This easy Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats recipe makes perfectly creamy oatmeal every time. It’s a healthy and delicious gluten-free breakfast that comes together in less than 30 minutes!
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Updated March 2021
Easy Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
My family loves having oatmeal for breakfast. Making it in the Instant Pot is our favorite way! You get the perfect consistency every time, and it’s completely hands-off. There really isn’t an easier way to make oatmeal.
This vegan and gluten-free breakfast can be flavored in so many yummy ways. You can add berries, nuts, peanut butter, dried fruit, or whatever else you like to pair with oatmeal. The possibilities are endless! And this steel cut oatmeal is the tasty foundation of them all.
What Are Steel Cut Oats?
Steel cut oats are less processed than old-fashioned rolled oats, so they’re a little larger and require quite a bit more cook time. But with a pressure cooker, it barely takes longer to cook steel cut oats than it does old-fashioned ones!
We like to use steel cut oats for this recipe because they have a heartier, chewier texture, but you can use rolled oats if preferred. They have the same nutritional profile, so you’ll get a healthy and delicious meal in either way!
Difference between Steel Cut Oats vs. Rolled Oats
Wondering if steel cut oats are healthier than rolled oats? All oats start off as oat groats — the whole, unbroken grains so steel-cut and rolled oats actually have the same nutritional profile since they’re all made from whole oat groats.
The difference between steel cut oats and rolled oats are:
- Cooking times – steel cut oats takes longer to cook than rolled oats
- Texture – steel cut oats are heartier and chewier while rolled oats are softer since they absorb more liquid
- How much the oat groat has been processed – steel cut oats are chopped into pieces while rolled oats are steamed, pressed and then rolled flat
- Since steel cut oats are process differently, most people have mentioned that they keep you fuller longer until lunch time.
Why Use an Instant Pot?
There are so many good reasons to make your oatmeal in the Instant Pot. First of all, it’s very low-effort compared to making it on the stovetop. The cooking process is hands-off, and there’s no need to stand by the stove waiting for the water to boil.
Once the oatmeal is cooked, your Instant Pot will keep it warm for you! And the oatmeal comes out perfectly light and fluffy every time. If you’re new to the pressure cooker, be sure to check out my Instant Pot Tutorial to familiarize yourself with the appliance.
Recipe Ingredients
This oatmeal recipe starts with a few simple ingredients, then you can go from there! Feel free to add your favorite sweeteners, flavorings and toppings.
- Steel Cut Oats: Use gluten-free, if needed.
- Almond Milk: We use unsweetened almond milk for the creamiest oats, but you can use regular milk if you’re not dairy-free, another plant-based milk substitute, or water, if desired.
- Sweetener: Sweeten up your oatmeal with maple syrup, honey or your favorite liquid sweetener.
- Flavoring: We like adding flavor to our oatmeal with cinnamon, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt for good measure.
- Toppings of Choice: Top your oatmeal with berries, peanut butter, chia seeds, a splash of milk, etc.
How to Cook Steel Cut Oats in an Instant Pot
This is a great recipe for people who are just getting to know the Instant Pot. We use our 6 quart Instant Pot. It’s so quick and easy, you’ll be making oatmeal again and again! Be sure to follow the step-by-step instructions, photos or watch the video below to see how simple it is!
- Grease Inner Pot: Lightly coat the inner pot of your Instant Pot with coconut oil or cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Add Oats: Add 1 cup of steel cut oats into the Instant Pot, followed by 3 cups of water or plant-based milk. Secure the lid and close the vent.
- Cook: Press the MANUAL (or PRESSURE COOKER for newer Instant Pot models) button and set to 4 minutes.
- Allow Pressure to Release: After the oats finish cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally (about 10-15 minutes).
- Stir: Once the pressure has been released, open the lid and give the oatmeal a good stir. Any extra liquid will absorb as it cools.
- Add Sweetener & Flavorings: Add honey, cinnamon and any other sweeteners or flavorings you’re using.
- Add Toppings: Top your oatmeal with fresh fruit, nut butter or any other toppings you like.
What is the Ratio of Steel Cut Oats to Water?
One cup of steel cut oats should be cooked with 3 cups of milk or water in the Instant Pot. If you’re serving more people and want to make 2 cups of oats, use 5 cups of milk or water. I don’t recommend cooking more than 2 cups at once, as it causes the outer parts to burn.
To double the recipe
To double the batch: I use 2 cups of Steel Cut Oats + 5 cups of milk or water and set to 5 minutes. I do NOT recommend making a larger batch at once as it causes the outer parts to burn.
