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These easy Overnight Oats with Yogurt are a fun and delicious make-ahead breakfast and healthy snack made with only 4 ingredients! They take just 5 minutes to prep and are no-cook, protein-packed, and gluten-free.
Overnight oats have been my go-to make-ahead breakfast life-saver for over a decade! Mornings always feel a little easier when I have a fridge stocked with these creamy yogurt overnight oats. They’re wholesome, satisfying, and take just a few minutes to prepare. All you have to do is open the fridge, grab a jar, and dig in. No cooking, no mess, and no questions like, what’s for breakfast?
I like to make a big batch on Sunday night so the whole family can enjoy a quick and nutritious breakfast each day of the week. Plus, they’re versatile and easy to customize. So, whether you’re avoiding gluten, eating plant-based, or just like to change things up, these overnight oats with yogurt can be easily modified to fit your needs.
For example, swap the yogurt for a dairy-free version, use gluten-free oats, or add your favorite fruits, nuts, or spices. The flavor combinations are endless!
If you’re looking to add similar recipes into your breakfast routine, be sure to try this overnight steel cut oats recipe, DIY instant oatmeal recipe, or this easy Instant Pot oatmeal.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
You only need three ingredients to make overnight oats with yogurt: Rolled oats, yogurt, and milk. The chia seeds are technically optional, but highly recommended for their pudding-like texture.
Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: Rolled oats are the classic choice for overnight oats because they soften beautifully without becoming mushy. For the best texture, avoid quick oats (which are too soft) or steel-cut oats (which are too chewy unless pre-cooked). If you’re sensitive to gluten, be sure to choose certified gluten-free rolled oats.
Yogurt: Yogurt gives these overnight oats a creamy texture and an extra boost of protein. Greek yogurt is an excellent option due to its thickness and higher protein content, but regular yogurt works just as well. For a dairy-free or vegan version, use plant-based yogurt such as almond, coconut, soy, or oat yogurt. You can also experiment with flavored yogurts to change up the taste. In these images, you’ll see that I combined plain Greek yogurt and strawberry yogurt.
Milk: The liquid helps soften the oats and blend the flavors. Cow’s milk makes the creamiest texture, but non-dairy alternatives like almond, soy, oat, coconut, or cashew milk all work beautifully.
Chia Seeds (Highly recommended): These tiny seeds pack a nutritional punch with fiber, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids. They also help thicken the oats, giving them a pudding-like consistency. If you don’t have chia seeds, ground flaxseeds or hemp seeds can be used as an alternative, although the texture will be slightly different.
Fresh Fruit (Optional): Fresh fruit adds natural sweetness, flavor, and color. I used strawberries in this recipe, but you can easily swap in raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, mango, peaches, nectarines, cherries, or sliced bananas. In the off-season, frozen fruit works just as well.
Sweetener (Optional): A touch of sweetness can help balance the flavors, especially when using plain yogurt. Honey is my go-to, but to keep the recipe vegan, use maple syrup, agave nectar, or date syrup. You can also skip added sweeteners entirely if your fruit provides enough natural sweetness.
How to Make Overnight Oats with Yogurt
When I first started making overnight oats I always put them in jars as a way to entice my very picky child into eating. I soon realized that wasn’t necessary since he loved them so much. Now when I make these overnight oats, I usually mix together a large batch (6 to 8 servings) in a big mixing bowl, then transfer it to large wide-mouth Mason Jars (32-ounce). Everyone scoops out as much as they want into individual bowls or insulated food jars for on-the-go.
- Combine the ingredients: Add the rolled oats, milk, yogurt, and chia seeds to a bowl and mix well to combine. If you’d like to add a little honey or fresh fruit directly to the overnight oat mixture, feel free to do so now.
- Divide (optional): If you’re making a large batch of yogurt overnight oats, transfer the combined oats and yogurt to large 32-ounce mason jars or smaller 12-ounce or 16-ounce single-serve mason jars.
- Seal and rest: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or seal the jars with a tight-fitting lid. Transfer to the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or until the oats are softened, chewy, and thickened.
- Serve: Enjoy within 5 days with all of your favorite toppings!
