Overnight Oats with Mango
Think lusciously sweet mango purée, cardamom-spiced creamy oats, and juicy mango chunks on top — these overnight oats with mango are so good you’ll be licking the spoon and wanting more!
Overnight oats have become a staple in my home. They’re affordable, a fantastic nutrient-rich start to the day, and endlessly adaptable.
This twist with added mango, inspired by the flavours of creamy yoghurt, saffron, and floral cardamom in Maharashtrian mango shrikhand feels like a mini summer holiday in a jar!
Of course, any recipe for overnight oats relies on a failsafe method for the oats themselves. My recipe combines floral honey, tangy yoghurt, rich whole milk, vanilla, cardamom, saffron, and chia seeds to make a perfectly creamy base that’ll keep you full for hours.
You don’t need sugar in this mango overnight oats recipe, since the natural sweetness from honey and mangoes is enough to satisfy.
I’ve already had requests to make this a weekly staple, and I hope soon it’ll be on regular rotation in your house, too!
💛 Why You’ll Love Overnight Oats With Mango
🥭Ingredients You’ll Need
The ingredient list is short ‘n sweet, just like this recipe should be 😉
- Rolled oats: It should be no surprise that these are the base of our overnight oats! I didn’t realise when I bought these rolled oats that they were oat flakes. Doh 🙄Either these rolled oat flakes or whole oats are suitable for overnight oats, although I don’t recommend quick oats or instant oats.
- Mango: Without mango, these overnight oats wouldn’t have much flavour. It’s crucial to use the best fresh mangoes you can find — I’m a huge fan of Alphonso, Kesar, or Badami mangoes (more on this below). I used a Badami mangoes for this recipe.
- Milk: The richness of whole milk (full fat) is best.
- Yoghurt: Adds a pleasant tanginess, protein, and more creaminess to our mango overnight oats. Opt for a thick natural or creamy Greek yoghurt.
- Chia seeds: Chia seeds swell up when they absorb moisture, making our oats delightfully thick. They’re also a nutritional powerhouse of protein, fibre, and omega-3 (according to Healthline).
- Honey: This is a sugar-free recipe, so honey serves to sweeten the oats with a floral butterscotch taste. Sub for agave or maple syrup.
- Vanilla extract: Just a drop or two enhances the flavour.
- Green cardamom: Citrusy and warm, green cardamom is a spice often paired with mango, and it works beautifully in the overnight oats.
- Saffron: Optional, but adds another floral touch that marries deliciously with the honey and mangoes.
A note about mangoes
Not all mangoes are made equally. It’s worth a trip to your local Indian store: Indian mangoes have a smooth and creamy texture, natural sweetness, and beautifully complex flavour. In comparison, supermarket mangoes are tasteless. Making this recipe out of season? Use Alphonso mango pulp (skip the chunks for garnish). Don’t resort to frozen mango.
Fun Optional Extras You Might Like
- Sprinkling pistachio nuts on top of the overnight oats with mango adds a salty, nutty flavour. Plus, it’s totally aamrakhand vibes 😋
- Coconut flakes as a topping or stir-in make the whole dish feel uber tropical.
- Add more fruit like raspberries (contrasts the sweetness of mango with a beautiful sharpness) or passionfruit to round off the floral, fruity, tropical notes.
Are overnight oats with mango gluten free? Oats are naturally 100% gluten free, as are all the other ingredients in this recipe. However, the way oats are processed often introduces contaminants, so many people with celiac disease avoid eating them. For more personalised advice, please contact your doctor.
You can also adapt overnight oats with mango into a vegan recipe using non-dairy milk and yoghurt. I recommend coconut, since it marries so gloriously with fresh mango, but oat will provide a more neutral flavour. You’ll also need to switch honey for agave or maple syrup.
