Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats

GFGluten FreeNFNut FreeOFOil FreeSFRefined Sugar FreeVVegan
4.89 from 9 votes
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Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats is easy to make, heart-healthy, and cooks entirely hands-free! Perfect for busy mornings or weekly meal prep. Vegan and Gluten-Free.

Skip the stove top and make these Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats with one of my 10 flavor variations! You’ll need just a few simple ingredients, fresh fruit or your favorite toppings, and less than 30 minutes. Get ready for perfectly creamy oatmeal in no time!

Table of Contents
  1. Fuss-Free Steel Cut Oats
  2. What You Need for Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
  3. How to Make Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
  4. Serving Suggestions
  5. How to Store Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
  6. Substitutions and Variations
  7. Recipe FAQs
  8. Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats Recipe
three different flavors of instant cup oats served in white bowls surrounded by the ingredients served in smaller bowls on a marble kitchen countertop

Fuss-Free Steel Cut Oats

I love to use my Instant Pot for bulk cooking and easy meal prep. At first, I used it for strictly savory Instant Pot recipes like Instant Pot Rice and Beans or Instant Pot Black Bean Soup. But when I realized I could use it to make a perfect bowl of oatmeal without any stirring, sticking to the bottom of the pot, or mushiness, everything changed. 

I LOVE the texture and slight bite of Steel Cut Oats, but I didn’t used to make them very often because they take forever to cook on the stovetop. That’s what’s so great about these fuss-free steel cut oats! You *literally* mix the ingredients together in the pot, then let the Instant Pot do its thing in a fraction of the time. Before you know it, you’ll have a big batch of a hearty, creamy, healthy breakfast ready for you to eat all week long! 

It’s the perfect easy recipe for meal prep, but you can also use it for a large family breakfast, hosting brunch with friends (breakfast bar anyone?), or even breakfast for dinner! 

What You Need for Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats

In addition to an Instant Pot or similar electric pressure cooker, you’ll need just 3 ingredients: 

ingredients for steel cut oats laid out on marble kitchen countertop
  • Steel cut oatmeal: Also known as Irish oats or pinhead oats, steel cut oats are whole oat groats that have been cut into small pieces using a steel blade (hence the name!). Unlike rolled oats that have been steamed and flattened, steel cut oats preserve that delightful hearty chew and pronounced nutty flavor.
  • Water or non-dairy milk: Personally, I prefer a 50-50 mix of water and my homemade nut milk, but you can make your oats with all water, all milk, or your favorite mix of the two. 
  • Salt: A small pinch of salt enhances flavor and balances any added sweeteners. 
  • Optional add-ins: ​This can be as simple as a splash of vanilla, a dash of cinnamon, or a scoop of protein powder. Scroll down to the recipe card for 10 flavor variations!

How to Make Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats

side-by-side images of the cooking process of steel cut oats in the instant pot
  1. Add the oats, water and/or milk, and salt together in the inner pot of the Instant Pot, along with any additional add-ins, if desired, and give it a good stir. 
  2. Cook ​under manual high pressure for 8 minutes. Once the timer goes off, press “cancel” to turn off the auto keep-warm feature. 
  3. Release remaining pressure manually, or let the pot do a natural pressure release.
  4. Serve ​warm and top, as desired.

Caitlin’s Cooking Tips

  • For extra creamy oats, let the pot depressurize on its own. This added time in the Instant Pot will continue to soften the oats and make them extra rich and creamy. 
  • Double the recipe for meal prep. As written, this recipe creates 4 servings. If you’re meal prepping these oats for more than one person, double the recipe, but keep the cooking time the same. 
  • The oats will thicken after time. ​Creamy steel cut oats will be most “runny” immediately after cooking and will thicken as it cools.

Serving Suggestions

A bowl of steel cut oatmeal is hearty enough to enjoy on its own with your desired toppings. Keep it simple and serve these nutritious oats alongside your favorite morning beverage, like an Iced Chamomile Matcha Latte or a Chocolate Hemp Smoothie.

If you’re looking for more easy oatmeal recipes, you’ll also love this Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal, this Creamy Lemon Poppy Seed Oatmeal and this Best Ever Chocolate Oatmeal.

a zoomed in image of the texture of steel cut oats

How to Store Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats

Leftover Instant Pot oatmeal will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Oats can be frozen, too, but are so quick and easy to make fresh, I wouldn’t recommend it. Instead, try my Vegan Breakfast Burritos for a freezer friendly breakfast recipe. 

Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a little extra water or a splash of almond milk to bring the steel cut oats back to your desired consistency. 

Substitutions and Variations

  • Gluten-free option: Use gluten-free certified oats. 
  • Nut-free option: Use a nut-free milk such as oat milk, soy milk, pea milk, or hemp milk. 

