How to Cook Steel Cut Oats in the Instant Pot

What’s better than pressure cooked oatmeal? Cooking steel cut oats in the Instant Pot! Instant steel cut oats are a lifesaver for this family. Read on to learn why. 

I am a morning person (don’t hate me!).

I kind of feel like I have to be with four kids. Getting up early is the only way to get anything done. I am also someone that wants breakfast as soon as I get up. Roll out of bed (or out of the rocking chair and lay the baby down as is the case lately), shower and EAT.

This is a habit I started in college…and 20 years later it’s still how I function. Up early. A healthy breakfast as soon as possible. Then get right to work. I am the most focused and functional at 5 am! I am ready to call it a day by 7 pm, though.

RELATED: How to do Homeschool Morning Time

Cooked Steel Cut Oats for Breakfast

My breakfasts have taken on many forms over the years. I used to be a cereal fanatic. HAD to have it every morning. Then I learned about real food and slowly transitioned away from cereal to homemade baked goods like muffins and scones paired with smoothies.

As my tastes and my health evolved breakfast became more like dinner – eggs, meatballs, veggies, sardines, sauerkraut, stir fry, soup. You get the idea. Three meals a day loaded with nutrient-dense food.

Since baby number four was born and I’ve been working on some healing (read more about our unique healing journey HERE), my breakfasts have changed again. Most days I eat oatmeal. It keeps me full. I can add good stuff like collagen (use the coupon KS10 for 10% off!) and ghee. Plus it helps with milk supply.

I know going from veggies for breakfast to oatmeal may not sound like a good change. But it really has been for my body (remember how bio-individuality is key for health). And especially for my gut and my metabolism. I am a slow oxidizer that needs a lot of starch to feel good. But I don’t do well with fruit or starchy veggies…I feel best on grains!

I love how easy it is to soak some oats while I’m cleaning up dinner. Then in the morning, I’ve got a hot bowl of oatmeal in five minutes.

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How are Rolled Oats Made?

And then I learned how rolled oats are made. Way to burst my bubble. I’m not sure why I never researched that before. I research everything. I just assumed they were just oat groats that have been rolled. Wrong.

Turns out rolled oats are somewhat processed. Not that they have strange ingredients added. But they do go through processing.

The outer layer of the oat groat is removed. What is left is steamed treated. And then rolled. So the whole grain aspect is removed and they are steamed. Bummer.

If you opt for quick oats you’re really getting into processed food as they have already been cooked once! They are pre-cooked, dried and then rolled. Not exactly fresh.

Oats and Resistant Starch

I still wasn’t ready to give up my morning oatmeal. Until I started to learn about resistant starch. Many in the natural health world tout its health benefits. And if you agree then rolled oats are a great breakfast choice!

But I don’t. I’ve been researching and have concluded that resistant starch is actually quite harmful. You can read all about my findings HERE.

Aside from the damage to the gut, resistant starch causes major gas and bloating via fermentation in the gut. Um, no thanks! I struggle enough with that. I don’t need more! Now I know why I thought oats were a problem food for me for years!

All oats have resistant starch (especially raw oats or cooked and then cooled oats – no making a big batch at the start of the week to reheat!). But steel cut oats have the least since they are the least processed.

Steel Cut Oats in the Instant Pot

Great. Now how do I enjoy oatmeal while still having my quick breakfast in the morning? I don’t want to wait 30 minutes for breakfast to cook!

Enter the Instant Pot.

If you had asked me six months ago what I thought of my Instant Pot, I would have said, “I guess it’s ok. It mostly sits in the cupboard.”

I’ve tried various recipes with lackluster results. I’m more of a crockpot person.

But I heard you could cook steel cut oats in the Instant Pot. Ok. I’ll give it a shot.

I started by soaking the oats in the Instant Pot the night before (to help reduce phytic acid and make them easier to digest). Then in the morning before I got in the shower I turned it on. By the time I was dressed I had oatmeal!

Instant Pot Timer Function

That was doable. Though still a bit annoying to go downstairs to start breakfast and then go back up to shower. It wasn’t until I figured out the timer function on my Instant Pot that I was totally sold. 

I add the oats and water the night before, set the timer, and when I come down in the morning…breakfast is ready! It really doesn’t get any better than that.

I had tried steel cut oatmeal years ago, but quickly decided it wasn’t for me because of the work involved. But that has all changed now. Steel cut oats are so easy with the Instant Pot.

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The other thing I love is that the Instant Pot will keep the oatmeal warm for when everyone else gets up. I eat first (the early bird). Then my husband gets ready for work. A bit later the kids get up. And we all get warm oatmeal without me doing any cooking. It’s the best healthy breakfast for a crowd.

Even if oatmeal was the only thing I made in my Instant Pot it would still be worth having one. Now my crockpot is in the cupboard and my Instant Pot stays on the counter!

This makes the perfect breakfast for busy, school day mornings or for lazy summer mornings when you don’t want to heat the house.

