Vegan Overnight Oats (Easy + Healthy)
Vegan Overnight Oats — Simple, creamy, and ready when you are. The easiest make-ahead breakfast you’ll ever love! Includes 6 delicious flavor combinations and healthy topping ideas!
One of my favorite breakfasts to make ahead! These healthy overnight oats are creamy, naturally sweet, and incredibly easy to prepare the night before.
All you need are a few simple ingredients, give everything a good stir, and let the fridge do the rest. In the morning, you’ll wake up to a delicious, nourishing breakfast that’s ready when you are.
They’re endlessly customizable too — whether you prefer them plain with a drizzle of maple syrup or loaded with fresh fruit, nut butter, and crunchy toppings. I know you’re going to love how simple and satisfying they are!
If you’re a lover of morning-time oatmeal, try our other easy Oatmeal options!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Oats: Old-fashioned rolled oats work best in this recipe for a perfect creamy yet chewy texture. Quick oats can be used in a pinch, but they tend to become quite soft and mushy. If you’d like to use steel-cut oats, I recommend trying my separate Overnight Steel-Cut Oats instead.
- Non-dairy Milk: I love unsweetened vanilla almond milk, but feel free to use whatever plant milk you enjoy most. Oat milk, cashew milk, and soy milk all work beautifully. For a more indulgent version, you can use coconut or vegan cream.
- Flax meal or chia seeds: These are my little helpers for thick, creamy overnight oats. They also add heart-healthy omega-3s. You can use either one or both!
How Much Oats to Liquid Should I Use?
My favorite ratio for creamy overnight oats is 1 part oats to 1 part milk. For every 1/2 cup of oats, I use 1/2 cup of milk plus 1 teaspoon of flaxseed meal or chia seeds. If you prefer your oats a little thinner, you can add an extra splash of milk in the morning.
Healthy Overnight Oats Toppings
Now for the fun part, making your overnight oats exactly how you like them! Here are some of our favorite healthy stir-ins and toppings for mixing and matching:
- Yogurt: For extra creaminess, stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup of unsweetened vegan yogurt (plain or vanilla both work beautifully).
- Sweetener: A drizzle of pure maple syrup is my go-to, but you can also use coconut sugar, date sugar, or a touch of coconut nectar.
- Fresh or dried fruits: I almost always add fruit. Fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries), sliced banana, or diced apple are wonderful. For dried fruit, I prefer unsweetened options like raisins, cranberries, or chopped dates.
- Nuts & Seeds: Add a handful for crunch and protein. Pecans, walnuts, almonds, pepitas, hemp hearts, or a spoonful of nut butter are all delicious.
How to make Vegan Overnight Oats
Making overnight oats is wonderfully simple — just mix and let the fridge do the rest!
- Combine the ingredients. In a jar or bowl, stir together the rolled oats, non-dairy milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, chia seeds (if using), and a pinch of salt.
- Add flavor boosters. Stir in your favorite add-ins like cinnamon, a spoonful of nut butter, or fresh fruit.
- Refrigerate. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
- Serve. In the morning, give the oats a good stir. Add a splash more milk if you like them thinner, then top with your favorite toppings.
That’s it! In the morning, you’ll have a creamy, ready-to-eat breakfast waiting for you.
Tips for the Best Overnight Oats
- Use mason or ball jars. Wide-mouth mason jars or Ball jars work beautifully. Many have measurement markings on the side, making it easy to layer your ingredients. They’re also perfect for grab-and-go breakfasts.
- Add protein powder. For an extra protein boost, stir in 1/2 scoop of your favorite vanilla protein powder
- Warm it up. Overnight oats are delicious when gently warmed, especially on chilly mornings. Microwave for 30–45 seconds.
Adjusting for Dietary Concerns
- Gluten-Free: Make sure oats are labeled as certified gluten-free.
- Low-Fat: Skip the nuts and seeds, or limit them to 1 tablespoon. Omit shredded coconut and use plant milk instead of any cream.
- Low-Sugar: Stick with low-sugar fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries. Use unsweetened dried fruit. Limit maple syrup to 1-2 teaspoons. Add vanilla extract and spices for added flavor.
- Nut-Free: Use seeds only — pepitas, chia seeds, or hemp seeds. Opt for sunflower butter in place of nut butter.
Delicious Flavor Combinations
Overnight oats can be served chilled, at room temperature, or warm. One of the best things is how easy it is to customize your oats. Here are some of my favorite flavor combinations:
- Strawberries and Cream: Fresh sliced strawberries, coconut cream or Vegan Cream, pure maple syrup, and a sprinkle of cardamom. It’s so simple, yet utterly decadent!
- Blueberry, Pecan & Applesauce: Fresh blueberries, pecans, Unsweetened Applesauce, pure maple syrup, and a splash of coconut cream.
- Peanut Butter, Banana + Chocolate Chips: A generous spoonful of peanut butter, sliced banana, mini chocolate chips (or cacao nibs), maple syrup, and coconut cream.
- Berries and Cream: A mix of raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries with a sprinkle of cinnamon or cardamom and a drizzle of maple syrup and coconut cream.
- Peanut Butter & Jelly: Almond Butter or peanut butter, Berry Chia Jam or warm Berry Chia Jam, maple syrup, and coconut cream.
- Cherry, Chocolate & Coconut: Dried cherries, mini chocolate chips or cacao nibs, toasted coconut, maple syrup, and coconut cream.
Storage & Meal Prep
- Refrigerator: Prepared overnight oats will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Portion into jars or containers and freeze for 2–3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before eating.
