Learn how to make Strawberry Overnight Oats! An easy, no-cook breakfast option that takes minutes to make and will provide you with grab-and-go breakfasts for days!
Enter my newest breakfast obsession. Strawberry Overnight Oats.
These easy strawberry oats use my base overnight oat recipe, but this time we are adding delicious fresh strawberries, vanilla and a blob of strawberry jam to make them extra fruity and decadent. Yep, I totally took inspiration from my jammy vegan strawberry muffins!
Ingredient & equipment notes
To make this recipe you will need a jar that holds about 16 oz (473 ml), or multiple jars if making more than one portion. You will also need the following ingredients:
- Oats - Rolled oats or old-fashioned oats are best. Make them gluten-free by using certified gluten-free oats.
- Non-dairy milk - Any variety you like but if it's sweetened you will probably want to omit the optional maple syrup.
- Strawberries - They must be fresh. Don't use frozen strawberries in this recipe.
- Chia seeds - Added to these strawberry overnight oats for an extra nutritional boost, and for added texture and thickening.
- Vanilla - For flavour. You can use almond extract instead if you prefer.
- Strawberry jam - This takes these overnight oats over the top delicious. They are so good with it! I was making them without it, then one day on a whim added some, and wow. It's so worth it. My husband didn't know what I'd done, but came home from work telling me how amazing his breakfast was. Feel free to omit the jam to make the recipe healthier, or use chia jam instead.
- Maple syrup - Totally optional. For most the jam and strawberries will make it plenty sweet enough. You could tear up a soft medjool date and add it instead of maple syrup if you prefer.
How to make strawberry overnight oats
Making overnight oats takes just a couple of minutes with no cooking involved. Here's how it's done:
- Add the oats and chia seeds to a jar.
- Add the milk and optional maple syrup then give it a stir.
- Drop in a spoonful of strawberry jam.
- Add the chopped strawberries then put the lid on and put the jar/s in the fridge for at least 3 to 4 hours but up to 72 hours is fine.
That's right! Unlike cooked oatmeal like my coconut milk oatmeal, there is no cooking involved!
How to store
Once you've made up your jars of overnight oats with strawberries, put them in the fridge where they will last for about 3 days. They don't keep quite as long as some other overnight oat recipes like my ginger chocolate ones because the strawberries get a little soft over time.
Variations
Make this recipe your own by adding any of these extras to the jar when you make them up:
- shredded coconut
- add some vegan protein powder to make strawberry protein overnight oats
- a tablespoon of cocoa powder and some chocolate chips to make chocolate strawberry overnight oats
- a few chocolate chips
- a spoonful of nut butter
- nuts or seeds
- any other berries
- chopped peach or nectarine
- almond extract instead of the vanilla
Go easy though and remember that the oats will expand as they sit overnight, so don't fill the jars too much.
How to serve
You can eat strawberry overnight oats just as they are straight from the jar, or you can spoon them out into a bowl. There is no need to warm them up. Feel free to add extra toppings like:
- more fresh strawberries
- more strawberry jam
- any other chopped fresh fruit
- granola
- hemp hearts
- nut butter
- shredded coconut
- chocolate chips
- roasted strawberries
If you prefer to eat your overnight oats warm, pop the jar (without the metal lid) into a microwave for 30 seconds or so to gently heat them.
Recipe FAQs
Despite their name overnight oats don't necessarily need to soak all night. They are ready to eat once most of the liquid has been absorbed and that will take 3 to 4 hours. The actual oats themselves though are soft enough to eat after about 15 to 20 minutes, so if you need them even quicker, just use less milk. When I am in a hurry I reduce the milk to half a cup (120 ml) and within 15 to 20 minutes the oats have softened and the milk will mostly have been absorbed, making them ok to eat.
Overnight oats are designed to be eaten cold or room temperature, but you can warm them up if you prefer. Just pop them in a microwave for 30 to 40 seconds, making sure to remove the metal lid first.
Instant oats can be used to make overnight oats but I prefer the texture when made with old-fashioned or rolled oats.
Overnight oats generally keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days, although when made with softer fruits like strawberries I recommend eating them within 3 days.
If you try this recipe, let me know how you like it by leaving a comment and rating below! And be sure to join my mailing list for more deliciousness!
Recipe
Strawberry Overnight Oats
Author:Ingredients
- ½ cup (50 grams) rolled or old-fashioned oats , use certified gluten-free oats if necessary
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- ¾ cup (180 ml) non-dairy milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (OPTIONAL), use real maple syrup not pancake syrup
- 1 tablespoon strawberry jam (OPTIONAL - but recommended)
- Around ½ cup (60 grams) fresh strawberries , chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
- To a jar or (or other lidded container) add the oats and chia seeds.
- Pour in the milk, vanilla and optional maple syrup then stir to combine.
- Drop in the strawberry jam and then add the chopped strawberries.
- Put the lid on and place in the fridge for at least 3 to 4 hours but up to 72 hours is ok.
- Eat the oats as they are from the jar or turn them out into a bowl first.
Colleen says
This is excellent. We enjoy this so much that I have started doubling the recipe. I love that I can eat as much as I want for breakfast, then put the Mason jar back in the refrigerator and finish the rest another day. I didn't have any strawberry jam so subbed a mixed berry jam and it was great.