Easy Overnight Steel-cut Oats + Instant Pot Steel-cut Oats
Have you ever tried steel-cut oats? Years ago when I first tried them, I wasn't impressed. They were undercooked and unpleasant. All that's changed now. Get ready to turn your breakfast world on end with a new kind of oatmeal that's satisfyingly chewy, healthy, and delicious.
More whole grain than oatmeal, steel-cut oats are oat groats that are simply cut, while oatmeal is whole oat groats that have been steamed and rolled. The quicker they cook, the more processed they are.
Most people avoid eating steel-cut oats because they can take as long as 40 minutes to cook. I've got a quick tip for you, though: Making overnight oats takes only a moment of advance planning and with a couple of minutes the night before, they'll be ready to go by morning. Below, you'll find instructions for how to do it.
A quick update...I originally wrote this piece before I discovered the wonders of making steel-cut oats in our Instant Pot. Look for those instructions just after the overnight version.
Overnight Steel-cut Oats
By Allison Rivers
Makes 3 cups
Ingredients
1 cup steel-cut oats
3 cups water
Directions
- In a dry 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, toast oats for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. This step is optional but adds a nice toasty flavor to your oats. Feel free to skip it if you're super short on time.
- Add water. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly and decreasing heat slightly to prevent boiling over.
- Turn off heat, cover, and let sit overnight. In the morning, heat over low-medium, and stir as it warms. If you'd like your oats to be extra creamy, add a cup of your favorite milk. Mine is almond milk.
- Portion into bowls and add your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Steel-Cut Oats in the Instant Pot
By Allison Rivers
Makes 6 cups
Ingredients
2 cup steel-cut oats
6 cups water
Directions
- Into the Instant Pot, add all ingredients and stir.
- Choose the multi-grain setting and reduce the time to 20 minutes. After you set the time, the Instant Pot will start on its own.
- Attach the lid, When the cycle is complete, the Instant Pot will beep several times. Allow the pressure to come down on its own and then open the lid, stir, portion into bowls, and add your favorite toppings. Enjoy!
Jazz It Up!
- Stir in any of your favorite inclusions like fresh or dried fruit, nuts, spices, and even chocolate chips!
Pro-tip
- Feel free to make extra. Unlike rolled oats, steel-cut oats have a great texture when reheated.
- Store in wide-mouth glass jars.
© Recipe by Allison Rivers, MSW Coach, award-winning vegan chef, author of Quick + Easy DIY Salad Bar, The Dairy-Freedom Cookbook, Comfortably Yum, and Co-Founder of The Dairy Detox.
