Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats

The Instant Pot is the secret ingredient to making steel cut oats creamy, rich, quick, and easy! I’ll never make them any other way. With only two simple steps, this Instant Pot recipe turns steel cut oats into an everyday breakfast!

Why This Oatmeal Is So Good

• Bland, mushy oatmeal is so over! Steel cut oats cooked in the Instant Pot are rich, creamy, buttery, and all the things breakfast should be.
• Steel cut oats are nuttier and chewier than other types of oats. They’re super nutritious, won’t cause a huge blood sugar spike (and subsequent crash), can help lower your risk of heart disease, and are loaded with vitamins and minerals. So basically the best breakfast ever!
• These steel cut oats are delicious on their own, but we especially love them with fruit, nuts, or other toppings. Check out our list below for some ideas. Who knows? Your kids may start begging for oats, too!

How To Make It

1. Heat the butter on sauté mode in the Instant Pot.
2. Add the oats, and toast until the butter is absorbed and becomes fragrant.
3. Add the water or almond milk and cover. Cook Manual High Pressure 6 minutes.
4. Naturally release 10 to 15 minutes.

Chef’s Tips

• Don’t skip sautéing the oats in butter! This really helps add a rich flavor to your steel cut oats.
• For extra rich, creamy oats, top with a couple tablespoons of heavy cream or half and half.
• Be sure to buy regular steel cut oats, not the quick cooking type.

Steel Cut Oat Toppings

You can really top your oats with anything, but here are a few of our favorites.

• walnuts or pecans
• raisins
• blueberries
• strawberries
• raspberries
• blackberries
• slices of bananas
• peaches
• honey or maple syrup
• cinnamon
• toasted or shredded coconut
• cacao nibs or chocolate chips
• dried cranberries
• jelly or jam
• Nutella
• chia seeds
• almond or peanut butter
• sliced almonds

What Are Steel Cut Oats?

All oats begin as what is called an “oat groat,” which is just the unbroken, whole grain. The type of oat, like steel cut, rolled, and instant, depends on how it was processed.

Steel cut oats, also called Irish oats, are the least processed, which is why they take longer to cook. They are cut in two or three pieces (hence the name “steel cut”) whereas rolled oats, for instance, are husked and rolled into flat disks.

Steel cut oats are thicker, absorb less liquid, and have more fiber than their rolled counterparts. They also have a lower glycemic index, which is how much a food will raise your blood sugar. They also have a nuttier, chewier flavor that we love!

More Breakfast Recipes

• Crockpot Breakfast Casserole
• Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
• Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
• Whole30 Hash Brown and Sausage Breakfast Casserole (Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free)
• Sweet Potato Whole30 Breakfast Bowl
• Freezer Breakfast Burritos