High Protein Overnight Oats (Vegan & No Protein Powder)

Name: High Protein Overnight Oats (Vegan & No Protein Powder)
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 185 min
Ingredients: 3/4 cup rolled oats; 2 tbsp hemp seeds; 1 tbsp chia seeds; 1/4 cup almonds (roughly chopped); 1 1/4 cup soy milk (unsweetened); 1/4 cup peanut butter (smooth or chunky, unsweetened); 2 tbsp maple syrup (or to taste); 1 tbsp dark chocolate chips

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You won't be hungry for hours after enjoying these delicious peanut butter high protein overnight oats! This recipe contains more than 40 g. of protein (!), all from wholesome food, no protein powder required and highly customizable. It makes for one large plant-based breakfast (or two smaller), completely dairy-free and gluten-free, plus amazing for meal-prep. Such a great recipe to include as part of your fitness journey!

Front angle view on a jar filled with an high protein overnight oats topped with sliced bananas and a drizzle of peanut butter. There are chocolate chips over the jar as well as around.

You won't see me do this very often, focusing on protein intake or calculating how much of this or that that I ate in a day. BUT, when I have a busy morning ahead of me where snacking just won't be possible, then this protein-packed overnight oats recipe is always what I go for.

I used my popular vegan overnight oats detailed guide to build this peanut butter and chocolate jar of deliciously creamy raw oats and damn, it is not disappointing at all, to say the least.

Before making this recipe, I actually looked around at what was added to overnight oats to make them richer in protein and very often, it included protein powder, which I did not want to include here. Not that protein powder is necessarily bad, but it is just not something I have or want to use. Protein powder can have a "fake" after taste with a grainy feeling, plus let's face it, it is processed to some level!

No protein powder, no problem! There are SO many whole foods that are naturally rich in protein anyway, so let's use them! In this case, combining peanut butter with hemp seeds, chia seeds, raw almonds and soy milk boosted this overnight oat recipe to a heaping 40 g. and more of protein! I mean, it is so filling that I can barely finish it!

So, if you want to keep hunger away for a while, need to feed fast growing kids with rich food that they will actually like or are into body building fitness, then this recipe is such a delicious and nutritious way to consume more protein. Hope you give it a try!

Overhead view on a jar filled with a high protein overnight oats. There is a spoon in the jar and the overnight oats is topped with bananas and chocolate chips.

Easy and healthy protein-packed breakfast

These oats will definitively gives you a protein boost in the morning. Overnight oats simply are raw rolled oats that are soaking "overnight" in a liquid-y mixture to then become soft and appetizing. They take seconds to prepare and you can flavor them the way you want: there must be hundreds of way you can enjoy them!

This version gives you a super creamy oat mixture that's extra rich in flavor and filled with protein + fiber to keep your gut happy and belly full for a while. Plus, the chia and hemps seeds provide some bonus omega-3 healthy fats.

Why make overnight oats

Well, I'm sure you have heard some benefits of eating overnight oats before, but I thought I could remind you how much overnight oats are amazing! They are:

Easy and quick
Healthy and nourishing
Easy to customize
No cooking required
Great for meal-prep
Kid-friendly
Tasty cooling breakfast on hot days

What you'll need

Rolled oats: I love the thick old-fashioned rolled oats from Bob's Red Mill when making overnight oats.
Chia seeds: not only do they add protein, but also healthy fats and help get a creamy texture by soaking up the extra liquid.
Hemp seeds: you won't notice they are in there as they blend easily within the oats, but they boost the protein content of your breakfast.
Almonds: for a good crunch, but also extra protein.
Peanut butter: I use ¼ cup in this breakfast, which create a super creamy base and add lots of plant-based protein too.
Maple syrup: sweetener of choice, but other kinds will work too.
Plant milk: I love soy milk for its higher protein content, but any other kind of plant milk would work.
Chocolate chips: just because.

Overhead view on a few ingredients needed to make this recipe.

How to make it

All you really have to do is to gather all the ingredients in a jar and shake!

You can obviously simply use a bowl or container and stir with a spoon.

There is a fair amount of sticky peanut butter, so even if using a jar to shake the mixture, you might still want to use a spoon to help the PB mix in with the rest of the ingredients.

The mixture will look a bit soupy at first, but then, cover and transfer the oats in the fridge and let it sit until desired consistency (ideally overnight).

When ready to eat, check on the texture and add an extra splash of milk if needed (I love mine quite liquid-y, so I usually add some more) and garnish with fruits and more nuts if desired.

In process picture: showing are all the ingredients layered up in a jar before combining.

