Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats (4 Ways!)
This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Making Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats is a breeze. Learn all about steel cut oats and use our top 4 recipes to make your own! You can even freeze individual portions for later. I recommend starting with the Brown Sugar & Cinnamon Recipe.
What are Steel Cut Oats?
When you think of oatmeal, your mind probably brings up images of classic rolled oats like the kind we use in our baked oatmeals, overnight oats, and granola.
Steel cut oats come from the same plant as rolled oats. The difference is how they are processed. Steel cut oats are never cooked and start from the whole grain that is then passed through slender blades that cut the oat kernel into thin slices.
Keeping them in this form helps them retain more fiber and protein.
Are Steel Cut Oats Healthier?
Yes! However, it’s important to note that all oats are an excellent source of fiber, and the variation in fiber content between steel cut, rolled and quick oats is slight.
Here are some of the ways steel cut oats are a touch healthier:
- Steel cut oats are higher in fiber. The fiber found in steel-cut oats is beneficial for digestive health, fueling the good bacteria in the intestines, and promoting regular bowel movements. Cue the 11-year-old boy jokes…
- Steel cut oats are lower on the glycemic index. That means the body digests and absorbs them more slowly, leading to a slower rise in blood sugar.
How to Cook Steel Cut Oats in Instant Pot
There are a variety of ways to cook steel cut oats. This post is focused on cooking steel cut oats in the Instant Pot. Because we have an entire cookbook filled with Instant Pot recipes, we feel confident that our method is the best!
Melt Butter
I highly recommend giving your steel cut oats a toast before pressure cooking them. To do this, set the Instant Pot to “Sauté” and add the butter.
Toast the Oats
When the butter has melted, add the oats and cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, until fragrant. Press “Cancel.”
Stir in Liquid and Add-Ins
Stir in water or milk and any seasoning (like cinnamon and salt) or add-ins (like sweetener, chopped fruit, nuts).
Pressure Cook the Oats
Lock and seal the lid. Set the cooking time for 12 minutes at high pressure. After cooking, let the oats naturally release pressure for 10 minutes. Move the pressure release valve to venting to release any remaining steam.
Stir & Enjoy
When you first remove the lid and see your Instant Pot Oatmeal, you’ll notice a lot of liquid on the top. Fear not! Just give it a stir and the liquid will incorporate very easily.
Serve warm with your favorite toppings. Or, after it cools, you can freeze the oatmeal in individual servings using directions below.
How to Freeze Steel Cut Oatmeal
When we discovered how easy it was to freeze cooked Instant Pot steel cut oatmeal, we were pumped. It’s a great make-ahead breakfast that reheats quickly on busy mornings.
Freeze for Later: Fully cook the oatmeal as directed. Let the oatmeal cool, then divide it evenly among two 6-cup jumbo muffin tins that have been greased (or 12 jumbo silicone muffin liners) to create single-serving portions. Freeze until frozen solid, then pop out the oatmeal portions and transfer them to a gallon-size freezer bag or container. Seal and freeze.
Prepare from Frozen: Place a serving of frozen oatmeal in a microwave-safe bowl. Add about 1/3 cup milk and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring between each, until warmed through.
FAQs
Don’t use rolled oats in the Instant Pot. They won’t hold up well in a pressurized environment
I’ve tested it with almond milk and it comes out great. While I haven’t tested with other types of milk, I anticipate they will work fine.
I recently tested doubling this recipe for the Instant Pot and am happy to report that it works beautifully to double!
A natural release means letting the Instant Pot depressurize on its own after the cooking time has completed. This is important for steel-cut oats as it allows them to continue cooking gently and absorb more liquid, resulting in a creamier texture without the risk of spewing hot oatmeal during a quick release.
Yes! Add 6 cups of liquid (instead of 4 1/2) and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
4 Best Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats Recipes
Here are 5 well-tested, delicious Instant Pot Oatmeal recipes to start with…
Brown Sugar & Cinnamon
We’ve included this recipe below but we have an entire post for it as well. It’s simple and delicious!
Peanut Butter Cup
Peanut Butter Cup Oatmeal is a fun twist on steel cut oatmeal and even works beautifully to prep ahead for the freezer.
Apple Cinnamon
Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oatmeal delivers classic fall flavors into every bite. We love a recipe that makes both adults and kids happy.
Chocolate Coconut
This combination has a base of creamy chocolate oats (thanks to cacao and coconut milk) and then is topped with toasted coconut chips and chocolate chips. It’s just divine!
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
Making steel cut oatmeal in the Instant Pot is a breeze. This easy breakfast idea will quickly make its way into your rotation!
Ingredients
- 2–3 tablespoons butter (sub: ghee, coconut oil, or avocado oil)
- 1 1/2 cups steel cut oats
- 4 1/2 cups water (or milk or almond milk)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (can easily cut this half and add more at the end)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
Make It Now:
- Select the Sauté function on the Instant Pot and melt the butter. Add the oats and sauté, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Cancel the Saute function.
- Stir in the water, salt, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Make sure all the oats are submerged in the liquid.
- Lock and seal the lid. Set the cooking time for 12 minutes at high pressure. After cooking, let the oats naturally release pressure for 10 minutes. Move the pressure release valve to venting to release any remaining steam.
- When you open the pot you’ll notice there is excess liquid. Give it a stir to incorporate. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
- Serve warm. Top with any additional toppings you might want (i.e. milk, fresh fruit, more sugar or cinnamon, etc.).
Freeze For Later: After the oatmeal has fully cooked and cooled slightly, portion it out into jumbo muffin tins (or smaller tins will work). Place in the freezer until frozen solid (about an hour). Pop the individual portions out into a gallon-sized freezer bag and seal tightly.
Prepare From Frozen: Place one frozen serving of oatmeal in a microwave-safe bowl. Add about 1/3 cup milk and microwave in 45-second intervals, stirring between each, until warmed through. Add more milk to reach desired consistency.
Notes/Tips
To Make in the Slow Cooker: Add 6 cups of liquid (instead of 4 1/2) and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Dairy-Free Version: Either skip step 1 or use avocado oil in place of the butter.
Gluten-Free Version: Be sure to buy gluten-free steel cut oats like the ones from Bob’s Red Mill.
You can double this recipe in the Instant Pot.
Fave steel cut oats recipe for the instant pot EVER!
Yay! Glad to hear that Lis. Thank you for leaving a review!
Is it possible to do these in a slow cooker?
Yes. Add all the ingredients to the crockpot, make sure the oats are submerged in the liquid, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
The recipe does not indicate when to add the brown sugar and cinnamon – is it before or after cooking?
Sorry about that! I’ll update the recipe right now, but add the brown sugar and cinnamon before cooking.
Has anyone tried a double recipe in a 6qt pot? We go through a single batch so quickly, but I’ve seen oatmeal make a huge mess spurting out when releasing the rest of the pressure.
Can the time on this be adjusted for a slow cooker?