Additionally, try one of these 10 flavor variations: 

  • Strawberry banana: Add 1 mashed banana to the oats while cooking, if desired and serve with freshly sliced strawberries and banana. 
  • PB&J: Cook with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, then top with additional PB, plus jam, crushed peanuts, and fresh berries. 
  • Chocolate PB banana: ​Top the cooked oatmeal with sliced banana, chocolate chips, and a drizzle of peanut butter. 
  • Chocolate raspberry: Cook with 1-2 tablespoons cocoa powder and 1-3 tablespoons brown sugar or maple syrup, then top with chocolate chips and raspberries.
  • Banana bread: Add 1 mashed banana to the oats while cooking, plus 1/2-1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, then top with sliced banana and chopped walnuts. 
  • Double chocolate: ​Cook with 1-2 tablespoons cocoa powder and 1-3 tablespoons brown sugar or maple syrup, then top with chocolate chips. 
  • Peanut butter cup: ​Cook with 1-2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1-2 tablespoons peanut butter, 1-3 tablespoons brown sugar and maple syrup, then top with additional peanut butter and chocolate chips to taste. 
  • Blueberry cardamom: ​Cook with 1 cup frozen blueberries and 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom. 
  • Lemon poppyseed: ​Cook with 1/4 cup of lemon juice, 2-3 tablespoons of brown sugar or maple syrup, and 1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds. 
  • Pumpkin pie: Cook with 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree and 1/2-1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. 
three different flavors of instant cup oats served in white bowls surrounded by the ingredients served in smaller bowls on a marble kitchen countertop

Recipe FAQs

Can I add chia seeds or flax seeds?

Definitely! Just note that chia seeds absorb a lot of moisture (think of a flax egg!). To keep the oats a good consistency, I’d recommend adding up to 1/4 cup chia seeds, plus an additional 1/2 cup of milk or water.

Can I make a single serving?

The one downside of pressure cooking is that it is difficult to make just 1-2 servings. In order to prevent a burn warning, you’ll need to make at least 2 servings (1 cup oats plus 3 cups liquid).

Will this oatmeal recipe work with rolled oats or quick oats?

No; The cook time and oats to liquid ratio is developed specifically for steel cut oats. if you have rolled oats on hand, try my Stovetop Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal or one of my overnight oat recipes: Mango Overnight Oats, Strawberry Overnight Oats, Lemon Poppy Seed Overnight Oats, PB&J Overnight Oats, or these Pumpkin Spice Latte Overnight Oats!

Enjoy! If you make this recipe and decide to share it on Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I would also love it if you could leave a comment below with a recipe rating! Thank you for the support 😊

Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats

4.89 from 9 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Servings 6 Servings
Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats is easy to make, heart-healthy, and cooks entirely hands-free! Perfect for busy mornings or weekly meal prep. Vegan and Gluten-Free.

Ingredients
 
 

For Basic Oatmeal:

Optional Add-Ins: (mix & match to your preference)

  • For sweetness: 1-3 tablespoons brown sugar or maple syrup 1 mashed banana, 1 cup frozen blueberries
  • For flavor: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1-2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons peanut butter, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • For protein: 2 scoops protein powder*
  • ***See the recipe notes for 10 flavor variations!***

Instructions

  • Prep: Add the dry oats, water and/or milk, and salt to the instant pot along with any additional add-ins, if desired. Stir well, then put the lid on the pressure cooker and set the valve to sealing.
  • Cook: Cook on manual high pressure for 8 minutes. Once the timer goes off, press “Cancel” to turn off the auto keep-warm feature. Place a kitchen towel over the valve (to prevent spray) and manually release the pressure; you can also let the instant pot naturally release the pressure if you have more time, which will take around 10 minutes
  • Serve: Serve warm and top as desired. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can eat leftovers cold or warm; reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a little extra water or milk to bring the oats back to your desired consistency.

Recipe Notes

  • Protein Powder: I prefer to add 1 scoop of protein powder per cup of dry oats; if I add more I find the texture and artificial sweetener to be a little overwhelming. I would also recommend adding an extra 1/4 cup (60 ml) of water for every scoop of protein powder you use, as it absorbs liquid and will thicken the oatmeal as well. Finally, if your protein powder is already sweetened, I’d recommend skipping any additional sweetener, only adding to taste after cooking the oatmeal.
  • Flavor Variations:
    1. Strawberry Banana – top with fresh strawberries and banana (you can also add mashed banana to the oats while cooking!)
    2. PB&J – cook with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, then top with more peanut butter and jam or fresh berries
    3. Chocolate PB Banana – top with banana, chocolate chips, and peanut butter
    4. Chocolate Raspberry – cook with cocoa powder and sweetener, the top with chocolate chips and raspberries
    5. Banana Bread – cook with mashed banana and 1/2-1 tsp cinnamon, then top with more banana and chopped walnuts
    6. Double Chocolate – cook with cocoa powder and sweetener, then top with chocolate chips
    7. Peanut Butter Cup – cook with cocoa powder, peanut butter, and sweetener, then top with more peanut butter and chocolate chips
    8. Blueberry Cardamom – cook with frozen blueberries and 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
    9. Lemon Poppyseed – cook with an additional 1/4 cup of lemon juice, 2-3 tablespoons of sweetener and 1/2 tsp poppy seeds
    10. Pumpkin Pie – cook with 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree and 1/2-1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice

Nutrition

Calories: 312kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 15gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 215mgPotassium: 333mgFiber: 7gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 927IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 357mgIron: 3mg
Keyword: creamy oatmeal, easy breakfast, Instant Pot Oatmeal, meal prep, oatmeal, Steel Cut Oatmeal, vegan oatmeal
Course: Breakfast
Method: Instant Pot
Cuisine: American

About the Author

Hey there, I’m Caitlin! I make easy-to-follow, wholesome, and budget-friendly vegan recipes that are mostly gluten-free and refined sugar-free. I’m also an avid yogi, love the great outdoors, am chocolate-obsessed, and enjoy eating almond butter straight off of the spoon.

