Easy Steel Cut Oats
- PREP 5min
- COOK 25min
- TOTAL 30min
Steel cut oats are whole oat groats cut into small bits (instead of rolled into flat discs like with rolled oats). They take slightly longer to cook than other oat varieties but are delicious. When cooked, steel cut oats have a creamy, chewy texture. We love them topped with fruit and nut butter, but take a look at our article above for topping suggestions.
For a quicker cooking time, consider soaking the oats in water the night before you plan to make them. Soaking them will reduce the cooking time by about half.
You Will Need
2 tablespoons butter or vegan butter
1 cup steel cut oats
3 cups water
Pinch salt
1/2 to 1 cup milk, dairy or non-dairy
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon sweetener like brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup
Optional oatmeal toppings like nut butter, fruit, nuts, and seeds
Directions
Stovetop Steel Cut Oats
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the bottom of a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the oats and stir them in the butter for a minute or two or until they smell nutty.
Combine the oats with the water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat so that the water is just barely simmering. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice to lift any oats stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Stir in the milk, butter, cinnamon, and honey. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until the oats are soft with a slight chew. If the oatmeal seems dry, add a splash of more water or milk. Serve with your favorite oatmeal toppings.
Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats
Slow cooker steel cut oats are much creamier than when cooked using other methods (think creamy, delicious oatmeal pudding). To cook steel cut oats in the slow cooker, combine 1 cup steel cut oats with 4 cups water. Add whatever seasonings you love (I add 1 tablespoon butter, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and a pinch of salt). Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Stir the oats before serving. For extra creamy oatmeal, stir in 1/2 to 1 cup of milk.
Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
To cook steel cut oats in a pressure cooker like an Instant Pot, combine 1 cup steel cut oats with 3 cups water, a pinch of salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon butter (or vegan butter). Stir the oats, secure the lid, and then cook on the manual or pressure cooker setting for 3 minutes at high pressure. When the cooking time is complete, allow the cooker to naturally release the pressure. Stir well before serving. For creamier oats, add 1/2 to 1 cup milk.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Store cooked steel cut oats in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and freeze for up to 3 months. Steel cut oats thicken as they sit, so you might need to add a splash of water or milk when reheating them to achieve the perfect consistency again.
- Soaking steel cut oats: You do not need to soak steel cut oats before cooking them. However, if you soak steel cut oats in water (usually 8 hours or overnight), they will soften slightly. Since the oats are softer, they cook quicker the following day. Soaking also may help unlock some of the nutrients in the oats, making them more available to us to absorb. If you plan on soaking steel cut oats, the stovetop cook time will be reduced by about half.
- For gluten-free oatmeal, make sure that the oats and any toppings that you plan to use are certified gluten-free.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We did not include any toppings in the calculations. We assumed whole milk in the calculations.