These healthy banana overnight oats are one jar of 1 mashed ripe banana, ½ cup rolled oats and ½ cup milk, with an optional ¼ cup of Greek yogurt, a little vanilla, cinnamon and chia. Stirring takes 5 minutes, the fridge does the rest in at least 6 hours, and it makes 1 serving.
The banana is the sweetener and half the creaminess. A spotty, soft one means you can skip the maple syrup entirely.
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- Serves: 1, in a 16 ounce wide-mouth jar with room for toppings
- Time: 5 minutes to mix, at least 6 hours or overnight in the fridge
- Base ratio: equal parts rolled oats and milk, ½ cup each, plus 1 mashed banana
- Extras: ½ teaspoon vanilla, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon chia seeds
- Sweetener: 1 to 2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey, optional
- Keeps: up to 3 days in the fridge, best within 2
With Greek Yogurt or Without?
With ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt the oats set thicker and creamier, with a light tang that balances the sweet banana. Yogurt also adds protein, so the jar keeps you full longer. This is the version I make when breakfast has to last until lunch.
Without yogurt the oats are softer and more banana forward. They still work. Keep the teaspoon of chia seeds, because chia soaks up liquid and does the thickening the yogurt would have done, and use about 1 tablespoon less milk so the jar does not turn soupy. Use a non-dairy milk and skip the yogurt, and the jar is dairy free.
What Goes in the Jar
Rolled oats are the structure. Overnight they soak up roughly their own volume of liquid and stay soft with a little chew. That is why ½ cup oats to ½ cup milk works: the banana and yogurt add the rest of the moisture. Instant oats turn to paste, and steel-cut oats stay hard without cooking, so stick to old-fashioned rolled oats. Use certified gluten-free oats if you need them.
Any milk works. I use unsweetened almond milk. Oat milk makes the jar a little sweeter, and dairy milk makes it richer. If you like, make your own homemade oat milk for it.
Cinnamon and vanilla make a ripe banana taste sweeter than it is, which is how this jar gets away with little or no syrup. Taste in the morning and add maple syrup or honey only if it needs it.
Choosing the Right Banana
You want a banana that is yellow with plenty of brown freckles and soft enough to mash with a fork in a few strokes. A barely yellow banana will not mash smooth and will not sweeten the oats. Go too far the other way (black skin, leaking juice, a boozy smell) and the oats taste fermented and turn gluey.
Frozen bananas work well. Thaw one and mash it with the liquid it releases, since that is mostly banana flavor, but hold back 1 tablespoon of milk to make up for it. Bananas past the oat stage belong in a loaf of classic banana bread.
A small banana gives a less sweet jar, so add a teaspoon of syrup. A very large one makes it wetter, so use a splash less milk.
Mixing the Jar the Night Before
Mash the banana with a fork right in the jar or in a small bowl. Get it as smooth as you can. Lumps stay lumps overnight, and smooth banana is what makes the oats creamy.
Add the oats, milk, yogurt if using, vanilla, cinnamon, chia seeds and the syrup if you want it. Stir until every oat is wet. It should look loose, almost too runny. It thickens a lot in the fridge.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Overnight is best.
In the morning, stir it again before eating. That second stir pulls the liquid from the bottom back through the oats. Too thick? Add a splash of milk. Then top with sliced banana and crushed nuts or granola. I sometimes add a spoon of almond butter.
What the Oats Should Look Like in the Morning
Soft, thick and spoonable, with the oats swollen but still holding their shape. The spoon should leave a trail that slowly closes. Watery oats needed more time, or the banana was very large. Next time, use a little less milk. Stiff and dry oats just need a tablespoon of milk stirred in.
Making Banana Oats for the Week
Mix up to 4 jars at once and keep them sealed in the fridge for up to 3 days. They taste best in the first 2. After that the mashed banana slowly darkens and the oats get softer. They are still safe within the 3 days, just less fresh. Slice the topping banana in the morning, not the night before, so it stays pale and firm.
Do not freeze them. Thawed banana goes watery and the oats turn mushy.
To rotate flavors during the week, make blueberry overnight oats, peanut butter overnight oats for a thicker jar, or pumpkin overnight oats on fall mornings. For something with no oats at all, banana chia pudding uses the same ripe banana trick.
Banana Oats Questions
Can you put banana in overnight oats?
Yes. Mash it into the oats the night before for sweetness and creaminess, and add fresh slices on top in the morning.
Are banana overnight oats good for weight loss?
They make a filling breakfast. Oats bring fiber, Greek yogurt adds protein, and the banana sweetens it so the syrup can stay optional. Portion and toppings matter more than the recipe itself.
Can I eat them warm?
Yes. Microwave the oats in a bowl for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring halfway, and loosen them with a splash of milk. For a cooked oatmeal from scratch, try this {L(“fall-desserts/maple-brown-sugar-oatmeal”, “maple brown sugar oatmeal”)}.
Banana Overnight Oats
These healthy banana overnight oats are a no-cook breakfast made with a mashed ripe banana, rolled oats, milk, optional Greek yogurt, vanilla, cinnamon and chia seeds. They take 5 minutes to stir together, chill for at least 6 hours, and make 1 creamy, spoonable jar. Equal parts oats and milk keep the texture thick, while the banana sweetens and thickens the oats so the maple syrup or honey can stay optional. Make banana overnight oats with yogurt for more protein and tang, or without yogurt for a dairy free jar with non-dairy milk. Top with banana slices, nuts or granola for a grab and go breakfast. Keep the jars in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Ingredients
- 1 ripe banana, mashed
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (optional)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp chia seeds (optional)
- 1–2 tsp maple syrup or honey (optional)
- Sliced banana, for topping
- Crushed nuts or granola, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- MASH THE BANANA: Use a fork to mash the ripe banana in a small mixing bowl or directly in the container you plan to store the oats in. Mash until mostly smooth with minimal lumps.
- ADD REMAINING INGREDIENTS: Stir in the rolled oats, milk, yogurt (if using), vanilla extract, cinnamon, chia seeds, and maple syrup or honey. Mix thoroughly to ensure all the oats are moistened and everything is evenly combined.
- COVER AND REFRIGERATE: Secure the lid or cover the container and place it in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight. This allows the oats to absorb the liquid and soften into a creamy texture.
- STIR BEFORE SERVING: In the morning, give the oats a good stir. If the mixture is too thick, add a small splash of milk and stir again to adjust the consistency.
- ADD TOPPINGS AND SERVE: Top with extra banana slices and a sprinkle of crushed nuts, granola, or a spoonful of nut butter if desired. Serve chilled straight from the jar or transfer to a bowl.
Notes
Use a ripe banana with brown freckles; a barely yellow one will not sweeten the oats, and a black, leaking one tastes fermented. Mash it smooth before adding the rest. If you skip the yogurt, keep the chia seeds and use about 1 tablespoon less milk. A thawed frozen banana works; mash it with its liquid and hold back 1 tablespoon of milk. Store sealed in the fridge for up to 3 days, best within 2; slice the topping banana in the morning. Do not freeze. Scale up for up to 4 jars at a time. Use certified gluten-free oats if needed.
