Breakfast gets a Fall twist with my Pumpkin Overnight Oats! Once the weather gets cooler, a hearty bowl of oats with warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg is so nourishing. Simply mix all the ingredients and let it soak overnight in the refrigerator.

I Love Canned Pumpkin!

As someone who loves to cook from scratch I was resistant, at first to using canned pumpkin. I felt it would not taste anywhere near as good as a freshly roasted pumpkin. And boy, was I wrong! Pumpkin in a can is totally delicious and saves hours of labor, and is cost-effective. My favorite brand is Libby’s, it is affordable and the most widely available.

Libby’s produces about 85% of the world’s canned pumpkin.¹  Over the last few years, the internet has been buzzing with complaints that “pumpkin is not even pumpkin!”  The FDA is openly lenient about the use of the word “pumpkin” on labels to refer to mixtures of pumpkin and squash.  So the FDA is ok with the words “pumpkin” and “squash” being used interchangeably.

If you make my recipe with Libby’s you will be enjoying a proprietary variety that is a strain of Dickinson pumpkins, that has an especially creamy flesh similar to butternut squash.  Other varieties that are used in pumpkin puree are Hubbard, Boston Marrow and Golden Delicious.  These varieties are richer and sweeter and less stringy than a traditional pumpkin.

Pumpkin Nutrition

Pumpkins, squash whatever you want to call them are deliciously nutritious and should be a welcome addition to your diet.  In a ½ cup of Libby’s there is 250% of the Daily Value of vitamin A.  Similar to carrots, the bright orange color of pumpkins tells you they are rich in beta-carotene that our bodies convert to vitamin A. Vitamin A can strengthen your immune system and help fight infection.    There is also 3 grams of fiber per ½ cup, which along with the oats makes for a fiber-rich meal.

Pumpkins are also rich in antioxidants, mostly different types of carotene––alpha-carotene, beta-carotene and beta-cryptoxanthin.  Antioxidants aide in neutralizing free radicals preventing them from damaging our bodies cells.²  So enjoy the health benefits of pumpkin with my Pumpkin Overnight Oats this Fall!

The base of my recipe is rolled oats, which are full of soluble fiber and higher in protein and healthy fat than most grains.  The addition of soluble fiber to our meals helps to keep us full for longer, can decrease our cholesterol and helps keep us regular.³ So eat your oats!

Overnight Oats

The buzzy food trend that is overnight oats is actually super healthy, inexpensive and easy to make! Making my Pumpkin Overnight Oats is a great seasonal twist on a delicious breakfast that you can enjoy all year long.  When we think of oats we traditionally think of oatmeal, which uses a 2:1 ratio of water to oats and simmers the oats until the liquid has been absorbed.  It requires a few minutes of your precious morning and leaves you with a pot to clean!

Enter overnight oats, no fuss, prepare the night before and great for the on the go.  We use a slightly different ratio of liquid to oats since the pumpkin puree aids moisture.  The process of soaking the oats overnight replaces the need for cooking the oats.  Adjust the ratio of liquid to oats based on your texture preferences.

To make my Overnight Pumpkin Oats to-go it is easiest to prepare the recipe in a pint mason jar or your preferred plastic container. Add the oats, milk of choice, pumpkin and all other ingredients.  Give it a good shake, and let it soak in the refrigerator overnight.

I will typically add nuts, seeds or peanut butter to my Pumpkin Overnight Oats to add protein to this yummy breakfast to make it heartier.  If you do not like pumpkin, there are SO many different ways to enjoy overnight oats, some of my favorite additions are fresh or frozen fruit like berries, bananas and raisins.

Breakfast Time!

Now that you have learned the wonders of canned pumpkin, let’s soak those oats!  Simply add all the ingredients together, give it a good shake and soak it in the refrigerator.  Add pumpkin seeds, or any other seeds and nuts to increase the protein in your breakfast.  Enjoy!

Similar Pages

Looking for other breakfast ideas with oats? Try my Oat Flour Pancakes, Instant Pot Oatmeal with Peanut Butter,  or my Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

References

1. What’s Really In Canned Pumpkin Purée? | Epicurious. Accessed September 18, 2020. https://www.epicurious.com/ingredients/what-is-in-canned-pumpkin-article
2. Ben-Amotz A, Fishier R. Analysis of carotenoids with emphasis on 9-cis β-carotene in vegetables and fruits commonly consumed in Israel. Food Chemistry. 1998;62(4):515-520. doi:10.1016/S0308-8146(97)00196-9
3. Cholesterol-lowering effects of oat β-glucan: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials – PubMed. Accessed September 18, 2020. https://pubmed-ncbi-nlm-nih-gov.proxy.wexler.hunter.cuny.edu/25411276/

Pumpkin Overnight Oats

4.72 from 7 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast, brunch, Snack

Keyword: oats, overnight oats, vegan, vegetarian

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Overnight in fridge: 8 hours hours

Total Time: 8 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 serving

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cups unsweetened almond milk or cow’s milk or other milk of choice
• 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
• Pinch of salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon pumpkin spice
• 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
• Optional: 1 teaspoon pumpkin seeds

Instructions

• Mix all ingredients together well in mason jar or container. Place in refrigerator overnight. Serve!
• Optional garnish: pumpkin seeds

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