Steel Cut Oatmeal

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Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, there is absolutely no doubt about it. With Remote work and online schooling, the mornings are pretty hectic, which makes us grab the cereal box very often these days. In order to avoid that, I make a huge batch of oatmeal using Steel Cut Oats and it solves the breakfast dilemma of busy weekday mornings. Honestly speaking, we weren’t big fans of breakfast oatmeal until we tried it with steel cut oats. Its creamy and nutty but at the same time, has a grainy texture and not mushy like regular oatmeal. It warms up beautifully in the microwave and is a great meal prepping idea. I am hungry just thinking about breakfast!

Even though the steel cut oats are perfect and meal prep friendly, they take really long to cook unlike quick oats or old fashioned oats. They take about 30-40 min to cook and who has the time to stand over the stove and keep stirring for 40 minutes in the mornings. I make a huge batch in my instant pot which has a prep time of 5 minutes and we are all set. The pressure building, Cook time of 4 min and Natural Pressure release, all in all it takes 25 min for sure, but I don’t have to babysit my Oatmeal. Just Dump in the instant pot and hot oatmeal is ready in the time you have your morning coffee and catch up the news. I also make it on the stove-top in overnight style and that has a prep time of 5 min as well.

If Oatmeal is not your cup of tea, I also make awesome steel cut oats dosa which is super crisp and delicious. They are my kids favorite dosas.

What are steel cut Oats?

Steel cut oats or pinhead oats are whole oat grains(groats) which have been chopped(cut with steel blades) into two or three pieces. They are high in dietary fiber which lower the blood cholesterol levels and stabilizes the blood sugar levels. They have low glycemic Index and are a good source of Iron. They have this nutty and chewy texture to them and are high in protein as well. They have a soluble fiber which makes it gelatinous when cooked with water. Steel cut oats are the least processed variety of oats available in the market. If I have to choose between rolled, quick or steel cut oats, I would pick these in a heartbeat.

What’s the difference between Steel cut oats, Old-Fashioned oats and Quick Oats?

• Steel cut oats or pinhead oats are whole oat grains(groats) which have been chopped(cut with steel blades) into two or three pieces. They take longer to cook and have a chewy consistency.
• Old-fashioned Oats or Rolled oats are a bit more processed than Steel-cut oats but definitely better than Quick oats. Oat kernels or Groats are steamed first and then flattened to make rolled oats. They also cook faster than Steel cut oats and have a creamy texture.
• Quick Oats or Instant Oats are the most processed of the lot, as the oat kernels are pre-cooked and then dried and rolled. They cook really fast either on a stove-top or microwave and have a mushy consistency.

All kinds of oats have the same nutritional benefits but only Steel-cut oats have low Glycemic index which reduce blood sugar levels and lower the risk of heart disease and diabetes. They will keep you feeling fuller longer and keep your energy levels up.

How do we eat this oatmeal? What toppings go well with Steel cut oats?

This oatmeal is so versatile, you can top it with anything. You can use any of the fruits, nuts and seeds and top with a little honey. Apple cinnamon is a classic combination, peanut butter/nut butter, chia seeds and banana is another one, any and all kinda combinations work. Below are all the examples we do at our home. Mixed fruit with pumpkin seeds and honey, second one is Almond butter, chia seeds and apple. The last one is a little wonky and my little one loves this savory combination, Oats mixed with yogurt like a south-indian curd rice and pickle or any indian curry. Below is a potato masala curry.

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What ingredients are used?

It is the most basic recipe ever. It has only 2 ingredients, 3, if you count water.

1. Steel cut oats: I love love Bob’s Red mill Steel cut oats, they are nutty and delicious. Any brand steel cut oats work fine. DO NOT USE any other kind of oats, i mean No quick cooking steel cut oats, no quick oats or no rolled oats at all.
2. Salt: I cannot stress the important of salt. A 1/4 teaspoon of salt makes a ton of difference, it brings out the nuttiness and the natural sweetness of the oats.
3. Milk/Water: I prefer to add water to my oats while cooking, as they are already creamy. But you can add one cup milk and the rest water to make it more creamier. I would suggest not adding milk when you are using overnight method but if you using instant pot method, you can use milk. Any milk will work, nut/oat milk tastes even better.

Instant-pot Method:

This is my most preferred method as it gets done without any babysitting. Just dump all the ingredients in the pot, set the timer for 4 minutes and it is done. I use my 3 quart Instant pot for direct cooking and 6 quart instant pot for Pot-in-pot(PIP) cooking.

In the Instant pot insert/inner pot:

1. In the inner pot, add 1 cup of steel cut oats, 3 cups of water( You can use 1 cup any milk and 2 cups water), 1/4 teaspoon salt and close the lid.
2. Set Pressure cook/manual mode for 4 minutes, vent in sealing/closed.
3. Once the timer is done, let the pressure release naturally(NPR) and open the lid carefully.
4. Mix it once and let it sit for another 5 minutes before serving.

In the PIP(pot-in-pot) method:

I love doing PIP for my oats as I can reuse the instant pot for lunch time.

1. In a stainless steel or pyrex bowl that fits the inner pot, add 1 cup steel cut oats, 3 cups water(or 1 cup milk and 2 cups water), 1/4 teaspoon salt.
2. In the inner pot, add a cup of water and place the trivet that comes with instant pot.
3. Place the bowl of oats on the trivet and close the lid.
4. Set Pressure cook/manual mode for 5 minutes, vent in sealing/closed.
5. Once the timer is done, let the pressure release naturally(NPR) and open the lid carefully.
6. Mix it once and let it sit for another 5 minutes before serving.

Overnight Stove-top method:

I love this method, period. I make this while I am wrapping up things in the kitchen at night, it gets done in a jiffy and I have oatmeal ready to go in the morning. DO NOT USE MILK in this method at night. Add some milk, if needed, in the morning to warm it up.

1. In a heavy bottomed pan, add 4 cups of water and bring it to a boil.
2. Add 1 cup of steel cut oats and 1/4 teaspoon salt and stir it.
3. Boil for 2 minutes and TURN OFF THE STOVE. Cover the pan and let it sit overnight.
4. Warm it up in the morning with some milk/water and enjoy it hot.

How do we store Steel Cut Oatmeal? And how do we reheat in the morning?

• Refrigerator Method: This oatmeal can be prepped in a big batch and stored in an airtight bowl in the refrigerator for 5-6 days. I usually make it on Monday mornings or Sunday night and it lasts till Friday. To reheat in the mornings, add a splash of milk/water and warm in the microwave for 2 min. You can heat on the stove-top too, but a microwave will work just fine.
• Freezer method: This is a very interesting idea. I don’t mind making a fresh batch of oatmeal every week as it takes less effort and time to make a batch but if you have a lot of leftover oatmeal, freeze the oatmeal in individual portions. Using a muffin pan or small boxes is a good idea. Grease the muffin pan with a cooking spray/coconut oil and fill the cups 3/4 full and freeze the tray. Transfer to a ziplock bag when completely frozen. To get it ready for breakfast, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and heat in the microwave in the morning with a splash of milk/water.

More steel cut oats recipes:

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