Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats Recipe

Learn how to cook steel-cut oats in an Instant Pot and different topping ideas to make your breakfast colorful and nourishing! This Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats recipe combines the nutty texture of steel-cut oats with the creamy richness of coconut milk, sweetened to your taste and topped with fresh fruits and nuts.

Who doesn't love a quick and easy breakfast on a busy weekday? As breakfast is the first meal of the day, I like to cook it fresh, and the Instant Pot is great for this. It is handy and hands-free, so you can cook for the whole family or the entire week.

I love all oatmeal breakfasts as they are easy to make and filling enough for breakfast. If you do not like sweet breakfasts, you can make a Savory oatmeal breakfast bowl with these steel-cut oats.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Please check the recipe card for the exact ingredient quantities.

• Steel-cut oats: Steel-cut oats provide a chewy texture and nutty flavor. You can substitute with rolled oats, but the cooking time will differ.
• Water: I used water to cook the oats.
• Coconut milk: Coconut milk will make the oatmeal creamy and delicious. If you prefer, you can also use other plant-based milk, like almond, soy, or dairy milk.
• Sweetener: I used honey, but you can also use maple syrup, agave nectar, or any sweetener you prefer.
• Fresh fruits and nuts for toppings: Choose your favorite fruits and nuts to add texture and flavor to your oats. I like to use seasonal fruits like mangoes, berries, apples, and bananas.
• Salt: A small pinch of salt enhances the overall flavor.

Step by Step Instructions

Add steel-cut oats to the Instant Pot inner pot. Now add water and a pinch of salt to it.

Close the instant pot with its lid and start it in manual or pressure cook mode. Cook it for 5 minutes on HIGH pressure.

Once the Instant Pot beeps, turn it off and let the pressure release naturally. It will take 15 to 20 minutes. Then, open the Instant Pot lid.

Stir in the coconut milk and sweetener of your choice. Mix the oatmeal well.

Serve it warm with lots of fresh fruits. I love to add nuts for added crunch.

Steel-Cut Oats Topping Ideas

• Apple steel-cut oats: You can add the grated or chopped apple while you cook steel-cut oats in the Instant Pot or as a topping. I prefer the latter, and a fresh, juicy apple will taste so good when combined with creamy oatmeal! Do not forget to add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg powder!
• Banana steel-cut oats: The best oatmeal topping is chopped banana with peanut or almond butter. Depending on your banana's taste, adjust the sweetener. A pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or vanilla powder is a good addition.
• Nutty crunch: Top the oatmeal with nuts like almonds, cashews, pistachios, walnuts, and seeds like pumpkin, flaxseeds, and sunflower seeds for added crunch and nutrition.
• If you don't have fresh fruits handy, you could add any dried fruits and berries, such as raisins, dried cranberries, dried figs, or dried blueberries.
• Adding nut butter will make the oatmeal creamy and filling enough for the breakfast.

How to Store Leftovers?

Cooked steel-cut oats stay in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days. I store the plain cooked oatmeal in portion-sized containers. When needed, I take it out and thin it out with my choice of milk.

If you are planning to use them for a long time, freezing would be ideal. Divide the cooked steel-cut oats into individual portions and freeze them so you can thaw them when needed.