Creamy Steel Cut Oats

Make the perfect bowl of creamy steel cut oats. This recipe makes a large batch that can be reheated for a quick breakfast throughout the week!

Oh my goodness! How did I forget how dense, chewy, creamy and filling steel cut oatmeal is? I’ve had a container of steel cut oats in the pantry for months. I always eye it and think, nah… those take too long to cook. There’s actually a secret method that makes cooking steel cut oats a breeze – you just have to get them started the night before!

Overall, I really like the texture of these steel cut oats (they’re chewier than rolled oats) and I adore the fact that they are so creamy without any added milk! Before I share the recipe, let’s address the elephant in the room – how are steel cut oats different than regular rolled oats?

Different Types of Oats Explained

If you’ve ever walked into a grocery store and wondered why there were a million different oat choices and wondered which to choose, you’re not alone. Let’s break down the differences.

Steel cut oats: These are the least processed type of oats. The oat groat (the full oat “grain”) is simply cut into two or three parts to get steel cut oats. Because they are less processed, they absorb more liquid and take longer to cook.

Old fashioned rolled oats: For this type of oat, the oat groats have been steamed and then rolled. This bit of processing speeds up the cook time for all of us at home. Rolled oats make for a super creamy bowl of oatmeal and they are my personal favorite!

Quick or instant oats: These are the most processed of all the oat varieties. They are pre-cooked, dried, and rolled and pressed slightly thinner than rolled oats. They cook faster than steel cut or rolled oats, but they also lose a bit of texture in the cooking process so they tend to be mushy and less voluminous.

Nutritional Differences

While steel cut oats are less processed than regular rolled oats, there are only minor differences nutritionally. Steel cut, old fashioned/rolled, and quick oats all have approximately the same amount of fiber, protein, calories, and other nutrients.

I personally don’t view one type of oatmeal better than the other, but I tend to prefer steel cut oats and rolled oats for my breakfast like with my peanut butter chia oatmeal, overnight oats and baked oatmeal recipes.  I’ll occasionally use quick oats for baking like with my healthy no bake cookies and lactation cookies!

Here’s What You Need

• steel cut oats – make sure you grab gluten-free oats if needed. I prefer Bob’s Red Mill organic steel cut oats.
• water – the liquid I chose to cook these oats in. They’re creamy enough made in just water but if you want even creamier oats, you can use dairy-free milk like oat or almond milk.
• sea salt – to season the oats.
• toppings of choice – cinnamon, banana, berries, hemp seeds, chia seeds, maple syrup, etc.

How to Cook Steel Cut Oats

There are a few ways to prepare steel cut oatmeal! The overnight method cuts down on the cooking time in the morning. If you remember to soak your oats the night before, this is by far the easiest method.

Overnight method:

1. Place 1 cup of oats, 4 cups of water and a pinch of sea salt into a saucepan. Bring to a boil.
2. As soon as it’s boiling, turn the heat down to a simmer for 1 minute.
3. Remove from the heat, cool, cover and place in the fridge overnight.
4. The next morning, uncover the saucepan, heat over medium-high heat until hot. Serve warm.

Stovetop method:

1. Bring 3 cups of water and a pinch of sea salt to a boil. Add in 1 cup steel cut oats.
2. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook 10-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove and let sit for a few minutes before serving.

Slow cooker method:

1. Coat slow cooker with cooking spray, butter or coconut oil.
2. For 4 servings: Place 1 cup of steel cut oats, 4 cups of water and a pinch of sea salt into the slow cooker. For a large 8 serving batch: Use 2 cups of steel cut oats and 8 cups of water and 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt.
3. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
4. Place in a bowl to serve.

Check out two of my favorite slow cooker steel cut oatmeal recipes: apple cinnamon steel cut oatmeal + pumpkin pie steel cut oatmeal.

Instant pot method:

1. Place 1 cup of steel cut oats, 3 cups of water and a pinch of sea salt into your Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
2. Cover with the lid and turn the vent to “sealing.”
3. Press the manual button and set time to 4 minutes on high pressure. The Instant Pot will automatically start.
4. Once done cooking, allow the pressure to naturally release.
5. Once all the pressure has released carefully remove the lid and stir the oatmeal and serve.

How Long do Steel Cut Oats Last?

The shelf life of uncooked steel cut oats is a long time! If stored properly they should last 1-2 years in your pantry.

Once cooked, steel cut oatmeal should last 4-6 days in the refrigerator, stored in an air-tight container. To reheat, I typically add a splash of liquid (water or non-dairy milk) before heating in the microwave or on the stovetop. Larger batches are so easy to make and you’ll have oats for the whole week!

The recipe I’m sharing here makes four servings of oats. You can let the leftover oats cool and place them in the refrigerator for up to one week. Simply reheat the oatmeal on the stove top or in the microwave throughout the week for a quick and easy breakfast. Just add a little water or milk if it gets too thick.

Additional Oatmeal Recipes

• Salted Caramel Oatmeal
• Egg White Oatmeal
• Baked Oatmeal Cups
• Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
• Apple Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal 
• Maple Pecan Baked Oatmeal
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal
• Banana Bread Oatmeal