Healthy High Protein Overnight Oats with 35 grams of protein are a breakfast you will jump out of bed for! Meal prep oatmeal with protein powder, yogurt, and chia seeds to keep you energized all day and full for hours.
Save this Recipe!
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Looking for more oatmeal breakfast recipes? Try warm chocolate baked oatmeal, vanilla overnight oats, or cinnamon roll overnight oats next time.
I will guide you through how to make healthy overnight oats recipes with 3 flavor variations. Overnight oats with protein powder are a healthy breakfast meal prep and a great option for busy mornings.
Jump to:
About High Protein Overnight Oats
Every Sunday, I like to meal prep multiple flavors of these protein overnight oats in individual containers. I love having these jars in the fridge for a quick and nourishing breakfast on the go.
- Flavorful: The flavors are so indulgent, you will think you are eating dessert for breakfast. The key is purchasing a quality protein powder with a flavor you enjoy.
- Quick and easy to make with only a handful of pantry ingredients and fresh fruit.
- Meal prep for an easy way to eat a nutritious breakfast daily.
- Protein packed: Overnight oatmeal with protein powder is an amazing way to add protein to your diet. These protein oats (aka proats) are full of protein from a variety of sources: protein powder, milk, and yogurt.
Ingredients
This makes a “base” high protein oatmeal recipe. Continue reading for ideas on how to season oatmeal to make a variety of flavors. Find the exact measurements in the recipe card.
- Old fashioned oats - using old fashioned oats (rolled oats) is important; quick cook or instant oats won't have the same consistency.
- Milk of choice – As a personal preference, I like coconut milk overnight oats, but any milk will work in this recipe.
- Protein powder – I like to use Optimum Nutrition whey protein, but any type of protein powder will work great. If you’re wanting a specific flavor for your oats, make sure you use that flavor of powder.
- Greek yogurt – when testing this recipe, I noticed that adding plain Greek yogurt gave the oatmeal an extra creamy texture. Plus, its’s another great source of protein.
- Chia Seeds - Chia seeds are a great source of healthy fats, like Omega-3, and fiber.
- Honey – optional for a natural sweetener
- Vanilla extract - optional to give oatmeal extra flavor
Variations
In the recipe card you will find the “base” recipe along with 3 flavor variations. The variety of delicious flavors come from adding flavored protein powder and fruit. Don’t let the indulgent names fool you, this is a healthy, high-protein breakfast idea.
Chocolate overnight oats: Add chocolate protein powder to the base recipe then add chocolate chips to the mixture. Peanut butter, coconut flakes, and/or sliced almonds are also great additions to chocolate protein powder overnight oats. Try my Nutella overnight oats for another chocolatey variation.
Blueberry overnight oats: Add vanilla protein powder to the base recipe then stir in fresh blueberries to the mixture.
Strawberry overnight oats: Add strawberry protein powder to the base recipe then stir in chopped fresh strawberries to the mixture.
Substitutions
- If you don’t have protein powder, you can use a store-bought protein shake in place of the milk and powder.
- You can use pure maple syrup as a sweetener instead of honey.
- Add your favorite toppings: fresh fruit, a dollop of peanut butter or almond butter, or a sprinkle of brown sugar.
- Use your favorite milk to make protein oatmeal. Like I mentioned earlier, I use coconut milk, but almond milk, oat milk, and cows’ milk would be great options too.
- If you don’t have yogurt, try this recipe with cottage cheese or a nut butter to up the protein content.
How to Make Protein Overnight Oats
This make-ahead breakfast recipe is easy to double or triple in order to make a large batch for meal prepping. You can make protein powder overnight oats in individual containers or one large container to portion out throughout the week.
I prefer to make this recipe in individual mason jars for a quick, high protein breakfast you can grab-and-go.
First: Decide what flavor oatmeal you want to make and get those additional ingredients ready. Keep in mind that the "base" recipe for protein overnight oats tastes amazing as is, so there is no need for add-ins, if you don’t want to use them.
Then: Line mason jars in a row on the kitchen counter. An easy way to meal prep is to make an assembly line and add each ingredient to each container one by one. Start by adding a scoop of protein powder and all dry ingredients followed by wet ingredients.
Last: Stir the mixture well and cover with an airtight lid. Keep oats in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before eating. Ideally, let them soak overnight to allow the oatmeal to fully soften, they are best eaten the next morning.
Expert Tips
- Stir oats well before refrigerating and eating. If the protein powder isn’t mixed well, your oats may have a powdery consistency.
