Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats make a delicious and healthy breakfast that will provide you with nutritional benefits and give you a boost throughout the day! It’s a fail-proof recipe that is very easy to make in the Instant Pot, and takes less than 20 minutes to be ready.
Steel-cut oats are not just healthy, but they’re also good for your pocket. Who wouldn’t want to save a bit while enjoying a filling warm healthy meal made of superfoods? Keep reading to learn how easy it is to make it.
Why Make Steel Cut Oats in an Instant Pot?
While other cooking methods might result in mushy, bland, or unappetizing oats, making steel oats in the Instant Pot gives you exactly the opposite result. Forget about microwaving or buying those ready to pour over boiled water options, and make a really delicious breakfast with your Instant Pot in no time!
It is faster, safer, and healthier to make oats in Instant Pot. You get perfectly cooked steel oats every single time. No burning accidents and the cleaning up is always a breeze! And most importantly, you do not need to babysit the pot.
I wish my mom had an Instant Pot back then when we were kids so she wouldn’t have had to spend her precious time in the mornings watching and stirring the oats to avoid them getting stuck to the bottom or even worse, get burnt.
The Instant Pot method is officially my favorite way of cooking steel oats and I cannot recommend it enough. Just give it a try and see if you like it as much as I do!
Ingredients:
To make this recipe you need the following ingredients:
Steel-cut oats, liquid of your choice such as milk or water or a blend of both, a dash of cinnamon or any other type of spices that you prefer (such as nutmeg, vanilla, cardamom, cloves or allspice) and a pinch of salt.
For the toppings, you can use any sweetener of your choice, fresh, frozen or dried fruits, nuts, and seeds. However, the toppings are optional and are based on your preferences.
What Are Steel Cut Oats and Why Are They Called Like That?
While oat groats are the hulled kernel of oats, steel-cut oats are processed by chopping the groat into smaller pieces. They are called “steel-cut” oats because they are cut with steel blades. Therefore, they look more like they are in their original shape.
However, because they are the least processed compared to instant oats or rolled oats, they take longer to cook. But they contain more nutrients and have more health benefits as they are not pulverized as instant and rolled oats. That’s why the Instant Pot comes in handy making the texture of steel cut oats amazing!
Benefits of Steel Cut Oats and Why They Are Healthy?
Oats are among the healthiest foods that you can eat! They are a natural superfood as they are whole-grains. And, they are high in protein, minerals, and fiber. Also rich in antioxidants and help lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels and reducing risks of heart disease. Moreover, they are naturally gluten-free.
Tools Needed:
This is what you need to make this recipe:
How to Make Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats?
The cooking time that you set your Instant Pot for is 4 minutes. However, it takes about 10 minutes for the pressure to build up and 10 more minutes for natural release. So, all in all, it takes about 25 minutes to be ready to eat. During that time you are free to do your household chores and prepare your favorite toppings for the oats. A win-win situation!
- Add steel cut oats along with all other ingredients into your Instant Pot and give them a stir. Seal the Instant Pot and cook on “high” for 4 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes for the pressure to build.
- Once cooking is done, allow for a natural release of pressure (this will take about 10 minutes). Open the vent carefully, then remove the lid. And give the cooked oats a stir to equally distribute the remaining liquid.
- Scoop the cooked oats into bowls and top with your favorite sweetener, fruits and/or nuts. Serve warm.
Video Tutorial
Topping Ideas:
The options for topping oatmeal are endless. Try different blends and combinations to make every bowl a special one. However, here are some of my favorite options:
- Sweetener: Honey, maple syrup, condensed milk, brown sugar or chopped dates.
- Fresh fruit: Bananas, blueberries, raspberries, kiwis, apples, pears, apricots or peaches.
- Dried fruit: Bananas, mangos, apricots, raisins, cherries, figs or cranberries/craisins.
- Frozen fruit: Strawberries, cherries or raspberries.
- Nuts and seeds: Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, almonds, wchopped walnuts, shredded coconut, chia seeds, flax seeds or pistachios.
- Purees and nut butters: Pumpkin puree, peanut butter, almond butter or cashew butter.
- Spices: Cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, cloves and allspice.
- Savory toppings: Sesame oil, green onions, butter, yogurt, greek yogurt, poached eggs, bacon, smoked salmon and shredded cheddar cheese.
