How To Cook Steel Cut Oats In The Instant Pot

Confession time! I really disliked oatmeal for the longest time! It is because, I’ve had so much of it as a kid, that I really couldn’t care much for it despite the numerous health benefits. I’ve never really tried cooking with steel cut oats until I got the Instant Pot. And the first time, I tried making some in the IP, I was amazed at how good it was. A bowl of that oatmeal kept me full until lunch. I didn’t need to munch on anything in between. Since then, I try to enjoy the nutritious benefits of this Instant Pot steel cut oatmeal by including it at least three times a week in our breakfast routine. Besides, it is easy to vary the flavors, and you can really get creative with the toppings

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STEEL CUT OATS AND ROLLED OATS

Oat groats look similar to wheat seeds but are larger in size. Steel-cut oats, also known as Irish oats or pinhead, are processed by breaking the oat groats into 3-4 pieces with sharp steel blades. Rolled oats, also known as ‘old-fashioned’ oats need more processing. They are made by steaming, rolling and toasting the oat groats, which creates that flat flaked look, and therefore cook faster because of the flat surface area.

WHY EAT STEEL CUT OATS?

Both steel-cut oats and rolled oats have the same nutritional profile. Then why eat steel cut oats? Steel-cut oats are high in dietary fiber and protein. They are also a good source of iron and provide sustainable energy. Steel-cut oats have a low glycemic index which means they have minimal potential to spike your blood sugar to unhealthy levels. Also, they are naturally gluten-free. It is still a good idea, to check labels since sometimes they are processed in a facility that may also process other grains that may contain gluten. You can read more about the health benefits of steel-cut oats here. Cooked steel cut oats have a chewy and creamy texture, making it much more hearty than oatmeal made with old-fashioned or rolled oats which is just soft and creamy.

INSTANT POT STEEL CUT OATMEAL

The Instant Pot is hands down the best way to cook steel-cut oats. Pressure cooker steel cut oats are like the easiest thing ever. Just dump the ingredients, press 2 buttons, and return to enjoy a bowl of perfectly cooked oatmeal. Jazz it up with some sweetener, spices, fresh fruits, and nuts or granola for more crunch and texture! Yummo in Rachel Ray’s words 😀 While you can just dump the ingredients and walk away, I highly recommend spending a few minutes to toast the oats. The extra step elevates the taste of oatmeal giving it a nice nutty flavor. It’s not a must, but do try it out sometimes. I’ve kept this Instant Pot steel cut oatmeal vegan, by toasting the oats in oil, but you can also use butter or vegan butter.

HOW DO YOU COOK STEEL CUT OATS?

You can cook steel cut oats in the Instant pot/pressure cooker or the stove-top or even the microwave. The least favorite method for me is the microwave. You need to use the right-sized bowl, then cook it in intervals, remove, stir, blah blah. There is nothing wrong with using the stove-top method. The time taken to cook steel cut oats in the electric pressure cooker is the same as that taken on the stove-top.

4 SIMPLE REASONS I PREFER TO COOK STEEL CUTS IN THE INSTANT POT

Zero babysitting/no monitoring. No fear of burning the oats. No spilling which means no mess to clean up, and that’s the last thing one really needs during busy mornings. The Instant Pot has this amazing delayed cooking feature, where you simply add oats and water the night before, close the lid, adjust the timings using the delayed timer, and by the time you wake up, breakfast is ready! Seriously, you can’t beat that!

For the liquid part of the recipe, you can use water, or a mix of milk and water. Regular dairy milk or plant-based milk all work well in this recipe. If using the delayed feature, I’d suggest using only water.

