The #1 High-Protein Addition to Your Overnight Oats

I love overnight oats because there are so many opportunities for customization. I can alter the recipe based on the flavors I’m craving or the activities I’ve got lined up for the day. I also know that whatever combination I choose, I’ll feel satisfied and nourished after I enjoy it. That’s important to me because I love delicious food, but I also need sustenance to fuel my busy mornings. That’s why, for an extra protein boost, I almost always add creamy ricotta cheese to my overnight oats.

A Necessary Protein Boost

I learned something about myself in college. It was that eating cereal and milk for breakfast wasn’t for me. Unfortunately this realization came to me a bit later (try a whole year) than I would’ve liked. I spent my freshman year slamming bowls of cereal at the dining hall each morning, leaving satisfied and ready to learn, only to bonk an hour later. Sometimes, to my horror, my hunger came with an embarrassingly loud stomach rumble, which I’m sure everyone in my lecture hall could hear. I persisted, though, trying different cereals and even adding a banana to the mix, but still, I was so hungry only an hour or so after eating it.

It wasn’t until I delved into my nutrition classes that I began to learn about the importance of variety. My breakfast leaned heavy on carbohydrates, which was fine, but I needed more protein to boost satisfaction. I switched from cereal to whole-grain bread topped with peanut butter and honey. I had milk and always some kind of fruit. And you know what happened? I could focus. No more stomach rumbles either! 

Now, years later, I’ve continued to enjoy a breakfast that includes whole grains and protein, especially when it comes to overnight oats. I’ve tried a variety of protein options in my overnight oats, but ricotta has become my favorite.

Ricotta in Overnight Oats Makes Sense

Food is fuel, but it’s also meant to be enjoyed. If the fuel doesn’t taste good, I’m not really interested in it. I’ve had overnight oats so many ways, but when I swapped in creamy ricotta cheese for Greek yogurt (which is also delicious), I was hooked. Unlike tangy, savory cottage cheese (which I tried and didn’t care for), ricotta is mild and even slightly sweet, which pairs well with oats and other ingredients often added to overnight oats. It’s not just delicious, it also happens to have a stellar nutrition profile. Each ½-cup serving of whole-milk ricotta cheese has 10 grams of protein and 289 milligrams of calcium (that’s almost 30% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance for most adults). It also contains vitamin B12, an important nutrient for nerve function, producing red blood cells, making DNA and metabolism.

Tips on Adding Ricotta to Overnight Oats

Adding ricotta to your overnight oat recipe is easy, but here are a few tips:

• If you’re concerned about the saturated fat content in whole-milk ricotta, try ricotta made with part-skim milk! It’ll taste equally delicious—just a bit less creamy.
• Start small. If you’re not sure how you feel about ricotta, start by adding just 1 tablespoon in your overnight oats recipe. If you like it, then swap it in (one-for-one) for the yogurt in your recipe.
• Add flavors that complement ricotta. Luckily, ricotta cheese has a mild flavor that works well with a variety of ingredients. I love pairing it with citrus (both juice and zest) as well as stone fruits like cherries, peaches and apricots. Nuts are great too; pistachios, walnuts and almonds provide the perfect crunch. Add some spice too! I love ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and even cardamom!

The Bottom Line

Add ricotta to your overnight oats for a delicious boost of protein. Start small to see how you like it, and play with other ingredients to enjoy a variety of flavors and nutrients. Enjoy it for breakfast but also as a delicious snack anytime! The beauty of overnight oats is that they are so customizable, but if you’re looking for a recipe to get you started, check out Fig & Ricotta Overnight Oats.