Learn to make high protein overnight oats without protein powder! Overnight protien oats (“overnight proats”) are an easy and healthy breakfast idea. These overnight protein oats with Greek yogurt have about 30 grams protein per serving. Get tips on making protein overnight oats that are great for bodybuilding and for weight loss. You’ll love this filling protein overnight oats recipe that is easy to make gluten free and dairy free.

This chocolate protein overnight oats for one recipe is a simple meal prep idea. However, there’s more than one way to add protein to overnight oats. While you could make overnight oats with protein powder, you don’t have to make protein powder overnight oats if you don’t want to. 

This protein overnight oatmeal recipe uses a combination of Greek yogurt, milk, and hazelnuts to increase protein. I’ve got ideas for lots of other ways to add protein to overnight oats below. Use these tips to make the best overnight proats recipe that fits your individual preferences and needs! 

➕ How to Make Proats Overnight 

Here are the ingredients you need to make overnight oats with protein added: 

• 1/3 cup old fashioned rolled oats (dry) 
• 5.3 ounces plain Greek yogurt (150 grams; nonfat) 
• ¼ cup milk (2% milk, 1% milk, or skim milk) 
• 2 teaspoons cocoa powder 
• ½ mashed ripe banana (this is our sweetener in place of maple syrup or honey)  
• 2 teaspoons cacao nibs 
• ¼ cup chopped hazelnuts 
• 1 cup fresh raspberries 

Get a printable recipe card at the end of the article! 

It’s fine to use other fresh berries here if raspberries are out of season or too expensive. Chopped strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries all work great. You can also swap out the hazelnuts for walnuts, pecans, or another nut. 

To make protein overnight oatmeal, you’ll also need an overnight oats container. I use a pint-sized wide-mouth mason jar with lid and shoulders. The lid keeps dust and food crumbs out of the jar while the oats soak in the fridge. 

If you don’t have a glass jar, other food-safe containers can be used. Some examples are Tupperware, other plastic containers, a bowl, or a large mug. Cover the container with plastic wrap if it doesn’t have a lid. 

Special diets: Make vegan overnight proats with soy milk, soy yogurt, protein-fortified almond milk or another protein-fortified milk alternative, and/or plant-based protein powder. Soy is one of the few dairy alternatives with protein content naturally comparable to milk. Check to make sure other milk alternatives have protein added.  

To make gluten-free overnight proats you need to use oatmeal that is certified gluten free. Oats are a high carb food, so this recipe is not low carb or keto diet friendly. 

⭐ How to Make High Protein Overnight Oats without Protein Powder 

Let’s talk about how to make overnight proats! Here are the easy step-by-step instructions: 

1. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the oats, yogurt, milk, cocoa powder, mashed banana, and cacao nibs. Put half the mixture in a pint jar (or another food-safe container). Layer half the fresh raspberries on top. 

2. Now put the rest of the oat mixture in the jar in an even layer. Finish with the rest of the fresh raspberries and sprinkle with hazelnuts. Put the lid on the jar (or use plastic wrap) and refrigerate overnight. 

3. Overnight proats can be enjoyed straight from the jar after being refrigerated for at least 8 hours. Protein overnight oats is a no cook meal. Cooking may kill the probiotics (beneficial bacteria) in the yogurt. 

💡 Kodiak Overnight Oats 

You can make overnight oats with Kodiak protein oats for an additional protein boost. Just substitute the oatmeal in this recipe 1:1 with Kodiak oats. 

Do oats have protein? Yes, even though oats are part of the grain group, not the protein group, they do contain some protein. Old fashioned rolled oats provide 5 grams of protein per ½ cup dry. Kodiak Cakes oatmeal contains 10 grams of protein per ½ cup dry, or twice the protein. 

The amount of protein in regular rolled oats isn’t enough to create a high protein overnight oats recipe. This is because oats are not protein dense (i.e., they don’t contain a lot of protein per calorie). You need to add protein group foods to your oats to make proats instead of using oats for protein. 

💪 How do you add protein to overnight oats? 