Do I have to soak the raw oats first?

No! The oats you will be using are an old-fashioned kind of oats, meaning that the grain is rolled to become flat and thus, thin enough to soak up fairly quickly on the milk you will add to your mixture. And yes, you can eat oats completely raw!

How long does it have to rest for?

Its name strongly suggest resting for about 8 hours. BUT, all you need is a few hours, really. I actually love mine quite soupy with the oats still hearty, so what I'll do is make it right when I wake up while making coffee, then let it rest while sipping on-said-coffee, then eat my yummy creamy breakfast maybe an hour later.

It can also be stored in the fridge for a few days! But keep in mind that the longer it rests, the thicker it will become.

Watch how to make it

Front angle view on a jar filled with an high protein overnight oats topped with sliced bananas and a drizzle of peanut butter.

Preparing tips

I love to use mason jar to make overnight oats. You can get some jars online (I love these 16 oz glass jars) and batch prepare a few at the time on the weekend.
Add fresh fruits no more than 24 hours before eating as they can get mushy after soaking in liquid for a while and your breakfast might not taste as fresh.
If you make a few to grab-and-go quickly in the morning, then I recommend you take a minute to check the oats and see if it needs more milk. Remember, the more it rests, the thicker it becomes!

Serving suggestions

After soaking the liquid, these protein overnight oats can be eaten straight from the fridge without any more work.

But, what you can also do is to adjust its thickness by adding more milk as needed and top the oat goodness with fresh fruits, more nuts, a drizzle of chocolate/peanut butter (oh hello more protein), some fruit jam, shredded coconut, spices, dried fruits, etc.

One more thing: these are "meant" to be eaten cold, but they can also be warmed up, just like regular oatmeal. Simply warm by 30 seconds blocks until warm enough, or simply warm on the stove. The chocolate chips will slightly melt and create swirls of chocolate, yum!

Close up on the top of a jar that contains a creamy vegan high protein overnight oats drizzled with peanut butter and topped with sliced bananas and chocolate chips.

What other natural source of protein can I use

Feel free to swap the peanut butter for other kind of nut/seed butter, like almond or pumpkin seed butter.
Fill your overnight oats with different nuts and seeds. Try sesame seeds (they give such a nice little pop to everything!), sunflower seeds, chopped pecans or pumpkin seeds.
If you happened to have a batch of leftover cooked quinoa, then add some too!
Are you into vegan yogurt? Well, if you are, then add a large spoonful. I especially enjoy the greek style vegan plain yogurt from Kite Hill.
You can use any kind of plant milk you prefer, but if looking to boost your recipe with protein even more, then aim for soy milk.

How to meal-prep this recipe

You can prepare a few jars of protein overnight oats on the weekend to enjoy during the week. Simply align the jars and make them consecutively, then store in the fridge until ready to eat.

You can change the flavor profile before storing them so they all taste a little different, this way you can keep things interesting. Use vanilla extract, cinnamon, pumpkin spice mix or cacao powder, then swap the fruits, nuts, etc.

Add the fresh fruits only a day or two ahead of time (or better, just before eating) or simply top the jar with the fruits without incorporating them in. Fresh fruits after being cut won't stay fresh for long.

Overhead view on a breakfast jar filled with a high protein overnight oats topped with peanut butter, chocolate chips and sliced bananas. There are more bananas on the side of the jar.

FAQ's

Can I use quick cooking oats?

It is preferred to use old-fashioned (rolled) oats as they are thicker then quick cooking oats and will create a better texture. If you still want to use quick oats, then let them rest for a shorter period of time, maybe an hour, or they will get too mushy.

Can I actually add some protein powder to my overnight oats?

You have a bucket of protein powder at home? Add some! Start with one scoop and reduce the amount of peanut butter down to 2 tablespoons. Try to use a protein powder you already love as their flavor can be quite overpowering. Vanilla pea powder, almond protein powder or hemp powder would be good options!

Can I skip the chia seeds?

Yes you can. The chia seeds absorb the liquid very efficiently, so if not using, the oats might end up being runnier. Consider using about ¼ cup less of milk then what's recommended in the recipe.

How long do they last

They can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days. Remember to add the fruit only a day ahead or right before eating and keep in mind that they will become thicker with time. Just add an extra splash of milk if needed.

View on the top of a jar that contains a creamy vegan high protein overnight oats drizzled with peanut butter and topped with sliced bananas and chocolate chips.

Other overnight oats you might like

I hope you enjoy this protein-rich overnight oat recipe as much as we do! If you try it, please leave a comment below and rate the recipe to let me know how it was. Your feedback is so helpful!

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