Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats {Dad's Ukrainian Recipe}

Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats is a creamy, healthy, and delicious healthy breakfast meal for busy mornings. Set the night before, then just season and top with your favorite fruit and berries in the morning!

We love oatmeal for breakfast, whether it’s overnight oats, healthy granola, or baked oatmeal bars. So healthy, and so good!

instant pot steel cut oats in a bowl with citrus fruit and nuts

Why Make Instant Pot Oatmeal?
Ingredients for Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats Recipe
What Are Steel Cut Oats?
How to Cook Steel Cut Oats in Instant Pot
Optional Add-Ins and Variations
Tips for Best Oatmeal in Instant Pot
FAQs
How to Serve
How to Store and Reheat
More Favorite Oatmeal Recipes
Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats Recipe

I’m sharing my recipe for Instant Pot steel cut oats tested multiple times until I perfected it to the ultimate consistency just like my dad used to make in Ukraine. Just the right amount of creamy with a bite and in a fraction of the time as cooking it on the stove!

Enjoying a complete breakfast like Instant Pot eggs and Instant Pot egg bites, or even Instant Pot yogurt with quinoa granola is now even easier thanks to the Instant Pot, an electric pressure cooker extraordinaire. Steel cut oatmeal Instant Pot is a healthy breakfast, high in protein, and fibre that will keep you fuller for longer.

You may also love syrniki recipe, cheese pancakes that I also grew up eating in the Ukraine!

Why Make Instant Pot Oatmeal?

Keeps you full: Because of their higher fiber and density, steel cut oats keeps you fuller for much longer than old fashioned rolled or instant oats.
Healthy: Less processed than rolled oats and loaded with vitamins, like vitamin B, minerals like iron, high in fibre, and antioxidants.
Customizable: On their own oats are a little nutty, but also bland, so it’s a great blank slate to add all of your favorite add-ins, toppings, and flavours.
Easy and hands off: With just 12 minutes of cook time, some water, and oats, it’s the pressure cooker that does the work!

steel cut oatmeal made in instant pot ready to eat in a bowl with a spoon

Ingredients for Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats Recipe

Steel cut oats: Steel cut oats are the healthiest oats because they are the least processed. Buy organic, if possible. I also included notes for quick cooking steel cut oats which we buy at Costco often.
Water and milk: Water is for cooking oats because the pressure cooker needs liquid to create steam. The milk is added afterward to add richness and creamy consistency.
Butter: Melted butter also adds creaminess to porridge. You could replace the butter with coconut oil if preferred!
Sweetener: I like to use maple syrup just because the maple flavor in oats is amazing. Honey, sugar, agave, erythritol, stevia, etc. will also work.
Seasonings: Pure vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Amounts used are merely to add subtle flavor. For more prominent flavors, see suggestions below.

steel cut oats, maple syrup, milk, butter, vanilla and warm spices

What Are Steel Cut Oats?

As much as we all love a warm bowl of oatmeal in the morning to get us going, it’s important to know that not all oatmeal is created equal! A healthy oat breakfast can quickly go south once you start adding a ton of sugar, or use the prepackaged oats that come with an incredible amount of dessert like sugar. The oats themselves all have a lot of nutrients in them, and each is considered a part of a healthy choice, it’s just what we do with the oats that can alter the benefits.

Steel cut oats are the least processed of the bunch, which essentially makes them the healthiest of all the oats. Just in terms of how much of the vitamins and minerals are retained after processing. They almost look like quinoa or chopped up rice. It’s cut from the oat groat rather than made into rolled (more processed) oats. This makes them much more coarse in texture, even after cooking. They’ve got a chewy bite to them, which can be tricky to overcome if not cooked properly, and because of this, the cooking time is longer than rolled oats- but that is where the magic of steel cut oatmeal Instant Pot comes in!

How to Cook Steel Cut Oats in Instant Pot

Cook oats in water: In the Instant Pot, add 2 cups steel cut oats and 4 cups water. Cook for 12 minutes on High Pressure.

For overnight steel cut oats: This cool feature is totally optional but so handy! Press delay at night for -25 minutes before your breakfast time. Wake up to freshly cooked steel cut oats.

Season oatmeal: Release the pressure right away and add butter, milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and stir. Let the steel cut oatmeal Instant Pot sit for 2 minutes to thicken and absorb the flavours.
Serve with your favorite toppings: Fresh in season or frozen fruit and berries, nuts, chia seeds, peanut butter, other types of nut butter, or jam are all great options.

