Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats

Jump to Recipe

Guys, I have got the perfect comfort food recipe for you today. Warm, creamy, nutty, flavourful Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats. This makes a delicious breakfast for busy mornings.

The perfect vehicle for allllll the good toppings (think fresh or frozen fruit, berries, dried fruit, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, bacon – yeap, really). You’ve got the goods right here.

Like this easy Instant Pot Oatmeal , this Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats recipe is so easy and fast, and you can even use the ‘delay start’ feature on your Instant Pot to wake up to delicious steel cut oatmeal in the morning for a healthy breakfast. (Yes please.)

Ps for more breakfast ideas you might want to try Starbucks copycat Instant Pot Egg Bites and this colorful Instant Pot Pumpkin Oatmeal.

What is Steel Cut Oatmeal?

Wondering ‘what is steel cut oatmeal?’ Steel cut oats have many names, I learned… they’re also referred to as ‘coarse oatmeal., ‘Irish oats’ and ‘pinhead oats.’

Steel cut oatmeal is made from the ‘groats’ of whole oats that have been cut into 2 or 3 pieces. Groats are the inner piece (kernel) with the inedible covering (hull) removed. The name ‘steel cut oats’ comes from the large steel blade that is used to chop them into pieces.

What do steel cut oats taste like? They have a nuttier flavour than regular oats. They also have a chewier texture and take longer to cook.

I think steel cut oats are a hearty, flavourful alternative to traditional oats. And by cooking them in the Instant Pot, that whole ‘take longer to cook’ thing is not a problem at all.

Why Make This Recipe

• It’s soooo easy. Everything cooks together easily and hands off so no need to keep checking the pot. Definitely timesaving for you.
• It’s a great recipe for a crowd. You can easily make a double batch or triple the recipe to serve a big group.
• These are Perfect for meal prep and make-ahead meals. You can prep ahead and pull out when needed; for breakfasts, brunches, eating on the go and even dinners. 
• Fool proof – This results in consistently creamy and perfectly cooked steel cut oats that don’t stick to the pan or burn.
• It is family approved. Cooked steel cut oatmeal is so good that everyone will love it.
• Diet-friendly. It is gluten-free and vegan

Ingredient Notes

• cooking spray or olive oil or coconut oil – so these do not stick
• steel cut oats – the main ingredient.
• almond milk or soy milk, coconut milk or other dairy free milk of your choice.
• water – the second cooking liquid for these.
• spices – use ground cinnamon or vanilla extract optional
• sweetener – you can use maple syrup or sweetener of your choice optional

How to Make Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats in 5 Easy Steps

Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.

1. To keep oats from sticking to the Instant Pot inner pot, coat the inside of the pot with cooking spray or olive oil.
2. Add ingredients to Instant Pot and mix well.
3. Cover the pot. Set the valve to ‘seal,’ select pressure cook or manual (depending on your pressure cooked model), high pressure and set the timer. 10 minutes for chewy oats, 14 minutes for creamier oats.
4. Allow a natural pressure release which takes about about 10-15 minutes then open and carefully remove lid.
5. Stir well before serving to help the cooked oatmeal thicken. Serve with your favorite toppings.

Make Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats Overnight

Make overnight Instant Pot steel cut oats by using the ‘delay start’ function. If you haven’t used the delay start function on your Instant Pot, you are sooooo missing out. It’s a great way to save time and wake up to breakfast.

Press the ‘manual’ button, set the timer, and within 10 sec, press the ‘timer’ button. You can then adjust the start time delay, up to 24 hrs. (Make sure to select a time so that it is cooked at least 10 minutes before you want it.)

You wake up to a fuss free – ready to eat breakfast the whole family will love.

