This Italian Easter Bread is a Festive Favorite

Italian Easter Bread (Pane di Pasqua) has a texture similar to Challah and is flavored with lemon zest, orange zest, and vanilla extract. To finish, I tuck a brightly colored egg into the dough nest and top it with sprinkles. These eggs do more than add celebratory flair; they also symbolize rebirth.      

The name of this recipe may seem to imply there is one definitive Easter bread in Italy. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth! There are as many variations of Easter bread across the regions and subregions, ranging from savory breads such as pizza di Pasqua in central Italy to the sweet breads from the south.

In Calabria, you’ll find cuzzupa, flavored with aniseed or citrus, topped with a hardboiled egg, and a sheen of lemon glaze. In Sardinia, they make coccoi cun s’ou and in Sicily, cuddura cu l’ova, where a raw egg is encased in the dough and cooked in the oven. Whereas, in Greece, they make a similar Easter bread called Tsourike, but in Greek Easter bread, the eggs are usually dyed red. The breads may be shaped into doves, dolls, baskets, or rings, each implying a different meaning.

This recipe is a traditional Easter bread in southern Italy. It is shaped into four individual rings, twisted around a dyed egg, and presented at the table. Serve it as part of your Easter feast alongside Healthy Deviled Eggs, Roasted Leg of Lamb and this Asparagus Salad. 

What’s in Italian Easter Bread

The ingredients for this bread are easy to find, and are probably already pantry staples in your house. The only item on your shopping list could very well be the dye for the eggs. It’s humbling to note that historically, this bread was reserved for special occasions because of the expensive and rich ingredients like milk, sugar, eggs, and butter.

PRO TIP: Use room temperature eggs and butter. The room temperature ingredients are more easily incorporated into enriched doughs (doughs with fat and sugar), leading to improved texture and rise.

• Milk: While I used whole milk, feel free to use reduced fat or skim milk instead. Heat the milk to 105-115°F. Make sure the milk isn’t too hot, or it will kill the yeast.
• Active dry yeast: Enriched breads require more yeast than standard leaner breads to get going.
• Sugar: This bread is lightly sweet, but the sugar also helps make the bread soft and brown nicely in the oven.
• Eggs: The protein and fat in eggs add to the structure, softness, and golden color.
• All-purpose flour: While you may be tempted to reach for bread flour, the all-purpose flour in this recipe makes a tender, fluffy loaf. Bread flour would make the bread too chewy.
• Unsalted butter: A small amount of room temperature butter adds flavor and richness.
• Kosher salt: Even in sweet recipes, salt enhances the flavor.
• Vanilla extract: Another flavor enhancer. Without it, the bread may seem bland or one-dimensional. 
• Zest: I love using both lemon and orange zest here, but you can stick to just one or the other, depending on what you have on hand.
• Dyed uncooked eggs: When it comes to the eggs you can dye them whichever color you like, or leave them undyed. Just make sure they’re uncooked. They will cook in the oven.
• Multicolored nonpareils: This is a celebration bread, so have fun with some colorful nonpareils or sprinkles.

How to Make Italian Easter Bread

Taking about four hours, this baking project does require a time commitment. Most of the time is hands-off while the yeast does the work. While the sponge rises take the butter out of the refrigerator and dice it so it softens enough to incorporate into the dough later. I zest the citrus at this point and have the orange for a snack while I wait. If you’re worried that the zest will dry out, you can cover it and keep it in the fridge in the meantime.

