This instant pot steel cut oats recipe cooks perfectly and produces creamy oatmeal every time. Top it with toasted coconut, fresh fruit and nuts for a delicious and healthy breakfast! This is a great meal prep breakfast option too as it stores really well. 

Healthy breakfasts are so important because they give you the needed energy to begin your day. Healthy German pancakes, high protein overnight oats, and easy breakfast casserole are protein-packed and keep you full longer, just like these steel cut oats. 

A bowl of steel cut oats topped with blueberries, sliced almonds, and milk.

Why This Recipe Works

When I learned how to cook steel cut oats, I was in heaven! The oats are chewier when cooked right and topped with your favorite fruits and nuts, it’s a delicious, creamy breakfast that even my kids enjoy! 

Made in the Instant Pot

Steel cut oats made in the instant pot produce perfect results every single time! The ease and convenience of using an instant pot to cook steel cut oats means all you have to do is add the ingredients, close the lid, and press the start button. Within 20 minutes you have perfectly cooked steel cut oats. If you’re skeptical about oatmeal and the first image that comes to your mind is a mushy mess, then you’re probably thinking of the bland, plain instant oats cooked in the microwave with water — these are not that! I love steel cut oats because they have a chewier texture and a kind of nutty flavor.

Store any leftovers in the fridge and you have multiple breakfasts for the week! 

Looking for additional Instant Pot favorites? Try my instant pot Philly cheesesteak pasta and instant pot beef stroganoff.

Easily Customizable

Besides being extremely creamy, delicious and easy to make, I find that my family eats better and healthier breakfasts when we have options to create customizable flavors. You can add an assortment of toppings to this steel cut oats recipe such as fresh or frozen fruits, nut butters, jams or jellies, nuts, etc. Steel cut oats are incredibly beneficial and with healthy add-ins, the flavor combinations are endless. (See Recipe Tips section below for more topping ideas.)

A bowl of steel cut oats on top of an amber colored napkin.

If you’re curious about the difference between steel cut oats, rolled oats and instant oats, I did a little research — but even making a bowl of each of these, you’d be able to see and taste a difference, too. Check out my FAQs below for explanations on the difference between instant oats, rolled oats and steel cut oats.

Ingredients Needed

Ingredients used to make steel cut oats; water, almond milk, and steel cut oats.
  • Steel Cut Oats: These oats are different from your rolled oats and instant oats. See the FAQs below for more information on steel cut oats. 
  • Water: We use water and milk to ensure the oats soak up a lot of liquid to get the creamiest result!
  • Almond Milk: You can use dairy milk too. I like the nutty aspect of almond milk, plus it has less sugar and calories than normal dairy milk. Using almond milk also makes this a dairy-free steel cut oats recipe.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Generously grease the insert of a 6-qt Instant Pot with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. To the pot, add the steel cut oats, water, and almond milk. Stir to combine. Cover (make sure it’s sealed) and select the “manual” or “pressure cook” button. Set the dial to 4 minutes. The Instant Pot will start automatically.
  • Steel Cut Oats in the inner pot of the Instant pot.
  • The bowl of an instant pot full of steel cut oats, milk, and water (prior to cooking).
  1. When it has finished cooking, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes before manually releasing the remaining pressure. You don’t want to do a quick release because the oats can spurt out of the valve.
  2. Once the pressure has been released, open the lid and give the oats a stir. Serve warm. (The oats will thicken as they cool.)
A wooden spoon holding up a scoop of creamy steel cut oats.

Recipe Tips

Serving: Serve with a drizzle of milk (if desired) and a sweetener such as brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey. (Uncle Bob’s Butter Country syrups has delicious buttermilk syrup if you’re looking for syrup flavors other than maple.)

Topping Ideas 

  • Fresh fruit — Apple slices (or grated fresh apple), sliced bananas, strawberries, raspberries, mangos, blueberries, blackberries, pomegranate arils (seeds), etc. Even frozen berries will work as a great topping!
  • Toasted nuts — Pecans, sliced almonds, etc.
  • Shredded coconut — Check out my toasted coconut recipe!
  • Cinnamon
  • Chocolate chips — Whether it’s chopped dark chocolate or mini dark chocolate chips. Dark chocolate with 50%-90% cocoa solids is the best if you’re looking for a healthier option. However, dark chocolate is still chocolate so don’t completely rule it as a healthy snack. Healthline does a great dive into dark chocolate.
  • Nut butters — Peanut butter, almond butter, etc.
  • Jams or jellies
  • Applesauce
  • Whipped cream — Try my coconut whipped cream recipe or my Greek yogurt whipped cream recipe.
  • Milk or cream — To drizzle on top
  • Dried fruits — Craisins, raisins, dates, dried apricots, etc.
  • Seeds — Flax seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds or toasted pumpkin seeds

Storing

 Leftovers will stay good in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week.

