Wishing someone else would make you a healthy breakfast? Then these Instant Pot steel cut oats are a must-try! Just add your ingredients and let your pressure cooker do the work for creamy, comforting steel cut oats in only 30 minutes. Leftover steel cut oats reheat beautifully, making this recipe meal prep perfection for busy mornings ahead!
I'll always love my stovetop steel cut oats recipe, but I have to say, these Instant Pot steel cut oats have been a game changer for me in making warm and hearty breakfasts on chilly Wisconsin mornings in fall or winter.
With only 30 minutes and a handful of simple ingredients, you can have a perfect, nourishing bowl of steel cut oatmeal... and it's completely hands off!
All you need to do is toss in your ingredients, set the timer and pressure, and breakfast cooks itself while you get an extra 30 minutes to tidy your kitchen, fold a load of clothes, or read a good book.
Steel cut oats reheat like a dream, so making a big batch once can set you up with warm & cozy breakfasts for the next few days.
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Key Ingredients
- Steel cut oats - For this recipe, we want regular steel cut oats (not quick-cooking steel cut oats!). I love buying mine from the bulk section of my local co-op to reduce plastic packaging.
- Water & milk - You'll use a combo of water and milk to cook for super creamy results.
- Flavorings - Cinnamon, maple syrup, and salt will form our base set of flavoring for these oats.
Please see the recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Topping Ideas
- Milk - Dairy milk, nut milk, any plant-based milks, or water will all work in this recipe.
- Sweetener - Feel free to omit the maple syrup or swap for another sweetener, such as honey, agave, dates, or brown sugar. I also love a sprinkle of ginger molasses granola or coconut chia granola for sweetness and crunch.
- Nut butter - Drizzle on peanut butter or almond butter for delicious flavor and added protein and nutrients (seed butters are great too!).
- Nuts, seeds, and dried fruit - Pepitas, hemp seeds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, walnuts, and dried cranberries or cherries for little juicy bursts of sweetness. Goji berries and cacao nibs are also a treat!
- Fresh fruit - As a seasonal eater, I love using seasonal fresh fruits in oatmeal. In winter, you can use pomegranate seeds, or stewed apples and pears. In summer when fresh berries are more widely available, I tend to use those more often. Raspberries and blueberries are my favorites! Thawed frozen fruit is also great.
How to Make Steel Cut Oats in an Instant Pot
Step 1
Place the water, milk, steel cut oats, salt, cinnamon, and maple syrup in the bowl of your Instant Pot. Stir lightly to fully submerge the oats in the liquid. Secure the Instant Pot lid and ensure the valve is turned to "Sealing".
Step 2
Set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 4 minutes. Pressure will build for about 10 minutes before the 4-minute timer starts. Once those 4 minutes are up, allow natural pressure release for at least 15 minutes (more is okay). After 15 minutes, release any remaining pressure by turning the steam release valve to "Venting", and remove the lid.
Step 3
Give the oats a stir to reveal thick and creamy results! If using vanilla extract, stir it in at this time. Divide oats into bowls and top with whatever your heart desires! See general topping ideas above plus a list of variations below for more inspiration.
Success Tips
These are some tips I personally use and recommend to get the most of out these Instant Pot steel cut oats.
- Reheating - Steel cut oatmeal gets even thicker as it cools, so when you take leftovers out of the fridge, it helps to loosen it up a bit with more water or milk. More oats for less work!
- Big batch - Meal prepping or serving guests? You can double the recipe as written for an even bigger batch. If you're waiting for folks to dish up, you can keep the oats covered with the Instant Pot lid, and use the 'keep warm' setting. Stir before serving!
- Pressure cooker size - This recipe was tested multiple times in both a 6-quart Instant Pot and a 5-quart Ninja Foodi multi-cooker, so these sizes work great for this recipe. Other sizes may need different ingredient ratios.
More Flavor Variations
- Banana Bread - Add sliced bananas, walnuts, and an extra dash of cinnamon and drizzle of maple syrup to the top of your oats.