• Make the sponge: In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast in the milk and let stand until it begins to foam, 5 to 10 minutes. Add a 1/4 cup sugar, eggs, and 2 cups flour. Stir with a rubber spatula to combine. The mixture will resemble pancake batter. Cover the bowl and set aside in a warm spot to rise for 30 minutes, until the surface is bubbly. In the meantime, take the butter out of the refrigerator, and dice it into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Make the dough: To the sponge, add the 2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, butter, salt, vanilla, and zest. Fit the mixer with the dough hook attachment, and mix on the lowest speed until the dough comes together into a rough ball, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to level 2 and continue kneading for 7 minutes. The dough should be smooth and elastic and pull away from the sides of the bowl (the dough may still stick to the bottom of the mixing bowl).
• First rise: Cover the bowl and set it in a warm spot to rise for 1 1/2 hours, or until roughly doubled in size.
• Divide the dough: Punch down the dough and divide it into 8 equal portions (approximately 120 to 125g each).
• Assemble the loaves: Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Use your palms to roll out each piece of dough into a 12-inch rope. Pinch two ropes together at the ends and twist them several times.
• Form a wreath: Pinch the ends together so the twisted rope forms a wreath and tuck the ends underneath. Repeat with the remaining ropes of dough.
• Second rise: Place two loaves on each of the lined baking sheets. Cover with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour, or until puffy and almost doubled in size.
• Prepare the oven: Arrange racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Decorate the loaves: Gently nestle a dyed uncooked egg into the center of each loaf. Make an egg wash by whisking a large egg and a tablespoon of milk together in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to brush each loaf with a light coating of the egg wash, avoiding the dyed eggs. Sprinkle each loaf with colorful nonpareils.
• Bake: Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden, rotating the pans and switching their position halfway through.
• Cool: Transfer the loaves to a wire rack to cool. Let cool before serving.

What is a Sponge (Preferment)

The sponge method in bread baking is when you mix a portion of the flour, a portion (or all) of the yeast, and some (or all) of the wet ingredients to begin fermenting, before adding the rest of the ingredients that form the final dough.

Using a sponge adds extra fermentation time, and longer fermentation means more flavor. It’s especially helpful in enriched bread to give the yeast a head start by adding in stages the fat and sugar, ingredients that can slow down fermentation.

It also improves the texture and structure of the dough. This method only takes 30 extra hands-off minutes and emulates the benefits from sourdough starters (lievito madre) or other preferments (biga, as in this Focaccia recipe) used in traditional Italian bread baking.

How to Naturally Dye Eggs for Italian Easter Bread

You can use your go-to method for dying eggs, but I wanted to experiment with natural dyes. To create this deep blue, I used red cabbage to color the eggs. To dye eggs naturally follow these steps: 

• Roughly chop a small head of red cabbage and place it in a medium saucepan, along with enough water to fully submerge the cabbage. 
• Boil for 15 minutes, then strain the water into a jar and let it cool to room temperature.
• Stir in 2 tablespoons of vinegar.
• Add the uncooked eggs, cover, and store in the refrigerator until the eggs take on the amount of color you’d like. 
• To achieve the deep blue, you see in the photographs, I left the eggs to soak in the refrigerator overnight.

What to Serve with Italian Easter Bread

This is a festive holiday bread so it only makes sense to serve it with other special occasion foods.

• Grilled Lamb Chops, if the weather permits.
• Artichokes
• Lemony asparagus
• Healthy Deviled Eggs

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Italian Easter Bread

Italian Easter bread is a traditional bread that celebrates spring, renewal, and the resurrection. The loaves are irresistibly fluffy and soft, with a texture reminiscent of Challah.

Course Bread

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Rising Time 3 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 50 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Calories 405.8kcal

Author Mark Beahm

Ingredients

For the Sponge:

• 1 cup (240ml) whole milk, lukewarm
• 2 1/4 teaspoons (7 grams) active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour

For the Dough:

• 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 orange

For the Decoration:

• 4 dyed eggs, (uncooked)
• Multicolored nonpareils or sprinkles

For the Egg Wash:

• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon milk

Instructions

• Make the sponge: In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast in the milk and let stand until it begins to foam, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the sugar, eggs, and flour, and stir with a rubber spatula to combine. The mixture will resemble pancake batter. Cover the bowl and set aside in a warm spot to rise for 30 minutes, until the surface is bubbly. In the meantime, take the butter out of the refrigerator, and dice it into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Make the dough: To the sponge, add the flour, sugar, butter, salt, vanilla, and zest. Fit the mixer with the dough hook attachment, and mix on the lowest speed until the dough comes together into a rough ball, about 1 minute. Increase the speed to level 2 and continue kneading for 7 minutes. The dough should be smooth and elastic and pull away from the sides of the bowl (the dough may still stick to the bottom of the mixing bowl).
• First rise: Cover the bowl and set it in a warm spot to rise for 1 1/2 hours, or until roughly doubled in size.
• Divide the dough: Punch down the dough and divide it into 8 equal portions (approximately 120 to 125g each).
• Assemble the loaves: Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Use your palms to roll out each piece of dough into a 12-inch rope. Pinch two ropes together at the ends and twist them several times. Pinch the ends together so the twisted rope forms a wreath and tuck the ends underneath. Repeat with the remaining ropes of dough.
• Second rise: Place two loaves on each of the lined baking sheets. Cover with a damp tea towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour, or until puffy and almost doubled in size.
• Prepare the oven: Arrange racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Decorate the loaves: Gently nestle a dyed uncooked egg into the center of each loaf. Make an egg wash by whisking a large egg and a tablespoon of milk together in a small bowl. Use a pastry brush to brush each loaf with a light coating of the egg wash, avoiding the dyed eggs. Sprinkle each loaf with colorful nonpareils.
• Bake: Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden, rotating the pans and switching their position halfway through.
• Cool: Transfer the loaves to a wire rack to cool. Let cool before serving.