RATIO OF STEEL CUT OATS TO WATER FOR INSTANT POT OATS

The Instant Pot cooking chart recommends a 1 part of oats to 3 parts of liquid. And that’s what I follow. It yields a really delicious creamy instant pot oatmeal even without any milk. If you like thicker oatmeal, use less liquid. As for the timings, this recipe requires half the time as compared to cooking on the stove-top. Cook for 5 minutes if you prefer al dente oatmeal or 10 minutes if you like softer oatmeal. That is totally your preference. I go in for 10 minutes, the oats are soft, creamy and yet chewy enough to give that jaw a good workout! I’d suggest you give it a go even if you are amongst those that couldn’t care much for oats. For all the amazing nutrition this super-food provides, it is absolutely worth including in your diet. Moreover, it is really economical and much better than other processed breakfast stuff that your body doesn’t really need. This recipe is a pretty basic, treat it like a blank canvas. I’m sure everyone has their own preferences of enjoying their oatmeal. Some may like to flavor up the oatmeal with fruits, dried fruits whilst cooking, while others may like to top their oatmeal with those. So make some oatmeal and get creative with your own toppings. I hope you will try this if you haven’t already!

MORE INSTANT POT RECIPES

Carrot ginger soup Coconut lentil curry Chana Masala

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE THE BEST INSTANT POT STEEL CUT OATS | PRESSURE COOKER OATMEAL

Step 1: Toast the steel cut oats Press ‘SAUTE’ button, and set it to ‘NORMAL’. Once its displays, ‘HOT’, grease the bottom of the inner pot with oil spray. You may also use butter or vegan butter. Add 1 cup of steel cut oats, and saute, for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until it begins to turn golden brown and gives out a nutty aroma.

Step 2: Add the liquid Press ‘CANCEL’. Add 3 cups of water, along with a pinch of salt. Give a good mix.

Step 3: How to cook steel cut oats? A: Directly in the inner pot of the IP Close the lid of the Instant Pot. Set the valve to ‘SEALING’. Pressure cook on high for 5 minutes (al dente oatmeal) 10 minutes (creamy oatmeal). It will take some time for the pressure to build up (about 7 minutes), after which the timer will commence.

B: Using the PIP (Pot In Pot) Method Put 1 cup of water in the inner steel pot of the IP. Place a trivet. Add 1/2 cup steel cut oats, and 1.5 cups liquid of choice ( I used half water and half almond milk) in a steel bowl or an oven safe glass bowl, add a pinch of salt, and flavorings if you wish. Give it a good stir, and transfer the bowl onto the trivet. Close the lid of the Instant Pot. Set the valve to ‘SEALING’. Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes. I’ve not toasted the oats here, but if you wish to, you can do either do that in a separate skillet or in the IP inner pot and then transfer it to the bowl.

Step 4: Natural pressure release Let the pot depressurize naturally. It will take about 15 minutes. Once the silver pin drops, turn the knob to ‘VENTING’ and open the lid away from you. Step 5: Mix and serve Give the oats a good mix. Add vanilla extract (if using) and mix well. Dish out and top with your desired toppings. I served mine with a splash of almond milk, maple syrup, a sprinkle of ground cinnamon, fresh fruits and pecans. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or stove-top with a splash of milk. NOTES

You may use 50:50 water:milk. You can either use dairy or any other plant-based milk. I’ve had good results with both. This is a very basic recipe to cook steel cut oats in the IP. You can add whole spices or ground spices, a sweetener like 2 tbsp brown sugar or regular sugar, maple syrup, agave, etc, along with chopped fresh fruits and/or dried fruits like cranberries, raisins, etc in step 2 along with the liquid. For a sugar-free alternative you may sweeten with stevia. You can double the recipe, cooking time remains the same. Store individual serving portions in Mason jars, or airtight containers or freeze in a muffin tin. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag, thaw in the microwave. Add some milk if needed, add your favorite toppings and enjoy.

What are some of your favorite ways to flavor up steel-cut oats? Or do you just enjoy a plain bowl of oatmeal topped with fresh fruits? I would love to hear from you! If you try this recipe, I’d appreciate it if you could leave a review below in comments, as it helps others know the recipe better too. You can also share your feedback and suggestions at [email protected]. Thanks so much 🙂