How do I store leftovers?

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!

Can I freeze steel cut oats?

Sure can! Let the oats cool completely, the 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.

Can this recipe be made in a Ninja Foodi?

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.

Can I make steel cut oats without milk?

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.

Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats (Base Recipe + Variations)

Name: Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup steel cut oats; 1 cup milk of choice; 1.5 cups water; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; 1 tablespoon maple syrup; Optional: 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Description

Enjoy a creamy, nourishing bowl of steel cut oatmeal in 30 minutes, completely hands-off! Your Instant Pot (or Ninja Foodi, or similar-sized pressure cooker) will do the work for you. Perfect for meal prepping healthy breakfasts in advance, or double the recipe to easily serve a family.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 cup steel cut oats
1 cup milk of choice
1.5 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

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