When you’re eating plant-based, breakfasts with protein can be hard to find. Especially convenient ones, like, say, from Starbucks.
Between that plant-based breakfast challenge and the fact that I often find myself trying (unsuccessfully) to dig up a quick breakfast when I’m out and about, I was pretty excited to discover Starbucks’ new menu item, Strawberry & Toasted Almonds Overnight Grains.
It’s steel cut oats, quinoa, and chia seeds all swimming in creamy coconut milk, then topped with fresh strawberries, toasted sliced almonds, and crunchy shaved coconut chips.
It’s delicious and satisfying and plant-based and has a decent amount of protein and, well, you probably know what’s next … I just had to figure out how to make it at home so I could have it whenever I wanted (without spending as much cash).
I thought this one would be pretty easy to replicate, but it actually wasn’t! For one, it’s not like your typical overnight oats recipe – you actually have to cook the grains first. So it’s not just mix, chill, done – it requires a bit more work up front.
But if you’re all about meal-prepping, this one hits all the right notes. Just a bit of up-front investment + super easy peasy when it actually comes time to eat. Perfect for the busy school year staring us in the face (how is that possible?!)
Second, in order to maintain the creaminess, it requires a lot more coconut milk than I originally thought it would! Two cans’ worth. And you need to stir it in after you cook the oats. I tried cooking the oats directly in the milk thinking it would be uber-creamy perfection but after chilling it was just too thick. I didn’t want thick. I wanted creamy.
(The good news? All this recipe testing meant that I had my plant-based, protein-packed breakfast taken care of for many days in a row!)
Overnight oats is one of my favorite camping breakfasts, so last time we went out, we took some mason jars of these Strawberry & Toasted Almonds Overnight Grains with us. LOVE! Stow the grains in the RV fridge or ice chest, pop ’em out come breakfast, top with sliced strawberries, coconut chips, and almonds and voila. A power-up breakfast that requires zero work (at least, not at breakfast time).
More Oatmeal Recipes
- Berry Baked Oatmeal
- Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal
- Mango Oatmeal
- Apple Gingerbread Oatmeal
- Slow Cooker Pumpkin Oatmeal
- Carrot Cake Oatmeal
- PB&J Overnight Oats
- Blueberry Oatmeal
Strawberry & Toasted Almonds Overnight Grains
Ingredients
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 1/4 cup red quinoa (rinsed)
- 3 1/2 cups water
- Pinch sea salt
- 2 (14-ounce) cans lite coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 3 tablespoons honey (or pure maple syrup) (+ more to taste if desired)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean powder (or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract)
- 1 cup strawberries (sliced)
- 1/2 cup sliced toasted almonds*
- 1/4 cup coconut chips
Instructions
- Add water to a large saucepan set over medium-low heat. Stir in the oats, quinoa, and salt. Cook on medium-low, uncovered, until the grains are just tender and the water has evaporated, 15-20 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the coconut milk, chia seeds, honey or maple syrup, and vanilla. Taste and add additional sweetener if desired. Allow to cool, then pour into eight separate containers (about 1 cup per container). I like to use mason jars because they have lids + they’re sturdy and portable. Seal and refrigerate (it should keep for 4-5 days).
- At the time of serving, top with strawberries, almonds, and coconut chips. Eat directly out of the jar or pour into a bowl – your preference!
I’m so glad you’re here! I’m a vegetarian home cook, certified plant-based pro, and mom. I’m married to an enthusiastic carnivore, and my mission is to achieve peace in the kitchen – one tasty recipe at a time. These days, with a name like mine, I also try not to ask to speak to the manager.
Mine seemed a little runny when I put into jars I’m really hoping that it thickens up in the refrigerator over night.
Hi! I followed the recipe as written but mine is entirely too runny? Suggestions or possible reason why? Thank you!
Just like Starbucks, I just always have to follow this recipe to make it lol thank you
Hi, I am so excited to make this!! Is the quinoa dry (uncooked). I could only find Ancient Harvest microwaveable (90second) Quinoa.
Thanks in advance 🙂
So excited to try this recipe!! I have fallen in love with the Starbucks one!! 🤞🏼🤞🏼🤞🏼 This taste just as good or even better!! Does it have to be red quinoa, or can I use any quinoa??
Any quinoa will do! 🙂
Delicious 😋
This looks amazing and I am definately going to try it.
How many servings you get out of this recipe? And it’s ok to keep it for how long in tje fridge? Thank you!
So excited to try this, I’ve never bought chia seeds, any brand suggestions or things to be aware of?
This recipe is great! I didn’t have chia seeds, coconut chips and milk or fresh strawberries. Instead, I just used the oats, red quinoa and sliced almonds. To substitute the coconut milk, I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk and used agave syrup to sweetened it. You can add your favorite non-dairy creamer to thicken it up. Mine really thickened up at night, so I added some extra agave and almond milk. Tastes just like Starbucks, and I used dried mixed berries from Trader Joe’s for the fruit element.
This was pretty easy and came out fantastic!!
I made this for the first time with the Whole Foods 365 brand light coconut milk, and it came out absolutely perfectly! Not runny at all, just creamy. Then I tried it again yesterday with Trader Joe’s reduced fat coconut milk, and it was much too runny. There must be some difference in the coconut milks… will be going back to the Whole Foods brand next time!
Thank you so much for the great recipe! I only had quick oats on hand so I boiled the quinoa alone for about 15 minutes until it looked cooked then added the oats. It turned out just perfectly.
