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Overnight Oats Recipes: 8 Easy Jars + the Basic Ratio (Meal Prep Guide)

Five minutes the night before, no cooking, and breakfast is waiting in the fridge. Here's the basic overnight oats ratio, 8 easy jars to start with, and how to meal prep a full week.

Four jars of overnight oats topped with blueberries and yogurt, strawberries and chia, banana and peanut butter, and pecans

The basic overnight oats ratio

For one jar: 1/2 cup rolled oats + 1/2 cup milk + 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, plus a little maple syrup or honey and any flavor. Adding chia seeds or protein powder? Use 3/4 cup milk, because they soak up liquid. Stir, cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours.

Quick tips: use rolled (old-fashioned) oats, not instant · stir chia jars again after 10 minutes so they don't clump · jars keep 4 days in the fridge · add nuts and granola in the morning so they stay crunchy · too thick? stir in a splash of milk.

How to meal prep overnight oats for the week

Because jars keep 4 days, split the week into two short sessions: Sunday night, mix the Monday to Wednesday jars; Wednesday night, mix the Thursday to Sunday jars. Each session takes about 15 minutes. Line up the jars, add oats and milk to all of them, then change the flavor jar by jar.

8 easy overnight oats recipes at a glance

RecipeTypeProtein per jar*
Simple Vanilla Overnight Oats (The Base Recipe)Classic Overnight Oats~16 g
Classic Chia Overnight OatsChia Seed Overnight Oats~20 g
Greek Yogurt Berry Overnight OatsHigh-Protein Overnight Oats~26 g
Cottage Cheese Overnight OatsHigh-Protein Overnight Oats~22 g
Banana Bread Overnight OatsClassic Overnight Oats~16 g
Hemp Seed Power Overnight OatsHigh-Protein Overnight Oats~30 g
Basic Overnight Steel-Cut OatsSteel-Cut & Warm Overnight Oats~11 g
Pumpkin Pie Overnight OatsSeasonal & Dessert-Inspired Oats~16 g

* Protein amounts are estimates based on typical USDA values for common products. Brands vary, especially protein powder, bread and sausage, so check your labels.

None of these 8 need protein powder. Want more protein? See high-protein overnight oats.

The recipes

Simple Vanilla Overnight Oats (The Base Recipe)

5 minutes · 1 jar · about 16 g protein per serving*

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup Milk
  • 1/4 cup Plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tbsp Chia seeds
  • 1/4 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp Maple syrup

Directions

  1. Stir everything together in a jar or container with a lid.
  2. Cover and refrigerate overnight, at least 6 hours.
  3. In the morning, stir, add a splash of milk if it's too thick, and top with any fruit.

Make it different: Use any milk: dairy, soy, oat or almond. Soy and dairy milk add the most protein.

Classic Chia Overnight Oats

5 minutes · 1 jar · about 20 g protein per serving*

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Rolled oats
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Chia seeds
  • 3/4 cup Milk
  • 1/4 cup Plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp Maple syrup
  • 1/4 tsp Vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup Fresh berries

Directions

  1. Stir everything except the berries together in a jar.
  2. Stir again after 10 minutes so the chia doesn't clump.
  3. Cover and refrigerate overnight, at least 6 hours.
  4. Top with berries in the morning.

Make it different: Use any fresh or frozen fruit on top.

Greek Yogurt Berry Overnight Oats

5 minutes · 1 jar · about 26 g protein per serving*

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Rolled oats
  • 3/4 cup Plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup Milk
  • 1/2 cup Frozen mixed berries
  • 1 tbsp Chia seeds
  • 1 tsp Honey

Directions

  1. Stir oats, yogurt, milk, chia and honey together. It will look thick; that's right.
  2. Top with frozen berries.
  3. Cover and refrigerate overnight, at least 6 hours.

Make it different: Use vanilla Greek yogurt and skip the honey.