And now that I’ve had success with oatmeal I’ve been experimenting with other things in my Instant Pot. A lot from this list of basics. Mostly freshly cooked beans…to keep the resistant starch down!

Instant Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal

• Author: Mary Voogt (Contributing Writer)
• Prep Time: 3 mins
• Cook Time: 25 mins
• Total Time: 25
• Yield: 4-6 1x
• Category: Breakfast
• Cuisine: American

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Description

A quick, easy, healthy breakfast for the whole family. Set up these steel cut oats the night before so everyone can enjoy a warm delicious breakfast in the morning.

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Ingredients

UnitsUSMScale1x2x3x

• 2 cups organic steel cut oats
• 4 1/2 – 5 cups filtered water
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup peeled and roughly chopped parsnips or rutabaga (optional)

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Instructions

1. Combine all of the ingredients in the Instant Pot 8-24 hours before cooking.
2. Cook on manual, high pressure for 5 minutes.
3. Allow the pressure to release naturally (this takes about 10 minutes).
4. Serve immediately with your favorite toppings or keep on warm until ready to serve.

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Notes

• You can use the timer function on your Instant Pot for it to turn on when you get up in the morning.
• From start to finish it takes about 25 minutes to cook the oats.
• This serves 4-6 people. It is enough for my family of 6 – 2 adults and 4 kids.
• If you like your oatmeal creamier use more water. If you like a heartier, chewier oatmeal use less water.

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Cooked Steel Cut Oats with Vegetables

So back to my breakfast choices. Just because I’m eating oatmeal does not mean that I have abandoned vegetables. Turns out that oatmeal and vegetables go quite well together!

My favorite way to eat oatmeal is with parsnips or rutabaga! Read about why these not-so-common veggies are now almost daily staples in my diet here.

I put the steel cut oats, water, and parsnip or rutabaga chunks in the Instant Pot the day before and set the timer. In the morning the oatmeal is cooked and the veggies are tender. I simply mash them right into the oatmeal. The parsnips actually look like bits of banana. That might help a hesitant child give them a try.

But the best part? When I add vegetables I don’t need any sweetener in my oatmeal! They add enough sweetness and flavor to the oatmeal.

I normally use organic brown cane sugar or maple syrup on my oatmeal. Unless I add veggies.

So let’s review. Cooking steel cut oats and vegetables in the Instant Pot means:

• No cooking in the morning – breakfast is ready when you wake up.
• Breakfast is kept warm for people getting up at different times.
• There is less resistant starch, which means less digestive upset.
• No added sweetener is necessary.

Steel Cut Oatmeal Options

Of course there are many ways to spruce up your morning bowl of oatmeal. Here are some of our favorite additions.

• Grass-fed collagen (for extra protein) (use code KS10 to get 10% off!)
• Salt
• Butter, ghee, coconut oil or MCT oil (for healthy fat)
• Sunbutter or almond butter
• Organic raisins (for your daily intake of OPCs)
• Dried blueberries, cranberries, apples or dates
• Applesauce or pear sauce
• Sliced bananas
• Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal
• Fresh blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or strawberries
• Apple or pear chunks
• Homemade granola
• Homemade rice milk, almond milk, coconut milk or raw milk
• Almonds (use the code STEWARDSHIP for 10% off at that site!), walnuts (use the code STEWARDSHIP for 10% off at that site!)

My personal favorite combo is oats, collagen, parsnips, ghee, lots of salt, banana, and sunbutter. Sometimes I add a splash of homemade rice milk. It is so good! And I get a great combo of protein, carbs, and fat that gives me energy and keeps me warm.

I started out as a cereal fanatic. That has changed over the years. Now I am an oatmeal lover!

I’m so glad I can make this healthy breakfast fit into my busy, real food lifestyle by cooking steel cut oatmeal in the Instant Pot. It makes me feel good. And I feel good about serving it to my family. Steel cut oats in the Instant Pot make an appearance at least once a week on our breakfast menu. Though sometimes we do still indulge in cereal…but it’s a healthier form like my homemade gluten-free Golden Grahams®!!

Steel cut oats in the Instant Pot make a healthy breakfast for toddlers, kids, and busy moms!

Don’t forget to make sure your oats are organic! Non-organic oats (and really all grains) contain high levels of glyphosate (which contributes to a host of health problems, including gluten sensitivity). Not to mention you want to avoid GMOs. If you can only afford organic for one thing, make it grains.

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• The Healthy Breakfast Book with over 50 recipes!
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• Grain-free Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Porridge
• Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal (pumpkin pie version)
• Instant Pot Apple Cranberry Steel Cut Oats
• Best Homemade Soaked Granola
• Best Pancakes: Whole Wheat or Gluten-free or Sourdough or Paleo Apple Almond
• Veggie Potato Latkes
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• Best High Protein Scrambled Eggs Ever
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• 10 Healthy Brunch Dishes for Potlucks
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• Lots of Breakfast Ideas for Meal Planning
• Hard Boil Eggs in the Instant Pot