Strawberry Overnight Oats

There is no oven or stovetop needed to make this easy breakfast recipe and they can be made ahead of time for busy mornings.  

For this strawberry overnight oats recipe, I’m adding a little twist to infuse more strawberry flavor.  We’re blending up a ½ cup of fresh or frozen strawberries in the milk for a bolder strawberry flavor in every bite.  Then add a little lemon juice for a little tang and to help preserve some of the pink strawberry color.  

The strawberry milk turns a beautiful pink color and is absolutely delicious.  Sadly, the bright pink milk color does diminish after the oats soak it up, but the flavor remains delectable.  Then for even more strawberry flavor, add diced strawberries to the oat mixture or add them the next day when you’re ready to enjoy.

For more ways to use frozen fruit in overnight oats try overnight mango oats, cherry overnight oats, raspberry oats with almond butter, or frozen fruit overnight oats.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

The strawberry oats recipe uses simple ingredients, but please see the recipe card below for the exact measurements.

Strawberries -  Fresh or frozen strawberries can be used to make these cold oats.  For more strawberry-inspired breakfast ideas try flaxseed pudding with strawberries or strawberry chia seed pudding.

Dairy-free milk - Use any dairy-free milk for this easy recipe.  Try it with unsweetened almond, oat, soy, or cashew milk.

Maple syrup - Sweeten the oats with pure maple syrup or agave syrup. 

Lemon juice - This adds a little tang to the overnight oatmeal and helps to preserve some of the color.  

Vanilla extract - To add a little flavor.

Rolled oats - Old-fashioned oats are the base for making overnight oats.  The whole grains soak up the liquid to become soft and creamy.  If you need gluten-free, use certified gluten-free oats.  Rolled oats cannot be substituted with steel-cut oats since they take longer to break down.  Quick oats break down much quicker and may become mushy.

Ground flaxseed - Use 1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds to help thicken the oatmeal or substitute with 2 teaspoons of chia seeds.

Ground cinnamon - Adds more flavor, but it can be skipped.

Salt - Just a pinch to help bring out the flavors.

Toppings

Enjoy the strawberry overnight oats as is or enjoy them with your favorite toppings the next morning.

• Diced fresh strawberries or other fresh fruit
• Non-dairy yogurt
• Toasted unsweetened coconut flakes
• Toasted almond slices
• Plant-based granola
• Ripe banana 
• Nut butter

Tips

• Fresh or frozen strawberries work great to make strawberry-flavored milk for this strawberry overnight oats recipe, so these oats can be made all year long.  No need to thaw when adding the berries to the milk.
• The recipe is for just one serving, but it can easily be doubled or tripled.  
• If you prefer a thinner consistency, add a splash of dairy-free milk to thin out, or add dairy-free yogurt for a creamier texture.

Options for making strawberry milk for multiple servings

• Option 1:  Blend each individual serving separately (no need to clean the blender in between) then add to each prepared and portioned oat mixture serving.  
• Option 2: Blend all the wet ingredients for all of the servings at one time, you’ll also need to mix all of the oat mixture servings in a large bowl.  Add the blended wet mixture to the oats, stir to combine, and let it sit for about 10 minutes to thicken up.  Give it another stir, then portion it out into individual servings or keep it in one big covered bowl in the refrigerator.  

How to make overnight oats with strawberries

1. Blend the strawberries, dairy-free milk, maple syrup, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until smooth.  
2. In a large mouth jar or another small airtight container, mix the old-fashioned oats, ground flaxseed, ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.  
3. Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and mix.  Stir in chopped strawberries for more strawberry flavor or add them the next day when you're ready to consume.
4. Before enjoying your oats give them a good stir.   

Storage

Overnight oats with fresh or frozen fruit are best consumed within 2-3 days.  Store in a small mason jar or an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Frequently asked questions

More overnight oat recipes

• Overnight oats with no chia seeds
• Overnight oats with frozen fruit
• Chocolate peanut butter overnight oats
• Mango overnight oats
• Cherry overnight oats

As always, I hope you enjoy these easy dairy-free overnight oats using frozen or fresh berries for a healthy breakfast! If you like the recipe, feel free to rate it and leave a comment.