Cottage Cheese Overnight Oats

5 minutes · 1 jar · about 22 g protein per serving*

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup Milk
  • 1/2 cup Cottage cheese
  • 1/2 cup Frozen blueberries
  • 1 tsp Honey
  • 1/4 tsp Cinnamon

Directions

  1. For a smooth texture, blend the cottage cheese with the milk first (or skip blending if you like it chunky).
  2. Stir in oats, honey and cinnamon; fold in the blueberries.
  3. Cover and refrigerate overnight, at least 6 hours.

Make it different: Use peaches or pineapple instead of blueberries.

Banana Bread Overnight Oats

5 minutes · 1 jar · about 16 g protein per serving*

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup Milk
  • 1/4 cup Plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 Banana
  • 1 tbsp Walnuts
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp Maple syrup

Directions

  1. Mash the banana in the bottom of the jar.
  2. Stir in oats, milk, yogurt, cinnamon and maple syrup.
  3. Cover and refrigerate overnight, at least 6 hours.
  4. Top with chopped walnuts in the morning.

Make it different: Add 1 tbsp mini chocolate chips for chocolate-chip banana bread.

Hemp Seed Power Overnight Oats

5 minutes · 1 jar · about 30 g protein per serving*

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Rolled oats
  • 3/4 cup Milk
  • 1/2 cup Plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 tbsp Hemp seeds
  • 1/2 Banana
  • 1 tsp Maple syrup

Directions

  1. Stir oats, milk, yogurt, hemp seeds and maple syrup together.
  2. Cover and refrigerate overnight, at least 6 hours.
  3. Top with sliced banana.

Make it different: Swap hemp for 2 tbsp pumpkin seeds.

Basic Overnight Steel-Cut Oats

5 minutes · 1 jar · about 11 g protein per serving*

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup Steel-cut oats
  • 3/4 cup Milk
  • 1 tsp Maple syrup
  • 1/4 tsp Cinnamon

Directions

  1. Stir steel-cut oats, milk, maple syrup and cinnamon together in a microwave-safe jar.
  2. Cover and refrigerate overnight, 8 to 12 hours.
  3. Eat cold (chewy) or microwave uncovered 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every minute, until steaming hot.

Make it different: Use half oat milk, half water for a lighter jar.

Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats

5 minutes · 1 jar · about 16 g protein per serving*

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup Rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup Milk
  • 1/4 cup Plain Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 can Pumpkin puree (15 oz can)
  • 1/2 tsp Pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 tsp Maple syrup

Directions

  1. Stir everything together in a jar or container with a lid.
  2. Cover and refrigerate overnight, at least 6 hours.
  3. Top with a dollop of extra yogurt and a pinch of spice.

Make it different: Add 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder for more protein.

* Protein amounts are estimates based on typical USDA values for common products. Brands vary, especially protein powder, bread and sausage, so check your labels.

Want all 50 jars planned for you?

The Overnight Oats Meal Prep Planner gives you 50 recipes, 4 weeks of jars with two 15-minute prep sessions a week, estimated protein, and a grocery list that builds itself in Google Sheets or Excel.

Get the Overnight Oats Planner ($9)

Overnight oats FAQ

Can you eat overnight oats warm?

Yes. Use a microwave-safe jar and heat it uncovered for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, stirring halfway, until hot.

Can you use steel-cut oats?

Yes, but they stay chewy. Soak 1/4 cup steel-cut oats in 3/4 cup milk for 8 to 12 hours, then eat cold or microwave until steaming hot.

Are overnight oats gluten-free?

Oats are naturally gluten-free but are often processed alongside wheat. If you need gluten-free, buy oats labeled gluten-free.

Overnight oats recipes by type

Pumpkin Overnight Oats

Pumpkin Overnight Oats

Peanut Butter Overnight Oats

Peanut Butter Overnight Oats

Overnight Oats with Greek Yogurt

Overnight Oats with Greek Yogurt

Cottage Cheese Overnight Oats

Cottage Cheese Overnight Oats

Overnight Oats with Chia Seeds

Overnight Oats with Chia Seeds

Overnight Steel-Cut Oats

Overnight Steel-Cut Oats

Simple Overnight Oats Recipe

Simple Overnight Oats Recipe

More: 40 high-protein breakfast ideas · the Overnight Oats Meal Prep Planner