What protein goes well with oatmeal? There are actually a lot of proteins that go with oats. Here are some suggestions for protein foods to add to overnight oats: 

• Protein powder (vegan protein powder or whey protein powder) 
• Collagen peptides 
• Dry milk powder 
• Milk (dairy, soy milk, or a protein-fortified almond milk or oat milk) 
• Peanut butter (or other nut butter, such as almond butter) 
• Chopped nuts 
• Seed butter (such as sunflower seed butter or tahini) 
• Seeds (chia seeds, flax seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc.) 
• Peanut powder 
• Cooked egg whites (for savory oats) 
• Chopped hard-boiled eggs 
• Cottage cheese 
• Greek yogurt (contains more protein than regular yogurt) 
• Kefir 
• Skyr 

I don’t love the taste of protein powder, but if you do, you can use any flavor you wish. Vanilla protein powder is great in most overnight oats recipes. Use chocolate protein powder instead if you’d prefer that flavor. 

🥣️ Overnight Protein Oatmeal Toppings and Mix-Ins 

I discussed some protein options for overnight oats above. However, you can use other foods to help change the flavor of overnight oats as well. Here are some of my favorite overnight proats toppings and mix ins: 

• Chocolate chips 
• Granola 
• Coconut flakes 
• Fresh fruits 
• Frozen fruit 
• Dried fruits (raisins, etc.) 
• Canned fruit (including canned pumpkin, which is botanically a fruit) 
• Spices (cinnamon, pumpkin spice, etc.) 
• Vanilla extract 

FAQs 

How long do overnight proats last? 

In general, overnight protein oats will last in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. However, since this recipe includes fresh raspberries, it will only last 1-2 days in the refrigerator. Substitute the raspberries for fruits that last longer (such as blueberries) if you want to make several jars ahead. 

You can freeze some overnight oats recipes, but I don’t recommend freezing these overnight proats. The fresh raspberries will turn to mush when frozen and then thawed. 

Is it OK to use instant oats for overnight oats? 

No, use rolled oats or quick oats for this recipe. Steel cut oats won’t soften enough, and instant oats may get too mushy. 

Is soaking overnight oats good for you? 

Yes, soaking oats overnight can be beneficial. It allows the oats to absorb liquid, making them easier to digest and resulting in a creamier texture. Additionally, overnight oats can be a convenient and time-saving breakfast option as they can be prepared the night before and enjoyed cold or heated in the morning. 

Are overnight oats a good source of protein? 

Overnight oats may or may not be a good source of protein depending on the recipe. One serving of these overnight proats has 572 calories, 28.8 grams protein, and 46.4 grams net carbs. 

What is the best protein powder for oatmeal? 

The best type of protein powder for overnight oats has the nutritional profile you want and it should fit your dietary preferences. It’s also important to like the taste of the protein powder you choose, since it will flavor the oatmeal. I generally recommend choosing protein powders with no added sugar so you can sweeten it as you wish. 

When to add protein powder to overnight oats? 

Add protein powder to overnight oats before letting the oats soak in the fridge overnight. Make sure you add enough liquid to the oats to fully dissolve the protein powder. 

Does heating up protein powder destroy it? 

Your body can still use the amino acids from heated protein powder, similar to when other protein foods are heated. That said, this is a non-issue for most overnight oats recipes, since they are served uncooked. 

How to make 40g protein overnight oats? 

To add an additional 10 grams of protein to this recipe, try adding a little protein powder and more milk to the oat mixture. Alternatively, use any of my other protein mix-in suggestions above, such as peanut powder. 

👨‍🍳 More Overnight Oats Recipes 

Want more recipes for overnight oats? Here are some ideas: 

• Overnight Oats for Weight Gain 
• Tahini Overnight Oats 
• Healthy Overnight Oats Recipe for Weight Loss 

🍳 More Protein Recipes 

Need other ideas for getting some breakfast protein in? I got you! Check these recipes with added protein out: 

• Kodiak Cakes Muffins 
• Baked Oats with Egg White 
• Baked Protein Oatmeal 
• Kodiak Cake Waffles 

You might also enjoy these Kodiak Cake Cookies for a snack with a little protein boost. 

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