Video

Notes

• If you want to dye the eggs naturally, do so the day before to achieve the deep blue color seen in the photos.
• Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, honey, jams, and spices.

Nutrition

Calories: 405.8kcal | Carbohydrates: 62.5g | Protein: 12.8g | Fat: 11.2g | Saturated Fat: 5.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3.2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 162.4mg | Sodium: 360.3mg | Potassium: 179.7mg | Fiber: 1.9g | Sugar: 14.5g | Vitamin A: 438.9IU | Vitamin C: 0.003mg | Calcium: 73.1mg | Iron: 3.6mg

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Egg Muffins Make Morning Meal Prep a Snap!

Just like my egg muffins with chicken and veggies, these spanakopita-inspired egg bites use simple ingredients and take about 30 minutes to make. What’s best, you can make them ahead of time and store in your fridge or freezer for a packable breakfast or quick snack at a moment’s notice.

Take it from me, having egg muffins ready to go will make getting out of bed that much easier! Packed with protein and nutrient-dense spinach, they’re a great power breakfast to kickstart your day. This recipe is so well loved by my family that I put it in my first cookbook.

But what I love most about this light and airy egg muffin recipe is the flavor-packed combination of fresh herbs, tangy feta cheese, and rich eggs. It’s a savory, satisfying breakfast that will keep you full until lunchtime without weighing you down. Keep reading for all the details, and check out my Veggie Mug Omelets for an even faster, single-serving option!

Ingredients for Spanakopita Egg Muffins

These egg muffins have a distinctly Greek flavor that make them feel like a special treat, but they’re made with all standard grocery store ingredients you can find just about anywhere. If you like this spanikopita inspired egg recipe, you’ll have to try Greek Strapatsada next!

• Extra virgin olive oil: Prevents the muffins from sticking. Use a high quality extra virgin variety for the best flavor. 
• Eggs: I use large eggs when I made these. 
• Seasonings: These egg muffins are seasoned fairly simply to let the fresh herbs do most of the talking. You’ll need dried oregano, sweet paprika, ground black pepper, and kosher salt. 
• Baking powder: Creates small air pockets to create a light, airy texture.
• Frozen spinach: A great way to pack in loads of spinach with little effort (just make sure it’s thawed and squeezed dry). If you’d like to substitute with fresh spinach, cook down about 1 pound, stirring with a dash of olive oil, until wilted.
• Onion: I like the sweetness of yellow onion, and about 1/2 of a small one was enough to add a layer of flavor without overpowering the recipe. You can substitute with 1 shallot, sliced green onions, or about 1/2 cup of white onion if you’d like. 
• Fresh herbs: A generous amount of fresh parsley and mint brings the super herbaceous and refreshing quality that’s made spanakopita so loved for generations. Don’t skip it!   
• Garlic: I used a fairly generous amount–3 large cloves–since I love garlic. By all means, adjust to your preferences. 
• Feta: Use a whole block of feta preserved in brine. The quality and flavor is so much better than precrumbled feta.

How to Make this Easy Egg Bites Recipe

These egg muffins are a whisk together and throw everything in a tin situation: it really doesn’t get much easier. There are just 3 steps: 

• Get ready. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously brush the bottom and sides of a muffin tin with olive oil. Drain and wring out 6 ounces of frozen chopped spinach.
• Make the batter. In a medium bowl with a spout, combine 12 eggs, 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano, 3/4 teaspoon each black pepper and paprika, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, and a big pinch of kosher salt. Whisk well, then add the spinach, 3/4 of an onion, chopped, 1 1/4 cups chopped parsley parsley, 1/4 cup chopped mint, and 4 minced large garlic cloves. Crumble in 6 ounces of feta and whisk until the mixture is well combined.
• Bake and enjoy. Pour the batter to fill each muffin cup about three-fourths of the way (make sure you leave enough room for rising). Bake until the eggs are fully set, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool briefly, then run a butter knife around the edge of each muffin to loosen. Remove from the pan and serve, or store for later.

