These vegan Strawberry Overnight Oats are pretty much everything you can want out of breakfast — simple, sweet without using any refined sugar, super satisfying, and perfectly portable. Best of all, they're made with just 7 ingredients in mere minutes, making them ridiculously easy to pull off.
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Ingredients & Substitutions
As promised, you don't need a lot to make these strawberries and cream overnight oats. Here's your whole shopping list:
- Rolled Oats - Also known as old-fashioned oats, these are the only type I recommend for making overnight oats. If you're gluten-free, make sure to grab a certified GF brand, as many are processed in facilities that also process wheat.
- Non-Dairy Milk - I used unsweetened almond milk, but feel free to swap in whatever plant-based milk you prefer.
- Chia Seeds - Aside from acting as natural thickeners for this tasty porridge, chia seeds also pack quite a nutritional punch here! Feel free to swap in flax seeds for a similar effect.
- Maple Syrup - Maple and breakfast go together like strawberries and cream. Feel free to swap in agave nectar or date syrup if you prefer.
- Vanilla Extract - Just a touch of vanilla adds serious dessert vibes to these chia overnight oats.
- Dairy-Free Yogurt - I suggest plain, vanilla, or fruit flavors.
- Strawberry Chia Jam - While technically optional, the addition of some chia jam adds tons of bright strawberry flavor to these overnight oats.
- Strawberries - Fresh strawberries make for juicy, sweet bites of flavor throughout. Feel free to swap in your favorite berry instead!
How To Make Strawberry Overnight Oats
These healthy overnight oats come together in almost no time flat. Here's how you make them:
Step 1: Mix. Add oats, milk, chia seeds, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to jar/bowl with lid and place in the fridge overnight (or for at least 4 hours).
Step 2: Add Toppings & Serve. Top the overnight oats with yogurt, chia jam (if using), strawberries, and nuts (if using). Enjoy! (See the "Optional Variations" section below for how to make layered parfaits)
Optional Variations
This easy, breezy recipe for strawberry overnight oats is pretty perfect as is, but there are plenty of ways to customize it to your liking. Here are a few of my favorite variations:
- Strawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats. Use the cheesecake cashew cream from this recipe to layer with your oats instead of using extra yogurt.
- Use different berries or different jam. Strawberries are but one option. Feel free to experiment with blueberries, raspberries, boysenberries, or a mix of your favorites!
- Layered "parfait" style. You can layer the ingredients the night before or before serving if you'd like. Take the oat mixture, add a layer of yogurt, a layer of chia jam, a few strawberries, another layer of the oat mixture, some more yogurt, and a few more strawberries. I love serving it this way when I have people over for breakfast or brunch because it looks so pretty!
Expert Tips
Making healthy overnight oats is pretty quick and simple, but I do have a few tricks up my sleeve:
- Make your oats in the jar you'll eat them from. If you're only making one or two servings, you can cut back on dishes by using mason jars for both prep and portability.
- Scale the recipe up for easy meal prep. Stock the fridge with a whole week's worth of oats! They'll last for up to 5 days in the fridge. Use the tab on the recipe card to help you easily multiply measurements to fit your needs.
- Layer with extra yogurt for serious "strawberries and cream" vibes. It's not only pretty to look at, it's extra tasty, too.
FAQs
I wouldn't necessarily say one is healthier than the other. Overnight oats don't require any heat, using the overnight hours to soak up the liquid and become soft. Regular oats cooked on the stovetop come together more quickly, but at the end of the day, they're both made with good-for-you whole grains!
Absolutely! However, there is a caveat: I don't suggest adding fresh fruit to your overnight oats until the day you're ready to eat them.
Berries, apples, bananas, and basically all types of fruit are porous, so they'll end up soaking in some of the liquid if you leave them for too long. The whole purpose of adding fresh fruit is for a little textural contrast, so don't let them get mushy.
I suggest eating these strawberry overnight oats within 5 days if you're keeping them in the fridge. You can also pop them in the freezer for up to a month! Just be sure to wait and add any fresh fruit the day you plan on eating them so it doesn't get soggy.
If you make this recipe and LOVE IT, please give it 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Strawberry Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats (gluten free if needed)
- ½ cup non-dairy milk (I used almond)
- 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup dairy-free yogurt
- 2 Tablespoon strawberry Chia Jam optional
- strawberries chopped
Instructions
- Add oats, milk, chia seeds, maple syrup and vanilla extract to jar/bowl with lid and place in fridge overnight (or for at least 4 hours).
- Top the overnight oats with yogurt, chia jam (if using), and strawberries.
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional information data is computer generated and only an estimate so it should be used only as a guide.
Mary Ellen Valverde MS, CNS, LDN is a Licensed Nutritionist and Certified Nutrition Specialist who empowers vegans to feel clear and confident about what is uniquely nourishing to them. Mary Ellen's recipes and nutrition information have been featured on Yahoo News, Parade, VegNews, LIVESTRONG, Dr. Axe, Greatist, LIVEKINDLY, Brit+Co, Well+Good, and more.
Mary Ellen Valverde MS, CNS, LDN is a Licensed Nutritionist and Certified Nutrition Specialist who empowers vegans to feel clear and confident about what is uniquely nourishing to them.Mary Ellen's recipes and nutrition information have been featured on Yahoo News, Parade, VegNews, LIVESTRONG, Dr. Axe, Greatist, LIVEKINDLY, Brit+Co, Well+Good, and more.
Courtney's Cookbook says
Oh, yum! How beautiful does this look? That coconut cream is to die for.
Nico @ yumsome says
This is so beautiful! I love overnight oats at the best of times but this is super-special overnight oats. It's overnight oats that went to the ball, won an Oscar, and looked stunning in every red carpet photo! In short, it's fab, and I adore it!
Thank you so much for allowing me to share it on my Perfect Vegan Valentine round-up. The post is now live if you want to check it out (an' y'know, share it around a bit)!
http://www.yumsome.com/your-perfect-vegan-valentine-25-fantastic-plant-based-recipes/
Alix @A Hedgehog in the Kitchen says
Hi Mary Ellen! I use to go for strawberries and cream at the Plaza with my mom too! That is one of my favorite memories of growing up in NYC! 🙂 I think that coconut cream is a great substitute and must be absolutely delicious! Thanks for the yummy inspiration!
Mary Ellen says
That's so fun! The plaza always brings back lots of good memories for me. Thanks so much!
Nico @ yumsome says
Wow, this looks so good! I love overnight oats, and this is so pretty too!
Mary Ellen says
Thanks so much Nico! 🙂
Manju | Cooking Curries says
That sounds awesome! It will be like having dessert for breakfast. 🙂
Mary Ellen says
It totally is Manju!