It's not easy to find healthy rhubarb recipes, but these flavorful Easy Rhubarb Overnight Oats are just that! Loaded with healthy ingredients, they are easy to make with a quick microwave rhubarb purée and make a great meal prep breakfast. They are also perfect for taking on the go! Overnight oats are not only a filling healthy breakfast, but they are also a great source of fiber.
Rhubarb Overnight Oats are popular during rhubarb season which is generally from late April until late June, depending where you live. This recipe was inspired by my Healthy Bananas Foster Overnight Oats, If you love rhubarb, you're going to love this overnight oats recipe!
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Why we love this recipe!
- It keeps you full for a very long time (steel-cut oats take a long time to digest)
- It's simple and quick to make
- You can meal prep it
- You can take it on the go
- You can use fresh or frozen rhubarb, pre-made rhubarb compote, or stewed rhubarb with strawberry gelatin
Love rhubarb for breakfast? Then be sure to check out these 15 Rhubarb Breakfast Recipes!
🥘Ingredient Notes
This is straight-up rhubarb! You don't need to use strawberries to make rhubarb taste great.
I use steel-cut oats, but you can easily swap out old fashioned oats (use ¾ cup milk per jar instead of 1 cup), just do NOT use quick oats.
You will need the following ingredients for this overnight oat recipe:
- Uncooked steel-cut oats. I use steel-cut oats because they have a hearty texture and stay chewy. They also have a lot of fiber!
- Rhubarb. You can use fresh, frozen, or a rhubarb compote you already prepared.
- Unsweetened coconut. Coconut gives this overnight oats recipe a wonderful texture and flavor that melds so well with rhubarb.
- Low-fat milk. I use 1% milk to keep the calories down.
- Orange extract. Orange extract lends a welcome citrus zing to this recipe!
*Please see recipe card for full list of ingredients and quantities
📖 Variations & Substitutions
- Milk-you can use non-fat skim milk, low-fat 1% milk, 2% milk, whole milk, or a dairy-free milk (plant-based milk) such as almond milk or soy milk
- Brown Sugar -you can substitute white sugar or another sweetener such as maple syrup, agave, honey or monk fruit
- Oats- you can use old-fashioned oats instead of steel-cut oats but use a little less milk (¾ cup per jar (3 cups in total). *Do NOT use quick or instant oats-they will make your overnight oats turn to mush. And if you want the benefits of steel-cut oats, with a softer and less chewy texture, there is a thing as Quick Cooking Steel Cut Oats!
- Rhubarb - you can use fresh or frozen rhubarb or use leftover plain stewed rhubarb or strawberry rhubarb compote (stewed and compote are the same thing)
- Orange extract - you can substitute 1 teaspoon of orange zest and cook it with the rhubarb
🔪How to Make Rhubarb Overnight Oats
- Step 1: In each of 4 small glass jars, place ½ cup of oats, ¼ cup unsweetened coconut, 2 teaspoons of chia seeds, and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.
- Step 2: Mix the vanilla and orange extract into the milk in a pourable measuring cup.
- Step 3: Pour the milk over the oat mixture in each mason jar, dividing equally by 4 (1 cup per jar)
- Step 4: Stir gently to mix.
- Step 5: Cover and refrigerate overnight (I recommend 10 hours)
- Step 6: Meanwhile, Cook rhubarb in the microwave for 3-4 minutes (if using fresh), with 2 tablespoons of water. Cook for 6 minutes if using frozen rhubarb (with no water). Drain rhubarb through a sieve.
- Step 7: Purée cooked rhubarb in food processor or blender until smooth (you should get just over a cup)
- Step 8: Add 4 tbps brown sugar to rhubarb purée.
- Step 9: Refrigerate puréed rhubarb in a separate bowl or container covered/sealed.
- Step 10: In the morning, add rhubarb puree to oats, dividing evenly by all 4 jars. Add a little coconut and a cinnamon stick to garnish.
Stir together. Eat it cold right out of the fridge, or remove the lids and warm it up in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
Add additional sugar or sweetener if desired.
Expert Recipe Tips
- Use Steel-Cut Oats for a Hearty Texture. Steel-cut oats provide a chewy texture and take longer to digest, keeping you full longer. If using old-fashioned oats, reduce the milk to ¾ cup per jar to prevent a runny consistency.
- Microwave Rhubarb for Quick Prep. Cooking rhubarb in the microwave with a little water saves time. If using frozen rhubarb, don’t add water—just microwave for 6 minutes and drain.
- Make-Ahead for Meal Prep. These overnight oats last up to 4 days in the fridge, making them perfect for busy mornings. Store them in mason jars for an easy grab-and-go breakfast.
- Customize with Toppings. For extra crunch and nutrition, add toppings like chopped nuts, coconut flakes, granola, or fresh fruit before serving.
- Eat Cold or Warm It Up. These oats taste great straight from the fridge, but if you prefer a warm breakfast, microwave them for 30 seconds before eating.
- Make It Dairy-Free. Swap out regular milk for almond, soy, or oat milk to make this recipe completely dairy-free.
- Use Rhubarb Compote for Convenience. If you have leftover stewed rhubarb or rhubarb compote, you can skip the rhubarb-cooking step and simply mix it in!
