I like making oats and chia pudding in batches, as they are easy to make and last well for 3-4 days in the fridge this way. With this chia oatmeal pudding recipe, you have your breakfast secured for a few days; they also make a good dessert or snack for home office days.
This recipe is a smaller and slimmer version of a breakfast fruit bowl, but we make them a little more decadent to compensate for the reduced fruit quantity.
We think overnight oats are one of the best breakfast meal prep options. They make the perfect grab-and-go healthy breakfast.
Overnight oats are creamy and can be eaten cold out of the fridge while having a delicious breakfast.
You can easily fix them in ten minutes before going to bed and waking up to your nutritious breakfast!
If you want a blueberry-packed breakfast, check out our lemon blueberry overnight oats; it also features healthy chia seeds.
Another great fall recipe overnight oats option is our pumpkin overnight oats. All yummy and nutritious treats!
Making the classic rice pudding or a cardamom rice pudding is another great meal prep option if you want to try something a little different and equally easy!
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💚 Why you will love it
- Effortlessly nutritious
- Naturally sweetened
- Fully customizable
- Quick preparation
- Versatile enjoyment
🧾 Ingredients
- Old-fashioned Rolled Oats or steel-cut oats (gluten-free)
- Chia seeds
- Your favorite nut butter (Peanut butter or almond butter)
- Fresh fruit (blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries)
- Almond milk (coconut milk or oat milk)
- Cocoa powder or dark chocolate
- Coconut flakes
Optional: chopped nuts, maple syrup, vanilla extract, sliced almonds, or chopped walnuts.
You can see that I am intentionally marking several items as optional. This way, you can always find a way to customize your overnight oats recipe, even if you miss two or three ingredients.
🔪 Instructions
To make these overnight chia oats, follow these quick and simple steps:
Measure
Get your measuring spoons, cups, and fresh fruit ready.
Assemble
In a glass, set (in this order) jam, followed by half of the rolled oats, then chia seeds, half of the water or vegetable milk, the nut butter (optional), the next half of the oats, and finish with water or almond milk.
Refrigerate overnight
Let the chia seed pudding soak overnight.
In the morning, add toppings. May it be dried fruits or seasonal ingredients. We like using fresh banana slices and berries. Add maple syrup, cocoa or dark chocolate, and coconut flakes to finish.
You can also top it with chunky applesauce. See how to make unsweetened applesauce.
You can make it less sweet and caloric by removing the marmalade, nuts, peanut butter, and coconut flakes.
Also, you can use dry berries if you don't have fresh berries. They will hydrate well overnight.
Here are the quantities for a single serving, but I suggest you make at least four at once, one effort: 4 breakfasts.
💡 Expert tips
Get the ratio right: Achieving the perfect texture in your oats and chia pudding largely depends on the ratio of liquid to solid ingredients. A good starting point is about 4 parts liquid to 1 part oats and chia combined. If you prefer a thicker consistency, you can reduce the liquid slightly or add more chia seeds, which are excellent at absorbing liquid and thickening the mixture.
Embrace soaking: To ensure your oats and chia seeds fully absorb the liquid and soften up, give them plenty of time to soak. Overnight is ideal, but a few hours can work if you're short on time. This not only improves the texture but also makes the nutrients more available and easier to digest.
Stir thoroughly: When mixing your ingredients, take an extra moment to stir thoroughly, ensuring the chia seeds and oats are well distributed throughout the liquid. This prevents clumps and ensures a uniform texture in every spoonful.
Taste and adjust: Before letting your mixture set, taste it and adjust the sweetness or flavorings according to your preference. Remember, it's easier to add more sweetener or flavorings at this stage than to adjust after the pudding has set.
Experiment with toppings: The beauty of oats and chia pudding is its versatility. Don't hesitate to experiment with different toppings to add texture and flavor. Fresh fruits, nuts, seeds, or a dollop of nut butter can transform your pudding and keep it exciting every time.
Activate nutrients: When activated in water, our bodies better digest the nuts, seeds, and oats. Nuts are plant seeds; soaking them for 12 hours can start the germination process, causing changes in the seed.
When oats soak, as well as nuts and seeds, you minimize their nutritional inhibitors and toxic substances as they are absorbed into the water, making it easier for your body to absorb the great stuff. More about why it is essential to activate seeds, nuts, grains, and beans. WebMd
📖 Chia oatmeal pudding variations
Here are a few ideas to make your chia puddings different.
Oats: You can use any kind of oats, like quick-cooking oats, rolled oats, and steel-cut oats, just like you would on your usual brown sugar cinnamon oatmeal.
Dairy-free milk: Instead of using the usual dairy skim milk, go for a healthier option. I find the most flavorful options are almond milk (find a homemade recipe), oat milk, and coconut milk.
Cashew milk helps a lot to make your cold oats ultra-creamy, and soy milk helps to add extra protein.
Nuts: Almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, and even pecans can be used.
