your favorite yogurt, I use Siggi's
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Dice your strawberries. Combine half the strawberries (¼ cup diced) and the wet ingredients including milk, yogurt, maple syrup, and vanilla extract in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. This is your strawberry "milk".
- In a mason jar or other container with a lid, mix together the dry ingredients including the rolled oatmeal, chia seeds, and the rest of the strawberries.
- Pour the strawberry milk into the container and give it a good stir. Cover and store in the fridge overnight or at least for 4 hours for best results.
- When ready to serve, add your toppings of choice and enjoy!
- Hint: Use a wide mouth mason jar or even an almost empty peanut butter or almond butter jar to make your overnight oats.
Video
Notes
- Fruit - add some extra fruit on top. Blueberries, bananas, or mangoes pair nicely with delicious strawberries!
- Dark Chocolate Chips - top with dark chocolate chips or chunks of your favorite dark chocolate bar!
- Nuts - sliced almonds or chopped cashews on top add crunch and even more flavor.
- Nut butter - add a tablespoon of your favorite nut or seed butter to the top! Peanut butter, cashew butter, or almond butter work great. For an allergy-friendly nut-free option, use sunflower seed butter.
Sarah
These are the best overnight oats I've ever had!!! I love the idea of blending together some of the ingredients to make a strawberry milk and my daughter loved the pink color!
Mallory
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!! It makes me so happy that you love this recipe and that your daughter loved it too! 🙂 Please let me know if there are any recipes/recipe ideas you want me to share, I love getting ideas from my readers! <3