- Meal prep: It travels beautifully! Just prepare it in a mason jar or any container the night before, and you have a ready-to-go breakfast in the morning.
More Healthy Oat recipes!
- Cinnamon Apple Baked Oatmeal
- Healthy Cinnamon Oatmeal
- 3 Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Cookies
- Blueberry Banana Oat Bread
If you try this vegan oats recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below. I love to hear what you think, or any changes you make.
Print Recipe
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VEGAN OVERNIGHT OATS
- Total Time: 6 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: Serves 1
Description
This no-cook, vegan overnight oats is easy to make and customizable for a healthy and delicious breakfast or snack! Store in mason jars for healthy grab-n-go meals or snacks all week long.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rolled oats, quick oats, steel-cut oats (see notes)
- 1/2 cup plain or vanilla unsweetened non-dairy milk (almond, cashew, oat, soy, coconut, etc.)
- 1 teaspoon flaxseed meal or chia seeds, optional
- 2 – 4 tablespoons non-dairy yogurt (unsweetened plain or vanilla), optional
- 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup, optional
To serve
- 1 – 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup fruit or mixed fruits of choice
- 2 tablespoons mix of nuts and/or seeds
Instructions
Combine ingredients: In a small container, mix the oats, optional flaxseed meal or chia seeds, and plant milk of choice. If adding yogurt, sweetener, or spices, you can add them here or at serving time.
Chill: Cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hours.
Serve: When ready to eat, top with optional toppings, sweeteners, and extra non-dairy milk. Serve cold or warm it up to your liking!
The recipe serves 1 and can easily be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled!
Notes
Oats. I find old-fashioned rolled oats work best here. Quick oats can be used, but they may be too mushy. Steel-cut oats can also be used, but will yield a stiffer texture. Use your preferred oats.
Store: Keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Flavor variations:
- Strawberries and Cream: Top with fresh sliced strawberries, coconut cream or Vegan Cream, pure maple syrup, and a sprinkle of cardamom. It’s so simple, yet utterly decadent!
- Blueberry, Pecan & Applesauce: Top with fresh blueberries, pecans, Unsweetened Applesauce, a drizzle of pure maple syrup, and coconut cream or almond milk.
- Peanut Butter, Banana + Chocolate Chips: For healthy, protein-rich oatmeal, serve with 1 – 2 tablespoons of nut butter over the top with sliced banana, a sprinkle of chocolate chips (or cacao nibs), a drizzle of maple syrup, and coconut cream (or almond milk).
- Berries and Cream: Top soaked oats with raspberries, blackberries, blueberries. Sprinkle with cardamom or cinnamon, drizzle with coconut cream (or plant milk), and maple syrup.
- Peanut Butter & Jelly: This another protein-rich oatmeal using 2 – 3 tablespoons of your favorite Almond Butter and Berry Chia Jam or Blueberry Compote with a drizzle of pure maple syrup and coconut cream or plant milk.
- Cherry, Chocolate & Coconut: Serve with dried cherries, mini chocolate chips (or cacao nibs), toasted or shredded coconut, and a drizzle of maple syrup and coconut cream.
Adjusting for diet:
- Gluten-Free: Make sure the oats are labeled as certified gluten-free, meaning they are processed in a facility that does not process foods containing gluten.
- Low-Fat: Skip the nuts and seeds, or limit them to 1 tablespoon. Skip shredded coconut, and use plant milk instead of any cream.
- Low-Sugar: Use low sugar fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries. Stick with unsweetened dried fruit. Limit maple syrup to 1 – 2 teaspoons. You can add vanilla extract and spices for added flavor.
- Nut-Free: Use seeds only, such as pepitas, chia seed, or hemp seeds. Use sunflower butter in place of nut butter.
Nutrition information is calculated with oats, almond milk, and 1 tsp flax meal. Adding toppings will add the overall calculations, but since it can vary I have them out. You can check a nutrition calculator online inputting your personal ingredient choices.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 6 hours
- Category: Breakfast, Entree
- Method: mix
- Cuisine: American, Vegan
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This is really helpful. I need guidance on the freezing part. How to keep the taste intact if I freeze the oatmeal, what will be the shelf life, what else to keep in mind? Procedure to eat the frozen oatmeal after taking it out.
Great questions! You can freeze for up to 2 – 3 months, thaw in the refrigerator for 12 hours before serving. Flavor should be the same, but add anything extra you like to sweeten or flavor it. Enjoy!
Do you think this could be heated in the morning? I prefer warm oatmeal!
Yes, you can warm them up before serving using either the stovetop or microwave. Enjoy!
Hi Julie,
My family and I are trying to eat less meat and more vegan/wfpb foods. I’m so appreciative of your simple and delicious recipes and the fact that your blog doesn’t have any annoying pop ups and ads. Thank you!
Glad to be of help! Thanks for sharing, Sharon!
I have been making a version of this, 1/4 cup oats, 1/2 scoop of chocolate flavored Orgain powder, 1 teaspoon of chia seeds and the balance of a pint jar filled with almond milk (maybe 1/2 cup). I mix it up the day before and put it in the fridge. Its fabulous in the am!
Thanks for the ingredient inspiration, Madi – will def give it a try!
I love overnight oats. I use my hand blender and give all the wet ingredients a whirl before adding fruit and nuts or other toppings. Creamy oatnut milk and greek yogurt make this a great beginning for my morning.
Thanks!
Oh, a hand blender is a great idea. Thanks for sharing, Marjie!
Prepped some of these last night and had one this morning with fresh fruits. The texture was perfect and tasted amazing. This will def be on the rotation!
Glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for sharing, Jessy!