This high-protein cottage cheese overnight oats recipe is a creamy, delicious, and filling breakfast that's super quick and easy for meal prep. You can use it as a base and customize it with whatever you have in your fridge and pantry.
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, and I like to switch things up instead of having the same thing every day. Sometimes I'm in the mood for something savory like this egg bake or this flatbread, and sometimes I lean towards sweeter ones like these protein pancakes or banana bread.
This high-protein cottage cheese overnight oats recipe is perfect for busy professionals, fitness enthusiasts, and anyone looking for a nutritious make-ahead breakfast.
It's a great recipe staple to rotate into your breakfast queue, I love how it gives a satisfying combination of protein 32 grams per serving, complex carbs, and healthy fats that will provide you with energy all morning.
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Why I love this recipe
- Time-Saving: Whenever I have a big event the next day, I like to save time by preparing these overnight oats the night before. It takes less than 5 minutes to put together a high-protein, delicious grab-and-go breakfast that's ready when I wake up and it requires no cooking.
- High-protein: The combination of cottage cheese and oats creates a balanced breakfast to stop me from having mid-morning hunger crashes.
- Customizable: You can easily adapt the recipe to suit your taste preferences with various mix-ins and flavor combinations.
Key ingredients
- Rolled oats (Old-fashioned oats): They provide fiber, protein, and complex carbs; you can substitute them with quick oats for a softer texture or steel-cut oats for more chewiness, or you can mix both.
- Cottage cheese: Adds protein and creaminess; can be left chunky or blended smooth. I used full-fat, but you can either use low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese.
- Milk of choice: Works with cow's milk, almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, or any non-dairy alternative.
- Sweetener: Maple syrup adds natural sweetness; can substitute with honey, agave, stevia, or monk fruit sweetener.
- Chia seeds: Adds omega-3s, fiber, and thickness; can substitute with ground flaxseed.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances flavor; can substitute with cinnamon or lemon/orange zests.
- Mix-ins: I've added frozen mixed berries the night before, but you can add any mix-ins of choice; see below for some combination ideas.
How to make high protein cottage cheese overnight oats
The evening before: Combine all ingredients (oats, cottage cheese, milk, sweetener, chia seeds, vanilla, and your chosen mix-ins) in a mason jar or airtight container. Stir well, seal, and refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours.
The morning after: Give the mixture a good stir, add extra milk if it's too thick, top with additional fresh ingredients if desired, and enjoy!
Hanaa's recipe tips
Perfect ratio: Use 1:1 ratio of liquid to oats for ideal consistency, and then you can adjust according to how you like it.
Texture options: Blend cottage cheese for a smoother texture if you don't enjoy the curds.
Morning blend: For a smoother, pudding-like consistency, blend the mixture (except the mix-ins) in the morning.
Parfait: Create parfait-style layers with fruit and toppings for visual appeal.
Meal prep: Make several jars at once for grab-and-go breakfasts all week. You can double the recipe by clicking on the x2, x3 ...etc, in the recipe card.
Ways to add extra protein to your overnight oatmeal
Protein powder: Add a scoop of your favorite protein powder (vanilla works well with most combinations),
Nut and seed butters: Stir in a tablespoon of your nut or seed butter of choice for extra protein and healthy fats.
Double down on cottage cheese: replace the milk ratio with cottage cheese for extra protein without protein powder.
Hemp hearts: Sprinkle on top for added protein and healthy fats.
Collagen peptides: Stir in unflavored collagen for a protein boost without changing the taste.
Mix-in combinations
If you're after some mix-in combination ideas that you can choose to add the night before or in the morning just before having the overnight oats, here are some inspirations:
- Fresh mixed berries with sliced almonds
- Sliced banana, cacao nibs or dark chocolate chunks, and peanut butter.
- Diced apple, cinnamon, chopped walnuts, and granola.
- Diced mango, pineapple, toasted coconut flakes, and macadamia nuts.
- Fresh blueberries, lemon zest, and poppy seeds.
- Pumpkin purée, pumpkin spice, and chopped pecans.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! While traditionally served cold, you can gently warm them in the microwave. If using fresh fruits, add them in after warming it up.
Properly stored in an airtight container, they'll stay fresh for 3-5 days. I don't recommend freezing overnight oats.
Recipe card
High Protein Cottage Cheese Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup cottage cheese
- ½ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- 1 tabelspoon maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup frozen mixed berries
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a mason jar or air-tight container. Stir well, seal, and refrigerate overnight or for at least 4 hours.
- Give the mixture a good stir, add extra milk if it's too thick, top with additional fresh ingredients if desired, and enjoy!
Maryam says
High Protein is helpful for Ramadan it gives you energy….