Basic Overnight Oats with Flaxseed

These basic overnight oats with flaxseed are easy to make and they’re great for meal planning.  They contain just five simple ingredients.  The recipe can be adapted to your flavor preferences.  They're perfect for a make-ahead easy breakfast for school or work.

Overnight oats use old-fashioned rolled oats that soak in milk to soften the grain.  It’s a no-cook method to enjoy a cold breakfast.  Use milk for the flavor and creaminess, just let the oats soak for a couple of hours or leave them overnight to soften.

This easy breakfast usually contains chia seeds or flax seeds to soak up the milk and thicken the mixture.  I like to add them to get my daily dose of omega-3 fatty acids.  You can find a plethora of information on the benefits of ground flax seeds at Nutrition Facts.  If you’re interested, it can also lead you down a rabbit hole of flax seed videos.

For more easy overnight oats recipe try chocolate peanut butter overnight oats, applesauce overnight oats, cinnamon overnight oats, vegan pumpkin overnight oats, or mango overnight oats (using frozen mango).

Tips

• If the portion is too small then increase the oats to however much you want and increase the milk by the same amount.  
• Just grab one serving out of the refrigerator, pair it with a piece of fruit and you have a healthy breakfast.
• I prefer a 1:1 ratio for oats and dairy-free milk, but if you prefer a thinner consistency then add a splash of milk before serving.
• Depending on how sweet you like your oats, try 1-3 teaspoons of maple syrup.  The raisins alone may make it sweet enough for you.
• Make sure to use ground flax seeds, whole seeds may pass through you undigested, which means you won’t reap all of the benefits from them.
• You can substitute ground flax seeds for ground chia seeds.

How to Make Overnight Oats with Flaxseed

Add the oats, ground flaxseed, syrup, milk, and raisins (or peanut butter) to a small mason jar or another container with a lid.  Start with 1 teaspoon of maple syrup, if it's not sweet enough add another teaspoon.

Stir everything to combine. Let it sit in the fridge for 2-3 hours or overnight to thicken up. Super easy!

Using Jars for Overnight Oats

They don’t have to be made in jars, use any kind of container with a lid.  If your family loves peanut butter as much as we do, you probably have a few peanut butter glass jars.  

The brand I buy uses a wide-mouth glass jar so it’s a little easier getting a spoon in there.  Also, my frugal side feels like I just won a free gift every time I buy peanut butter in a glass jar.  I keep the jar, wash it out, and remove the label.  Boom, I’ve got a new storage container. 

More Vegan Overnight Oat Recipes

• Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
• Mango Overnight Oats
• Pumpkin Overnight Oats
• Strawberry Overnight oats
• Cherry Overnight Oats
• Applesauce Overnight Oats

Warm Oat Recipes

• Cinnamon raisin microwave oats
• Apple cinnamon microwave oats
• Pumpkin steel-cut oats (instant pot and stovetop)
• Apple steel-cut oats (instant pot and stovetop)
• Banana steel-cut oats (instant pot and stovetop)

As always, I hope you enjoy this recipe for a healthy breakfast! If you like the recipe feel free to rate it and leave a comment.

Originally published on September 17, 2018, updated on April 7, 2021.

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