Overnight oats and porridge: a master recipe and 8 high-protein versions

• Master ratio: 50 g rolled oats, 150 ml milk or plant drink, 100 g yogurt. That makes one serving, about 394 kcal and 24 g of protein (with chia and blueberries).
• Overnight oats: no cooking, 6-8 hours in the fridge. Porridge: the same, simmered for 5-7 minutes and eaten warm.
• With protein: 20 g of whey or 100 g of cottage cheese adds roughly 11-16 g of protein to breakfast.
• Storage: covered in the fridge for 3-4 days. Add fruit and crunchy toppings in the morning.

Overnight oats and porridge: the master recipe

Overnight oats means you stir oats with liquid and yogurt in the evening and they soften by themselves by morning. Porridge is the same cooked: simmer the oats 1:3 (50 g oats, 150 ml milk) for 5-7 minutes, stirring, until creamy. The nutrition is identical either way; the difference is temperature and texture.

1. Stir the oats, milk and yogurt together in a jar and add the chia seeds.
2. Close it and refrigerate for at least 4, ideally 6-8 hours.
3. In the morning stir, loosen with a splash of milk if it is thick, and add the fruit.

The oat-to-liquid ratio (1:3) sets the texture; the yogurt brings creaminess and part of the protein. For a looser bowl add more milk; for a thicker one use less liquid or more chia.

High-protein overnight oats: what to add

The master recipe is moderate in protein on its own. Here is what each add-on does to a serving (calculated from grams, relative to the master recipe):

You can do it without powder: 50 g of oats, 250 g of Greek yogurt and 80 g of blueberries come to 383 kcal and 33 g of protein. Peanut butter and seeds are good but calorie-dense: a tablespoon of peanut butter is about 90 kcal and adds little protein. We cover protein powder types in the protein powder guide, yogurt on the Greek yogurt page and cottage cheese on the cottage cheese page.

Our eight overnight oats and porridge recipes

Every recipe has macros calculated from grams and comes together in five minutes (the baked oats are the exception at 30). Six overnight oats, one baked oatmeal and one chia pudding that has no oats but fits the same fridge-breakfast routine.

Breakfast · 5 minBlueberry Protein Overnight Oats470 kcal40 g proteinBreakfast · 5 minStrawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats376 kcal22 g proteinBreakfast · 30 minBaked Blueberry Protein Oats454 kcal41 g protein

The most protein comes from Baked Blueberry Protein Oats (41 g), the fewest calories from Raspberry Chia Protein Pudding (294 kcal). You will find all the overnight oats among our recipes too.

Calories in oats: nutrition per portion

Rolled oats have 379 kcal per 100 g, with 13.2 g of protein, 67.7 g of carbs, 6.5 g of fat and 10.1 g of fibre (USDA FoodData Central). Always weigh dry oats: 100 g of cooked porridge has far fewer calories because it has absorbed water. The full numbers are on the oats calorie page.

Oats are rich in fibre and contain beta-glucan: under the EU’s authorised claim, oat beta-glucan at 3 g a day contributes to maintaining normal blood cholesterol. The beta-glucan content depends on the product. Oats are naturally gluten-free but often cross-contaminated with grains; people with coeliac disease need oats labelled gluten-free.

Oats for breakfast: five quick ideas

• Fruity overnight oats: Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats, Mango Lime Overnight Oats, five minutes each.
• Chocolate: Double Chocolate Overnight Oats, made with whey, 35 g of protein.
• Cheesecake flavour: Strawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats, with cottage cheese and strawberries, for few calories.
• Baked and sliced: Baked Blueberry Protein Oats, bake it at the weekend and it covers the week.
• Hot porridge: the master ratio takes 5-7 minutes, and any of the add-ons above fit.

Meal prep and storage

• Covered in the fridge, overnight oats keep 3-4 days (USDA gives the same 3-4 days for leftovers). Make three or four jars at once.
• Add fresh fruit in the morning. Banana browns, berries bleed, nuts and seeds go soft.
• You can stir protein powder in ahead of time, but make it lump-free: whisk it smooth with the milk first.
• Baked oats can be sliced and frozen, then reheated in the microwave.
• Hygiene: a clean jar and a cold fridge (below 4 °C). If it smells sour or looks mouldy, throw it out.

If you want to plan the whole week ahead, our weekly meal plan and diet recipes pages help.