Creamy Vanilla Protein Overnight Oats with Greek Yogurt and Chia

If you've got a tub of protein powder in your pantry and want more out of your morning than a shake, these vanilla protein overnight oats are about to become your new go-to breakfast. Rolled oats get mixed with milk, a scoop of your favorite protein powder or a bottle of protein shake, creamy Greek yogurt, a spoonful of chia seeds, and real vanilla for a jar that tastes more like dessert than diet food. There's no cooking involved at all, just stir everything together before bed, tuck it in the fridge, and by morning it's thick, creamy, and full of real vanilla flavor. Because the recipe isn't tied to one specific protein source, you can build it around whatever you already have on hand, whether that's a vanilla whey powder, a chocolate plant based blend, or a ready to drink protein shake. It's an easy way to start the day with a protein and fiber packed breakfast that takes five minutes of hands on time and zero effort in the morning.

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Why this is the best Overnight Oats with Protein Powder recipe

It's a simple recipe. These overnight oats with protein powder use basic ingredients that are easy to keep on hand, so you can put breakfast together without making a special trip to the grocery store.

This high protein overnight oats recipe is quick and easy. There is no cooking involved. Just stir everything together, cover the container, and put it in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, breakfast is already made and ready to eat.

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Vanilla overnight oats with Greek yogurt are packed with protein. Adding protein powder makes traditional overnight oats more filling and gives you an easy way to add extra protein to your breakfast. One-third of this recipe, as written, contains at least 18 grams of protein (or more depending on your protein powder). It is especially helpful on busy mornings when you need something that will keep you satisfied until lunch.

These overnight oats with protein powder taste amazing. The oats become soft and creamy as they sit overnight, and the protein powder adds sweetness and flavor. Any fruit or nuts you want to add make them extra special.

Overnight oats with chia seeds and Greek yogurt are great for busy mornings and meal prep. You can prepare several jars at once and keep them in the refrigerator so you have an easy grab-and-go high-protein breakfast waiting for you all throughout the week.

Overnight oats with protein powder are very customizable. Use whatever protein source you have: any flavor of protein powder or any flavor of protein shake. What matters here are the proportions, which we have provided below. Add your favorite fruit, nut butter, chocolate chips, nuts, or other toppings to make your breakfast different every day. The base recipe is super simple, and the flavor combinations are endless.

What you'll need to make the best Overnight Oats with Protein Powder

Equipment

• half-pint mason jars - This is how I prefer to make my overnight oats. I can fill up 3 jars, put on the lids, and stick them in the fridge. I know some people prefer to leave their oats in a mixing bowl with an airtight lid and then they just portion it out into a bowl every morning. You can do it either way.

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See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.

Ingredients

• Greek yogurt - You want plain, unsweetened, unflavored Greek yogurt here.
• Milk or milk substitute from a carton - I have made this recipe with 2% milk, with low fat Fairlife milk, and with unsweetened vanilla almond milk. All worked great. If you're using a protein shake, leave this out.
• Protein powder flavor of your choice, or replace protein powder and milk with 1 cup protein shake of your choice - I have used chocolate, strawberry white chocolate, and chocolate cherry with great results, but whatever protein you like to drink will taste great in your oats.
• Vanilla bean paste - I love vanilla bean paste for its strong, rich vanilla flavor. Vanilla extract is made by soaking vanilla beans in alcohol for a long time and then removing the beans and using just the liquid. Vanilla bean paste is made from highly concentrated vanilla extract, then crushed vanilla beans are added to the thick, syrupy paste. Vanilla bean paste has an intense vanilla flavor that I love in baked goods, ice cream, and everything in between. You can use an equal amount of pure vanilla extract if you don't have vanilla bean paste.
• Old-fashioned rolled oats - These may be labeled old fashioned oats, rolled oats, or steel cut oats, but do not buy instant oats or quick oats for this recipe.
• Chia seeds - These add some fiber and also help the oats to set up into a pudding like consistency.
• Fresh fruit chopped - This is optional and is not pictured below, but if I have some fresh fruit in the fridge, I will often throw it into my oats when I am mixing them up. The only thing you need to pay attention to is how fresh your fruit is. If the fruit is about to sour, it will make your oats turn sour even though the oats themselves are fresh. This happened to me once and I had to throw an entire batch away. So, freshly cut fruit works best.

