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Instant Pot Oatmeal is the ultimate breakfast--fast, hands-off, and completely customizable! In less than 20 minutes, you can enjoy creamy, perfectly cooked rolled oats, prepared effortlessly right in your Instant Pot.
Effortless Instant Pot Oatmeal
While waking up to a slow cooker full of steel-cut oats is dreamy, and grabbing a jar of overnight oatmeal from the refrigerator is a great start to a hot summer morning, Instant Pot Oatmeal is my hands-down favorite way to effortlessly prepare oatmeal!
It takes minutes to prepare, is always super creamy, and packs in a nice serving of whole grains and fiber into breakfast. Serve it with any toppings you like for a wholesome breakfast you will never tire of eating.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
How to Make Instant Pot Oatmeal
If you are unfamiliar with cooking in an Instant Pot or the functions of your Instant Pot, be sure to start with my guide for using an Instant Pot for the best results on this and future recipes. You will find the full recipe in detail in the recipe card below.
- Pour in 1.5 cups of cold tap water into the inner pot of an Instant Pot and add a metal trivet.
- In a stainless steel bowl or deep 7x4-inch cake pan (I find the cake pans easiest to find), combine the rolled oats with water and/or milk of choice. If desired, add in flaxseed, ground cinnamon, etc.
- Secure the lid on the Instant Pot, be sure the vent knob is pointed towards sealed, and set the cooking time using the Pressure Cook or Manual button to high pressure for following times:
- Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats: 3 minutes
- Quick-Cook Rolled Oats: 1 minute
- Once the cooking time has elapsed, let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then release any remaining pressure if needed by using a long utensil to knock the steam release knob from sealed to venting--be sure to stand back to protect your face.
- Open the Instant Pot and serve your oatmeal as desired.
Kristen's Key Tips
- Use Rolled Oats, Not Steel Cut Oats. If you have steel-cut oats follow my recipe for Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats.
- Cook Pot-In Pot. Use a stainless steel bowl or cake pan for easy clean-up and allows you the ability to add milk or non-dairy milk to your oats without causing a burn notice.
- Flavor it Your Way! Add flaxseed for fiber, protein powder, top with fresh fruit, stir in nut butter--the options are endless!
Not Adding Dairy?
Skip the Pot-in-Pot Method
If you are not adding dairy or non-dairy milk, you can prepare oatmeal directly in the inner pot.
- Combine 2 cups of rolled oats with 3 cups of water directly inside the inner pot.
- Cook on HIGH pressure for 1 minute for old-fashioned rolled oats or 0 minutes for quick-cooking rolled oats.
- Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then serve as desired.
Ideas for Toppings
One of the main reasons I love to make a big batch of plain Instant Pot Oatmeal is so that each person can flavor/top their oatmeal exactly as they desire. Here are a few of my favorite Instant Pot Oatmeal variations.
- Maple Syrup & Berries: Drizzle oatmeal with maple syrup and top with any berries you like. Add nuts if desired.
- Peanut Butter & Banana: Top oatmeal with sliced banana and drizzle with peanut butter.
- Almond Joy: Top oatmeal with mini chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and toasted almonds.
- Pumpkin Pie: Mix in 2-3 tablespoons pumpkin puree, ½ tablespoon maple syrup, and ½ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
- Raisin Nut: Top oatmeal with a dash of cinnamon and 1-2 tablespoons each of raisins and chopped walnuts.
- Apple Pie: Top with freshly chopped apple, cinnamon, and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.
- Savory: Top oatmeal with cooked breakfast sausage or baked bacon, shredded cheese, and/or a fried egg.
- Berries and Cream: Top oatmeal with ¼ cup of fresh berries and up to ½ cup of yogurt.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate: Allow the oatmeal to cool slightly and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Reheat: Reheat individual servings in a heat-safe bowl in 60-second intervals in the microwave.
FAQs on Instant Pot Oatmeal
For oats to cook properly, you need to use a ratio of 3:2 liquid to oats. When cooking oats in your instant pot, much like rice, you will NOT need as much liquid as you do when cooking on the stovetop. This is because, when you cook oats on the stove, some of the liquid is evaporated, but in the pressure cooker, no liquid is evaporated.
NO! When I first wrote this post, I suggested using an oven-safe glass dish, since then Pyrex has come out to say that their dishes are not safe in the Instant Pot, therefore I no longer recommend using any glass heat-safe dish. Stainless steel is the way to go to be safe!
More Staple Easy Instant Pot Recipes
- Instant Pot Yogurt
- Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
- Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
- Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
- Instant Pot Jasmine Rice
- Instant Pot Chicken Stock
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Instant Pot Oatmeal
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup water, plus water for inside inner pot
- 2 cups milk, any variety
- 1 tablespoon flaxseed, optional
Instructions
- Pour in 1-½ cups of cold tap water into the inner pot and add a metal trivet.