How to Store and Reheat Egg Muffins

These egg muffins are a great way to meal prep healthy breakfasts for the week. To store, bake and cool completely. Store them in a sealable glass container or ziplock bag for up to 4 days. To freeze, wrap each muffin individually in foil and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw them overnight in your refrigerator. 

To reheat, be careful not to overdo it or the eggs can become rubbery. You have two options:

• In the oven: Wrap them individually in foil (not too tightly) and heat in a 300°F oven until warmed through.
• In the microwave: Remove any foil and microwave on low they need only 15 to 20 seconds (if they are frozen, they may take 60 seconds).

How to Thaw Frozen Spinach

You have three options to thaw frozen spinach for this egg bites recipe: in the refrigerator, in the microwave, or in a bowl of water. (Simply thawing spinach at room temperature is not food safe past 2 hours.)

• In your refrigerator: This is the easiest method, you just need to plan ahead. Keep the spinach in its package and transfer it to the refrigerator to thaw for a few hours (or overnight).
• In water: Make sure the bag is sealed or transfer the frozen spinach to a sealable bag. Submerge the bag in cold water until the spinach has thawed (about an hour or so). 
• In the microwave: Place the frozen spinach in a microwave safe bowl and use the defrost or low setting. Microwave in bursts, stirring between each interval, until the spinach is no longer frozen.

What to Serve With Egg Muffins

This egg bites recipe is perfect for meal prepping quick, easy, and heathy breakfasts or lunches all week. Serve with fruit like this Winter Fruit Salad with apples and oranges or this summery Fruit Salad that celebrates strawberries, blackberries and raspberries when they are at their best. 

If it’s tomato season, the freshness of a simple Mediterranean Cucumber Tomato Salad is a refreshing side to the rich and savory eggs. That’s right: Salad for breakfast is part of the Mediterranean way! I can’t think of a more beautiful way to treat yourself first thing in the morning than with a delicious and nutritious meal.

Enjoy with your morning coffee, or a nice cup of Mint Tea. And if you’re looking for more savory Mediterranean diet-friendly breakfast recipes, check out my Savory Oatmeal Bowls.

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Spanakopita Egg Muffins (Easy Egg Bite Recipe!)

These egg muffins are an easy egg bite recipe inspired from the savory Greek pastry spanakopita, but I skip the phyllo crust for a gluten free, healthy breakfast or high protein snack that’s easy, satisfying and delicious. They freeze and reheat exceptionally well, so they’re a great way to get ahead for busy weekday mornings.

Course Breakfast, Lunch

Cuisine American/Mediterranean

Diet Diabetic, Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 138.9kcal

Author Suzy Karadsheh

Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil
• 12 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• Kosher salt
• 1 9-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and completely drained (wring out any water)
• 3/4 small yellow onion finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 1/4 cup roughly chopped parsley leaves and tender stems
• 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves
• 4 large garlic cloves minced
• 1 6-ounce block feta cheese, crumbled (about 1 cup)

Instructions

• Get ready. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously brush the bottom and sides of a muffin tin with olive oil.
• Make the batter. In a medium bowl with a spout, combine the eggs, oregano, black pepper, paprika, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Whisk well, then add the spinach, onion, parsley, mint, garlic, and feta. Whisk until the mixture is well blended.
• Bake and enjoy. Pour the batter to fill each muffin cup about three fourths of the way (make sure you leave enough room for rising). Bake until the eggs are fully set, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool briefly, then run a butter knife around the edge of each muffin to loosen. Remove from the pan and serve, or store for later.

Video

Notes

• To get ahead: If you’re not planning to serve the egg muffins immediately, bake, cool, and store them in a sealable glass container or ziplock bag. They’ll keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Or, you can individually wrap them in foil and freeze them for up to 2 months, then thaw them overnight in your refrigerator. 
• To reheat: Be careful not to overdo it or they may turn rubbery. You have two options:
  • In the oven: Wrap them individually in foil (not too tightly) and heat in a 300°F oven until warmed through.
  • In the microwave: Remove any foil and microwave on low they need only 15 to 20 seconds (if they are frozen, they may take 60 seconds).
• Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients including olive oils, honey, jams, and spices.

