Instant Pot Oatmeal Recipe with Steel Cut Oats

Our favorite Instant Pot oatmeal recipe uses nutty steel-cut oats to create a creamy, satisfying, perfectly seasoned porridge. It couldn’t be easier.

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Why we love this recipe

Steel-cut oats (also called pinhead oats) provide a totally different taste and texture experience from rolled oats. This always amazes, given that the only major divergence is their cutting and processing. The Instant Pot is a great way to cut down on their hands-on cooking time and create beautiful, consistent results.

This porridge is is:

• Super-creamy and satisfying
• Full of both flavor and nutrients
• Vegan and gluten-free
• Perfect as-is, but also highly customizable
• Easy and hands-off, with less than five minutes of active time

I first published this post way back in 2011. I’ve since updated the post for clarity and also tweaked the recipe.

What you’ll need

Here’s a glance at the ingredients you’ll need to make a great batch of steel-cut oats.

• Steel-cut oats are widely available in American grocery stores these days. Buy an amount you can use within about six months, and consider keeping them in the fridge for a longer shelf life.
• The liquid in this recipe is equal parts water and non-dairy milk — my favorite options are soy milk and oat milk.
• For a hint of sweetness, you’ll add a bit of maple syrup or brown sugar, whichever you prefer.
• A little bit of cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt enhance the oatmeal’s natural flavors and help make breakfast something really special.

How to make it

Here’s an overview of what you’ll do to make our Instant Pot oatmeal recipe. You can see the steps in action in the video that accompanies this post, and get all the details in the recipe card below.

1. Add the oats to the pot. If you like, you can turn on the sauté function and cook them for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently, to toast them up a bit and bring out their flavor.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot and stir.
3. Cook on manual, high pressure, for 10 minutes, then let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes.
4. Give it a good stir and let rest for 5 minutes before serving. That’s it!

How to serve it

Steel-cut oatmeal is pictured here topped with:

• Shredded coconut
• A dollop of peanut butter
• A quick and dirty berry compote made by heating frozen raspberries and a little bit of sugar in the microwave until syrupy, which takes less than two minutes

Other great options include chopped nuts, fresh or dried fruit, and — ahem — dark chocolate chips.

Expert tips and FAQs

More favorite oatmeal recipes

• The best creamy rolled oats
• The best creamy vegan rolled oats
• Instant Pot savory steel-cut oats
• Savory rolled oats with shallots and spinach
• Savory rolled oats with crispy shiitakes

5 from 5 votes

Instant Pot Oatmeal Recipe with Steel-Cut Oats

By Carolyn Gratzer Cope

Our favorite Instant Pot oatmeal recipe uses nutty steel-cut oats to create a creamy, satisfying, perfectly seasoned porridge. It couldn't be easier.

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 10 minutes mins

Additional Time: 25 minutes mins

Total: 40 minutes mins

Servings: 4

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Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup (160 grams) steel-cut oats
• ▢ 2 cups (475 ml) water
• ▢ 2 cups (475 ml) soy or oat milk (see note 1)
• ▢ 2 tablespoons (30 ml) maple syrup or brown sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt

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Instructions 

• Place oats into a 6-quart Instant Pot. If you like, you can use the sauté function to toast them for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently. (Toast them dry or add a tablespoon of coconut oil or butter if you like.) This step helps to coax out a bit more of their nutty flavor, but truth be told, I don't usually bother.
• Pour in the water, soy or oat milk, maple syrup or brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Give it all a good stir.
• Position lid. Set vent to sealing. Cook on manual, high pressure, for 10 minutes. Pot will take a few minutes to come up to pressure before the countdown begins.
• Let the pressure release naturally for at least 10 minutes.
• Give oats a stir. They will appear watery on top for a minute — don't worry.
• Let sit for five minutes before serving.

Notes

1. As written, this recipe is very creamy. You can reduce the milk by one cup for a slightly firmer texture if you like.
2. I've pictured the oatmeal topped with shredded coconut, a dollop of peanut butter, and a quick and dirty berry compote made by heating frozen raspberries and a little bit of sugar in the microwave until syrupy, which takes less than two minutes Other great topping options include chopped nuts, fresh or dried fruit, and — ahem — dark chocolate chips.
3. I don't recommend making this recipe in advance. The texture of porridge is at its peak shortly after cooking. This recipe is very hands-off, with less than five minutes of active time, so it's manageable to make just before serving. 
4. That said, leftovers keep very well in an airtight container in the fridge for a week. Reheat in the microwave or attentively on the stovetop. You can stir in a bit more liquid if you like.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 219kcal, Carbohydrates: 52g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 94mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 28g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Breakfast and Brunch

Cuisine: American

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