How to Make Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats

No Instant Pot? Here is how to make Instant Pot steel cut oats in a crock pot:

• Use ration of 4 liquid to 1 steel cut oats
• Coat slow cooker crock in oil or cooking spray
• Cook on high for 4 hrs or 8 hrs on low

Recipe Tips

• Don’t use the ‘keep warm’ function for steel cut oats. The keep warm function is another amazing feature of the Instant Pot, but you will overcook your steel cut oatmeal if you use it (the oats will keep cooking even after the pressure has gone down if you don’t remove them from the pot immediately).
• Stir well – Mix everything well with good stir before sealing the lid, so the ingredients are distributed evenly.
• Coat Instant Pot inner pot with cooking spray or olive oil or butter etc before cooking. This prevents the Instant Pot steel cut oats from sticking to the inner pot.
• Instant Pot recommends using non-dairy milk. The folks at Instant Pot say to use non-dairy milk (almond, soya, oat, etc.) because ‘dairy tends to scorch.’
• Remember that Instant Pot steel cut oats will have a slightly different texture than stove-top oats due to the way these are cooked.
• Double or triple this recipe to feed a crowd. To feed a crowd, just remember this ratio for steel cut Instant Pot oats: 160g (1 cup) oats to 700ml (3 cups) liquid.
• The cook time will depend on your desired texture. Set the time under pressure for 10 minutes for chewy oats, 14 minutes for creamier oats.
• Cooking time listed does not include the time it takes for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure, or for the pressure to release.

Variations And Ways To Flavour Your Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats

Instant Pot steel cut oats are a beautiful foodie blank canvas. I love mine seasoned with simple vanilla essence, cinnamon and maple syrup. The kiddoes loooove it when I add chocolate chips to theirs (‘dessert for breakfast,’ they say).

Here a few favorite toppings and flavor ideas for you:

• Add fruit – I love adding lots of fresh fruit like fresh blueberries, chopped apples for some crunch, creamy sliced banana and juicy strawberries.
• Nut toppings – these add in extra crunch and flavor. Some of my favorites include walnuts, chopped or sliced almond, toasted pecans and chopped pistachios.
• Add seeds – sunflower seeds and and pumpkin and chia seeds go great with this.
• Add dried fruit – like golden raisins, dried cherries, strawberries etc.
• Add chocolate – adding in cocoa powder, grated chocolate or chocolate chips make this a chocolate lovers dream.
• Nut butter – Swirl in your desired nutty addition like almond butter, peanut, or cashew butter for a rich flavor.
• Sweetener – Swirl in your your sweetener of choice like pure maple syrup, honey, cinnamon and apple sauce etc. You can also add in some brown sugar for crunch and flavor.
• Make it savory – Bacon and a fried egg (yeap, this is a thing), cheese etc are good options.
• Vary the liquid – feel free to use half almond milk, oat milk etc instead.

Storage

• Prep Ahead – to help make your cooking process even more convenient. This can be cooked up to a few days in advance and reheated. You can also prepare dry steel cut oat packets in advance – measured out and ready to go. Mix the oats with your preferred dry add-ins, such as nuts, seeds, or spices and store
• Store – Store cooled oats in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Feel free to store them in eat sized portion, so just grab what you wan 
• Freeze – Transfer into freezer safe containers or freezer bags. Squeeze out all the extra air and seal the bags. Label the bags and then lay them flat in the freezer and store for 3 months.
• To make reheating easier, freeze in the right portion sizes that you need for the future.

FAQs

Sooo many ideas. How do you like your steel cut oatmeal?

Instant Pot Breakfast Recipes

For more Instant Pot breakfast recipes, check out these below

• Instant Pot Egg Bites. Great Starbucks copycat recipe.
• Instant Pot Jamaican Corn Meal Porridge.
• Instant Pot Pancake Bites – loved by everyone.
• Instant Pot Pumpkin Oatmeal. So easy.
• Instant Pot Cinnamon Rolls.
• This mega list of 75 Easy Instant Pot Recipes.

Instant Pot steel cut oats are so easy to make and so versatile, so why not cook up a warm and comforting batch to enjoy?

More Breakfast ideas

• Best Buttermilk Waffles.
• Crispy Air Fryer Bacon.
• Air Fryer Breakfast Frittata.
• Creamy Crockpot Grits.
• (Tahini Porridge Oatmeal)

The Ultimate Guide to the Instant Pot

To learn everything you need to know about the Instant Pot, check out this post: Instant Pot Review – The Ultimate Guide to the Instant Pot.

Weight Watchers Points

There are 5 Blue Plan SmartPoints in a serving.