Nutrition

Calories: 138.9kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.6g | Protein: 11.6g | Fat: 8.5g | Saturated Fat: 2.8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3.2g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 327.5mg | Sodium: 146.5mg | Potassium: 176.2mg | Fiber: 0.8g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 708.6IU | Vitamin C: 2.3mg | Calcium: 81.1mg | Iron: 2mg

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Secret to Perfect “Thousand-Hole” Moroccan Pancakes

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Baghrir: “Thousand Hole” Semolina Pancakes

Made from a thin, yeasted semolina batter that's blended smooth and left to ferment until bubbly, they cook in just a minute or two on a single side, and as they set, tiny holes bloom across the surface.

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine Moroccan/Mediterranean

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Resting Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 16 small pancakes

Calories 118.7kcal

Author Omayah Atassi

Ingredients

• 2 cups fine semolina (300 g)
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (35 g)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast (1 packet, 7 g)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 3/4 cups warm water (650 ml)
• 3 tablespoons melted butter, to serve (optional)
• 3 tablespoons honey, to serve (optional)

Instructions

• Blend the batter. Add the semolina, flour, yeast, baking powder, salt, and warm water to a blender. Blend for about 1 minute, until the batter is completely smooth and lightly frothy. The batter should be thin, similar in texture to drinkable yogurt.
• Rest the batter. Cover the batter loosely (either in a bowl or the blender), and let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes, until the surface is dotted with tiny bubbles.
• Get ready. Heat a nonstick pan or a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low so the pancakes steam gently instead of browning. Lay out a clean towel on the counter next to the stove.
• Cook the baghrir. Give the batter a gentle stir. Ladle 1/8 cup pools of batter into the warm dry pan without swirling or moving the pan. Bubbles will form right away. Cook until the top looks dry and matte and is completely covered in holes, about 1–2 minutes. Do not flip.
• Cool the baghrir. Transfer the cooked baghrir to a clean towel and let them air-dry for a minute or two before stacking. This helps prevent them from sticking together. Repeat this process with remaining batter.
• Finish and serve. Stir together the melted butter and honey, then pour it over the warm baghrir, or serve it on the side for dipping.

Notes

• Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the honey used in this recipe.
• To Use Active Dry Yeast: Bloom it in 1/4 cup of the warm water for about 10 minutes, or until it forms bubbles. Combine with the remaining ingredients in the blender.
• To yield baghrir with small, finer holes, keep the heat moderate and don’t let the batter over-ferment. The bottoms should stay pale to very lightly blonde, not deeply golden.
• To prevent the pancakes from sticking together, let them cool slightly on a towel before stacking them up.
• The pancake batter is naturally vegan. The traditional topping is a combination of honey and butter. Swap plant-based alternatives of your choice for the topping to keep it vegan. 

Nutrition

Calories: 118.7kcal | Carbohydrates: 20.7g | Protein: 3.6g | Fat: 2.5g | Saturated Fat: 1.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 5.6mg | Sodium: 119.3mg | Potassium: 59.8mg | Fiber: 1.3g | Sugar: 3.2g | Vitamin A: 65.6IU | Vitamin C: 0.02mg | Calcium: 21.2mg | Iron: 1.1mg

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Say Goodbye to Boring Overnight Oats!

It might sound boring, but I eat overnight oats almost every weekday, no matter the season. I keep it interesting by inventing endless ways to add flavor, whether topping it with fruits and nuts or adding cocoa powder, spices, or citrus zest. 

The base is simply rolled oats and chia seeds mixed into plain yogurt and softened overnight in the fridge. They are so easy to adapt, so I included recipes for making protein overnight oats, blueberry overnight oats, chocolate overnight oats, pumpkin overnight oats, plus lots of different topping suggestions.

Once you realize how easy it is to vary the flavors, you’ll find this breakfast is like a blank canvas that lends itself to endless invention.

How to Make Overnight Oats

Some recipes call for building each jar individually, but I like to mix the base (yogurt, oats, chai, and vanilla), then divide it equally among 6 jars.

