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This Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats recipe is a hands-off, foolproof method that makes creamy, tender oats in record time.
Reasons to Love Instant Pot Steel-Cut Oats
One of my go-to weekday breakfasts is Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats. With minimal prep, maximum nutrition, and record cooking time, this recipe checks all the boxes!
- Hands-Off Cooking. Thanks to the Instant Pot, breakfast is as simple as pressing a button. No babysitting the stove while I'm trying to get ready for the day.
- Nutritious & Budget Friendly. Steel cut oats are not only an affordable pantry staple, but they are packed with whole grains, fiber, protein, and vitamins.
- Endlessly Customizable: With so many topping options (think fruit, nuts, yogurt, or a drizzle of nut butter), it is impossible to get bored.
- Perfect Texture in Record Time. Instant Pot Steel-Cut Oats are creamy, chewy, nutty, and ready in a fraction of the time it take to prepare on the stove or in the slow cooker.
Happy Cooking! xo Kristen
What You Need
- Steel-Cut Oats: Be sure to use regular steel-cut oats, not quick-cook steel-cut oats or rolled oats. For rolled oats, follow my recipe for Instant Pot Oatmeal.
- Liquid: I use a combination of milk and water to cook the steel cut oats, which gives them a nice creamy texture, while boosting the protein and calcium content of breakfast. Use any variety of milk or non-dairy milk (coconut milk, almond milk, oat milk, etc.) you like.
- Flaxseed: Adding ground flaxseed is optional, but it is a simple way to help increase the added fiber.
- Stainless Steel Bowl + Metal Trivet: To use the pot-in-pot cooking method, you will need a stainless steel bowl and a trivet to lift the bowl over the water inside the inner pot. Do not use a glass bowl, as they can shatter under pressure. I find a deep 7x4-inch cake pan works well.
- Instant Pot This recipe is designed using a 6 or 8-quart sized Instant Pot. If using a 3-quart model, you will need to cut the recipe in half and use a 6x4-inch cake pan.
Note on Using Milk in Instant Pot
Adding milk to the inner pot of an Instant Pot is a NO-NO, as it will cause a burn notice. This recipe uses the pot-in-pot cooking method which prevents that from happening, while still ensuring the steel-cut oats turn out creamy. Plus clean-up is a breeze.
How to Make Instant Pot Steel-Cut Oats
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.
- Prepare Instant Pot. Pour 1-½ cups of cold tap water into the inner pot of your pressure cooker and then place a metal trivet or rack inside the inner pot.
- Prepare Oats. Combine the oats, milk, water, flaxseed, and a pinch of salt in a stainless steel bowl or cake pan and place the oats, uncovered, onto the trivet inside the inner pot.
- Pressure Cook. Place the lid on your instant pot, be sure the venting knob is sealed, and set to cook on high pressure using the Pressure Cook or Manual function for 8 minutes.
- Let Pressure Release Naturally. Once the cooking time has elapsed, let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, carefully release any remaining pressure.
- Serve. Give the oats a stir and dish up and serve as desired.
Skip the Pot-in-Pot Method
No Added Dairy?
If you are not adding dairy or non-dairy milk, you can cook the steel-cut oats directly in the inner pot using the following instructions.
- Spray the inner pot with nonstick spray.
- Combine 1 cup of steel-cut oats oats with 3 cups of water and ground flaxseed directly inside the inner pot.
- Cook on HIGH pressure for 6 minutes with 10 minutes of natural pressure release.
Flavor Variations
Enjoy the steel-cut oats plain or with toppings of choice. I personally love adding Greek yogurt, berries, and hemp seeds for additional protein and fiber, but the options are endless. Find inspiration below.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter: Add 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and a handful of chocolate chips to each serving of steel-cut oatmeal.
- Almond Joy: Serve steel-cut oats with mini chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and toasted almonds.
- Apple Pie: Serve the steel-cut oats with chopped fresh apple, cinnamon, and a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.
- Honey Nut: Top the oatmeal with honey to taste and toasted nuts of any variety.
- Pina Colada: Top steel-cut oats with pineapple chunks, toasted coconut, and sliced bananas. Serve with a splash of coconut milk.
- Savory Sausage and Cheese: Top each bowl of oatmeal with ¼ cup cooked breakfast sausage and ¼ cup shredded cheese.
- Savory Bacon and Egg: Top the serving steel-cut oatmeal crumbled baked bacon and a fried egg or poached egg.
- Berries and Cream: Stir in fresh berries and plain or vanilla yogurt into each serving of oatmeal.
- Banana Chia Almond: Top steel-cut oats with sliced banana, chia seeds, and chopped almonds.
- Peanut Butter and Jelly: Stir in 1 tablespoon each of peanut butter and your favorite jam before serving.
Meal Prep Tips
Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats is one of my favorite SIMPLE recipes to prep in advance and enjoy all week. I typically opt to enjoy the oats all week long, but if you like variety, you can freeze the oats to enjoy later in the month.
