Kefir Overnight Oats
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Published Jun 27, 2024, Updated Jul 16, 2024
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These kefir overnight oats are made with kefir instead of milk for a creamy, protein-packed breakfast that’s loaded with gut-healthy probiotics! They’re easy to make and perfect for meal prep.
As you guys know I LOVE overnight oats and have a ton of different flavor variations on the blog! Some of my favorite flavor variations are my chocolate chip overnight oats, zucchini bread overnight oats and vanilla overnight oats, but lately I’ve been obsessed with these kefir overnight oats!
Adding kefir to overnight oats not only replaces the liquid typically needed, but it adds protein and probiotics, which are great for a healthy gut!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love These Overnight Oats
- Easy – Mix everything together the night before for a quick and easy breakfast.
- Nutritious – These oats are packed with fiber, protein, probiotics and healthy fats!
- Customizable – Add your favorite fruits, nuts and sweeteners to make these oats your own.
Ingredients Needed
- rolled oats – the base of the overnight oats, providing a hearty and chewy texture. Make sure to use certified gluten-free oats if needed.
- plain kefir – kefir replaces the liquid that is needed for overnight oats and adds a creamy texture and tangy flavor, while also providing probiotics and protein. My go-to kefir is the Lifeway Plain Kefir. If you have leftover kefir after making these overnight oats, try my kefir smoothie recipe!
- chia seeds – for added fiber and omega-3s.
- cinnamon – a warm spice that enhances the flavor of the oats.
- fruit – I used pineapple, blueberries and raspberries for a mix of sweet and tart flavors.
- granola – you can use any granola you have on hand but I love my homemade granola.
- honey – for a touch of natural sweetness.
Substitutions & Variations
- Kefir: I used plain organic low fat kefir, but feel free to use your favorite flavor for these oats.
- Fruit: I like to use pineapple, blueberries and/or raspberries for the fruit topping in this recipe, but feel free to use your favorite type of fruit. Peaches, cherries, blackberries, bananas, mango and strawberries would all be delicious!
- Honey: Feel free to skip this if you don’t want the oats as sweet or use maple syrup, agave or stevia as a substitute.
- Add nut butter: This is an excellent way to add some more protein to your oats. I typically add peanut butter or almond butter, but if you have nut allergy, seed butter (like sunflower seed butter or tahini) is another great option.
- Want more protein? For more protein add 1 scoop of your favorite protein powder to the mixture before letting it set in the fridge. If you do add protein powder, you’ll probably need extra kefir, possibly more if you use a plant-based protein powder since it soaks up more liquid.
How to Make Kefir Overnight Oats
Step 1: Add all the dry ingredients to a large bowl.
Step 2: Pour in the kefir to the dry ingredients. Mix well to combine.
Step 3: Cover and set the bowl in the fridge for at least a few hours or overnight.
Step 4: Take the bowl out of the fridge, stir to combine, add more kefir if needed, and enjoy!
Brittany’s Tip!
For the best texture, give your oats a good stir in the morning before adding toppings. This helps everything become nice and creamy. If you find the oats too thick, add a splash of extra kefir to reach your desired consistency.
How to Meal Prep & Store Leftovers
This recipe makes one serving, but you can easily triple or quadruple the recipe to make a bigger batch for meal prep!
When stored in a sealed container (I personally like using wide mouth 16 oz Mason jars) in the refrigerator overnight oats should last for up to 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Kefir is an ancient healing superfood from the Caucasus Mountains that has provided microbiome support for over 2,000 years. It’s a tart and tangy cultured milk smoothie that’s packed with probiotics, protein, calcium, and vitamin D.
Kefir is a nutritional powerhouse and has a ton of health benefits! It’s loaded with beneficial probiotics, those friendly bacteria that do wonders for your gut health. By promoting a diverse and balanced gut microbiome, kefir can help improve digestion, boost immunity, and even enhance mood. It’s also packed with essential vitamins and minerals like calcium, magnesium, vitamin D and B vitamins. These nutrients play key roles in bone health, energy production, and overall well-being. (Source)
Yes, you can use any type of kefir, including flavored or plain. Just be aware that flavored kefir will add extra sweetness and may alter the taste of the oats.
Given the name, you’d assume overnight oats need to soak overnight, but you can actually get by with only letting them soak 2 hours or so. While it does take some time for the oats to absorb the liquid, they don’t necessarily have to be soaked overnight.
it’s best to use old fashioned rolled oats for overnight oats as they hold up better and provide a chewier texture. instant oats can become too mushy when soaked overnight. Steel cut oats also don’t work well because they don’t absorb liquid the same way rolled oats do. If you’re looking for a recipe with steel cut oats try my overnight steel cut oats instead.
More Overnight Oats to Try
- Blended Overnight Oats
- Chocolate Overnight Oats
- Blueberry Overnight Oats
- Overnight Oats with Yogurt
- Strawberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats
Check out all my full collection of oatmeal recipes!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Kefir Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 1 -1 ¼ cups Lifeway Kefir, I used low fat
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup fruit of choice
- 2 Tablespoons granola
- Drizzle of honey
Instructions
- Add oats, kefir, chia seeds, cinnamon and fruit into a bowl or mason jar. Stir well to combine. Seal the container with a lid and place in the fridge overnight.
- Take the container out of the fridge the next morning and stir the mixture, adding more kefir if desired.
- Top with granola and a drizzle of honey and enjoy!
Notes
- Kefir: I used plain organic full fat kefir, but feel free to use your favorite flavor for these oats.
- Fruit: I like to use pineapple, blueberries and/or raspberries for the fruit topping in this recipe, but feel free to use your favorite type of fruit. Peaches, cherries, blackberries, bananas, mango and strawberries would all be delicious!
- Honey: Feel free to skip this if you don’t want the oats as sweet or use maple syrup, agave or stevia as a substitute.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Yum! Can you please share a link to the jars you used in your IG post about these? With the lid and spoon? 🙂
Hi Elisabeth! Yes, they are from Amazon! Hope you enjoy this recipe!
Delicious and such an easy swap for better gut health during menopause
Absolutley! Glad you are loving these oats, Tanya. Thanks for sharing your review+ + star rating, I appreciate it!