- Inside a 7-cup heat-safe bowl or 7x4-inch cake pan, mix together the 2 cups of rolled oats with 1 cup water, 2 cups milk of choice, and 1 tablespoon flaxseed, if using. Place the bowl or pan inside the inner pot on the trivet.
- Place the lid on the Instant pot and ensure the pressure valve is set to "sealed." To set the cooking time, hit Manual or Pressure Cook and set to cook on HIGH Pressure for 3 minutes for old-fashioned rolled oats and 1 minute for quick-cooking oats.
- Once the cooking time has elapsed, allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes before carefully releasing any additional steam by using a wooden spoon to turn steam valve to vent.
- Remove the bowl carefully from the pressure cooker and then serve with desired toppings or allow to cool and store in fridge to reheat as needed.
Notes
- You need a total of 3 cups liquid to 2 cups oats for oats to cook properly. If you want your oats to be really loose, use an additional ½ cup of dairy or water.
- You can use all water or all dairy. In my experience all water is incredibly bland and using all dairy/non-dairy as your liquid doesn't result in oats breaking down into a creamy texture.
- It is important to note if you are using a high-fat dairy (like coconut cream or whole milk) you MUST use only half full-fat dairy products with half water so the fat in your dairy will not separate while cooking under pressure.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This recipe was originally published in 2017, updated in 2025.
Super easy and yummy!! I love this recipe.... I and some vanilla and cinnamon and use 2 c coconut milk and 1 c water....my new favorite for my mid morning breakfast with some fresh banana and maple syrup topping 🙂
So glad you enjoyed. I love your additions as well.
I’ve made this twice both times without the flaxseeds. I did add apples and a bit more milk the first go round and I let the instant pot do NPR but the recipe is perfect.
I am so glad you have been enjoying this recipe. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review .
Yay!
Here’s another brilliant tip. To be 100% healthy you need to get rid of the anti-nutrients from the grain. For oat you would want to mix the flakes with a tablespoon of buckwheat flour and soak it with 3 parts water for 24 hours. Rinse in a strainer for a minute before boiling. You will only need a third of the required liquid for boiling and if you leave the mix for 48 hours you’ll get sour dough style porride. Smooth as silk and bursting with flavour. I eat it with a small knob of ghee (clarified butter) which, technically, isn’t a dairy due to the lack of milk protein.
Enjoy!
Just made this to toast me up on this snowy day! (Gave me an excuse to buy that PIP.) Now what am I going to do with all those single-serve packets of oatmeal in my pantry? Safe to say, this is now my preferred method of cooking oatmeal! Thanks for such a delicious recipe.
I am so glad you enjoyed so much Sue.
Love this! Can’t wait to try it! Would you? By any chance, have a link to the Pyrex bowl you’re using? Thank you!!
Hi Lau, here is the link to the pyrex bowl I used: https://amzn.to/2FuFDWP, but to be honest, I am about to update the post using this stainless steel bowl. Pyrex has said their bowls are not pressure cooker safe (now a lot of people use them with no issue) but I would hate for something to happen, now that I know this.
You say you need a total of 3 cups liquid to 1 cup oats for oats to cook properly, but the recipe ratio is 2 cups of oats to 3 cups of liquid. Can you please clarify which one is correct? Thanks!
Hi Tricia. You need 2 cups of oats to 3 cups of liquid. I am trying to find where you saw that it was stated you need 3 cups of liquid to 1 cup oats so I can be sure to correct that. Sorry for any confusion.
It is the last thing you wrote in the notes in the recipe. I am glad to see this comment clarifying or I would be afraid to try it.
Oh goodness--thank you for pointing that typo out. Fixing now!
I'm not an oatmeal person but wanted to find an easy breakfast option. I did not have a 7 cup bowl that fits inside my IP, so I halved the recipe (1 cup cold water in the pot, 1/2 cup water in the bowl with 1 cup Trader Joe's rolled oats and mixed in 1 cup Half and Half). Also, I did not have any flaxseed on hand but added one tablespoon of honey butter from Sam's Club. Oh my, this was THE BEST OATMEAL I'VE EVER HAD! (FYI: I added a smidge of brown sugar, chopped walnuts with Bourbon barrel-aged Maple syrup, and chopped whole organic dried cranberries, both from Trader Joe's) This recipe made about two servings so I've saved the rest for tomorrow with some tea. Yum!
Thank you for this delicious recipe Kristen - I am officially an oatmeal person now (and hopefully my family will be too)! I can't wait to try your other flavor options.
This makes me so happy Lizz! I love what you added to your oatmeal--sounds absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing with us! Enjoy tomorrow as well!