6 Amazing Ways to Make Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats

Want to learn how to cook steel-cut oats in the instant pot? With 6 healthy, delicious flavor options you'll love these easy recipes for making the best steel cut oats ever!

I love a good bowl of oatmeal! Especially steel-cut oats. They're hearty and have a nutty flavor that is just so satisfying. But what I don't love about steel-cut oats is how long they take to cook.

We used to have them for breakfast when I was a kid and I remember waiting very impatiently for our oatmeal to be ready. My mom had it down to a science, carefully measuring oats, liquid, and flavorings into a pot. But I wanted my oatmeal fast (and still do). So as an adult, I had to come up with a no-fuss way to make steel-cut oats even on busy weekday mornings.

That's where the Instant Pot comes into play. You can cook steel cut oats in the Instant Pot in just 4 minutes of cooking time and it's completely hands off! (And if you want yet another easy way to make steel-cut oats, check out my overnight steel-cut oats recipe.)

What Kinds of Oats Can You Cook in the Instant Pot?

When you're looking to cook oats in your instant pot, the first thing you need to keep in mind is the type of oats you're using. Turns out you can't cook all types of oats in the instant pot.

The difference between various kids of oats is basically just the way the oat grain has been rolled/cut. The thicker the oat, the better it is for the Instant Pot. Bob's Red Mill – our partner for today's post – makes a huge variety of oats, many of which can be used with your Instant Pot.

The types of oats that can be cooked in a pressure cooker (or IP) are:

• Steel Cut Oats
• Old Fashioned Oats
• Extra Thick Rolled Oats

The only types you can't cook in your IP are quick cooking and/or instant oats.

Today we are going to explore the best way to cook steel-cut oats in the Instant Pot. Let's get to it!

Steel-Cut Oats to Liquid Ratio

My secret to perfectly creamy steel-cut oats in the Instant Pot is to actually use a mixture of water and non-dairy milk. The ratio you'll want for oats to liquid is 1:2. So for every 1 cup of oats, you use 2 cups of liquid.

So for this recipe, here is what you will need:

• 2 cups steel-cut oats
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup almond milk

How to Cook Steel Cut Oats in the Instant Pot

The best thing about this cooking method is that you basically just dump and cook! I love a no-fuss breakfast, don't you?

• Measure out your steel-cut oats. I like to do a minimum of 2 cups in my Instant Pot as anything smaller tends to not cook quite as evenly. If you have a smaller pressure cooker, you could probably go with 1 cup.
• Add the liquid. Stir everything together.
• Turn your Instant Pot to high pressure. Set to 4 minutes and let it build up the pressure!
• Allow the pressure to release naturally for about 10 minutes. Then release the rest and remove the lid.
• Give it a quick stir and serve it up! Feel free to add your favorite toppings.

That's the basic method for cooking steel-cut oats. Keep reading to find out how to make 6 different flavor variations, all using this simple method as a starting point.

6 Ways to Cook Steel Cut Oats in the Instant Pot

While oatmeal on its own is absolutely delicious, it's the toppings that make it extra special! I wanted today's post to be more than just a tutorial for cooking steel-cut oats in the Instant Pot, so I've also got some fun flavor combinations for you.

I've included all the recipes down below, but here are the flavors we're working with today:

• Apple Cinnamon
• Lemon Blueberry
• Peanut Butter & Banana
• Chocolate Coconut
• Peanut Butter & Jelly (or Almond Butter!)
• Maple Sea Salt

Steel-cut oats are an excellent meal prep option, so cook up about 2 cups over the weekend and make these 6 different flavors for breakfast during the week. If you do actually assemble/mix the flavors ahead, I recommend starting your week with the ones that contain fruit as those will get mushy the longer they sit.

Ready to learn how to make steel-cut oats? Let's dive in!

1. Apple Cinnamon Steel-Cut Oats

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With warming spices and juicy apples, this cozy bowl of steel cut oats is perfect for a chilly morning! You can also saute your apples as we did in this recipe to make it even more fall/winter-friendly!

Ingredients you need:

• 1 cup cooked steel cut oats
• 1 small apple, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• Chopped almonds to garnish

Add the oats, 1/2 the apple and cinnamon into a bowl. Stir to combine. Top with remaining apple chunks, syrup, and almonds to garnish.

2. Lemon Blueberry Steel-Cut Oats

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We're going from Fall in the last one, to Spring in this one! I love the combo of lemon and blueberry and it's just perfect for breakfast. I like using frozen blueberries so you can actually make this any time of year and the lemon gives it a nice little zing!

Ingredients you need:

• 1 cup cooked steel cut oats
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (+ more to garnish)
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• Almond milk for serving (optional)

Add the oats, lemon juice, blueberries and syrup into a bowl. Stir to combine. Top with remaining ingredients if using.

3. Peanut Butter Banana Steel-Cut Oats

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Can you get any more classic that peanut butter and banana? This was the most requested flavor from my Instagram fam and for good reason! You only need three ingredients, it's naturally sweetened, you get protein and healthy fats and the combo just rocks no matter which way you look at it!

Ingredients you need:

• 1 cup cooked steel cut oats
• 2 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 banana
• Chia seeds to sprinkle

Mash half the banana and add it along with the oats and 1 tablespoon of peanut butter into a bowl. Stir to combine. Top with remaining banana (which should be sliced), peanut butter and sprinkle with chia seeds.

4. Chocolate Coconut Steel-Cut Oats

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I had to throw something chocolatey in here because I just love chocolate for breakfast! This combination has a base of creamy chocolate oats (thanks to cacao and coconut milk) and then is topped with toasted coconut chips and chocolate chips. It's just divine!

Ingredients you need:

• 1 cup cooked steel oats
• 2 teaspoon raw cacao
• 2 tablespoons coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• A garnish of toasted coconut & chocolate chips

Add oats, cacao, 1 tablespoon coconut milk and maple syrup into a bowl. Stir to combine. Top with coconut chips, chocolate chips and the rest of the coconut milk.

5. Peanut Butter & Jelly Steel-Cut Oats

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This one takes me back to childhood for sure! We've got a base of peanut butter oats then top it with some chia seed jam (I like raspberry), along with chopped peanuts and coconut. It's creamy, crunchy, flavorful and fun all at the same time!

Ingredients you need:

• 1 cup cooked steel oats
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons chia seed jam (or jam of choice)
• 1 teaspoon chopped peanuts
• 1 teaspoon chopped coconut flakes

Add the oats and peanut butter into a bowl and stir to combine. Top with jam, peanuts and coconut flakes!

6. Maple Sea Salt Steel-Cut Oats

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Our final is my favorite flavor because it's got that perfect blend of salty and sweet. The salt really helps to bring out the flavor of the maple, makes it feel a bit more decadent and the cashew butter in the oats makes it's creamy and delicious!

Ingredients you need:

• 1 cup cooked steel cut oats
• 1 tablespoon cashew butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla powder
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup, divided
• 1 tablespoon chopped pecans
• Sea salt flakes
• Almond milk to serve (optional)

Add the oats, cashew, vanilla powder, and 1 teaspoon maple syrup into a bowl. Stir to combine. Top with pecans, the rest of the syrup, the salt and a splash of almond milk if you'd like it extra creamy!

What's Your Favorite Oatmeal Flavor?

Since the possibilities are truly endless with oatmeal, we'd love to hear from YOU! What do you like to add to your oatmeal to make it flavorful? Add your favorite combo in the comments below!

This recipe is brought to you in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill. As always, all opinions are my own. I only share companies I love and trust, so thank you for continuing to support Simply Quinoa!