Topping Suggestions
Once your yogurt overnight oats have had a chance to soften and chill in the refrigerator, it’s time to serve and enjoy with all of your favorite toppings and mix-ins. Here are some of my favorites:
- 1 to 2 teaspoons of peanut or almond butter
- 1/2 to 1 cup of fresh fruit (bananas, berries, apples, mango, and peaches)
- 1 teaspoon of honey or maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons of shaved dark chocolate or mini chocolate chips
- A small handful of nuts (almonds, cashews, pistachios, etc.)
- 1 teaspoon of ground flax or hemp seeds
- A pinch of ground cinnamon or nutmeg.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! You can absolutely eat overnight oats with yogurt warm. While they’re traditionally enjoyed chilled straight from the fridge, warming them is a great option if you prefer a cozy breakfast. Just transfer your portion to a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 20-30 second intervals, stirring in between, until they reach your desired temperature. Tip: If your oats become too thick after heating, stir in a splash of milk to loosen them up. Also, keep in mind that warming will soften the texture even more, so if you like a little bite, heat them gently.
Yes, you can microwave overnight oats. Simply place your portion in a microwave-safe bowl or jar (without any metal lids) and heat in short intervals about 20 to 30 seconds at a time stirring between each until warmed through. Stirring helps prevent hot spots and keeps the texture creamy. Tips: Add a splash of milk before heating if they seem too thick and avoid overheating, as it can cause the oats to dry out or the yogurt to curdle. Also, if your recipe includes fresh berries or delicate fruit, add them after microwaving to keep them fresh.
You can freeze overnight oats with yogurt, but the texture will change once thawed. The oats themselves freeze well, but yogurt can sometimes separate or become grainy after freezing. For best results, make the oats without the yogurt, and stir in fresh yogurt after thawing.
Steel cut oats are much harder and chewier than rolled oats, so they require a longer soak to soften (at least 12-18 hours). One option is to quickly par-cook the steel cut oats in simmering water or milk for 3 to 5 minutes, drain and cool, then mix with the remaining ingredients and refrigerate to finish cooking. Be sure to dedicated Overnight Steel Cut Oats recipe to walk you through the process step-by-step.
More Oat Recipes
If you make this overnight oats with yogurt recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out in the comment section below! Your review will help other readers in the community. And if you’re hungry for more delicious food inspiration and exclusive content, join my free newsletter here.
Overnight Oats with Yogurt Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats, see notes
- ½ cup milk, see notes
- 1 cup Greek yogurt, see notes
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- ½-1 cup chopped fresh fruit, optional
- 1 teaspoon honey, optional
Optional Toppings
- Fresh fruit, such as berries, mango, banana, etc.
- Fruit jam or preserves, 1-2 tsp per serving
- Granola
Instructions
- Transfer the rolled oats, milk, yogurt, chia seeds, fresh fruit (I added strawberries, optional), and honey (optional) to a small bowl or jar and mix well to combine.
- Cover with plastic wrap or seal the jar with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the refrigerator for 4-12 hours, or until the oats have softened and thickened.
- Remove from the refrigerator and mix well before serving. Top with all of your favorite toppings and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- Oats: If you’re sensitive to gluten, be sure to purchase gluten-free rolled oats.
- Milk: This recipe is great with all types of milk including cow milk, almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, coconut milk, etc.
- Yogurt: To make this recipe vegan, use your favorite plant-based, dairy-free yogurt.
- Sweetener: To make this recipe vegan, swap the honey for maple syrup.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi! Can You use Steel Cut Oats?
Great question! Steel-cut oats are much tougher and don’t soften as easily overnight, so I wouldn’t recommend using them in this recipe. If you prefer the texture of steel-cut oats, you can try soaking them longer (at least 12 hours) or briefly pre-cooking them first. Otherwise, I’d stick with rolled oats for the best creamy, tender texture. Enjoy!
I love oatmeal cooked with water. After the cooking I add 3 spoons of vanilla yoghurt and I’m good to enjoy it mornings and lunch time. Hahaha sometimes I’m so greedy that I get me some for dinner. It’s such a good meal.