How to make easy Overnight Oats with Protein Powder

1. Mix one scoop of vanilla protein powder into the milk. (Or whatever flavor you're using.) If you want to use a protein shake, skip this step, measure one cup of the shake, and proceed to step 2.
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2. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl.
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3. Divide oats mixture into the 3 jars, ensuring there is ample liquid in each jar to cover the solids completely. Wipe the rims of the jars, if messy.
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4. Seal the lids on the jars and give them a shake then place in the fridge overnight up to 3 days.
5. Some people eat overnight oats cold, but I prefer to warm them. To warm, remove one jar from the refrigerator. Remove the lid and ring from the jar, and microwave it for 20 seconds, then stir and microwave for another 20 seconds. Stir well and eat straight from the jar.
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Substitutions & variations

You can make these overnight oats with any milk you like. Whole milk will make them rich and creamy, but 2%, skim, Fairlife, unsweetened almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, or another non-dairy milk will also work.

Use your favorite flavor of protein powder for infinite different variations. Vanilla is versatile and works well with almost any topping, but chocolate, peanut butter, cinnamon, or another flavored protein powder can completely change the flavor of your oats.

If the oats are thicker than you like after sitting overnight, stir in a splash of milk before serving. If you prefer thicker overnight oats, use a little less milk or add more chia seeds.

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There are almost endless ways to change the flavor with toppings and add-ins. Try fresh or frozen raspberries, blackberries, or blueberries; chopped strawberries; sliced bananas; chopped apples; peaches; raisins; chocolate chips; shredded coconut; chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds; nut butters like peanut butter or almond butter; cinnamon; or granola. You can add them when mixing the oats or when serving.

For chocolate protein powder overnight oats, use chocolate protein powder and add chocolate chips. For peanut butter overnight oats, stir in a spoonful of peanut butter or PB2 (powdered peanut butter). For fruity overnight oats, add berries, bananas, peaches, or another favorite fruit before serving.

Use certified gluten-free oats and gluten-free protein powder if you need the recipe to be gluten-free. For dairy-free overnight oats, use non-dairy milk and a dairy-free protein powder.

I think the protein powder makes these oats pretty sweet, but if you're using a protein powder that's not sweetened, you may want to stir in a spoonful of honey, pure maple syrup, monkfruit extract, or another sweetener.

Storing leftover Overnight Oats with Protein Powder

Store overnight oats with protein powder in an airtight container or covered mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. This makes them a great option for meal prep because you can prepare several servings at the beginning of the week and grab one whenever you need a quick breakfast.

The oats will continue to absorb liquid as they sit, so they may become thicker after a few days. Just stir in a splash of milk until they reach the consistency you like.

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If you are adding crunchy toppings such as granola, nuts, or cereal, wait until just before serving so they do not become soft in the refrigerator. Fresh fruit can be added ahead of time, although bananas and some softer fruits are usually better added right before eating.

Overnight oats are typically eaten cold straight from the refrigerator, but you can also warm them in the microwave if you prefer hot oatmeal. Add a little extra milk before heating if the oats have become very thick. The glass jar makes this very easy.

I don't recommend freezing overnight oats. The texture of the oats and dairy ingredients can change after freezing and thawing, and they are easy enough to prepare several days ahead in the refrigerator.

Check out more delicious make-ahead breakfasts

• Double Chocolate Overnight Oats
• Mint Chocolate Overnight Oats
• Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
• Strawberry Overnight Oats

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