Nut butter: I am slightly biased toward peanut butter, almond butter, and hazelnut butter, but you can also use cashew butter. We love using pistachio cream as we do in our chocolate chia pudding recipe.
Chia seeds: they are great for making cold overnight oats because they absorb plant milk very well. If you decide to try other seeds, like flax seeds, I recommend using ground flax meals to maximize their nutritional value.
Hemp seeds are also a great option, as they are packed with protein and make these healthy overnight oats extra creamy.
Maple syrup: instead of maple syrup, replace it with your favorite natural sweeteners like stevia leaves, agave nectar, or even coconut nectar.
Flavor: Add vanilla extract to your grab-and-go healthy breakfast. I also love overnight oats with almond and orange extract.
For a citrusy touch, you can simply add the zest of a lemon or the one from your breakfast orange juice.
🥇 Adding Oats and Chia to your morning
Chia seeds are full of antioxidants, fiber, and protein, and they have varied and healthy calorie and carb counts.
Also, this is a powerful ingredient, and Science Says These Are 3 of the Healthiest Foods You Can Eat.
Oats are not behind; they provide an immense amount of nutrients and tons of benefits.
They can Lower Cholesterol Levels, Protect LDL Cholesterol From Damage, and Improve Blood Sugar Control.
So these two together are a blast!
Remember to shop for Gluten-Free Oats if you are on a Gluten-Free diet, as Oats naturally do not contain gluten. Still, they are usually processed in places where there is gluten, and usually, they don't guarantee they are gluten-free.
🫙 Storing
If you want to save time in the morning and have a quick breakfast, add your favorite topping and fresh fruit before bed. Use individual jars and close them with a lid on the overnight oats.
This way, the fresh fruit will not oxidate much in the fridge and can keep its color.
This is the perfect breakfast for busy mornings, so we recommend making a big batch on Sunday, and you will have your overnight oats ready for the week.
📚 More breakfast recipes
For more nutritious Vegan Breakfast recipes, check these out:
- Frozen Mixed Berry Smoothie
- Breakfast Fruit Bowl
- The Morning Celery Juice
- Carrot Apple and Celery Juice
- Simple Green Juice
- 3-ingredient Oat Milk Chia Pudding
If you like your oats packed in a yummy banana smoothie, you should have a check at ours!
⭐ If you try this recipe, let us know! 💬 Leave a comment, rate it, and don't forget to tag us @ourplantbasedworld on Instagram. Cheers!
📋 Recipe
Oats and Chia Pudding
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oats Organic Gluten-free Old-fashioned Rolled Oats
- 2 tablespoon chia seeds or flax, poppy or amaranth seeds
- 1 tablespoon red fruits jam
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 5 blueberries
- 3 raspberries
- 1 strawberry
- ⅓ cup almond milk homemade oatmilk, or water
Optional:
- ½ teaspoon cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon coconut flakes
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 5 almonds raw (or walnuts)
Directions
- Layer Up: Grab a glass or mason jar and start by layering the bottom with jam. Next, sprinkle half of the oats, followed by the chia seeds.
- Pour It: Add half of the plant milk or water over the layered ingredients. Scoop in your peanut butter. Then add the remaining half of the oats.
- Seal, Top & Rest: Pour the remaining plant milk or water into the jar. Seal it up tight and let it rest in the fridge overnight or for a minimum of 10 minutes.
- The Finishing Touch: Top it off with berries, a drizzle of maple syrup, a sprinkle of cocoa, and some coconut flakes.
- Chill Time: Let the mixture sit in the refrigerator overnight to allow the oats and chia seeds to soak up all the goodness.
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Nutritional Disclaimer
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist's advice. See our full Nutritional Disclosure here.
Affiliate Disclaimer
Please note that some of the links here are affiliate links, and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links. I recommend all of the products listed because they are companies I have found helpful and trustworthy.
Colleen says
These are not only healthy, but delicious and a great way to start the day. Thanks for sharing!
Gus says
I am glad you enjoyed it as much as we do Colleen!
Toni says
Everyone at my house enjoyed this pudding! I will definitely make it again!
Maricruz says
Me encanta la chia, cada que voy a México me traigo tipo 3 kilos y la pongo en el congelador para que me dure meses jaja, y bueno, siempre estoy buscando recetas, así que la de ustedes me cae perfecto. Gracias! 🙂
Gus says
qué buena onda! Cuál es la mayor diferencia que notas vs la de Italia?
Dannii says
I love chia pudding, and adding oats to it sounds like a great idea.
sonia says
Perfect recipe to start my day!
Taly says
Qué tentación! Y una buena idea para postre y para variar el desayuno también!!
Puede hacer y freezar? O es recomendable sólo mantenerlo en la heladera?
Gracias!! Saludos!!!
Gus says
Hola Taly. No hemos tratado congelarlo. En general solo manteniéndolo en la heladera es suficiente y dura por unos 2-3 días.
Saludos!
Jewel Santorelli says
thanks after sharing
Gus says
you are welcome, we hope you like it! And let us know if what toppings you used!