- Apple Pie - Add some chopped sautéed apples or fresh chopped apples with cinnamon, pecans, and optional drizzle of maple syrup. Pears would be good, too!
- Berries & Cream - Add a splash of milk or cream to your bowl and add your favorite fresh or frozen berries.
- Seeds & berries - This is my go-to! Flaxseeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, fresh berries or pomegranate seeds (here's a tutorial on how to remove pomegranate seeds).
- Peanut Butter Chocolate - For my indulgent friends! Drizzle with peanut butter and top with cacao nibs, chopped dark chocolate, or chocolate chips.
- Savory - Use broth instead of milk or water, and omit cinnamon and maple syrup. Top savory oats with a jammy egg, green onions, sautéed greens, cheese, and/or hot sauce.
Steel Cut Oatmeal FAQs
Once the cooked oats have completely cooled, transfer them to an airtight container and place in the fridge. Reheat your desired portions on the stove or in the microwave, adding a little more milk or water to loosen up the oats. Enjoy within 5 days!
Sure can! Let the oats cool completely, then place them in one big airtight container or divide into smaller portioned containers, if desired. Transfer the container to your freezer for up to three months. When you're ready to eat the oats, let them thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Yep! I also tested this in my 5-quart Ninja Foodi multi-cooker (electric pressure cooker & air fryer) with excellent results. If you use a different brand, the size I recommend for this recipe is 5-6 quarts. See images below for comparison results.
Sure! Just remember that the liquid to oats ratio you're looking for is 2.5 cups liquid to 1 cup steel cut oats. Use the water for the full 2.5 cups and omit milk completely.
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats for Real-Life Mornings
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 2-3 servings 1x
Description
Enjoy a creamy, nourishing bowl of Instant Pot steel cut oatmeal in 30 minutes, completely hands-off! Perfect for meal prepping healthy breakfasts in advance, or double the recipe to easily serve a family. Works in a Ninja Foodi pressure cooker, too!
Ingredients
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 1 cup milk of choice
- 1.5 cups water
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Optional: ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine ingredients. Place all ingredients in the Instant Pot except for the vanilla extract. Stir lightly to make sure oats are covered in liquid.
- Pressure cook. Secure the Instant Pot lid and make sure the pressure valve is turned to "sealing". On the settings, select "pressure cook", set the pressure to high, and set cooking time for 4 minutes. The pressure will build for about 10 minutes before the 4-minute cook time starts. Once the 4 minutes is up, allow the Instant Pot to naturally release pressure for at least 15 minutes (this means no action required). After 15 minutes, release any remaining pressure (turn pressure valve to "venting"), and remove the lid.
- Stir, serve & top. After removing the lid, it might look like some liquid is sitting atop the oats. Give the oats a stir to incorporate and reveal the creamy, cohesive consistency. If using, stir in the vanilla extract at this time. Divide into bowls and serve!
Notes
- Meal Prep. To meal prep these oats, you may want to double the recipe (double ingredients and follow instructions exactly). You can divide the oats into individual serving containers or just one big container and scoop out what you need during the week. Oats thicken even more in the fridge, so I like to add a splash of milk or water for reheating.
- Storing & freezing instructions. Wait for oats to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to five days. To freeze, place the airtight container in the freezer instead, for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
- Consistency. If if the top of the oats are exposed to air, you'll notice the start to dry out on top. Just give them a quick stir to even out the consistency again.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Instant Pot, pressure cooker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup of cooked oats
- Calories: 233
- Sugar: 8.3 g
- Sodium: 238 mg
- Fat: 4.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 39.1 g
- Fiber: 5.3 g
- Protein: 8.8 g
- Cholesterol: 6.6 mg
debra says
Can you make steel cut oats in a 3 quart instant pot
Tera Gigot says
Hi there! You definitely can. As long as the ingredients don't exceed the max fill line (I imagine they wouldn't for a 3-quart), you should be able to make this recipe as written. If the ingredients pass the max fill line, I recommend halving the recipe, but still follow the steps as written. Let me know how it goes!!