Tips for the Best Instant Pot Oatmeal
Want to make sure your oatmeal turns out just right? These tips and tricks are here to help!
- Sweeten & Flavor to Taste: Play around with the flavorings and amount of sweetener you add to your oatmeal until you’re satisfied with the taste.
- Add Salt: Adding a pinch of salt to the oatmeal is a great way to bring out all your flavorings.
- Stir After Cooking: After you release the pressure from your Instant Pot, stir around the oatmeal. This will help any excess liquid get absorbed.
Toppings Ideas & Serving Suggestions
Let’s talk toppings. There are tons of tasty things you can add to your oatmeal! Here are some of my favorite additions and serving ideas.
- Top with Seeds: Adding chia seeds or hemp seeds to your oatmeal is a great way to sneak in some additional benefits and nutrients as well as flavor.
- Add Nut Butter: Top your oatmeal with almond butter, cashew butter or another kind of nut butter for some extra protein.
- Serve with Berries: Fresh or freeze-dried berries make a great topping or side for Instant Pot oatmeal.
- Serve with Sweet Potatoes: Sweet potatoes go great with oatmeal, as a topping or a side. Try adding cubed, roasted sweet potatoes on top or pairing your oatmeal with a side of Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes.
How To Store and Reheat Leftovers
Instant pot oatmeal keeps well, which makes it great for meal prep! You can store cooled oatmeal in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
If you want to freeze your oatmeal, separate it by pouring individual portions into a muffin tin. Flash freeze the pan for an hour, then transfer the oatmeal cups to a freezer-safe container. Enjoy them within 4 months, and thaw them out overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Before you heat up leftover oatmeal, you’ll want to add a splash of water or milk to make up for the loss of moisture during storage. Microwave individual portions of oatmeal for 15-second increments, adding water or milk as needed, until warm.
Can I cook rolled oats in the Instant Pot?
Yes! To cook Instant Pot rolled Oats, all you have to do is adjust the oats to water ratio:
- GREASE THE POT: the inner pot as usual.
- ADD THE OATS: add 3 cups of rolled oats, 5 1/2 cups of water and set for 4 minutes on HIGH Pressure.
- NATURAL RELEASE: Release naturally for 15 minutes after it’s done.
More Instant Pot Recipes to Try
Want more fool-proof dishes to make in your pressure cooker? These are sure to be a hit!
More Oatmeal Recipes You Might Like:
This easy Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats recipe makes perfectly creamy oatmeal every time. It's a healthy and delicious gluten-free breakfast that comes together in less than 30 minutes!
- 1 cup gluten-free steel cut oats
- 3 cups unsweetened almond milk , may also use water if you prefer
- Optional: cinnamon , preferred sweetener (date syrup, maple syrup, coconut nectar syrup, sugar-free maple syrup, Yacon syrup etc.) vanilla extract, pinch of salt
- Toppings of your choice: berries chia seeds, nut butter, splash of milk
- ground cinnamon
- preferred sweetener , date syrup, maple syrup, coconut nectar syrup, sugar-free maple syrup, Yacon syrup etc.
- pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- berries
- chia seeds
- nut butter
- splash of milk
- To avoid sticking, lightly coat the inner pot of your Instant Pot with coconut oil or cooking spray.
- Add oats into the Instant Pot followed by milk.
- Secure the lid and close the vent.
- Press the MANUAL (or PRESSURE COOKER for newer Instant Pot models) button and set to 4 minutes.
- After the oats finish cooking, allow the pressure to release naturally (about 10-15 minutes).
- After the pressure releases, open the lid and give the oatmeal a good stir. Any extra liquid will absorb as it cools.
- Add cinnamon, sweetener or other additions you like.
- Top oatmeal with fresh fruit, nut butter, a splash of milk, or any other toppings you like.
I use 2 cups of Steel Cut Oats and 5 cups of milk or water and set the cook time to 5 minutes. I do NOT recommend making a larger batch at once, as it caused the outer parts to burn when I tried.
Grease the inner pot as usual.
Add 3 cups of rolled oats, 5 1/2 cups of water and set for 4 minutes on HIGH Pressure.
Release steam naturally for 15 minutes after it's done.
Stir. Add sweeteners, flavorings, toppings and enjoy!
Recipe Video
It takes time for the Instant Pot to come to pressure and also to let the steam release naturally. I would plan for 30 minutes start to finish for this oatmeal to be on your table.
We use a 6 quart Duo Instant Pot.
Did you try this recipe?
Gregory -
This was so easy and delicious. Thank you!
Jayne -
Yum! Thank you.