These Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats are perfectly creamy and so easy to make in no time in your pressure cooker. Our favorite and by far the best way to make oatmeal. You’re going to love this healthy and gluten-free instant pot oatmeal recipe that includes instructions for steel cut oats and rolled oats.
PIN HERE for later and follow my boards for more recipe ideas
Updated August 2020
Instant Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal
Whether we are cooking steel cut oats in the pressure cooker or rolled oats on the stove top, my family loves having oatmeal for breakfast. Making oatmeal in the Instant Pot is our favorite way since you get the perfect consistency and it’s completely hands-off.
Cream and smooth, these vegan oats are incredibly versatile and can be made in lots of variations. Although this classic steel cut oats recipe is one of our favorite ways to make them, we love to jazz it up with various toppings and flavors like these Blueberry Steel Cut Oatmeal, Strawberry Steel Cut Oats Carrot Cake Steel Cut Oatmeal, Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats, Pumpkin Steel Cut Oats and our favorite Overnight Oats – 9 Ways.
Why we love this Instant Pot Recipe
This electric pressure cooker oatmeal recipe is versatile and with the best creamy consistency. We love that these steel cut oats are gluten-free and can be made ahead of time and topped with almost any type of fruit and toppings. The flavors are delicious especially with an added sweetener.
Made just simple pantry ingredients, these pressure cooker steel cut oats are great for meal prep and store very well in the refrigerator. For all the flavor variations, be sure to check out our guide for How to Make Steel Cut Oats – 6 Ways.
Why use an Instant Pot to cook oats?
- completely hands-off & not having to stand at the stove to monitor the pot – just set and forget it
- no spilling over or waiting for water to boil
- keeps the oats warm after they are cooked
- the end results are totally worth it and completely foolproof! You’ll get oatmeal that cooks up perfectly light and fluffy
- check out our guide for How to use an Instant Pot if you’re new to electric pressure cooking
Are steel cut oats 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 differences between the two oats is:
- Cooking times – steel cut takes longer to cook than rolled oats
- Texture – steel cut oats are heartier and chewier while old-fashioned 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.
Ingredients For Instant Pot Oatmeal
Our recipe for instant pot steel cut oats with milk serves two but if you want to make instant steel cut oats for one, you will have to scale down the recipe.
- Steel cut oats – we like Bob’s Red Mill but use your favorite gluten- free oats
- Water or Almond milk – we like to use unsweetened almond milk for the creamiest oats but you can substitute with regular or any plant-based milk
Variations and Toppings:
- Ground cinnamon – for a delicious flavor
- Chia seeds or hemp seeds – for additional benefits and nutrients
- Almond butter – for additional protein
- Sweetener – such as maple syrup, coconut sugar, or Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener for keto diets
- Butter – can be regular or vegan
- Fresh berries- such as strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries
- Apples – sliced and chopped
- Bananas – sliced
- Sweet potato – roasted and cubed
We use our 6 quart Instant Pot which you can find here.
How To Make Instant Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal
Be sure to read the step-by-step instructions and watch the video to see just how easy it is to make these instant pot steel cut oat:
- GREASE THE INNER POT: avoid sticking, lightly coat the inner pot of your Instant Pot with coconut oil or spray oil.
- ADD THE OATS: Add 1 cup steel cut oats into the Instant Pot followed by 3 cups water or plant based milk. Secure the lid and close the vent.
- SET TO MANUAL: 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: After the pressure releases, open the lid and give the oatmeal a good stir. Any extra liquid will absorb as it cools.
- ADD FLAVORS: Add cinnamon, sweetener or other additions you like.
- GARNISH WITH TOPPINGS: Top oatmeal with fresh fruit, nut butter, a splash of plant based milk, or any other toppings you like.
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.
How To Make Instant Pot Rolled Oats
Did you know you can also make old-fashioned rolled oats in the Instant Pot. It’s so easy and 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.
Make ahead Tips
The best part about making steel cut oatmeal is that it’s great for meal prep since it reheats perfectly. Make a big batch on Sunday to keep in the fridge throughout the week. Plus, it’s freezer friendly too!
- To store in the fridge. Cook your oats as directed above and allow them to cool. Store them in airtight storage containers and keep in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- To reheat: When ready to eat, reheat your portion throughout the week. If your oats become too thick, add a little milk or water when reheating.
- For the freezer. Cook oatmeal as directed and pour into silicone muffin liners in a muffin pan. Place the muffin pan in the freezer for an hour or until frozen. Once frozen, transfer the muffin cups to an airtight freezer-safe storage container or resealable ziptop bag.
- To reheat: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Reheat in a microwave-safe bowl with a little bit of water as needed, then serve with some milk. The oatmeal can be frozen for up to 4 months.
More Oatmeal Recipes You Might Like:
6 Easy Oatmeal Bowls – Rolled Oats – Instant Pot or Stovetop
Instant Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal – light and fluffy steel cut oats cooked in an electric pressure cooker. Totally hands off cooking process and from start to finish takes about 30 minutes - see note below + ROLLED OATS.
- 1 cup steel cut oats use gluten free as needed
- 3 cups almond milk can also use water if you prefer
- Optional: cinnamon sweetener (honey, maple syrup) vanilla extract, pinch of salt
- Toppings of your choice: berries chia seeds, nut butter, splash of milk
- ground cinnamon
- sweetener honey, agave, or maple syrup
- pure vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- berries
- chia seeds
- nut butter
- splash of milk
- Instant Pot (I use a 6 Quart DUO)
- 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 + 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 when I tried.
3 cups of rolled oats + 5 1/2 cups of water - set for 4 minutes and allow to naturally release for 15-20 minutes. Stir.
Recipe Video
***COOK TIME: Totally hands off 4 minutes of cooking process but it takes time for the pressure cooker to come up to pressure and to let the instant pot release naturally for at least 12 minutes. I would plan for 30 minutes start to finish for this oatmeal to be on your table.
Did you try this recipe?
Gregory -
This was so easy and delicious. Thank you!
Jayne -
Yum! Thank you.