These Nutritious Flaxseed Overnight Oats are packed with fiber, healthy fats, and omega-3s! They're prepped in less than 5 minutes, can be made ahead of time, and will keep you feeling full for hours!
While most people don't get enough fiber, these flaxseed overnight oats provide 20% of your daily fiber intake in just one serving, plus additional protein and omega 3s.
The best part is that you can prepare a big batch on Sunday and have breakfast sorted for the rest of the week. No more fussing in the kitchen before work!
For more overnight oats recipes, check out my Biscoff Overnight Oats, Lemon Poppyseed Overnight Oats, and Overnight Oats without Yogurt.
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Ingredients & Substitutions
- Old-fashioned rolled oats: These are the best types of oats to use to make perfect overnight oats. Steel-cut or quick oats won't work so I don't recommend them.
- Flaxseed meal: Also known as ground flaxseeds. This is a great way to add more nutrients to your overnight oats. Flax seeds are high in fiber and omega 3s, but not only that, they also help to thicken your oatmeal.
- Yogurt: I like to add it for more protein and creaminess, but you can also leave it out or use blended cottage cheese instead. I use soy yogurt, but any yogurt can work - coconut yogurt and Greek yogurt are two of my favorites.
- Sweetener: Since overnight oats have a mild flavor, I recommend sweetening them with your favorite liquid sweetener - maple syrup, agave syrup, or my brown sugar syrup for boba.
- Milk of choice: I use soy milk, but any milk can work - cows, almond milk, coconut milk, etc.
- Vanilla extract: A splash of vanilla goes a long way here, although it's optional don't skip it if you have it on hand.
- Salt: Just a tiny pinch of salt to enhance the rest of the flavors.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements.
Flavor Variations
- Protein powder: Add a scoop of your favorite protein powder to make the breakfast more filling. If your protein powder is already sweetened, skip the liquid sweetener in the oats.
- Chocolate: If you want to add a chocolaty flavor, you can add 1-2 teaspoons of cacao powder. I recommend using Dutch-processed for a richer flavor.
- Naturally sweetened: If you don't want to use refined sweeteners, add 1-2 tablespoon of apple sauce.
- Fruity: Add ¼ cup of mashed fruit such as banana, strawberries, or raspberries to thicken your oats, add sweetness, and add more flavor.
- Lemon blueberry: Add the zest of ½ lemon, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, and a handful of fresh blueberries.
- Coffee: Add a shot of espresso for coffee-flavored overnight oats.
- Pumpkin pie: Add a few tablespoons of homemade pumpkin puree, alongside ½ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. If you're feeling extra, top with a swirl of whipped cream.
- Extracts: They're great if you want to add more flavor without adding too many ingredients. Almond extract, rum extract, and mint extract will all work here.
- Spices: Any of your favorite spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ground ginger, etc. For best results, stick to ¼ - ½ tsp.
How To Make Flaxseed Overnight Oats
Step 1: Add all ingredients to a medium bowl or an air-tight container - flaxseed meal, milk, rolled oats, sweetener of choice, salt, and vanilla extract (optional). You can also add the ingredients to a mason jar if you need to grab it for an on-the-go breakfast in the morning.
Step 2: Using a spoon or a rubber spatula, give everything a good stir. Cover with a lid or a clean kitchen towel and let the oats soak for at least 3 hours or overnight in the fridge.
Step 3: Your flaxseed overnight oats are ready when the rolled oats are soft and chewy and have absorbed most of the liquid.
You can adjust the consistency if desired, adding a tablespoon of milk if you need to thin it out.
👩🏼🍳 Petra's Tips
- Use the right kind of oats. I always recommend using old-fashioned rolled oats when making overnight oats. This also goes for baked goods like baked oats without eggs and lemon blueberry crisp. Quick oats will get too soft and mushy, and won't provide the same chewy texture, and steel-cut oats won't soften at all. This recipe has the perfect ratio between oats and milk, leaving you with soft, chewy, and thick overnight oats.