Equipment
You will need a cutting board, a sharp knife, a microwave-safe bowl, and 4 mason jars. I like to use the mason jar mugs. I use the 16 oz ones, but you could use smaller (8 or 12 oz jars) and make more servings or cut the recipe in half. *See recipe card for recommended equipment photos and links
🌡️Storage
Store these overnight oats in the fridge for up to 4 days. These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.
👪 Serving Size
This breakfast recipe makes 4 large servings (16 oz each). I actually got 2 breakfasts out of one serving. You can use 8 oz jars and cut the recipe in half. You can also double or triple the recipe by clicking on the serving number and selecting the number of servings you'd like. This would make a great breakfast potluck dish in 8 oz jars. The ingredient quantities will automatically adjust.
🔢WW Points
This recipe is 8 Weight Watcher points per ½ jar (8 oz ) using non-fat milk, which is a true serving. You can reduce the points by using monk fruit sweetener.
🥗 What to serve with Rhubarb Overnight Oats
Although these oats go great with a glass of orange juice, they also pair well with my Raspberry Mimosa Mocktail (shown)!
For sides, try them with these healthy recipes: Air Fryer Turkey Sausage, a Classic Fruit Salad, or Roasted Red Pepper Egg White Bites.
❔Recipe FAQ's
Steel-cut oats are more coarse and have a chewier texture than old-fashioned oats and have a little more fiber. Steel-cut oats and old-fashioned oats (aka rolled oats) are both oat kernels, but they're processed differently. Steel-cut oats are cut into pieces while old-fashioned oats are steamed and rolled flat (making them quicker to cook).
Yes! If you don’t have orange extract, substitute it with 1 teaspoon of orange zest and cook it with the rhubarb for a similar citrus flavor.
Yes! Although they are meant to be eaten cold, you can warm them up in the microwave for about 30 seconds if you prefer.
Yes! You can replace brown sugar with maple syrup, honey, agave, monk fruit sweetener, or any other sweetener of your choice.
So if you're looking for a delicious Rhubarb Overnight Oats without strawberry, you'll love this easy breakfast!
If you love overnight oats, be sure to try my Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Overnight Oats too!
📋More Rhubarb Recipes!
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📋 Easy Rhubarb Overnight Oats Recipe
Equipment
- 16 oz mason jars (or use 8 oz or 12 oz)
Ingredients
- 2 cup uncooked steel cut oats *see substitutions and variations if using old fashioned oats/rolled oats **Do NOT use quick oats
- 3 cups rhubarb
- 4 tbsps brown sugar
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut
- 4 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 ½ tbsps chia seeds
- 4 cups low-fat milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
Instructions
- In each of the 4 glass jars, place ½ cup steel-cut oats, ¼ cup unsweetened coconut, 2 teaspoons of chia seeds, and1 teaspoon cinnamon.2 cup uncooked steel cut oats, 1 cup unsweetened coconut, 2 ½ tbsps chia seeds, 4 teaspoons cinnamon
- Mix the vanilla extract orange extract into the milk in a pourable measuring cup.4 cups low-fat milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon orange extract
- Pour the milk into each mason jar, dividing equally by 4 (1 cup per jar).
- Stir gently to mix.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight (10 hours).
- Cook rhubarb in microwave for 3-4 minutes if fresh, with 2 tablespoons water. and cook for 6 minutes if frozen (with no water). Drain rhubarb through a sieve.Alternatively, you can cook rhubarb on the stovetop if you don't have a microwave.*Skip this step if using leftover stewed rhubarb3 cups rhubarb
- Puree in food processor or blender untl smooth (you should get just over a cup)
- Add brown sugar to rhubarb puree.4 tbsps brown sugar
- Refrigerate pureed rhubarb in separate bowl of container covered/sealed.
- In the morning, add rhubarb puree to oats, dividing evenly by all 4 jars. Add a little coconut and a cinnamon stick to garnish. Stir together.
- Enjoy cold right out of the fridge, or remove lids and warm in the microwave for about 30 seconds.Add additional sugar or sweetener if desired.
Notes
-
- Use Steel-Cut Oats for a Hearty Texture. Steel-cut oats provide a chewy texture and take longer to digest, keeping you full longer. If using old-fashioned oats, reduce the milk to ¾ cup per jar to prevent a runny consistency.
-
- Microwave Rhubarb for Quick Prep. Cooking rhubarb in the microwave with a little water saves time. If using frozen rhubarb, don’t add water—just microwave for 6 minutes and drain.
-
- Make-Ahead for Meal Prep. These overnight oats last up to 4 days in the fridge, making them perfect for busy mornings. Store them in mason jars for an easy grab-and-go breakfast.
-
- Customize with Toppings. For extra crunch and nutrition, add toppings like chopped nuts, coconut flakes, granola, or fresh fruit before serving.
-
- Eat Cold or Warm It Up. These oats taste great straight from the fridge, but if you prefer a warm breakfast, microwave them for 30 seconds before eating.
-
- Make It Dairy-Free. Swap out regular milk for almond, soy, or oat milk to make this recipe completely dairy-free.
-
- Use Rhubarb Compote for Convenience. If you have leftover stewed rhubarb or rhubarb compote, you can skip the rhubarb-cooking step and simply mix it in!
Terri Gilson
My testers love this recipe, so much so that my daughter ate one before I even had a chance to photograph it (hence the reason there are only 3 jars in the photos) 🙂 My son, who doesn't even really like rhubarb, loved this recipe!