Overnight Steel Cut Oats {High Protein + Meal Prep}

Name: Overnight Steel Cut Oats {High Protein + Meal Prep}
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 255 min
Ingredients: 2 cups quick cook steel cut oats; 4 cups almond milk; 1 cup Greek yogurt; 1/4 cup hemp hearts; Fresh fruit (Blueberries, strawberries, bananas, mango, etc.); Nuts and seeds; Cinnamon; Vanilla extract; Shredded coconut

These Overnight Steel Cut Oats are made with Greek yogurt, almond milk and hemp hearts for a protein-packed meal prep breakfast!

Ingredients and substitutions

Steel cut oats – you can also use rolled oats but they’ll have a slightly different flavour.
Almond milk – use another dairy-free milk like oat, cashew or hemp milk.
Greek yogurt – you can use a dairy-free Greek yogurt or a regular yogurt, but the oats won’t be as thick.
Hemp hearts – chia seeds, flax seeds and wheat germ are all great substitutes here.

How to make overnight oats

Assemble your ingredients.
Mix everything together in a bowl.
Prepare your toppings.
Add everything to mason jars and stick in the fridge overnight!

photo collage showing steps to make a make-ahead oatmeal recipe

More topping ideas

By using different toppings, spices and syrups, you can create an endless amount of flavour options when it comes to these steel cut overnight oats. Here are some more flavour ideas:

Fresh berries
Sliced banana
Chunks of pineapple or mango
Nuts and seeds
Cinnamon
Vanilla extract
Maple syrup or honey
Shredded coconut

stacked jars of oatmeal with fresh fruit on top

Frequently Asked Questions

What are steel cut oats?

Also known as Irish oatmeal, steel cut oats are whole oats that have been cut into two or three pinhead-sized pieces. They have a chewier texture than rolled oats and take longer to cook than rolled oats (which is why they’re a great option for overnight oats – they won’t get as mushy).

Is this recipe gluten-free?

Steel cut oats themselves don’t contain gluten, but the way they’re produced might bring gluten into the ingredients. Make sure you’re buying certified gluten-free oats to keep this recipe gluten-free.

Are overnight steel cut oats healthy?

Steel cut oats are super healthy. They’re an excellent source of fibre, which can lower cholesterol levels, stabilize blood sugar and improve digestive health. They also help you sustain energy throughout the day since they’re a source of iron and a complex carbohydrate.

Can I eat raw steel cut oats?

Eating raw oats is generally considered safe because of the heating process they go through before making it to the store shelves. Steel cut oats don’t go through the same steaming process to remove pathogens. As a result, if you’re going to eat them raw, you may want to use organic oats. Either way, they’re pretty tasteless in raw form. Some people sprinkle them on top of desserts or sweetened yogurt, but using them in this overnight oats recipe will give them plenty of flavour.

Storing and reheating

You'll want to keep these overnight oats in the fridge and eat within a week of making them. They cannot be left at room temperature or the ingredients will spoil. Unfortunately, they can’t be frozen, but they’re super easy to whip up the night before you want to eat them!

If you don’t want to eat your overnight oats cold, you can heat them up in the microwave for 30 seconds, remove and stir, then heat up for another 30 seconds until they’re warmed all the way through.

Freezing this recipe

Overnight oats are freezer friendly! You can store your overnight oats in mason jars or glass containers for up to 3 months. When you're ready to eat, let them thaw in the fridge overnight then enjoy the next morning.

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Order some steel cut oats here.
Order some hemp hearts here.
These are the mason jars I use.