- If your overnight oatmeal is too thick, add a splash of milk until it reaches the consistency you like.
- To get extra creamy oats, don’t skip the yogurt.
- Instead of stirring, if you’re using mason jars to make overnight oats, simply tighten the lid and shake the container to mix well.
Recipe FAQs
Overnight oats are typically eaten cold. However, if you prefer warm oats, you can heat them in the microwave for 30-60 seconds before eating.
Old fashioned rolled oats are the best for making overnight oats. It will give you the best texture for overnight oats. Quick oats will be soggy. Steel cut oats will not soften much and cause your oats to be chewier.
To make this high protein recipe vegan, use a vegan protein powder, non-dairy milk, and pure maple syrup instead of honey.
I like whey protein overnight oats. The brands of protein powder I use are Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein. I have been happy with the results of this recipe using this brand. The exact flavors I use are: Vanilla Ice Cream, Extreme Milk Chocolate, and Delicious Strawberry.
Storage
Overnight oatmeal will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Mason jars are the best container for overnight oats, but any glass jar or airtight container with a lid will work. I use these 16 ounce wide mouth mason jars when making protein overnight oats.
If you freeze this recipe, it will increase the shelf life, but keep in mind that it may affect the taste, texture, and quality. For optimal quality, we recommend to freeze the oats right after making them. Freeze overnight oats in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator the night before eating them.
More Breakfast Recipes
Meal Prep Ideas:
Protein Overnight Oats
Vanilla Overnight Oats
Cinnamon Overnight Oats
Nutella Overnight Oats
Chocolate Baked Oatmeal
Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding
If you try this recipe or any recipe from Happy Honey Kitchen, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below! Enjoy!
High Protein Overnight Oats
Save this Recipe!
I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Equipment
- mason jar or any airtight container with a lid
Ingredients
"Base" Protein Overnight Oats Recipe
- ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 scoop protein powder choice of flavor
- ⅔ cup milk of choice
- 2 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon honey optional sweetener
Chocolate Chip Overnight Oats
- chocolate protein powder
- 2 Tablespoons chocolate chips or cacao nibs
Blueberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
- vanilla protein powder
- ½ cup fresh blueberries
Strawberry Shortcake Overnight Oats
- strawberry protein powder
- ½ cup strawberries chopped
Instructions
- Decide which flavor of overnight oats you want to make.
- To a mason jar, add a scoop of protein powder and all ingredients of the "base" recipe. Depending on the flavor you are making, top with fruit or chocolate.
- Stir the mixture well and cover with an airtight lid. Keep oats in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours before eating. Ideally, let them soak overnight to allow the oats to fully soften, they are best eaten the next morning.
Notes
- Stir oats well before eating.
- Add a splash of milk if you overnight oats are too thick.
- Old fashioned rolled oats are the best for making overnight oats. It will give you the best texture for overnight oats. Quick oats will be soggy. Steel cut oats will not soften much and cause your oats to be chewier.
- The protein powder brands I use are Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard 100% Whey Protein and Signature Whey Protein (linked in the post)
- I find that these 16 ounce wide mouth mason jars work best. (linked in post)
Ryne
My wife makes this all the time. Her and our 4-year old love it and eat it regularly!
Angela Lietzke
That makes me so happy hear! It's one of my favorites too!
Lina
The recipe calls for a scoop of protein powder. Is that standard or should it be a certain number of grams?
Angela Lietzke
Your protein powder should come with a standard measuring scoop, so the recipe refers to using the scoop provided. For reference, the scoop that came with the powder I use measures 33 grams which equals 25 grams of protein.
Henry
I love this recipe! So easy and convenient for meal planning. I make a bunch at the beginning of the week and am set.
Roger
I love these oats, a great way to start my day!
Kim
Made all three and they are all tasty but we LOVE the chocolate one!
Silvia
I love this recipe. It is delicious. The oats are very creamy and flavorful. I made the blueberry recipe, I cant wait to try the chocolate and strawberry.
Charles
Definitely not my grandmother's "mush."
I'll try. No guarantee that Sofia will partake in the pleasure, however. I have to sit on her just to eat oatmeal and bananas once or twice a month.
Daphne
I love overnight oats! Thanks for sharing your recipes, they look delicious.
Katie
YUM!!! I love that your recipe includes chia seeds. Simply delicious!
Mina
I'm not a fan of oats since I'm allergic to them, but they look so yummy!