I first tried this through Starbucks and new I had to make this at home. I looked up the recipe and found this one. I am in heaven. It came out absolutely amazing. Taste absolutely amazing and super easy to make. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Hi! Just stopping by to say thank you for taking the time to experiment and blog this so I could nail it on the very first try, it was perfectly creamy not too thick! 🙂
Woo hoo! Thanks so much for the review. 🙂
All I can say is, “Wow!” This tastes so much like the Starbucks version and I am SO happy that I found your recipe! It was easy to make and it makes a lot. And it’s so yummy, just like Starbucks! I had to see if I could find a copycat recipe because I was starting to want this everyday and it was just too expensive. I was so happy to find your recipe. Thanks so much for taking the time to figure this out for all of us! I’m so happy I can make this for myself now and it tastes so great. I used frozen strawberries because strawberries aren’t in season right now. They taste pretty good, but I’m sure real strawberries will be even better.
Sooo good!! Just like Starbucks 💜 I’m going to save some moneyyyy!!
Love it
Is it 14 ounces total for the coconut milk or is it 2×14 ounces? I am using Silk coconut milk, not in a can.
This turned out even more amazing than the Starbucks version. It seemed pretty runny, but after being in the refrigerator it turned into a well-balanced texture. I didn’t toast the almond slices and they were still good. I really recommend getting the chips and not just shredded coconut. It was very filling! It isn’t low in fat and sugar, but it does include a lot of nutrition. This will make a fun after school snack for my teen. My whole family had it for breakfast this morning. Thank you for doing all the legwork figuring this out!
Does this thicken up after it is put in the fridge- mine is VERY runny….
It does! The chia seeds take a bit to soak in the liquid.
This recipe is amazing! I think it’s even better than Starbucks. 🙂
Tastes soooo much like the Starbucks one! I used pure maple syrup and it works really well. I agree with others that it is a bit too runny, but ultimately it’s just a preference thing so next time ill add a little less coconut milk. It gets a little thicker in the fridge overnight but don’t count on it to completely change the consistency. I am so excited to make this for breakfast every week 🙂
Love it! Just like Starbuck’s ancient grain oats!!! I’ve been eating warm steel cut oats and just changing up the fruit/nuts so this is a welcome cold oatmeal option for my bkfast. So happy I can prep and quickly eat something healthy on busy mornings! Thank you for the recipe!
I don’t have chia seeds, I have ground flax seeds. Would that work in this recipe? If yes, do use 2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds or less?
Can you use almond milk instead of coconut milk, or do you need more of the texture of the coconut milk?
Sure. However coconut milk is thicker and sweeter so you may want to use less almond milk and perhaps a touch more sweetener.
This is so good! I make it every week and eat it for breakfast every day. My husband and 7 month old daughter also love it. A great, easy meal to have on hand which is awesome while having a new baby because I barely ever have time to prep meals for myself. Thank you so much for a great recipe. I’ve tried other similar copycat recipes and this one is the best and the closest to the one from Starbucks!
Is it sweet or unsweetened coconut milk
Unsweetened coconut milk from a can 🙂
I liked this! Mine initially came out very runny too; I had to drain off the excess water from the oats since the oats cooked faster than the water could evaporate. It thickened up a little in the fridge overnight, but once I put in the strawberries, almonds, and coconut the texture was just right. Nothing like a yogurt texture or anything, but balanced. I did have to add additional vanilla and agave to the recipe to make it sweet enough for my tastes, but it is a very easy and forgiving recipe!
AMAZING!!!!! Tasted just like Starbucks! Thanks so much for the recipe!!!
Mine came out perfect and it was exactly what I was looking for. Something I could grab out of the fridge on my way to work. They are my favorite! I did modify one thing I used 1 can of coconut milk instead of two and thought it was very creamy with the perfect consistency
How long does this stay fresh in the refrigerator?
I made this for the first time while on vacation at the beach to feed 8 hungry people in the morning, so I.5 x’s the recipe (I brought everything I needed with me). Everyone loved it! I love it! I have been keeping it made in my refrigerator ever since we returned home. I’ve made it with peaches, blueberries, and strawberries, but strawberries are my favorite. Thank you for working so hard on this recipe so we can just whip it up in a jiff to have the next day and the next day, etc. Can’t thank you enough!
This was definitely a keeper. I couldn’t tell any difference between this recipe and the starbucks brand. Except maybe the price! Oh so creamy! I’m already planning different fruit variations.
Help—I made it exactly as the recipe and it did not taste anything like the original. It just tastes like oatmeal. There’s no coconut flavor and it’s not sweet at all. What did I do wrong?
Made this tonight. The taste is exactly what I was expecting!! So yummy!! I’ll see what the thickness is like tomorrow morning. I might like it to be thicker and use less coconut milk.
Can you please respond to those of us whose oats came out way too runny? Can you help troubleshoot? I let my grains/oats cook for the full 20 minutes and there still was a good deal of water that hadn’t evaporated. But I didn’t want to overcook them so I took it off and continued because most of the water was gone.
How long did you cook yours to fully evaporate the water?
Thanks to the chia seeds, it thickens up a lot in the fridge.
Do you have to leave it in the fridge for 4-5 days before you can eat it or does it last up to 4-5 days in the fridge? I’m confused 😖
It lasts 4-5 days. It should just sit overnight for optimum creamy awesomeness. 🙂
Thank you so much for posting this!!!!! I LOVE the Starbucks version of this, but not the price or calorie content. Your recipe is so tasty, I have made it several times. I add more strawberries cause that’s my favorite part 🙂 Thank you again!!!
Love it!
Wonderful! So glad it’s a winner. Thank you so much for the review. 🙂