Protein Overnight Oats Base Recipe

Make this 4-ingredient Protein Overnight Oats Base Recipe with any flavor protein powder! With over 30g of protein, this meal prep breakfast is delicious, easy to make, and even easier to customize with your favorite flavors!

What are the ingredients in these Protein Overnight Oats?

These ingredients are both simple and shelf-stable before opening the package, which is why we love making these for breakfast meal prep when I can’t think of what else to make! We always have the ingredients on hand. Here are the ingredients I use, plus a little info for each:

• rolled oats – The main ingredients for overnight oats: oats! I prefer the regular old fashioned rolled oats. I do not like to use quick cooking oats, just because the texture is different. But they would work too!
• unsweetened almond milk – I get this in bulk from Costco, so we always have cartons in the pantry to open at any time. I love that they don’t have to go into the fridge until opened. There’s nothing wrong with using dairy milk in this recipe! I just don’t usually keep it at my house.
• protein powder – To bump up the protein, as well as add flavor and sweetener, use one scoop of your favorite protein powder. It took me a while to find a kind I actually like, but I think the search is over. Just Ingredients Vanilla Bean Protein Powder (affiliate link!) is what I would recommend if you’re just starting out with protein powders!
• chia seeds – My favorite way to use chia seeds: overnight oats! The chia seeds absorb moisture and create a thicker substance, which is what thickens these oats. They also add fiber and 5g more protein.

What protein powder do you recommend?

There are a lot of protein powders out there, and it took me a long time to find one I actually liked, instead of just tolerated. For anyone just starting out with protein powders, I would recommend Just Ingredients Vanilla Bean Protein Powder (affiliate link!).

This brand and flavor have quickly become my favorite for one main reason: taste! There are no artificial sweeteners, and while stevia and monk fruit can sometimes be overpowering, they’re perfectly balanced here. It’s so smooth, with zero chalky feel!

Plus, you can SEE the specks of vanilla bean with your own eyes! So far, I’ve used it in both smoothies and overnight oats. It has a fresh, real taste that I truly love. And it makes a great base for adding any fruit or berry flavors to the recipes.

Equipment you’ll need to make Protein Overnight Oats:

There are only a couple of specific kitchen items you need for this – the most important thing is the container you’re using to keep your oats in the fridge.

• For the storage container, I will forever and always recommend Pint Size Regular Mouth Mason Jars (affiliate link!). It’s just the perfect size, and mason jars are useful for so many other things as well. The previous link will take you to a 3-pack, but you can also check out the 12-pack.
• Check your grocery store for mason jars as well (in the food storage section by Ziploc bags, etc). Sometimes they have random size pack options. Any bowl or container with airtight lid will work.
• For measuring, I’ve got these 5-Piece Magnetic Measuring Spoons (affiliate link!) and various measuring cups that I honestly don’t even know what brand they are!

How to make this Protein Overnight Oats Base Recipe:

Start by grabbing all your ingredients and mason jars for as many servings as you’re making. I usually make 3-4 servings at one time.

Add the rolled oats, unsweetened almond milk, protein powder, and chia seeds to each wide mouth mason jar or other container with lid. Stir each serving vigorously with a spoon, being sure to mix in any dry spots at the bottom. Repeat this process for as many servings as you are making.

For add-ins and extras, you can incorporate those now or later. Some toppings like crunchy cereal should be added later to maintain crunch. But fruits and berries can usually be added anytime.

Put a lid on the jar and place it in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight. It will thicken as it chills thanks to the chia seeds. The amount of thickening will also depend slightly on your chosen brand of protein powder.

To serve, open the lid and stir once more to mix. Add any extras on top, a drizzle of peanut butter if you’re feeling fancy, and enjoy!

How to increase the amount of protein per serving:

This protein overnight oats base recipe has about 32g of protein as written. BUT you can easily modify it to add even more, if that’s what you need! Here are some ways to throw in even more protein to each serving:

✔️ swap almond milk for dairy milk (+5g!)
✔️ add in 2 TB of Greek yogurt (+3g!)
✔️ add in 2 TB of peanut butter powder (+6g!)
✔️ add in 2 TB of cottage cheese (+3g!)

Endless flavor & add-in ideas:

This is a base recipe, meaning you can change the flavors, add more ingredients, change it up however you please, as long as you stick to the original proportions of oats to liquid. There are endless ways to customize, so let’s get into some of the ideas:

• Change protein powder flavor – I’ve tested this recipe with the base vanilla bean, chocolate, lemon, and vanilla ice cream (an alternative brand). Simply replace the scoop of protein powder with whatever flavor you have on hand to change the flavor from vanilla to anything you want. I’ve got a snickerdoodle protein flavor I’m trying next!
• Add frozen mixed berries – I’ve always got a frozen berry mix on hand for smoothies, so it’s easy to add 1/2 cup to a serving of overnight oats. It creates a very lovely purple color when you mix them in!
• Add peanut butter or peanut butter powder – This will not only add flavor but bump up the protein. I get PB2 from Costco.
• Add citrus juice – When I tried the lemon protein powder, I also added some fresh lemon juice for even more flavor. I think chocolate with some fresh orange juice would be incredible!
• Add any chopped fresh fruit or berries – You could leave the vanilla bean flavor, but add some fresh fruit on top as well. I added fresh raspberries to vanilla bean, and it was wonderful!
• Add nuts or granola on top – If you’re looking for some crunch, a heavy sprinkle of granola or any cereal would be a great touch. Pistachios, sliced almonds, or cashews would be good too.

I’ve only scratched the surface here! Feel free to mix up any of these options, like adding some fresh lemon juice to a raspberry vanilla version. Seriously endless options!

Best tips for making overnight oats:

When using a base recipe like this one, there are so many ways to adjust things to your preferences, or based on what you have on hand. Here are a few different ways to add even more protein into your individual servings of oats:

✔️ swap almond milk for dairy milk (+5g!)
✔️ add in 2 TB of Greek yogurt (+3g!)
✔️ add in 2 TB of peanut butter powder (+6g!)
✔️ add in 2 TB of cottage cheese (+3g!)

Ways to meal prep this recipe:

Normally I would share ways to prep various parts of this recipe, but in this case, I’m talking about individually portioning servings vs. batch prepping multiple servings at once. There are pros and cons to both, and it just depends on your preferences. Here are my thoughts:

• Preparing the servings individually makes it easier to ensure all servings are equal and get the exact right measurements of each ingredients. However, you will have to prepare and stir each one separately, so this could take slightly more time overall. It’s also faster for grab & go to just portion them ahead of time.
• Preparing all servings at once in the same bowl helps you get it done slightly quicker, but you’ll still need to portion out servings later. It’s also harder to make sure each serving is equal, but maybe that doesn’t matter to you!

Pick whichever method works best for you and your household!

How to store Protein Overnight Oats:

Store mixed overnight oats in sealed jars or containers in the fridge for up to 4 days.