Instant Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal {Foolproof Method!}

Last Updated on April 15, 2022 by Karen

Making steel cut oatmeal in the Instant Pot is easy, foolproof, and turns out perfect every time – a warm and healthy breakfast will be ready with little effort!

My husband always likes to joke that I’m the queen of burnt oatmeal. I hate to admit it, but there’s some truth to it. The fact is that whenever I’m making oats on the stove, I’m often distracted with other things like making coffee, emptying the dishwasher, looking for my mug….and the list goes on. As you know, making oatmeal from scratch requires a lot of hands-on cooking time. 

However, it’s no longer a problem when you have an Instant Pot! (this is the 6-QT model I have)

Instead of waiting over the stove for the water to come to a boil, lower to a simmer, and stir constantly to prevent the oats from sticking to the bottom of the pot, the benefit of using the Instant Pot to make steel cut oats is that you can just put all of the ingredients in the pot, lock the lid, press a button and walk away until you’re ready to eat.

Considering the time it takes for the pressure cooker to come to pressure, the actual cook time, and the time it takes for natural release, cooking steel cut oats in the Instant Pot isn’t necessarily faster, but it’s definitely effortless (good for distracted cooks like me…). I love not having to stir and babysit a pot on the stove top, or worrying about my oatmeal burning on the bottom!

What is the key to cooking perfect steel cut oatmeal?

If you’ve never had steel cut oats, you’ll find that they have a heartier, chewier texture compared to old fashioned oats. I prefer them over old fashioned oats as they are less processed, but they’re also notorious for taking a long time to become soft and creamy.

The key to cooking creamy and chewy steel cut oatmeal in the Instant Pot is allowing the pressure to naturally release after the cooking cycle. While the pressure releases, the oats absorb the water and become perfectly tender. If you do a quick release right after the cooking cycle ends, the texture of the oatmeal won’t be quite right.

The steel cut oats will look a bit watery when you first open the lid. Give it a good stir and it will thicken up as it cools.

Can I make it ahead of time?

Yes! Steel cut oatmeal is perfect for meal prep because you can make a big batch on the weekend (refrigerate for up to 5 days) and reheat it for quick, healthy breakfasts throughout the week. I love that they are high in fiber and protein – sometimes I’ll even add a big spoon of cooked steel cut oatmeal to my smoothie to make it more nutritious and filling!

To reheat, add a splash of water or milk and heat on the stovetop or microwave until it loosens up.

What kind of liquid can I use for cooking steel cut oatmeal?

I always use water to make my oatmeal, and then add a splash of milk when serving. You can also cook the oats in milk (your choice of cow’s milk, almond milk, coconut milk, etc.) as long as you keep it to 1:3 ratio of oats to liquid. I recommend using half milk and half water. My experience cooking with all milk is that it seems to cause the oatmeal to foam up too much during the cooking process.