This vegan Dirty Chai Breakfast Bowl is healthy and nourishing, full of antioxidants, rich spices and immunity boosting nutrients. Gluten-free oats, almonds, and quinoa soaked in a non-dairy dirty chai brew! These filling overnight oats with espresso will perk you up in no time!
What is a dirty chai?
A dirty chai is an espresso drink served in coffee shops. It’s made by adding a shot of espresso to masala chai. It typically consists of a chai concentrate, steamed milk, and a single shot of espresso! The result is a cross between a regular latte and a chai latte.
Which inspired this healthy breakfast recipe. We took all the goodness of a dirty chai latte and added that to fiber-rich overnight oats for filling and nourishing breakfast bowl you are going to absolutely love!
Dirty Chai Breakfast Bowl Ingredients
Below is an overview of the ingredients and recipe. Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card below for the complete details and nutrition information.
- Homemade chai spices – All these spices are anti-inflammatory, which means they can help calm down the body. I also like the fact that ginger, cinnamon, and black peppercorn can ease digestion or help with nausea. Black pepper supports the pancreas by secreting certain enzymes that breakdown protein/fat during digestion.
- Slivered almonds – Rich in Vitamin E, healthy fats, and even fiber.
- Overnight oatmeal and quinoa (porridge) – Oh how I love overnight oats! An easy way to get more soluble fiber (yet again). But here’s the bonus points part. When you soak your oats overnight, it breaks down certain phytates that can blog nutrient intake. This means you actually ABSORB more nutrients from a meal when you soak your grains. YEEHAW!
Note: Soaking both the oats/grains and the almonds will help reduce the phytates and increase nutrient absorption.
- Coffee/Espresso – Espresso actually contains antioxidants and can protect against type two diabetes.
- Non-dairy milk, Coconut flakes, and/or Coconut Cream – Loaded with minerals and natural fatty acids. Coconut cream is awesome in breakfast bowls. A little goes a long way with a satiating filling too! Did you know that more mature coconuts have more cream/milk versus water. Yup, good stuff!
- Cacao nibs or Dark Chocolate – Cacao is the purest form of chocolate. It comes from the cacao fruit tree where it makes cacao pods with beans. It is raw and has the highest source of antioxidants of all foods and the highest source of magnesium of all foods. You can also use Dark chocolate almonds, whole or chopped. Same great antioxidants and healthy fats!
How to Make Dirty Chai Overnight Oat Bowls
- Start by making your chai spice. Alternatively, use a premade chai spice mix.
- Make your overnight oats by adding oats, quinoa, almonds, chai mix, and maple syrup to a bowl.
- Heat up non-dairy milk of choice and then stir in espresso until dissolved.
- Reserve 3-4 ounces of the espresso latte mix to pour over each bowl once ready to eat. Stir remaining mixture into your oats.
- Place bowl in fridge for at least 2 hours, and up to 24 hours overnight.
Note: You can eat your oats cold, or warm them up in the microwave 30 seconds at a time until desired temperature is reached.
- Add a dollop of vegan yogurt or coconut cream (the thickened portion from the can of coconut milk) on top of each bowl.
- Top with an ounce of additional milk espresso mix. Pour the brew hot or cold brew depending on personal choice. Both ways taste great!
- Sprinkle with coconut flakes, cacao nibs, fruit, almonds…etc!
More of Our Favorite
Gluten-Free Overnight Oats
Vegan Dirty Chai Overnight Oats
- Total Time: 12 hr
- Yield: 3 1x
Description
These breakfast bowls are packed with antioxidants and protein to kick start your day. You’ll get a boost of energy from the dirty chai made with coconut milk! A gluten free, vegan, healthy breakfast.
Ingredients
Homemade Chai Mix:
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp cardamon
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground white or black pepper
- pinch of sea salt
For the breakfast bowls:
- ¾ cup to 1 cup cooked quinoa or other gluten free cooked grain
- 1 cup gluten free quick oats or ⅔ c rolled oats if you don’t have quick.
- 2 tbsp almonds (slivered, whole, or chopped. Plus some for topping if desired)
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 10 – 14 oz non dairy milk – additional 4 oz will be for pouring over the bowl after.
- 1 tbsp organic instant coffee or Espresso (see notes).
Optional Toppings:
- A sprinkle of dark chocolate shavings or Cacao Nibs
- 2 tbsp coconut flakes (unsweetened)
- 2 tbsp coconut cream or yogurt of choice (vegan, greek, etc.) per bowl
Instructions
- First place all your chai mixes in a bowl. Mix together.
- Next arrange your oats, quinoa, and almonds in a large bowl. Stir in your chai mix and maple syrup. Set aside.
- Heat up 12-14 ounces of non dairy milk. Stir in espresso until dissolved.
