Strawberry Overnight Oats Recipe

Most of us are already busy enough in the morning, so we don't really want to spend more time trying to figure out what to eat as a grab-and-go breakfast. Luckily, that's exactly why recipe developer Catherine Brookes of Blue Sky Eating put together this easy, make-ahead recipe for strawberry overnight oats. "Overnight oats are the perfect quick and easy breakfast," she explains. "With all the prep taking place the night before, you can just grab it and go in the morning." Not to mention, the "prep work" is literally just throwing all the ingredients together, mixing them up, then storing them in the fridge overnight. 

The result is a five-minute meal that tastes delicious and starts your day off with a fresh, nutrient-dense foods like strawberries, yogurt, and oats. "It's delicious, creamy, keeps you feeling full, and [is] super easy to customize with your favorite fruits," Brookes raves about the recipe. So, even if you don't happen to have fresh strawberries on-hand, you can use the recipe as a guide and whip up a version that uses what you already have in the fridge.

This recipe for strawberry overnight oats only requires seven ingredients, many of which you may already have on-hand. You'll need rolled oats, milk, Greek yogurt, chopped strawberries, strawberry jam, honey, and vanilla extract. That's it! And the beautiful thing is that you can use any type of milk and any type of yogurt, so if you're lactose intolerant or prefer plant-based dairy options, you can opt for an alternative that works for you.

There's really not much "prep" that goes into this recipe. All you need to do is add all of the ingredients into a bowl and stir them together to combine. This ensures that the flavor will be well-distributed throughout. 

And, if you've opted to switch out any ingredients (for instance, using coconut milk or yogurt in place of regular), Brookes says the flavor profile will change accordingly, but it shouldn't affect the texture of the final product. So go ahead and experiment a little bit — you may find that you like the flavor best with almond milk or regular yogurt in place of Greek. You can even switch out the type of oats you use (steel cut or instant in place of rolled oats) without significantly impacting the outcome.

Once you've stirred all your ingredients together, transfer them to a canning jar or another similar airtight container. You'll need something that can hold at least 12 ounces — a 16-ounce jar is a good choice. Seal the container and store it in the fridge. It needs at least six hours to enable the flavors to meld and the oats to soften, but ideally you can leave the jar overnight. This gives things even more time to soften and combine. 

Of course, usually oats are served hot, so if you're wondering if you need to heat up the jar in the morning, the answer is no. These oats are served cold, right out of the fridge. "Overnight oats are thick and creamy like traditional oatmeal," says Brookes. "Though, of course, [they're] served cold. And sometimes the texture of the oats can be slightly less soft." But part of that depends on how long you allow the oats to sit, so go ahead and aim for eight to 12 hours, if you can.

After allowing your jar of oats to sit in the fridge for at least six hours, it's time to enjoy the fruits of your labor — pun intended! Simply pull your jar out of the fridge, open it up, and top with additional chopped strawberries, if you'd like. Or, if you want to add some pizzazz to your overnight oats, you could opt for different toppings. "You could add other fruit toppings, such as banana or blueberry. Or sprinkle some granola, chia seeds, or coconut flakes on top," Brookes suggests. 

And given that Brookes says the jars of oats can last for up to two days in the fridge, you can always double the recipe and enjoy a single prep night that results in two days worth of breakfasts. Not a bad deal for five minutes of work.