- Use ground flax seeds, also known as flaxseed meal. Whole flaxseeds may pass through you undigested, which means you won't reap all the benefits they provide. You can either buy pre-ground flaxseed or ground them yourself in a high-speed blender until you have a fine powder.
- Warm it up. Some people are not a fan of cold oatmeal, and I get it! You can warm your flaxseed overnight oats in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, or on the stovetop until warmed through.
- Use gluten-free certified oats to make this recipe gluten-free. All of the rest of the ingredients are naturally gluten-free.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, oats are high in fiber, iron, zinc, magnesium, selenium, several vitamins (such as A, C, D, B1, and B5), and more! They're a satisfying and healthy breakfast option, especially when served with a protein source like Greek yogurt, soy yogurt, or protein powder.
Yes, ground flaxseeds are the perfect substitute for chia seeds in overnight oats.
Yes, raw oats are totally fine to consume, especially more so after they're soaked, which helps with digestion.
Yes, doing this can aid digestion and boost their nutritional value. Once soaked, incorporate them into dishes like smoothies, yogurt, or oatmeal. Remember to store any leftover soaked flax seeds in the fridge.
Topping Ideas
- Fruits: Feel free to add any fresh fruit of your choice, such as bananas, fresh berries, chopped apples, and more. Frozen fruit works well too just like in my frozen fruit overnight oats.
- Caramelized fruits: Similar to my applesauce overnight oats, I like to caramelize apples or bananas on the stovetop with a touch of coconut oil or butter, and a sprinkle of brown sugar. This takes your oats to the next level and takes less than 10 minutes to prepare!
- Dried fruit: If fresh fruits aren't available, dried fruits are a great alternative! Consider options like dried apricots, figs, raisins, cranberries, and more.
- Nut/seed butter: To add more healthy fats, add a drizzle of peanut butter, almond butter, or sunflower seed butter for a nut-free option.
- Granola: Add a sprinkle of homemade air fryer granola or your favorite store-bought granola to add some crunch and more fiber.
- Chopped nuts and seeds: I love topping my oats with chopped pecans or walnuts and hemp seed for added protein and omega 3s.
- Shredded coconut or coconut flakes: For those with nut allergies, or simply looking for variety, try adding coconut flakes instead. For added flavor, toast them in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, until golden brown.
Storage & Freezing
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container or a mason jar, in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Freezer: This recipe is not freezer-friendly.
More Overnight Oats Recipes
If you tried this Flaxseed Overnight Oats Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
📖 Recipe
Nutritious Flaxseed Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup non-dairy milk I use soy milk
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
- 3 tablespoon yogurt of choice either non-dairy yogurt or Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon sweetener of choice maple syrup, agave syrup, or honey
- Small pinch of salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract optional
Instructions
- To a medium bowl or an air-tight container, add all of the ingredients. You can also add them in a mason jar if you need to grab it for an on-the-go breakfast in the morning.½ cup rolled oats, ½ cup non-dairy milk, 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal, 3 tablespoon yogurt of choice, 1 tablespoon sweetener of choice, Small pinch of salt, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Using a spoon or a spatula, give everything a good stir. Cover with a lid or a clean kitchen towel and let the oats soak for at least 3 hours or overnight in the fridge.
- Your flaxseed overnight oats are ready when the rolled oats have softened and absorbed the liquid. At this point, you can adjust the consistency if needed, adding a tablespoon of milk if you need to thin it out.
- After that, either store for later, or add your favorite toppings of choice and enjoy! I like to add sliced bananas, strawberries, and chocolate chips.
Notes
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container or a mason jar, in the fridge for 4-5 days.
- Freezer: Store in an airtight container or a mason jar and freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with third-party calculations without including the optional ingredients.
Kisha says
I wasn't sure if adding flaxseed would taste good, but can confirm this is 10/10!
Petra says
Happy to hear you like the recipe, Kisha! Thank you for the review!