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. But 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?

Steel Cut Oats vs Rolled Oats vs Quick/Instant Oats

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

Overall, steel cut oats are the least processed oats. The oat groat (the full oat “grain”) is cut into two or three parts to get to steel cut oats. Old fashioned and rolled oats are groats that have been steamed and then rolled which speeds up the cooking process for all of us at home. Quick or instant oats 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, but they also lose a bit of texture in the cooking process so they tend to be mushy.

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 go-to oatmeal recipes like my peanut butter chia oatmeal, overnight oats and baked oatmeal recipes but use quick oats for baking sometimes. Quick oats work great for my healthy no bake cookies!

How do You 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. As soon as it’s boiling, turn the heat down to a simmer for 1 minute. Remove from the heat, cool, cover and place in the fridge overnight.*
2. The next morning, uncover the saucepan, heat over medium-high heat until hot. Serve warm.

*I have used this same method and let the oats sit out overnight without any issues, but due to food safety concerns I have updated the recipe and recommend storing the oats in the fridge instead..

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. For 4 servings: Place 1 cup of steel cut oats, 4 cups of water and a pinch of sea salt into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Place in a bowl to serve. 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. 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. Cover with the lid and turn the vent to “sealing.” Press the manual button and set time to 4 minutes on high pressure. The Instant Pot will automatically start. Once done cooking, allow the pressure to naturally release. 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 a sealed container. To reheat, I typically add in 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 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.

Love Oatmeal? Here’s More Recipes to Try:

• Salted Caramel Oatmeal
• Egg White Oatmeal
• Baked Oatmeal Cups 4-Ways
• Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
• Apple Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal 
• Maple Pecan Baked Oatmeal
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal 
• Banana Bread Oatmeal 

If you try this trick for making creamy steel cut oats be sure to leave a comment and a star rating below. Your feedback is so helpful for me and other readers who are thinking about making the recipe. 

Creamy Steel Cut Oats

5 from 14 votes

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! 

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup steel cut oats
• 4 cups water
• pinch of sea salt
• toppings of choice - cinnamon, banana, berries, hemp seeds, chia seeds, maple syrup, etc.

Instructions

 

• Place oats, water and salt into a saucepan and bring to a boil, watching carefully so the water doesn’t boil over. Turn down heat quickly and allow the oats to simmer for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool. Cover with a lid and place in the fridge overnight.
• The next morning, portion out the amount you want to eat and heat in a saucepan over medium-high heat until hot.
• Portion the oatmeal into bowl(s).
• Dress with toppings of choice. I love banana slices, berries and nut butter.

Notes

• I have used this same method and let the oats sit out overnight without any issues, but due to food safety concerns I have updated the recipe and recommend storing the oats in the fridge instead of at room temperature.
• For storing: let the leftover cooked oats cool and place in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. You can reheat the oatmeal on the stove top or in the microwave throughout the week for a quick breakfast (just add a little water or milk if it gets too thick).

Author: Brittany Mullins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: how to cook steel cut oatmeal, steel cut oatmeal

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