Learn More

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Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This is such a great idea! Thank you!
    I made this with applesauce – Yum!

    BTW – Love your videos! I have been watching for a while now. I went plant based a few years ago and your YouTube channel has been a go-to source for me! You are amazing!
    Thank you!

  2. 5 stars
    This is my go to recipe every week. I do 2 cups steel cut oats and 6 cups water. I split it into 5 servings and it’s ready for me every morning. I just add a little water and smoosh it a bit then reheat for 30 seconds, stir, heat 30 more seconds and it’s perfect. I’ve been doing apples and bananas as my add ins but I think I’m going to branch out and try the Chocolate Raspberry oatmeal once this week. Thanks Caitlin!

  3. 5 stars
    Hi, I am home during the quarantine and I tried your recipe. I haven’t gotten much use out of my instant pot but I get it now. I used steel cut oats and 5.5 cups of water because I will def need to store it in the fridge and did not have non dairy milk. It came out delicious. The texture was spot on. I added bananas, chocolate chips, and a splash of milk with some brown sugar and cinnamon. It was beyond expectations. Thanks for the recipe!

    1. Hope you’re doing well! Happy to hear this recipe could help fill up some time and that it came out great!

  4. I’m really confused. So I understood that Steel oats still contain gluten. I love oats, and miss them !. I also note in one of your bliss type ball recipes you have included rolled oats and referred to the recipe as Gluten free???

    1. Oats are gluten-free in the US, though some are processed in the same facility as wheat. If you are GF, you can buy certified GF Oats!

  5. 5 stars
    I made this last night! I had half a can left of steel cut oats and was avoiding making them because I didn’t feel like “babysitting” them on the stove. I made them with 6 cups of water and they turned out perfectly! They are super creamy and now I have a batch that will probably take me through the week! These were so easy I’m going back to my steel cut oats all the time! Thanks!

  6. This looks so great for meal prep. I love eating oatmeal during the week and I always make a big batch of overnight oats, but I might try this one week instead! My favorite oatmeal combination is bananas, frozen blueberries, and pumpkin seeds. It tastes like spring in a bowl to me.

  7. 5 stars
    Thank you for sharing 🙂 I don’t have an instant pot, but I can never resist a recipe for oatmeal :3 I love just “plain” fruit and berries as topping – one favourite is banana coins, boiled frozen raspberries, and some kind of citrus fruit, like orange och clementine 🙂 and when persimmon is in season, that’s almost a given! Frozen bilberries (small, wild blueberries; just straight out of the freezer!) are so delicious too 😀

  8. I’d recommend you try to add fresh orange juice, pistachios, maple syrup and a little bit of sea salt to your overnight oats… I swear, it is life changing!
    By the way, this recipe looks incredible, I can’t wait to try it 🙂

  9. This look delicious!! I also like my oatmeal with apple ???? I cook the apple sliced in cubes with cinnamon and after it, I mix then in the hot oatmeal with some almonds or hazelnuts pieces. Then on top, sprinkle a bit of cinnamon and a little spoon of nut butter of choice ????
    It tastes amazing with carrot or pumpkin or pear! You need to try it ????

  10. My favourite toppings are definitely homemade nut butter with any kind of fruit! Warm raspberries or blueberries with half a mashed banana into the oats for natural sweeteness!????I also love bananas with chopped dates, cinnamon and nut butter!????

  11. 4 stars
    I actually enjoy it with a lot of butter and salt and pepper. It reminds me of a really nice textured bowl of rice. I started doing this when I had throat cancer to get away from the sugar options and started liking oatmeal for the first time sense I could remember.

  12. 5 stars
    This is awesome! My favorite additions to the oatmeal are craisins, walnuts, fresh orange zest, vanilla powder, cinnamon and brown sugar.

  13. 5 stars
    just made this,,,amazingly creamy and so delicious. Keep the instant pot recipes coming please!!! The rice and beans and pasta puttanesca are new go to recipes for me!!

  14. I use different fruit combinations to change up my daily bowl of oatmeal. Sometimes I add a dollop of peanut butter. I usually cook a large batch in the insta pot with just water and then heat up a daily bowl in the microwave with a couple of tablespoons of milk added and whatever fruit and nuts I want that day. Great quick and healthy start to the day. Thanks for your ideas! I will have to try chocolate as an add one of these mornings.

  15. 5 stars
    Can’t wait to try making this! My favorite flavor atm is date molasses, tahini, and orange blossom water topped with pomegranate seeds! It is so good, you should def give it a try 🙂