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Overnight oats with blueberries and lemons are a great way to have a simple make-ahead breakfast that is full of fresh and tasty nutritious ingredients. These oats are hearty, refreshing and are perfect for meal prep and busy mornings!
You can’t go wrong with combining blueberry and lemon in my book! On top of being refreshingly delicious, fresh blueberries and lemon zest help these simple overnight oats burst with flavor. I love overnight oats, but more often the recipes are geared towards fall with cozy warm flavors. When the new year comes around and spring's warm weather seems to be in sight, I look towards lighter flavors. Cue this blueberry lemon overnight oats recipe. You could eat this recipe any time of year, but these flavors call out spring to me!
My favorite prep day of the week is Sunday and that's when I like to make overnight oatmeal recipes. This lemon blueberry overnight oats recipe is made with only a few pantry staples, old-fashioned oats, flax seeds, honey, vanilla extract, creamy Greek yogurt, milk, fresh blueberries and a lemon. Put all these ingredients in a an airtight container, give a good stir and you’ve got yourself a healthy complete breakfast for the next morning.
What Are Overnight Oats?
Overnight oats are an easy healthy breakfast or snack made ahead of time. Instead of boiling overnight oats on the stovetop, old-fashioned rolled oats are soaked in your favorite milk, Greek yogurt and a handful of other simple ingredients in an airtight container overnight. Overnight oatmeal is the perfect simple meal prep recipe because it requires minimal steps and they are ready to go for the following day. It's a delicious way to start your morning!
The oats aren’t as gummy and are easier to digest than traditional oatmeal recipes because the oats aren't cooked. Plus, the creaminess of all the ingredients soaking overnight makes for a simple, delicious and healthy way to have breakfast.
What makes overnight oatmeal so great?
Overnight oats require minimal prep for a hearty, healthy and tasty breakfast. They also need no cooking and are easy to make in bulk batches. You can mix up an entire week’s worth of delicious breakfasts in a matter of a few minutes.
Also, these simple recipes are highly versatile. Toss in whatever fruit you have on hand, honey or pure maple syrup to naturally sweeten it if you prefer. I also like to add protein powders to enhance the nutritional profile and flavor of these simple make-ahead overnight oats. See below for overnight oats recipe variation suggestions.
Oats are incredibly nutritious and can be made with pantry staples. This easy breakfast recipe is made with only a few simple healthy and nutrient-dense ingredients typically found in your pantry.
How to Make Overnight Oats in 4 Simple Steps
- Put everything (except for the fruit) into a mason jar (or sealable container) and stir. Top oats mixture with berries and screw on the mason jar lid.
- Refrigerate overnight.
- The next morning, give the ingredients one more good stir and eat away. Or, if you prefer your overnight oats warm like I do, pop in the microwave for 90 seconds or so.
- Next, conquer the day because you just ate a hearty breakfast with flavorful and good-for-you nutrients. High five!
How Long Do Overnight Oats Need to Soak?
Your overnight oats would ideally soak overnight (8 or so hours). This time frame allows the oats to soften and the flavors to deepen, creating creamy and delicious overnight oats. You can let them soak for 2-4 hours and dive in. With a quick soak, the oats are not as soft as an overnight soak and they tend to have a little more liquid and chewy texture versus a creamy texture.
How Long Do Overnight Oats Last in the Refrigerator?
Overnight oats are good for up to five days in the refrigerator. You can meal prep them on a Sunday night and have your breakfast ready for the whole work or school week. I always include an overnight oat recipe in my weekly meal plans.
Can I Eat Overnight Oats Warm?
Most people eat their overnight oats cold, but I prefer mine warm. I make my easy overnight oats recipes in resealable containers, like mason jars. I pop the lid off, put them in the microwave for about 90 seconds, and boom, breakfast is served!
Overnight Oat Ingredient Substitutions
I think the best version of this recipe is the one I’m posting below. However, you might have dietary preferences or restrictions, like gluten sensitivity. Below are some common substitutions that would work well for this recipe:
- Make it vegan overnight oats: Use plant-based milks like unsweetened almond milk, soy milk, coconut milk or unsweetened oat milk; use non-dairy yogurts like Siggi’s or Oatly brands; and use pure maple syrup or date syrup or coconut sugar for a sweetener.
- Make it gluten-free overnight oats: Use certified gluten-free oats such as Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Old Fashioned Rolled Oats.
- Make it sugar-free overnight oats: exclude the sweetener completely or use mashed or pureed fresh fruits (such as ripe banana, berries, unsweetened applesauce) or nut butter or seed butter in the base recipe.
- Don’t like Chia Seeds? I make these overnight oats without chia seeds. My personal preference is to use flax seed, which has a nutty taste and provides a great texture. You could also use hemp hearts.
Can You Use Quick Oats?
I prefer to use old-fashioned rolled oats, but you can use quick oats – they will be softer because the oat grains in quick oats are broken down more.
Can You Use Steel Cut Oats?
I haven’t tried using steel-cut oats for this recipe, but I suspect they would require more liquid, more soaking time, and be more chewy and harder to digest.
Can I Freeze Overnight Oats?
You can freeze overnight oats for up to 3 months in individual servings in freezer-safe containers—thaw by placing in the refrigerator overnight.
Can I Use Frozen Fruit Instead of Fresh Fruit?
Yes, absolutely! I would stir the frozen blueberries with all the ingredients instead of using as a topping. Place in refrigerator overnight and give a good stir prior to eating.
Overnight Oats Recipe Variations
Did I mention that this recipe is highly versatile? Customize this easy recipe however you like. Below are other optional toppings that would provide great flavors to your overnight oats.
Here are some overnight oats recipe combination ideas:
- Add in a scoop of vanilla protein powder.
- Use frozen berries instead of fresh fruit.
- Add a tablespoon of blueberry jam
- Add in mango, pineapple and some orange zest – make it tropical!
I hope you enjoy this healthy and easy breakfast recipe with great flavor and only minutes of prep!
If you give this recipe a try, please leave a comment below, rate the recipe, and don’t forget to tag me @homesweetfarmhome on Instagram and use the hashtag #homesweetfarmhome. I’d love to see what you come up with and share with my followers. Cheers!
Recipe Card
Blueberry & Lemon Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- ½ cup old fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup milk
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon flax seeds or chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup blueberries fresh or frozen
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
Instructions
- The night before, put everything (except for the fresh blueberries) into a mason jar (or resealable container) and stir. Top oats mixture with berries and screw on the mason jar lid.
- Next, refrigerate overnight (preferably), or at least 2 hours.
- Uncover container, stir ingredients, top with fresh blueberries and enjoy! Thin with a little more milk if desired.
- If you prefer your overnight oats, place container in the microwave for 90 seconds or so and enjoy!
Notes
* The nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Tiff says
I love the flavor combo of blueberry and lemon! I make these on Sunday to have for the whole week for my after workout snack. It's healthy and tasty!