These strawberry overnight oats are SO delicious and such a perfect make-ahead healthy breakfast. It is super creamy, slightly sweet and filled with protein and fiber to help you stay full until lunch time.
Just like for smoothies, I go through phases craving overnight oats. I usually start obsessing over them whenever spring knocks on the door. And recently with the weather warming up a bit I just cannot stop making them! Especially this strawberry flavored one, it makes me dream even more for the beautiful weather with all of the fresh produce yet to come.
Not that you need a warm weather to enjoy them at all. I'll make a pumpkin overnight oat regularly during the fall, but summer and creamy raw oat breakfasts simply goes together like a perfect match. It might be the fact that overnight oatmeals are eaten cold or how great they are when made with seasonal fresh berries, but the warm weather coming calls for overnight oatmeal to be back in force.
And these strawberry overnight oats won't disappoint all of your overnight oatmeal appetite! The fresh juicy and sweet strawberries combined with the milky oats is SO darn good. If you are new to overnight oats, then this recipe is a good place to start as it really feels like eating dessert for breakfast. Almost like a strawberry shortcake!
Overnight oats that taste like dessert
This is what's so great about overnight oatmeals: it is a combination of creamy oats that you can flavor and sweeten just the way you want. And this strawberry overnight oat is so delicious I eat it for dessert and it feels just like a treat.
To make your creamy overnight oats taste extra delicious enough to qualify for dessert, first look for very sweet strawberries. This recipe will obviously be at its best when the berries are in season, but I don't even wait for summer to make this raw oats breakfast. The large out-of-season strawberries are often super sweet and perfect for this recipe!
Also, the vanilla extract makes a huge difference when making these overnight oats. It really brings a complex flavor that pairs perfectly with the strawberries and makes your creamy oats taste a little like cake.
Finally, even if your strawberries are sweet, just a hint of maple syrup is great to make your overnight oats taste perfectly sweet.
Ingredients to make a strawberry overnight oatmeal
- Rolled oats: choose old fashioned oats for perfect texture (not quick cooking nor steel-cut oats). I love the rolled oats from Bob's Red Mill (they also have certified gluten-free raw oats.).
- Chia seeds: these tiny seeds add lots of health benefits (tons of fiber, protein and omega-3 healthy fats) plus a fun texture to your raw oat recipe.
- Vegan milk: any kind work well. Choose an unflavored and unsweetened milk so you can adjust the taste yourself.
- Almond butter: it brings lots of creaminess to the raw oats and adds bonus protein to your breakfast. I love the almond butter flavor, but you can also use peanut butter or pumpkin seed butter (for a nut-free overnight oats recipe).
- Maple syrup: it is such a great natural sweetener that adds a delicious flavor to the creamy oats. You can use a sprinkle of coconut sugar instead, but using a liquid sweetener helps keep the texture super pleasant.
- Vanilla extract: just a little hint to make your breakfast taste just like vanilla cake!
- Fresh strawberries: best when using in-season fruits. I haven't tried it, but if using frozen strawberries, thaw them first and remove the extra water before combining to the oats to keep the right ratio of oats vs liquid.
How to make strawberry overnight oats
Preparing the oat mixture is SO quick and easy: simply combine all the ingredients, stir and let it rest until the oats soften and soak up on the liquid.
Ideally, you would prepare your raw oatmeal ahead of time, either the night before or even days ahead of time. This way, your healthy breakfast is ready and waiting for you in the fridge.
Watch how to make it
How long do strawberry overnight oats need to rest in the fridge?
As you might suspect, overnight oats are best when allowed to rest for a whole night. But, I have made overnight oats in a much shorter period of time than 8-12 hours and it turned out very good too. I would say try to give it at least 2 hours which will be enough time for the raw oats to soak up on some of the liquid and soften a bit.
The longer your overnight oats rest in the fridge, the thicker the consistency will be. So, when making a quicker version of only 2 hours soak time, then your overnight oats might be a little more soupy as the oats didn't have as much time to soak up on the milk. I actually LOVE eating my creamy raw oats that way, so I'll often end up making it as soon as I wake up, then let it rest as I drink my coffee and take care of my kids's breakfast, then eat it just before hitting the door for pre-school.
After a few days in the fridge, the overnight oats will be much thicker. In that case, you can add an extra splash of milk just before eating to loosen up the raw oats to reach a desired consistency.
How to serve this strawberry overnight oatmeal
These strawberry overnight oats are delicious just as it is, which makes it a great grab-and-go plant-based breakfast. But, if you are home, then this creamy oats is great garnished with lots of toppings.
Try a crunchy topping such as nuts, granola or shredded coconut. I also love to top mine with something creamy, usually vegan yogurt or coconut milk (if I already have a can opened in the fridge). Vegan yogurt adds a delicious tangy flavor to the raw oats that blends very well with the sweet strawberries. More fresh strawberries on top (or other berries) also make this breakfast pops in colors in flavors. And, if you are looking for a sweeter overnight oats, then try adding a few dollop of this vegan caramel sauce.
Storage tips
Overnight oats are amazing if you love to meal-prep. They are easy to prepare in batches and have a few breakfasts ready to go during the week. They are amazing at helping you stay healthy, even if life gets crazy busy.
To make them ahead, then I recommend to use sealing jars (like mason jar with a wide opening) that makes them easier to simply grab-and-go. You can also simply shake the jar to mix everything up.
You can prepare overnight oats up to 5 days ahead. If storing them for more than 2 days, then try to simply top the overnight oats with the strawberries (or keep them apart and add just before eating) as the raw oats stays more fresh that way.
Other overnight oats recipes you might like
- How to make overnight oats: The complete guide
- Orange and pumpkin overnight oats
- Mango overnight oats with almond butter swirl
- Protein overnight oats
I hope you enjoy this strawberry overnight oatmeal 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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Strawberry Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup vegan plain milk
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tbsp almond butter - or other nut/seed butter
- 1-1 ½ tbsp maple syrup - or to taste
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup fresh strawberries - chopped
Instructions
- Stir all the ingredients together in a jar until the almond butter is combined.
- Transfer to the fridge and let sit for at least 2 hours before enjoying, but preferably for 8-12 hours (or overnight). The raw oats will soak up on the liquid and soften during that time. Enjoy cold with toppings (more strawberries, vegan yogurt, nuts, coconut milk, etc), if desired.
Video
Notes
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