food
Overnight oats for the win
By Katherine Gillen
•
Published Apr 11, 2024
Additional reporting by
Taryn Pire
Christine Han/Liz Andrew/Erin McDowell/Matt Russell
When it’s 9 a.m. and you have one foot out the door, the last thing you need to worry about is your grumbling stomach. Luckily, there are plenty of tasty options that are more enticing than a bowl of cereal or that protein bar at the bottom of your purse. Behold: 23 easy breakfast recipes that are so easy and fast, you can hit snooze—twice. Our favorite ideas include overnight coconut cream pie oats, French toast sticks and huevos rancheros.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
1. Overnight Oats with Blueberries and Almonds
- Time Commitment: 8 hours and 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, no cook, make ahead
With a little forethought and five minutes of prep, you can have a protein packed breakfast ready to go the moment you wake up. Use whatever type of milk or non-dairy alternative you'd like—just don't skip the fresh fruit on top.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
2. Slow Cooker Mediterranean Frittata
- Time Commitment: 3 hours and 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegetarian, slow cooker recipe
This Crockpot crowd-pleaser practically makes itself. Simply whisk the eggs, pour them into the slow cooker with the rest of the ingredients and let the appliance work its magic. Serve it with Greek salad, crusty bread or bacon.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
3. Slow Cooker Triple-Berry French Toast
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, slow cooker recipe, kid-friendly
Simpler than making a pot of coffee, yet impressive enough for Sunday brunch. Made with challah bread and a trio of fresh fruits (strawberries! blueberries! raspberries!), this easy breakfast recipe will satisfy the pickiest of eaters.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
4. Huevos Rancheros
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, high protein
Canned refried beans deliver a generous dose of fiber and protein to this modest breakfast, while a fried egg and cotija cheese make it doubly filling. Avocado, jalapeño, pickled onions and crema would make great garnishes, too.
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5. Savory Slow Cooker Oatmeal with Crispy Bacon
- Time Commitment: 2 hours and 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: slow cooker recipe, special occasion-worthy, gluten free
If you've only had oatmeal topped with brown sugar and cinnamon, you need to give this savory spin a try. Loaded with sweet potatoes, garlic, cheese, bacon and veggies, it's sure to keep you full until lunchtime.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
6. No-Bake, Gluten-Free Breakfast Cookie for One
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, make ahead, gluten free
Rolled oats, coconut flakes, almond butter and chocolate chips await in a decidedly portable package. Multiply this easy breakfast recipe and make a bunch in advance to enjoy on busy mornings.
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Matt Russell/Lazy Baking
7. One-Cup Pancakes
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, kid-friendly, make ahead
This just might be the most low-lift pancake recipe of all time. (C'mon, you'll only need five ingredients and one bowl.) Greek yogurt is a filling option as far as toppings go, but fruit jam, citrus zest, maple syrup, whipped cream and fresh fruit are all solid choices.
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8. Blueberry Coconut Water Smoothie
- Time Commitment: 10 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, no cook, vegan, <10 ingredients
Bring on the antioxidants. The trick is to freeze all the smoothie components the night before, so you can just blend and go (and avoid fussing with ice cubes).
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: make ahead, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly
Go ahead, hit snooze—your meal is already in the freezer and ready to go. This easy breakfast idea calls for eggs, potatoes, bell peppers, black beans, green chiles and cheese, but you can substitute just about any fillings you'd like.
10. Savory Chicken Sausage, Egg and Cheese Muffins
- Time Commitment: 20 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, beginner-friendly, make ahead
This low-carb breakfast idea can feed a party of 12 with minimal effort from the chef. Better yet, you can prepare them ahead and reheat throughout the week as needed.
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegan, no cook, beginner-friendly, <30 minutes
If you have two minutes, this easy breakfast idea is within reach. Don't let the spinach and hemp seeds intimidate you: Mango and banana sweeten the sipper just enough without the need for added sugar.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
12. Paleo Almond Butter Granola Bars
- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, make ahead, crowd-pleaser
A mélange of crunchy ingredients—almonds, cashews, pistachios and three types of seeds—is bound by egg whites, honey and dried fruit, creating an easy breakfast designed for eating on the go. Your kids may even take a liking to them (especially if you add chocolate chunks).