- Pour 10 ounces of the milk/espresso over the oats. More if you don’t want any espresso left for topping. I kept 3-4 ounces of the espresso latte mix to pour over each bowl once ready to eat.
- Place bowl in fridge for 2 hrs or up to 24 hrs overnight.
- Once the breakfast bowls have soaked, remove from fridge.
- Scoop ½ cup to ⅔ cup into bowls. Reheat bowl if desired or keep cold.
- Add a scoop of vegan yogurt or coconut cream (the thickened portion from the can of coconut milk) on top of each bowl.
- Pour 1 ounce additional milk espresso mix (latte basically) on top of each bowl to make it a “dirty chai.” Pour the brew hot or cold brew depending on personal choice. Both ways taste great!
- Sprinkle with coconut flakes, cacao nibs (or dark chocolate), and any additional almonds, spices, etc.
Notes
- This instant organic coffee can be found at whole foods.
- If you don’t have quinoa, just sub with more oats.
- You can also replace the instant coffee with cocoa (unsweetened) if you want a decaf version or for kids!
- Prep Time: 12 hr
- Category: breakfast
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl without toppings
- Calories: 270
- Sugar: 17 g
- Sodium: 16.6 mg
- Fat: 5.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 49.9 g
- Fiber: 5.8 g
- Protein: 7.3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Lol, this recipe is totally a delight! For me 17 g of sugar counts as an Indulgence! But boy do I love ACTUAL dirty chai, and this combo is perfect for a morning off after a late work night, and totally answers the need for PAMPERING! Thx for this recipe!
I love this recipe, it’s been one of my go-to recipes for the past five years and it never fails!
Your comment made our day, Viv! So glad you love this recipe as much as we do. Blessings!
Thanks for sharing this lovely breakfast idea with us. I am making it today and cant waite
I’m so glad! Keep me posted Joan
THIS IS A FIVE STAR RECIPE PEOPLE!! I have tried many, many different overnight oatmeal bowls that all leave me cold (& often leave half still in the bowl) but THIS recipe is the first one that is so dang delicious I can’t wait to get out of bed and eat breakfast! I really can’t say enough about it – you MUST try this! Well done Cotter!!
Oh thank you Alison! That means the WORLD!
Well, you can’t go wrong with chocolate – coconut- oats!!
Dear Cotter Crunch,
How long can we save the soaked oats?
If you don’t get around to eating your soaked oats the next day, they will still be okay to eat for a few days. I would say they last in the fridge no longer than 3-4 days.
Oh ma LAWD. If this is dirty, I don’t wanna be clean! XD I must must must get my hands on these bowls!
Oh sorry, I really try to limit my ads. They are part of my income though. What you could do is click on the “jump to recipe” right below my title of the post. It takes you straight there so you can skip the post and ads. Does that help? Keep me posted! Thank you!
First of all, this sounds so delicious! And secondly thank you for giving an alternative to the coconut in the recipe! I’m allergic to coconut and it seems to be in every recipes these days with no subs for it, so thank you again for the substitution.
Definitely need to make these, thanks for sharing, they look delicious 🙂
Kathryn | nimblenote.blogspot.com
You had me at dirty. Now will you please include Naughty in your next recipe title. 🙂
hehe okay. *blushing*
Dirty Chai and oatmeal! Two of my favorite foods. This just went on my must make soon list!
i love my breakfast in a bowl…even better when it is an overnight version with all my favorite ingredients!!!!!! dirty chai does help me stay alive some days 😛
Haha!! Yes, so much to love in this bowl!
I think you threw DIRTY into the title of this recipe to reallyyyyyyy gauge my interesting! 😉
LOL! Yes, just for you!! ?
This looks increeeeeeeeeeeeedible! I’d happily devour one of these 😉
Right there with ya! Thanks, Kristy!
That looks & sounds amazing & love all the flavors in it!!!!!!
Thanks friend!
If I hadn’t just thrown out that last bit of Forbidden black rice I’d be making this for breakfast tomorrow…however it looks so good I think that might be reason enough to make some rice.
Who’d have thunk that dirty could be so clean – as in clean eating! My nostrils are assailed by all those warm and oh so pleasing spices in this bowl of dirty goodness!
Happy Halloween to ya friend!
LOL! love that irony. So the clean/dirty pun I was going for. Mahahahahaha!
I don’t even like chai things, but I am loving the look of this bowl!
The taste will live up to the look for sure! Thanks, Rebecca!
Man I think I’d rather have this bowl than candy! Yes I really mean that! I love dirty chai and I appreciate the fact that you’ are trying to make the world a little healthier 🙂
Yes, this is so satisfying! Thanks, Rachel!
This sounds so warm and comforting! Now if it would just be cooler than 90 degrees I could start eating these kind of foods. Crazy global warming!
right? we’re dying.. i mean melting haha