If you’ve ever wondered why oatmeal at a nice hotel breakfast buffet tastes so much creamier than the oatmeal you make at home, you’re in the right place.
This is an Ultra Creamy Instant Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal with that velvety texture that’s a little indulgent and a really healthy breakfast! The secret isn’t one of the fancy ingredients. It’s nothing more than steel-cut oats, pressure cooked and topped with milk or cream after cooking.
The Instant Pot takes care of all the work. No standing over the stove. No constant stirring. Perfectly cooked oats every time.
This recipe will be one of your favorites for busy weekdays or for meal-prepping breakfast for the week.
Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal
- Creamy and rich without hours of cooking
- Hands-off cooking in the Instant Pot
- Perfect for meal prep
- Easy to customize with your favorite toppings
- Naturally hearty and filling
- Tastes just like hotel-style oatmeal
Steel-cut oats have a nuttier flavor and chewier texture than rolled oats. They retain shape and they are extremely creamy making them perfect for pressure cooking.
Why the Instant Pot is Perfect for Steel Cut Oats
On the stovetop, steel-cut oats cook in 25–30 minutes, and may need a bit of stirring to avoid clumping.
The Instant Pot does it all!
The pressure cooker will cook the oats evenly, and give them the creamy texture that would take lots of work to do on the stovetop. The natural release will also allow the oats to soften somewhat before turning mushy.
The result? No hassle getting the perfect Instant Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal.
The Secret to Hotel-Style Creamy Oatmeal
Many hotels add dairy to their oatmeal after it has been cooked.
This recipe calls for stirring milk or cream into the cooked Instant Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal, rather than cooking the oats in milk, which can scorch with the pressure cooker.
This will give you a rich and velvety feel and a hassle free cooking experience.
You can use:
- Whole milk
- Half-and-half
- Heavy cream
- Oat milk
- Almond milk
- Coconut milk
Add as much or as little as you like until the oatmeal reaches your preferred consistency.
Best Toppings for Steel Cut Oatmeal
The best part of oatmeal is that you can do so much with it!
Some popular combinations of toppings:
Classic Cinnamon Sugar
- Brown sugar
- Cinnamon
- Splash of cream
Fresh Berry Bowl
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Maple syrup
Apple Pie Oatmeal
- Diced apples
- Cinnamon
- Chopped pecans
- Brown sugar
Banana Nut
- Sliced bananas
- Walnuts
- Drizzle of honey
Peanut Butter Lover
- Peanut butter
- Banana slices
- Cinnamon
Cozy Fall Oatmeal
- Pumpkin puree
- Cinnamon
- Maple syrup
- Pecans
Make-Ahead Breakfast for Busy Mornings
This Instant Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal is perfect for meal prep.
Bake a batch on Sunday and have breakfast all week long!
As the oats cool, they continue to firm up and are great for storing and reheating.
Just divide them amongst containers and store them in the fridge.
Add a splash of water or milk when ready to eat and heat in the microwave or on the stove.
FAQ
Can I use rolled oats instead of steel-cut oats?
Not for this recipe, of course. These pressure cooking times would not be the best for rolled oats as they would get too soft. Use steel-cut oats to get the best results.
Can I make this dairy-free?
Absolutely. Finish with a favorite non-dairy milk (e.g., oat milk, almond milk or coconut milk).
Why use a natural release?
Natural release gives the oats further time to cook slowly and absorb more liquid. This makes the texture creamier as compared to a quick release.
Can I freeze leftover oatmeal?
Yes. Divide oatmeal and place in freezer containers; freeze for up to three months. Refrigerate overnight, add milk or water and reheat.
How long does steel cut oatmeal last in the refrigerator?
Leftovers can be stored for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
Instant Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 cups steel-cut oats
- 5 cups water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- brown sugar (optional to taste)
- Milk or Cream to consistency preference
Instructions
Step 1: Add Ingredients to the Instant Pot
- Place the steel-cut oats, water, salt and brown sugar in the Instant Pot.
- Combine all ingredients.
Step 2: Pressure Cook
- Ensure that the lid is fastened and the valve is in the Sealing position.
- Place on high pressure and heat for 8 minutes.
Step 3: Natural Release
- At the end of the cooking cycle, let the pressure drop naturally for 10 minutes.
- This added time allows for the creamy texture that makes this oatmeal so delicious!
Step 4: Release Remaining Pressure
- Slowly release any remaining pressure after 10 minutes, and then take off the top.
Step 5: Finish with Milk or Cream
- Add milk or cream and stir until oatmeal is in the desired consistency.
- Taste, and add more brown sugar if desired.
- Serve right away with your favorite toppings.
Notes
The Perfect Cozy Breakfast
This Ultra Creamy Instant Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal is the perfect oatmeal to start your day off right, with a comforting, satisfying feeling. With just a handful of pantry staples, this recipe makes a hotel-style oatmeal in just a few minutes with the Instant Pot. Add some fresh fruit, crunchy nuts, drizzle with maple syrup or splash with cream, it’s a fast breakfast that’s customizable to everyone at the table. Prepare a pot for the entire week and serve a hearty and warm breakfast anytime. After you try it with this method, you might never want to go back to preparing steel-cut oats on the stove again.
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