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13. English Muffin Breakfast Pizzas
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients
Bonus points to Maria Lichty for turning the cuteness factor up to the max. Kids will love to decorate their own "pizzas" with all their favorite toppings, meaning even less prep work for you. Win-win.
14. Make-Ahead Tofu Scramble with Breakfast Sweet Potatoes
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: vegan, beginner-friendly, gluten free
Look at you with that healthy morning routine—kudos. Nutritional yeast and coriander give the tofu scramble a savory flavor and egg-like color that will impress any vegan at your table.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
15. Red Shakshuka
- Time Commitment: 45 minutes
- Why I Love It: one pan, beginner-friendly, special occasion-worthy
This Tunisian baked egg dish may be a fancy brunch staple nowadays, but believe it or not, it'll only cost you about $2 per serving. Serve it with plenty of crusty bread for dipping.
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CHRISTINE HAN/BIG BITES
16. Overnight Coconut Cream Pie Oats
- Time Commitment: 5 minutes (plus chilling time)
- Why I Love It: no cook, beginner-friendly, vegan
Dessert for breakfast? That's one mashup we can always get behind. Coconut and almond milks keep the oats creamy and luscious without the help of dairy.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
17. Sheet Pan Eggs with Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese and Dill
- Time Commitment: 30 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, sheet pan recipe, crowd-pleaser
Introducing the most low-lift, tastiest way to serve brunch (or plain old eggs) for a crowd.This easy breakfast recipe has all the fixings you crave with smoked salmon, like cream cheese, red onion, capers and fresh dill.
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- Time Commitment: 25 minutes
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, make ahead, kid-friendly
Complete with whipped Meyer lemon cream. The recipe calls for mixing the batter ahead and letting it sit at room temperature overnight before cooking. This makes for softer, more flavorful waffles.
Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
19. French Toast Sticks
- Time Commitment: 40 minutes
- Why I Love It: kid-friendly, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
If you don’t serve these two-bite cuties with a side of tater tots, you’re making a mistake. Don’t even get us started on the drool-worthy honey-vanilla syrup that your kids will guzzle down.
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Andrew Bui/Let's Eat
20. Leftover Pasta Frittata
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: <30 minutes, <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly
Give last night's noodles a second life with the help of eggs, cracked black pepper and freshly grated Parm or pecorino. The easy breakfast recipe suggests using long pasta, like spaghetti or fettuccine, but elbows, penne and rigatoni are fair game if that's what you have on hand.
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HELENE DUJARDIN/THE ESSENTIAL VEGAN KETO COOKBOOK
21. Vegan Keto Everything Bagels
- Time Commitment: 1 hour
- Why I Love It: crowd-pleaser, vegan, low carb, make ahead
Prepare these plant-based bagels ahead (and have plenty of vegan cream cheese on deck) to have breakfast for the week. Save time by using store-bought everything bagel seasoning instead of mixing your own.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
22. Egg and Veggie Breakfast Bowl
- Time Commitment: 35 minutes
- Why I Love It: <10 ingredients, beginner-friendly, vegetarian
This is an ingenious way to use leftover veggies from yesterday's dinner. You can poach or fry the egg to your liking; just be sure to leave the yolk runny so its umami-rich flavor can be distributed throughout the bowl.
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HEALTHYISH/Linda Pugliese
23. Breakfast Caprese with Soft-Boiled Eggs
- Time Commitment: 15 minutes
- Why I Love It: beginner-friendly, <10 ingredients, <30 minutes
Can you boil an egg? Slice a tomato? Then you've got this easy breakfast recipe mastered. Not only is it pretty, but it's also satiating with 26 grams of protein per serving. (It's low carb and keto-friendly too, BTW.)
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Katherine Gillen
Senior Food Editor
Katherine Gillenis PureWow’s senior food editor. She’s a writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a degree in culinary arts and professional experience in New York City...
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Taryn Pire
Food Editor
Taryn Pire is PureWow’s food editor and has been writing about all things delicious since 2016. She’s developed recipes, reviewed restaurants and investigated food trends at...
read full bio
