Protein Overnight Oats

These Protein Overnight Oats are the perfect macro-friendly breakfast for busy days. Made in 5 minutes, they’re great for meal prepping and high protein breakfasts on the go. Easy recipe with 9 flavor ideas!

Need more meal-prep breakfast ideas? You should also try my protein pancakes, baked cottage cheese eggs, overnight oats, and cottage cheese blueberry muffins.

These macro-friendly overnight oats fuel me up on busy mornings. I usually make them ahead on Sunday and keep in the fridge for the week. Since it’s so customizable, I’ll never get bored of this recipe.

Why adding protein powder in overnight oats?

Overnight oats have long been praised as one of the healthiest breakfasts. But lately, they’ve gotten a bad rap on social media: too high in carbs, low in protein, and loaded with sugars.

For some parts, I agree. Toppings like Nutella or Biscoff can quickly turn a healthy meal into a sugar bomb. But this doesn’t mean all oats are unhealthy.

The key is using minimally processed ingredients and adding a source of protein. Greek yogurt or protein powder will make them more balanced, filling and satisfying. It’s not just for bodybuilders. Anyone will benefits from the extra protein.

Ingredients

Here’s what you need, plus tips and swaps. You can find exact quantities in the recipe card at the bottom.

• Rolled oats – Old-fashioned rolled oats yield the perfect texture, creamy and slightly chewy. Quick oats work too but turn out much softer. Avoid steel-cut oats, they don’t soften properly without cooking.
• Protein powder – Whey concentrate, whey isolate, casein, and vegan options like pea or rice protein all work. Choose a flavor you like (such as vanilla or chocolate), and make sure it mixes well.
• Milk of choice – For extra protein I like soy or semi-skimmed milk. But feel free to use your favorite dairy or nondairy milk.
• Maple syrup or sweetener – Optional based on your preference and protein powder. Swap with honey, coconut sugar, monk fruit, erythritol, or stevia.
• Salt – A pinch balances sweetness and enhances flavor. Omit it if your protein powder already includes salt (some vegan powders do).

Dietary adaptations

• Vegan – Use nondairy milk such as soy, almond or oat milk and choose a vegan protein powder like pea protein or brown rice protein.
• Low calorie – Use unsweetened almond milk or cashew milk and sugar-free sweeteners. Go easy on high calorie toppings like nut butters.
• High calorie – If you’re trying to build muscle, double the recipe and add high calorie foods like nuts, peanut butter, banana, and dates.
• Low carb – Replace 2 tablespoons of oats with seeds or extra protein powder. Use low carb protein and keto sweeteners.
• Gluten-free – Choose certified gluten-free oats and check your protein powder does not contain gluten or gluten contaminations.

How to make protein overnight oats

Below you can find a step-by step guide on how to make overnight oats with protein powder. I have also included images and a short video.

1. Combine ingredients. In a jar or glass container combine oats, protein powder, a pinch of salt, and milk. Add sweetener and vanilla extract. Optionally, you can also add chia seeds.
2. Mix. Stir everything well using a spoon or fork. Make sure to mix from the bottom up, oats and protein powder can settle at the bottom.
3. Refrigerate. Cover the container with a lid or seal tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Refrigerate the oats for at least 2 hours or overnight.
4. Serve. Before serving, give the oats a good stir from bottom to top. Add your favorite toppings and dig in!

Add fresh fruits and crunchy foods (like seeds or nuts) after refrigeration to keep them fresh and crisp. Adding them before refrigeration can affect their taste and texture (especially fruit, which can oxidize).

7 ways to add protein to overnight oats

There are 6 ways to add protein, besides just protein powder. Here are all options. Feel free to pick one, or combine many.

• Protein powder – Add a scoop of your favorite protein powder such as whey, casein, or pea protein.
• Greek yogurt – Use ⅓ cup (80 g) of plain Greek yogurt with ½ cup (120 ml) of your favorite milk.
• Cottage cheese – Use ⅓ cup (80 g) of cottage cheese with ½ cup (120 ml) of milk. For a creamier texture, start with whipped cottage cheese instead.
• Egg whites – Replace half or all the amount of milk with pasteurized liquid egg whites. To avoid bacteria, be sure to use pasteurized egg whites. 
• Silken tofu – Blend ½ block of silken tofu until smooth, then stir it into the oats to replace part of the milk.
• Seeds – Chia, flax, and especially hemp seeds are rich in plant protein and healthy fats. For a better amino acid profile, combine with a complete protein source like yogurt or protein powder.

Flavor variations

• Chocolate – Stir in 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder. Serve with chocolate chips or cocoa nibs, if desired.
• Apple cinnamon – Mix in a handful of apple chunks, ⅓ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract.
• Banana and peanut butter – Stir in ½ mashed banana, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and serve with more sliced banana on top.
• PB&J – Add 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and 1 tablespoon of jam (best if sugar-free).
• Blueberry lemon – Stir in ½ cup of fresh blueberries, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and a sprinkle of lemon zest.
• Pumpkin pie – Add 3 tablespoons of pumpkin puree, ⅓ teaspoon of ground cinnamon and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract. A tablespoon of chopped walnuts will add texture.
• Toppings – Experiment with toppings like fresh fruit, cranberries or raisins, chopped dates, nut butters, cocoa nibs, nuts and seeds, or a dollop of Greek yogurt.

Frequently asked questions

More macro-friendly breakfasts

• Protein oatmeal
• Egg white pancakes
• Cottage cheese pancakes
• Easy protein pancakes
• Greek yogurt protein muffins
• Protein granola bars
• Protein French toast