Overnight Oats With Fruit (Strawberry, Mango, Blueberry)

What if I told you that there's a way to make your overnight oats EXTRA fruity? The trick is to blend the fruits with the milk before adding it to the oats for a more intense flavor and creamy texture! The best part is that you can use fresh or frozen fruits depending on what's in season.

In recent years, I've really come to appreciate the practicality of overnight oats. Whenever I know I have a week of busy mornings coming up, I try to make my breakfast ahead of time or I'm likely to skip it.

These overnight oats with fruit have become a staple during spring and summer. They come together super easily, take maybe 10 minutes of prep, and I know I'll have a nutritious breakfast in the morning. In fall and winter, I tend to prefer baked oats (which are meal-prep-friendly, too).

Key ingredients and substitutions

• Rolled oats (old-fashioned oats) are best for overnight oats, in my opinion, as they still have some bite in the morning. Quick oats work too but have a softer texture. However, don't use instant oats or steel-cut oats. If you're on a gluten-free diet like me, use certified gluten-free oats.
• Chia seeds (or flax seeds) help thicken the mixture. They contain a soluble fiber that binds water, which gives the seeds a gelatinous texture. If you don't like the consistency of oats with chia seeds, check out my overnight oats without chia seeds recipe.
• Plant-based milk of choice. My go-to is unsweetened soy milk for its high protein content (8.3 g protein/cup). (Gluten-free) oat milk is very neutral-tasting, too. Almond milk is great for a nutty flavor (that pairs well with banana) and coconut milk adds a nice tropical touch (which is amazing with mango).
• Fresh fruit of choice (fresh strawberries in this example). You can choose fresh or frozen fruits for this recipe. No need to defrost frozen fruit, just blend them with the milk.
• A pinch of salt (super important!) to elevate the fruity flavor of the oats. Just like you add salt to desserts, it's a must in overnight oats or porridge.
• Optional ingredients: To make your oats taste even better you can add vanilla extract, cocoa powder, lemon zest, or orange zest depending on what pairs best with the fruit(s) you chose.

Elo's tips

• Remember this serving size: you'll need ½ of rolled oats for 1 serving of overnight oats. Multiply it by the number of servings you want to prepare and you'll always know how much oats you need.
• The oat-to-milk ratio for the best texture is a 1 to 1 ratio. If you're using ½ cup oats, you'll want to add ½ cup milk. Read more about this ratio in my basic overnight oats recipe post.
• My ultimate tip is to add yogurt for creaminess. If you're convinced that overnight oats are dry, you have to try this hack! Trust me when I say that it makes the biggest difference in texture.
• Combine different fruits. Think of your favorite smoothie flavor and turn it in overnight oats for a filling breakfast. How good would mango-strawberry overnight oats be?
• Add small pieces of fruit. Blending the fruits with the milk is great for an intense fruity flavor. However, I like to add some small pieces of the fruit I choose to make it more interesting when eating.
• Don't forget your favorite toppings! If you like it crunchy, make sure to add crushed almonds, sunflower seeds, or granola to your overnight oats the next morning. A handful of chocolate chips is delicious, too.
• For a nutrition boost, drizzle a tablespoon of almond butter on top. It's packed with healthy fats, fiber, and protein.
• Overnight oats with fruit taste best cold. While you can reheat certain types of overnight oats (e.g. chocolate overnight oats), I feel like these taste best cold.

How to make overnight oats with fruit (blended method)

STEP 1: Combine the dry ingredients. Add the (gluten-free) rolled oats, chia seeds, and salt to a bowl.

STEP 2: Add the wet ingredients to a blender. In this case, the strawberries, non-dairy milk, unsweetened yogurt, and vanilla extract.

Flavor variations

The flavor possibilities are endless when it comes to overnight oats. I usually choose fruits that are in season or –to be honest– what I'm currently craving.

• The seasonal option: During summer you can try peaches, nectarines, berries, cherries, apricots, or oranges. During fall, I like plums and persimmons. If I'm in the mood for apple I'll make overnight bircher muesli.
• My go-to when I don't have time: Banana peanut butter overnight oats. I always have bananas on the kitchen counter that I can quickly throw in a blender with milk and peanut butter.
• My choice when I forgot to go grocery shopping: Overnight oats with frozen raspberries as I always keep a bag in the freezer.
• My choice when I feel fancy: Lemon poppy seed overnight oats (you can find the recipe under my Instagram reel).

More overnight oat recipes

• Tiramisu overnight oats (with coffee)
• Snickers overnight oats
• Chocolate raspberry overnight oats
• 3 overnight oats variations without milk (e.g., with orange juice)
• Overnight oats with protein powder