- Fridge-Friendly: Portion the oats into heat-safe containers (add toppings now if desired) and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Add a splash of milk, reheat for 1-2 minute in the microwave, and then enjoy right from the container. Alternatively, cover the stainless steel bowl with plastic wrap, refrigerate, and dish out individual servings as desired.
- Freezer-Friendly: For longer storage, portion out the steel-cut oats into a silicone muffin tin or souper cubes, and freeze until solid. Remove from silicone molds, and place into a freezer-safe bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, and then reheat in a heat-safe bowl with a splash of milk or water in the microwave.
More Instant Pot Staples
- Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
- Instant Pot Chicken Stock
- Instant Pot Whole Chicken
- Instant Pot Sweet Potatoes
- Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
- Instant Pot Brown Rice
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 Steel Cut Oats
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cups steel-cut oats, no exception!
- 1 cup water, plus more for cooking inside the inner pot
- 2 cups dairy or non-dairy milk, any variety*
- 1 dash kosher salt, optional
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed, optional
Instructions
- Pour 1 ½ cups cold tap water into the the inner pot and add the trivet inside the inner pot.
- Inside a 7-cup heat-safe stainless steel bowl or 7x4-inch cake pan, combine 1 cups steel-cut oats, 1 cup water, 2 cups dairy or non-dairy milk, 1 dash kosher salt, and ¼ cup ground flaxseed, if using. Please note that Pyrex is NO longer approved for use inside an instant pot.
- Place the bowl on top of the trivet/rack and secure the lid on Instant Pot. Set Valve to "sealed" and set the cooking time for 8 minutes on high pressure using the manual or pressure cook function.
- After 10 minutes, carefully release any remaining pressure and remove the lid.
- Remove the bowl with the steel-cut oatmeal from the pressure cooker and serve with desired toppings.
Equipment
- 7x4-inch cake pan works perfectly!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally shared in 2018 but updated in 2023 with a new video and photos.
Hi Can we use a glass bowl???
Hi Marilyn. I have never had an issue with pyrex dishes, but I want to advise what pyrex officially says to keep you all safe. If you use a glass bowl, be sure it is oven safe and you may want to cut the cook time to 6 minutes--but 8 minutes works for super tender oats.
I have made your recipe countless times and I love how my oats turn out. I want to make a batch tomorrow and I have 1 cup of coconut milk, can I use that and 1 cup of whole milk as my dairy or should I just do the 2 cups of whole milk?
Hi Alissa! I am SO glad you enjoy this recipe. My son LOVES when I make this with coconut milk. It adds a rich coconut flavor--so yes, 1 cup of each milk will be great. I hope you enjoy!
I was looking to do this Pot in Pot to prevent burning and also make cleaning easier, and found your recipe. My oats were from a bulk bin and had been around for awhile, so they were a bit too chewy and watery after the recommended time. I set it for another 6 minutes and opened the lid after about another 8 minutes and they were perfect. Next time, I'll try 10 minutes with a full NR. I also added a cinnamon stick and 2 chopped dates to sweeten them up- very tasty. Thanks for the recipe, Kristen!
You are so welcome! Glad you enjoyed Cheryl. Also, what pot did you use to cook your oats in? Some pots can require a bit longer cook time.
Thank you for the recipe! The best part of using your "pot in pot" strategy was that I could store the leftovers right in the pyrex I cooked them in! That's a huge win in itself. When I cook my oats with milk on the stovetop, the bottom of the pan always gets a film of milk that takes forever to clean. This was quick, easy, and minimal clean up! Thanks.
I am so glad you enjoyed this method Karen!!!
My oats didn't fully cook...oops, just realized I forgot the salt!
Hi Joyce, the salt should not impact the cook time. Be sure to use cold water and if you like your oats super soft, you can add 1-2 minutes to the cook time. I hope that helps 🙂
Looking forward to trying your method this week. Love some of your mix-in ideas, but a question. Do you ever do any add-ins before cooking? Like apple chunks or dried fruit, or just stir in the pumpkin or peanut butter when you mix oats and water/milk? I would be doing pot-in-pot, so no worries about burning. I just prefer a more cooked taste to some ingredients and spices.
Hi Colleen! If you are using pot in pot and prefer a more cooked taste, by all means add in before cook time.
Thanks! I did a trial run of half a recipe in my IP Mini with just dried cranberries and spices and it worked fine. I may add a little more water and another minute of cook time as they were a little chewy (I'm not sure how soft they're supposed to get!), but that might be because I used the mini. Did pot-in-pot and they were super creamy!
Hi Colleen! So glad you enjoyed! If you want the oats softer, I would try adding another minute for sure.
Did you use whole flax seeds or did you grind them?
Hi Jeri! I always use ground flax seed to be able to absorb the most nutrients from them 🙂