Overnight Oats with Yogurt

Our recipe for overnight oats with yogurt is two breakfast treats in one! It’s a fairly standard overnight oats recipe using maple syrup as a sweetener; the yogurt, walnuts and fruit are added in at mealtime. Overnight oats with yogurt is an excellent make-ahead meal. It takes almost no time to concoct and even less time to dig in for breakfast. Easy, healthy and delicious.

Ingredients for Overnight Oats with Yogurt

•  Old-fashioned oats: Uncooked old-fashioned oats soften as they soak overnight. There’s no cooking needed for this recipe.
• Fat-free milk: Fat-free milk cuts calories. The milk brings hydration to the oats.
• Maple syrup: This ingredient sweetens the oats.
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla adds extra vanilla flavor and fragrance.
• Vanilla yogurt: Vanilla yogurt adds protein, flavor and a softer texture to the meal. You can use regular or Greek vanilla yogurt.
• Walnuts: Toasting the walnuts makes them more flavorful and chopping them makes them easier to mix into the oats and to eat with a spoon.
• Assorted fresh fruit: Fruits such as blueberries, strawberries or bananas taste delicious with these overnight oats.

Directions 

Step 1: Mix the overnight oats

In a large bowl, combine the oats, milk, maple syrup and vanilla. Refrigerate the bowl, covered, overnight.

Editor’s tip: Stir gently to mix in the maple syrup and vanilla.

Step 2: Add yogurt and fruit

Stir in the yogurt just before serving. Top with walnuts and fruit.

Recipe Variations

• Use fruit-flavored yogurt: Blended yogurt, such as a strawberry Greek yogurt, adds a bit more fruit flavor to the overnight oats.
• Get nuttier: Add 4 to 6 tablespoons peanut butter, almond butter or your favorite nut butter to the oats. Stir them in before refrigerating the dish. The nut butter adds flavor and protein to the overnight oats.
• Add pumpkin or sunflower seeds: Pumpkin or sunflower seeds add even more crunch and nutrition to the overnight oats. Add these just before serving.

How to Store Overnight Oats with Yogurt

Store the overnight oats covered in the refrigerator after you prepare the dish. They’ll keep this way for four days, although the texture is most enjoyable the first few days. Add the yogurt and nuts at mealtime.

Can you freeze overnight oats with yogurt?

Yes. It’s best to freeze the meal without the yogurt. Mix the yogurt in at mealtime as detailed in this recipe. Place the overnight oats in freezer-proof containers or Mason jars with lids, allowing 1 inch or so for expansion. They’ll keep in the freezer for approximately three months. Thaw them in the refrigerator the night before you plan to eat them.

Overnight Oats with Yogurt Tips

Will a different type of oat work in this recipe?

That depends. Rolled oats and old-fashioned oats are the same thing and may be used interchangeably. On the other hand, quick-cooking or instant oats will become too mushy for this dish. (The difference: quick-cooking oats have already been cooked so they soften easily when moisture is added.)

Could I make this vegan?

Yes, by all means! This recipe is easily converted to a vegan version by using a vegan plant-based yogurt in place of the dairy-based yogurt and using a dairy-free milk, like oat, cashew or almond in place of the regular dairy-based milk.

Could I add chia seeds to overnight oats?

Yes, chia seeds are packed with nutrition. Adding 2 tablespoons as you make the overnight oats turns the dish into overnight oats with a hint of chia pudding texture. They’re one of the ingredients in our strawberry overnight oats recipe as well.