Quick cooking steel cut oats: This is pre-cooked steel cut oatmeal, so it needs less cook time. Use a ratio of 2 cups of oats to 3 1/2 cups water, and cook for 6 minutes.

prepping steel cut oatmeal instant pot with water and oats

instant pot steel cut oats after cooking

Optional Add-Ins and Variations

Apple pie: Stir in 1/2 cup applesauce, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and a pinch of nutmeg.
Vanilla maple: Add 1/4 cup maple syrup and 1 tsp pure vanilla extract.
Savory oatmeal: Use plant based milk and serve with a fried or poached egg, bacon, avocado, and salsa.
Raisin nut: Add 1/2 cup raisins, 1/2 cup chopped almonds or pecans and let sit for 5 minutes for raisins to swell.
Yogurt and berries: Add 1 cup of plain yogurt or strawberry yogurt and 1 cup of fresh or frozen berries. You may also love to use leftover healthy fruit salad!
Pumpkin: Stir in 1 cup of pumpkin puree, 1 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp nutmeg before cooking. Or just use 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice.
Banana bread: Add sliced ripe banana before cooking. If you prefer them to be uncooked and a little more firm, add them after.

Tips for Best Oatmeal in Instant Pot

Size of Instant Pot you can use: Any! 3, 6, 8 or 10 quarts will fit the original recipe as written. The double volume will work in all sizes except the 3 quarts one.
Total cook time is 20-25 minutes: Factor that in during morning rush hour. So, it isn’t that instant but you turn it on and walk away.
Double the recipe: Double all ingredients but keep the same cook time.
Make less: Cut ingredients in half but keep the same cook time. You can also try to make overnight steel cut oats in individual jars if feeding one or two people.
Keep Warm: If you plan on using this function, add extra 1/2 cup water to prevent oatmeal from sticking and burning to the pot.
Don’t add dairy milk before cooking: It’s important to add dairy milk after cooking oats otherwise it will cause “Burn”.
Non-dairy milk: However, you can replace water with any plant-based milk from a carton like almond milk at a 1:1 ratio. Just coat the pot with oil before adding the ingredients.
Don’t use the porridge button: It is a pre-programmed function for quick oats. I learned through multiple testing methods, custom times (manual/high-pressure cook time) work the best with Instant Pot.

FAQs

Are steel cut oats gluten free?

Naturally, steel cut oats are a gluten free whole grain that is easily digestible by most people. However, the issue lies in that many places that process oats, also process items that do contain gluten. This is where cross-contamination can be a problem, especially for those with celiac disease, intolerance, or allergy.

The only way to be sure if your steel cut oats are certified gluten free is to make sure to read the label. It will say if it is made in a gluten free facility.

Are steel cut oats better for you than rolled oats?

Don’t get me wrong, rolled oats are awesome and I use them in everything from cookies to even pizza crust. They too come with a slew of vitamins and minerals. However, just based on the fact that steel cut oats are less processed than rolled oats, it means less of their benefits get lost along the way. So, naturally, they contain more of the good stuff.

Should I rinse steel cut oats before cooking?

You certainly can, if you prefer, but you don’t have to. Some people who don’t use the Instant Pot may want to soak them for a bit and then drain. Using the Instant Pot eliminates the need for any of that.

Can I use quick cooking steel cut oats?

This is a great option if you want to get breakfast on the table in a hurry! Use 2 cups of oats for 3 1/2 cups of water and cook for just 6 minutes.

Why are my steel cut oatmeal oats chewy?

Steel cut oats have a different texture than rolled oats if that is what you’re used to. Having them a bit chewy (with a little bit of a bite) is very normal. If you find that they are gluey and goopy, it might just be a matter of you not leaving them alone and stirring a little too much. When you activate the starch, it can change the texture of the oats.

Should I add salt to steel cut oats?

You can! The salt, as it does in any recipe, helps to bring out the natural flavors of the oats. They are quite nutty and slightly bland, so a little salt won’t hurt!

steel cut oatmeal instant pot in a bowl with fruit and nuts

How to Serve

Flavor: Swirl in some homemade Instant Pot applesauce or top with strawberry yogurt.
Serve a crowd a special brunch: Include this sweet potato egg casserole, a basket of fresh healthy cranberry orange muffins, or a stack of almond flour pancakes.
Relaxed weekend mornings: I love to enjoy a bowl of overnight steel cut oats and Instant Pot egg bites.
During the holidays: Indulge a little with these healthy cinnamon rolls, a loaf of moist and delicious healthy banana bread or healthy gingerbread loaf.

How to Store and Reheat

Storing: Refrigerate oats in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Batch cook and double the recipe to quickly grab and reheat on busy mornings.

Reheating: Oatmeal thickens in the fridge. Add a splash of milk and simmer on the stovetop for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until warmed through.

Freezing: You can also freeze oatmeal in portions in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Then thaw in the fridge and reheat.

Meal prep: You can divide cooked oatmeal with toppings between containers and refrigerate for up to 5 days. When ready to eat, stir your overnight steel cut oats to prevent toppings from scorching, and microwave until warmed through.

More Favorite Oatmeal Recipes