🥣How to Make Overnight Oats, with Step-by-Step Photos
So, you’ve got the ingredients. We’ve covered all the fun variations. Now for the good part — bringing it all together! And I promise it’s shockingly simple. Grab a bowl, spoon, and a blender, then you’re ready to follow along with my instructions (plus photos).
One: In a bowl or jar, mix the milk, yoghurt, honey, vanilla extract, green cardamom powder, saffron, and chia seeds together.
Two: Add the rolled oats to the same container.
Three: Mix everything. Cover the bowl or jar and leave in the fridge overnight (or at least three hours).
Four: The next morning, give everything a quick stir. It should have thickened up nicely!
Five: Cut your mango into thirds on either side of the centre stone. Cut chunks.
Six: Add 2/3rds of the mango flesh into a blender.
Seven: Blend the mango into a smooth purée.
Eight: Add the mango purée to the bottom of your jars.
Nine: Layer your overnight oats mixture on top of the mango purée.
Ten: Top with mango chunks (from the remaining 1/3rd), and serve.
Alternatively, you can make the entire dish in a jar and leave it to set overnight, including the mango pulp and chunks.
As usual, the complete recipe (with ingredient quantities and instructions) can be found at the bottom of this page. You can also print the recipe, save the recipe, adjust the servings, and much more from there!
My Best Tips for Maximum Flavour
- This recipe lives and dies by the mangoes — so make it during peak mango season (March to July) when they’re at their juiciest and sweetest. I’ve experimented with frozen mangoes, and unfortunately, they result in a lacklustre bowl of overnight oats.
- Crush the saffron between your palms or in a mortar and pestle before adding it to the oats. This releases the oils and creates a potent floral flavour (it also infuses the colour nicely!).
- Powder your green cardamoms for a more impactful flavour. Ground spices are convenient, but less strong. All you need is a small spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
- If your overnight oats with mango seem too thick when you check them in the morning, add a splash of milk to loosen them up.
🫙Storage Tips
These overnight oats with mango will last for three to four days in the fridge, as long as they’re stored in sealed jars. That makes them perfect for meal prep!
Add the fresh mango chunks just before serving to avoid the texture turning soft and mushy.
It might come as a surprise, but you can freeze overnight oats! Store in sealed jars for up to three months. The yoghurt can separate after thawing, but giving your oats a thorough stir is enough to bring them back to the creamy goodness we all know and love.
🥐Serving Suggestions
Overnight oats are a classic grab-and-go breakfast. Because nearly all the prep work is done the day before, they’re so convenient, especially when served in jars.
Plus, since oats are so filling and wholesome, they also work well as a mid-morning or after-workout snack.
The recipe is also suitable for bulk scaling (I have a built-in scaler in the recipe card), so it’s easy-peasy to make in bulk for breakfast buffets or as a healthy dessert option for parties. With the warm weather outside, it’s sure to be a hit ☀️
If you tried this overnight oats with mango recipe — or any other recipe on my website — please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know your thoughts in the ✍️ comments at the bottom of the page. Thanks for being a part of my community!
Overnight Oats with Mango Recipe
Ingredients
- 200 ml milk whole/full-fat
- 50 ml yoghurt Greek or natural
- 1 tsp chia seeds
- 1 tsp honey
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- 3 pods green cardamom crushed
- 1 pinch saffron optional
- 100 g rolled oats
- 1 mango I used Badami, but Alphonso or Kesar are great too
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine 200 ml milk, 50 ml yoghurt, 1 tsp chia seeds, 1 tsp honey, ¼ tsp vanilla extract, 3 pods green cardamom (crushed), and 1 pinch saffron. Whisk until well combined.
- Add 100 g rolled oats to the bowl and mix again. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight (or for at least three hours).
- The next morning, cut 1 mango into thirds (around the central stone). Blend ⅔ of the mango, and cut the final ⅓ into small cubes.
- Spoon half the mango purée into a glass jar, then layer with half the oat mixture. Top with half the mango chunks. Repeat the process with another jar.