To reheat: Microwave in a microwave safe bowl for 20-30 seconds or until heated through. You may need to add a splash of milk or water to the steel cut oats to help loosen them up. 

A metal measuring cup full of raw steel cut oats.

FAQs

How are steel cut oats made?

Steel cut oats are the product of cutting oat groats into pieces with a steel mill.

How are steel cut oats different from rolled oats?

Rolled oats are the product of flattening the oat groats, whereas steel cut oats are cut oat groats.

Why are steel cut oats better than rolled?

There really isn’t much difference in health benefits between steel cut oats and rolled oats. The oats aren’t being stripped of nutrients, they are just being cut or flattened. Cooking Light does a great job of diving into each version of oats. There’s also a helpful chart where they’ve taken one brand of oats and compared the nutrition facts between that brand’s instant, rolled and steel cut oats. 

Are oats good for you?

Yes! According to Healthline, oats are one of the “most nutrient-dense foods” that can aid in lowering blood sugar levels, reducing the risk of heart disease and encouraging weight loss. Oats are rich in fiber and protein.

How are rolled oats, instant oats and steel cut oats different?

Rolled Oats: Oat groats that are flattened make our old-fashioned rolled oats. These take less time to cook than the steel-cut oats and don’t have as much texture since the oats are all flat. 
Instant Oats: Instant oats are the flattened rolled oats cut into smaller pieces. There isn’t much dimension in these, creating a soft and mushy oatmeal. (However, rolled and instant oats are great for baking!)
Steel Cut Oats: All oats come from the same thing — an oat groat. We get steel cut oats when the oat groats are cut into pieces by a steel mill. Since the pieces are larger, steel cut oats take longer to cook but have a chewy texture.

A bowl of steel cut oats topped with blueberries, almonds, and milk.

More Healthy Breakfast Recipes

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Click here to leave a rating and review.

A bowl of Steel Cut Oats on a white background with blueberries and nuts.
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5 from 3 votes

Steel Cut Oats Recipe

This recipe produces creamy steel cut oats. It's a healthy meal prep/breakfast option!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients
 

  • 2 cups steel cut oats
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups almond milk - can use dairy milk too

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • Generously grease the insert of a 6 qt Instant pot with nonstick cooking spray.
  • To the pot add the steel cut oats, water, and almond milk. Stir to combine. Cover (make sure it’s sealed) and select the “manual” or “pressure cook” button. Press the dial up to 4 minutes. The Instant Pot will start automatically.
  • When it has finished cooking, let the pressure release naturally for 15 minutes before manually releasing the remaining pressure . You don’t want to do a quick release because the oats can spurt out of the valve.
  • Once the pressure has been released, open the lid and give the oats a stir. Serve warm. (The oats will thicken as they cool.)
  • Leftovers will stay good in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week.
  • Serving ideas: Serve with a drizzle of milk (if desired) and a sweetener such as brown sugar, maple syrup, or honey. 
    Topping ideas: fresh fruit, toasted nuts, shredded coconut, cinnamon, chocolate chips, cocoa nibs.

Notes

Topping Ideas 
  • Fresh fruit — Apple slices (or grated fresh apple), sliced bananas, strawberries, raspberries, mangos, blueberries, blackberries, pomegranate arils (seeds), etc. Even frozen berries will work as a great topping!
  • Toasted nuts — Pecans, sliced almonds, etc.
  • Shredded coconut — Check out my toasted coconut recipe!
  • Cinnamon
  • Chocolate chips 
  • Nut butters — Peanut butter, almond butter, etc.
  • Jams or jellies
  • Applesauce
  • Whipped cream — Try my coconut whipped cream recipe or my Greek yogurt whipped cream recipe.
  • Milk or cream — To drizzle on top
  • Dried fruits — Craisins, raisins, dates, dried apricots, etc.
  • Seeds — Flax seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds or toasted pumpkin seeds
Storing: Leftovers will stay good in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 week.
To reheat: Microwave in a microwave safe bowl for 20-30 seconds or until heated through. You may need to add a splash of milk or water to the steel cut oats to help loosen them up. 

Nutrition

Calories: 163kcal (8%)Carbohydrates: 27g (9%)Protein: 7g (14%)Fat: 4g (6%)Saturated Fat: 1g (5%)Sodium: 84mg (4%)Fiber: 5g (20%)Sugar: 1g (1%)Calcium: 97mg (10%)Iron: 2mg (11%)
author: Whitney Wright
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
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