• Make the base mixture. In a large bowl, combine 1 quart (32-ounce) container of plain yogurt with 1 cup rolled oats, 1/4 cup chia seeds, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Add mix-ins: If making a full batch of a single flavor, such as blueberry, chocolate banana, pumpkin, or apple cinnamon, mix in the ingredients for that flavor now (see 4 Flavor Variations Section Below). Divide equally into 6 jars that have lids, and refrigerate overnight.
• Add toppings. If you like, just before serving, add toppings like fresh fruit, nuts, nut butters, or granola. 

4 Overnight Oats Flavor Variations

Part of what makes overnight oats such a convenient make-ahead breakfast is that you can add flavorings like fruits or spices ahead of time, and then they’re ready to go, whether or not you have time in the morning to add toppings. 

Though I love nut butter with oatmeal, while testing this recipe, I found it an odd match with the tart flavor of the yogurt. I tried a chocolate-peanut butter version, but it just didn’t taste right, no matter how much I tinkered. I tested through several to make the balance of flavors just right. Here are some delicious options I stand by! 

To Batch a Single Flavor for the Week:

• Blueberry Overnight Oats: Stir 1 cup frozen blueberries and 1/4 cup honey into the base mixture and divide into containers. Chill overnight. This one will be purple! Just before serving, sprinkle each container with 1/4 cup Homemade Olive Oil Granola.
• Banana Chocolate Overnight Oats: Mash 2 medium bananas with a fork and stir into the base recipe along with 3 tablespoons cocoa powder until smooth. Serve topped with fresh raspberries and 2 tablespoons crumbled dried banana chips or chopped hazelnuts. This one is also delicious with orange zest! 
• Pumpkin Overnight Oats: Whisk 1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin, 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, and 4 to 6 tablespoons maple syrup or date caramel into the base recipe. Just before serving, top each container with chopped toasted walnuts or pecans and drizzle with extra maple syrup or date caramel.
• Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats: Coarsely chop or grate 1 to 2 fresh apples and stir into the base recipe along with 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Serve topped with 2 tablespoons chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts, dried cranberries, and a dash of cinnamon.

4 Overnight Oats Topping Ideas

If you do have time to customize your overnight oats in the morning, there are endless ways to dress up this recipe with fruit, granola, nuts, seeds, and other toppings. Here are some of my favorite combinations: 

• Berry-Almond Overnight Oats: Top with fresh raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries and sprinkle each serving with 2 tablespoons toasted, sliced almonds.
• Pomegranate-Coconut Overnight Oats: Top each serving with 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds and 2 tablespoons toasted coconut. Drizzle with honey, if desired.
• Persimmon-Pistachio Overnight Oats: Top each serving with half of a ripe, chopped Fuyu persimmon and serve sprinkled with 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios. This is especially delicious with a little ground cardamom stirred into the base recipe. 
• Overnight Oats with Fruit Compote: A super fast and easy version, I add a spoonful or two of mixed berry compote or strawberry-rose compote to the bottom of each jar, then spoon in the base oat recipe. The next morning, I mix it together like a fruit-on-the -bottom yogurt. 

How to Make Protein Overnight Oats

The yogurt adds protein to this overnight oats recipe, but there are several ways to amp up the protein even more without substantially impacting the flavor of the base recipe. Here are three things I like to add. You can mix these in and then add any of the following flavor variations or toppings. 

• Whey protein powder: To pump up the protein in my overnight oats, I often mix in whey powder. I prefer plain, but vanilla-flavored whey works, too. Note that whey protein powders are often sweetened, so that may impact the overall flavor of your oats. If you want to make a flavor variation that includes a sweetener, you may want to cut back on the quantity. To the base mixture, whisk in 2 scoops of whey protein isolate (50 extra grams of protein total). You can certainly add more, but I usually stick with this amount because more tends to overpower the flavor of the yogurt. 
• Hemp hearts: I also love adding hemp hearts, which are the soft, protein and mineral-rich interior of hemp seeds. They have a mild, nutty flavor, too. To the base mixture, stir in 1/2 cup hemp hearts to add an extra 20 grams of protein. 
• Use Protein Oats: For added protein, you can use High Protein Oats, which are naturally bred to contain more protein: 10 grams per serving versus 6 grams in regular rolled oats.