Is This Recipe Vegan?
This recipe can be made vegan by using non-dairy milk and toppings. I love using almond milk as it naturally adds a hint of sweetness to the oats. However, rice milk, soy milk, cashew milk, and coconut milk work great for this recipe.
Is It Gluten-Free?
Oats are naturally gluten-free. Therefore, they form an excellent option for people who are allergic to gluten.
Storing Instructions
It is very easy to reheat steel-cut oatmeal. And it keeps the same flavor and texture as when it was first cooked. So feel free to make a big batch to enjoy during the whole week.
- Fridge: You can store cooked steel cut oats in the fridge in an airtight container for up to one week.
- Freezer: You can freeze cooked oats after being completely cooled in a freezer-safe, airtight container. However, it is better to freeze each portion in an individual container or sealed bag. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and reheat adding a bit of water or milk. Cooked oats can be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- To reheat cold oats which usually have a thick consistency, simply add a bit of water of milk when reheating. Stir for a few minutes until the oats warm up.
For more delicious and nourishing recipe ideas, click here. Also, make sure to check out my other Instant Pot recipes.
If you try this recipe, please don’t forget to rate it and share a picture on social media, tagging #NourishPlate in your posts. I would really love to see your creations. Bon appetit!
Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
Equipment
- Instant Pot
- Measuring cups
Ingredients
- 2 cups (200g) Steel cut oats
- 4 cups (950 ml) Liquid of your choice such as milk or water or a blend of both
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon ground
- ½ teaspoon Salt
Toppings
- Sweetener, splash of milk and fresh, frozen or dried fruits, nuts and seeds. optional
Instructions
- Add steel cut oats along with all other ingredients into your Instant Pot.
- Give all of the ingredients a stir.
- Seal the Instant Pot and cook on "high" for 4 minutes. It will take about 10 minutes for the pressure to build.
- Once cooking is done, allow for natural release of pressure (this will take about 10 minutes). Open the vent carefully, then remove the lid.
- Give the oats a stir to distribute the remaining liquid equally.
- Scoop the cooked oats into bowls and top with your favorite sweetener, fruits and/or nuts. Serve warm.
Video
Notes
- In this recipe, I recommend adding sweetener directly to serving bowls. This will allow you to choose the type and the quantity of preferred sweetener. However, it is possible to add the sweetener along with other ingredients into the Instant Pot before cooking.
- Ground cinnamon can be replaced by any other type of spices that you prefer (such as nutmeg, vanilla, cardamom, cloves or allspice).
- It is possible to add dried fruit to the Instant Pot before cooking, instead of topping the oatmeal with.
- You can store cooked steel cut oats in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week or freeze up to 6 months.
- If this portion is too big for you, you can simply halve the recipe.
- For this recipe, you can use dairy milk or non-dairy milk such as almond milk, rice milk, soy milk, cashew milk, and coconut milk. Any type works for this recipe.
- Sweetener: Honey, maple syrup, condensed milk, brown sugar or chopped dates.
- Fresh fruit: Bananas, blueberries, raspberries, kiwis, apples, pears, apricots or peaches.
- Dried fruit: Bananas, mangos, apricots, raisins, cherries, figs or cranberries/craisins.
- Frozen fruit: Strawberries, cherries or raspberries.
- Nuts and seeds: Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cashews, almonds, wchopped walnuts, shredded coconut, chia seeds, flax seeds or pistachios.
- Purees and nut butters: Pumpkin puree, peanut butter, almond butter or cashew butter.
- Spices: Cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, cloves, and allspice.
- Savory toppings: Sesame oil, green onions, butter, yogurt, greek yogurt, poached eggs, bacon, smoked salmon, and shredded cheddar cheese.
CAROL G NYE
This is the best way to cook steel-cut oats. The only thing I do differently is to “saute” the dry oats in butter, for 10 mins. Then, I add water and salt and cook. we eat oatmeal 3 or 4 times a week!
Rosalie Pressman
I made this with skim milk & liked the results except that some of the milk burned & stuck to the pot. The pot cleans easily, but the burnt milk pieces don’t taste good. Anyone else have this problem & have a solution? I may oil the bottom of the pot the next time, but would prefer not to have that taste.