Vegan Overnight Oats Recipe: Healthy and Hearty

A delicious, healthy vegan overnight oats recipe

Health resolutions—lose weight, eat less junk food—sound familiar? Sometimes, sticking with these good intentions isn’t easy. But don’t worry—I’ve got your back. For all of you set on a healthier diet, I have a beautiful vegan overnight oats recipe to help you get your healthy lifestyle off to a delicious and virtuous start.

Why breakfast?

Plenty of research shows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, that it helps avoid unhealthy snacking, and that it helps you focus better. Put it this way: would you send your child to school on an empty stomach? No. So, why would you go to work or get your day underway without fuelling your body and brain?

My overnight oats recipe is vegan-friendly—hurrah! It will help you stay on track so you can enjoy a plant-based diet or cut out some meat.

Why overnight oats?

Overnight oats are among the most popular foods on social media for those advocating a healthy lifestyle.

Overnight oats are a great breakfast not only for their health benefits but also for their convenience—they are made the night before, so you can just grab and go in the AM. 

Oats are a versatile and inexpensive food that can be tweaked to personal tastes. Oats work great with sweet fruits as well as salt and spices.

Health benefits of oats

Oats are high in fibre, helping to keep you feeling fuller for longer and they also help in reducing bad cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol in the body. Oats also contain compounds called avenanthramides, which play a role in reducing inflammation.

Health benefits of soaking oats

Overnight oats are soaked in liquid for around seven hours. Soaking overnight breaks down the starch and acid present in oats, which results in better digestion. Soaking may also help your body utilise more efficiently the nutrients found in oats. Those nutrients are plant-based protein, B vitamins, and minerals, including iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper, and zinc.

Overnight oats ingredients

Oats

Oats are the only non-negotiable ingredient. When it comes to overnight oats, I like to use wholegrain oats. Wholegrain means the whole edible part of the grain is used—the germ, endosperm, and bran. These whole oats are the most nutritious.

The soaking liquid

You can soak the oats in water, juice, milk or a dairy-free alternative, whatever your preference. I like to soak my overnight oats in oat milk which gives a lovely creamy texture.

The key to keeping overnight oats healthy is to keep the added sugar to a minimum. So soaking your overnight oats in a low-sugar liquid is preferred.

The protein

To make my protein-packed overnight oats, I use vegan yoghurt. This gives the oats a lovely tangy flavour and a creamy texture while boosting the protein. You can add Greek yoghurt, skyr, protein powder or nut butter to your version, all of which are great sources of protein.

The sweetener

I use vanilla extract in my overnight oats, which enhances the flavour of the oats, milk, and yoghurt and adds sweetness without adding sugar. You could also add maple syrup, honey, agave, or date syrup.

The seeds

I add chia seeds to my overnight oats because they are nutrient-dense and help give the oats a dreamy, creamy texture. You could substitute flax seeds (linseed).

The toppings

You can get really creative with the toppings, but remember to keep it healthy, you could unknowingly pile on the calories and sugar. Have some fun with fresh and dried fruit, nut butter, nuts, seeds and spices – cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom are all great choices.

I use a mixture of almonds, dates, coconut shavings, pumpkin seeds, in-season fruits and a swirl of fruit compote. I like to finish with a sprig of fresh mint.

Making overnight oats

You can buy overnight oats in many shops, delis, cafes, etc., but if you want to make homemade overnight oats, just follow my step-by-step recipe.

This recipe makes one portion, but it is best to double or triple the amounts so you have a few grab-and-go breakfasts ready.

Overnight oats will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Vegan Overnight Oats Recipe

30g whole grain porridge oats

100ml oat milk (or liquid of your choice)

1tbs chia seeds

1tsp vanilla extract

30g vegan yoghurt

30g of toppings of your choice

Method

In a mason jar, bowl or Tupperware container, combine the oats, milk, chia seeds and vanilla extract.

Depending on your preference, you can mix the yoghurt with the other ingredients or layer it on top of the oats. 

You can add your toppings now or wait and add these in the morning. 

Cover the mixture, place in the fridge, and leave overnight.

In the morning, give everything a good stir before tucking in. 

Enjoy.

Get creative with your overnight oats

Use this recipe as a base to create your own personalised overnight oats masterpiece. Once you have the basics down, you can start experimenting with different ingredients, flavours, textures, and toppings.

Don’t forget to take a photo of your creations and show me in the comments or tag me on social media.

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Lastly, do you like my vegan overnight oats recipe? If so, please share it with others.