Swaps and Substitutions

• Plain Yogurt: I prefer European-style yogurt for this recipe because it’s thinner, but thicker Greek yogurt works too; you may find you want to stir in a 1/4 to 1/2 cup of milk to loosen the texture.
• Rolled Oats: Soaked overnight in the yogurt, rolled oats take on a soft texture. This recipe is specifically designed to work with old-fashioned oats, also known as rolled oats. You can also use this recipe with oats labeled instant or quick cooking, but avoid steel-cut oats for this recipe. Without cooking, they won’t soften enough to be fully tender and creamy. For more information on types of oats, check out our primer on how to make oatmeal. 
• Chia seeds add healthy Omega-3s and fiber to your diet. Soaked overnight, they plump up and thicken the mixture, though not as much as chia seed pudding. If you don’t have them you can leave them out.

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Overnight Oats Recipe

Overnight oats are one of the simplest, make-ahead breakfasts. This yogurt-based version with chia seeds is loaded with protein and fiber.

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American/Mediterranean

Diet Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Chilling Time 8 hours hours

Total Time 8 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 184.2kcal

Author Abigail Chipley

Ingredients

• 1 quart plain yogurt (32 ounces)
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Mix-Ins (fresh or frozen fruit, spices, etc.) (see below)
• Toppings (fruit, granola, honey, etc.) (see below)

Instructions

• Make the base mixture. In a bowl, combine yogurt with oats, chia seeds, and vanilla extract. If desired, whisk in high-protein ingredients like whey protein isolate or hemp hearts.
• Add mix-ins. If making one of the Full Batch Varieties (see below), mix in the flavorings. Divide the mixture evenly into 6 containers with lids. Add any additional mix-ins, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
• Add toppings. Just before serving, add toppings like fresh fruit, nuts, or granola.

Notes

• Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including olive oils, honey, jams, and spices.
• Flavor Variations
  • Blueberry Overnight Oats: Stir 1 cup frozen blueberries and 1/4 cup honey into the base recipe. Chill overnight. This one will be purple! I like to top each serving with 1/4 cup Homemade Olive Oil Granola.
  • Chocolate Overnight Oats with Banana: Mash 2 medium bananas with a fork and stir into the base recipe. Whisk in 3 tablespoons cocoa powder until smooth. Serve topped with fresh raspberries and 2 tablespoons crumbled dried banana chips or chopped hazelnuts. This one is also delicious with orange zest! 
  • Pumpkin Overnight Oats: Whisk 1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin, 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, and 4 to 6 tablespoons maple syrup or date caramel into the base recipe. Top each serving with chopped toasted walnuts or pecans and drizzle with extra maple syrup or date caramel, if desired.
  • Apple Cinnamon Overnight Oats: Coarsely chop or grate 1 to 2 fresh apples and stir into the base recipe along with 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Serve topped with 2 tablespoons chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts, dried cranberries, and a dash of cinnamon.
• Topping Ideas: There are endless ways to dress up this recipe with fruit, granola, nuts, seeds, and other toppings. Here are some of my favorite combinations: 
  • Berry-Almond Overnight Oats: Top with fresh raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries and sprinkle each serving with 2 tablespoons toasted, sliced almonds. 
  • Pomegranate-Coconut Overnight Oats: Top each serving with 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds and 2 tablespoons toasted coconut. Drizzle with honey, if desired.
  • Persimmon-Pistachio Overnight Oats: Top each serving with half of a ripe, chopped Fuyu persimmon and serve sprinkled with 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios. This is especially delicious with a little ground cardamom stirred into the base recipe. 
  • Fruit Compote: A super fast and easy version, I add a spoonful or two of mixed berry compote or strawberry-rose compote to the bottom of each jar, then spoon in the base oat recipe. The next morning I mix it together like a fruit-on-the -bottom yogurt.
• Nutrition facts do not include toppings or mix-ins. 

Nutrition

Calories: 184.2kcal | Carbohydrates: 19.7g | Protein: 8.4g | Fat: 8.2g | Saturated Fat: 3.7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.8g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 20.5mg | Sodium: 74.6mg | Potassium: 323.7mg | Fiber: 3.8g | Sugar: 7.6g | Vitamin A: 160IU | Vitamin C: 0.9mg | Calcium: 242.7mg | Iron: 1.2mg

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