Vegan Overnight Oats [Multiple Ways]

The perfect formula to make the BEST vegan overnight oats for a quick, easy, healthy make-ahead breakfast packed with nutrients, filling, & endlessly customizable!

Quick and Easy Vegan Overnight Oats Recipe

Overnight oats are the frugal, super low-effort, high-nutrient, versatile, and delicious make-ahead breakfast of our dreams. Not only are they made with just a handful of simple ingredients, but they’re super adaptable, can be flavored in endless ways (keep reading for our favorites!), and in just a few minutes you can meal prep enough to last an entire week.

Keep reading to learn everything you need for the best vegan overnight oats recipes, including the perfect ingredient formula (with or without chia seeds and vegan yogurt). Then, simply throw everything together, mix, and leave it to soak in the fridge until tender, chewy, and creamy (no cooking required!).

Come morning, give them a stir, add any extra toppings, and tuck into a delicious, creamy vegan overnight oats jar. They’re even less effort than simple stovetop oatmeal and enjoyable even in the height of summer.

The Easy Overnight Oats Ingredients

At its most basic, vegan overnight oats recipes really only need two ingredients: oats and liquid. We use:

• Oats: The best oats for overnight oats are rolled oats/ old-fashioned oats. Use gluten-free certified oats if necessary.

It’s technically possible to make overnight oats with instant oats, but they’ll be soft/mushy (and may contain extra additives). Don’t use steel-cut oats.

• Dairy-free milk: We make overnight oats without dairy using unsweetened plant-based milk. E.g., almond milk, oat milk, cashew milk, soy milk, etc. Alternatively, replace some or all the milk with water or use fruit juice (like apple or orange juice).

A small pinch of salt also helps to really enhance the flavor of the soaked oats.

Basic Add-ins

• Vegan yogurt: While it’s definitely possible to enjoy overnight oats recipes without began yogurt, it will make them much creamier. E.g., oat yogurt, coconut yogurt, almond, soy, etc.
• Chia seeds: To add heart-healthy fats, fiber, and protein for a more filling breakfast. Add 1 tbsp per portion. Overnight oats without chia seeds won’t be as thick, either.
• Sweetener: E.g., maple syrup, agave syrup, date syrup/paste, coconut sugar, or even a sugar-free sweetener like erythritol/stevia.
• Fruit: Add ½ cup of your favorite in-season fruit (fresh or frozen): peach, kiwi, berries, mango, cherries, apple, plum, pear, etc.
• Nuts/Seeds: Add 2-3 tablespoons of nuts or seeds, like pecans, walnuts, almonds, pepitas, sunflower seeds, etc.

What Can I Add to Overnight Oats?

• Vanilla extract: ¼-½ teaspoon for warm, dessert-like deliciousness.
• Spices: E.g., cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, etc.
• Cocoa powder: 1-2 tbsp per portion of cocoa or cacao powder.
• Coffee powder: (or espresso powder) 1 tbsp for some pep in your step.
• Zest: ¼-½ tsp citrus zest (we love orange zest) for a subtle, bright, citrusy flavor.
• Banana: Add ½ mashed banana for natural sweetness, flavor, and potassium.
• Dried fruit: 1-2 tbsp raisins, cranberries, dates, blueberries, pineapple, apricot, etc.
• Nut butter: 1-2 tbsp almond butter, peanut butter, cashew butter, etc., for creamy richness, healthy fats, and protein.
• Veggies: Add ¼ cup (ish) of finely shredded carrot or zucchini for extra nutrients.
• Protein: Add ½ a scoop of unflavored or flavored vegan protein powder and increase liquid, as needed for healthy vegan protein overnight oats.
• Jams/jellies/compotes: 1 tablespoon of any for sweetness and flavor.
• Other mix-ins/toppings: Add 1-2 tbsp of vegan chocolate chips to satisfy a sweet tooth, raw or lightly toasted coconut shreds/flakes, antioxidant-rich cacao nibs, etc.

The Perfect Vegan Overnight Oats Ratio

We’ve experimented several times to find the perfect ratio for this healthy overnight oats recipe that is never soupy or overly chewy/thick and have settled on:

1 part rolled oats + 1 part plant-based milk (or water)

With Optional (Per Portion)

• ½ part vegan yogurt
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1-2 tablespoon sweetener
• Pinch of salt

How to Make Overnight Oats?

You can prepare this vegan overnight oats recipe in a glass, mason jar, or small airtight container. We love using pint-sized mason jars that are inexpensive and travel-friendly!

• Add the plant-based milk and oats (and vegan yogurt/chia/sweetener/salt if using) to the container and mix thoroughly.

• Add any add-ins (like fruit and nuts) and mix once more to combine.

Alternatively, leave these to add as ‘toppings’ just before serving. This will maintain texture and freshness and allow you to change flavors every morning.

• Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.

The shorter you soak them, the chewier and ‘soupier’ the oats will be. Over time, they soak up the liquid, thicken, and become tender.

4. Give a final stir, then enjoy!

FAQs

Pro Recipe Tips

• To adjust the consistency: If you find the soaked oats too thick, add an extra splash of liquid. If they’re too thin, leave them to soak for longer, or add a sprinkle of more oats or another thickener like chia seeds/vegan protein powder.
• To adjust the texture: If you prefer chewier/crunchier oats with a soupier consistency, leave them to soak for just 3-4 hours. The longer they sit, the softer/thicker they’ll become.
• Frugal tip: If you want creamy overnight oats but to save some money, use half plant milk and half water to soak the oats!
• Mix-in vs. topping: Just note that mix-ins can reduce the shelf life of these dairy-free overnight oats, so you might prefer to add them just before serving. Likewise, ingredients like nuts can be mixed in but are best used as a topping to maintain their crunch.

Vegan Overnight Oats Flavor Ideas

There are endless options to customize this make-ahead breakfast, meaning you can easily mix and match flavors, so you’ll never get bored! We’ve already shared recipes for:

1. Biscoff overnight oats
2. Pumpkin pie overnight oats
3. Salted caramel overnight oats
4. Blueberry overnight oats
5. Strawberry overnight oats
6. Coconut overnight oats

For even more inspiration, why not try….

• Tropical: Add ½ tsp vanilla + 1 tbsp coconut + 1-2 tbsp mango/pineapple.
• Cinnamon apple: Add ½ tsp vanilla + 1-2 tbsp applesauce/chopped apple + dash of cinnamon + 1 tbsp sweetener.
• Banana nut butter: Add ½ small banana, mashed + 1 tbsp peanut butter (or other nut/seed butter/vegan chocolate spread). Optionally, top with chopped nuts and banana slices.
• PBJ: Add 2 tbsp nut/seed butter + 1 tbsp of jam/jelly.
• Dairy-free chocolate: Add 1 tbsp cocoa powder + pinch salt + 1-2 tbsp choc chips.
• Mocha: Add 1 tbsp cocoa + 1 tsp instant coffee + ¼ tsp vanilla + pinch of salt.

How Long Do Overnight Oats Last?

Once prepared, the base overnight oats will last in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days (best within 2-3 if adding fresh fruit – so feel free to only add that when serving).

You can also freeze the overnight oats mixture, topping-free, for up to 3 months. Though the texture softens upon thawing.

More Vegan Oat Recipes

• Carrot cake oatmeal
• Easy coffee oatmeal
• Peanut butter oatmeal breakfast cups
• Coconut oatmeal cookies
• Vegan walnut oat scones
• Strawberry oat bars

Photos by Alfonso Revilla