Maybe I have old-fashioned taste in breakfast, but if I could only have one morning meal for the rest of my life, it would be a bowl of steel cut oatmeal. Today, I’m going to be sharing how to cook Steel Cut Oats that are creamy and perfect every time.
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They’re endlessly customizable, never mushy, and can be made ahead for healthy breakfasts all week.
If you think oatmeal is bland, unappealing, or (as one reader expressed) you “just can’t get into it,” this foolproof steel cut oats recipe is worth another chance.
My oatmeal journey is proof.
- Growing up, we always had a box of fruity-flavored oatmeal packets stuffed under the bottom shelf of our pantry. They were sugary (that part I didn’t mind) and microwaved up into a kind of slop that would change tints depending upon what flavor of fruit it was supposed to imitate.
- Then, I became older and wiser. I bought the oatmeal packets without the sugar. They tasted terrible. No wonder people thought oatmeal was terrible!
- Then, at long last, I was in a cute cafe where I spotted something called “steel cut oats” at the top of the menu. Feeling somewhat magnanimous (but mostly curious) I decided to give this steel cut oatmeal business a chance.
SOUL MATES.
In place of the bland, textureless muck that had been my prior bowls of oatmeal, steel cut oats were thick and creamy, pleasantly chewy and nutty, and left me feeling satisfied in a deep, wholesome way that I thought was reserved only for those who practice yoga.
The difference between steel cut oats and the instant oatmeal I had been eating is like comparing different foods.
Are Steel Cut Oats the Same as Rolled Oats or Instant Oatmeal?
In the sense that all come from the same grain, yes. How they are processed, however, is different, which is why making a bowl of oatmeal with each of the different types of oats yields different results.
- Steel Cut Oats: The best bowl of oatmeal. The oats are left whole and cut into pieces with a steel mill. Steel cut oats are the least processed and therefore maintain the best texture when cooked. They also take the longest amount of time to cook (as you will see, it’s worth waiting).
- Rolled Oats: A respectable though not otherworldly bowl of oatmeal. The oats are steamed and pressed flat. If you are in a big hurry and need breakfast in a few minutes, rolled oats are reliable option (check oit my classic Oatmeal recipe). They are also my favorite for baking (steel cut oats stay way too crunchy to use in most baked recipes like Healthy Oatmeal Cookies).
- Instant Oats: Just say no to a bowl of instant oatmeal. These are rolled oats that are cut into small pieces. By the time you heat them, they lose all texture (hence, mushy). Instant oats work nicely in some recipes where you don’t want the oatmeal to maintain its complete texture, like these Healthy No Bake Cookies, but would not be a good choice for a tasty breakfast.
How to Cook Steel Cut Oats (Stovetop Method)
For a cozy, everyday breakfast a steaming, creamy bowl of classic stove top steel cut oatmeal is my forever love.
It’s easy, healthy, and perfect for all of your favorite toppings!
STEP ONE: Pick Your Liquid.
- For every 1 cup of steel cut oats, you’ll need 3 1/2 to 4 cups of liquid, depending upon how thick you’d like them to be (less liquid = thicker steel cut oatmeal).
- I like to do a mix of water and milk to make the steel cut oats extra creamy. The ratio is flexible. I generally use 2 1/2 cups of water and 1 cup of milk.
- You can use your milk of choice—dairy milk or non-dairy milks like coconut milk or almond milk are great (perfect if you need vegan steel cut oats). If you are feeling indulgent (or are Ina Garten or the Pioneer Woman), whole milk is indisputably delicious.
STEP TWO: Place the Liquid, Oats, and SALT in a Saucepan.
- Note the emphasis on salt above. Add a good pinch for each cup of steel cut oats.
- I always recommend kosher salt, which has a clean taste. Also, because the grains are larger, you’ll more easily avoid over salting your food.
- Salt won’t make the oats taste salty. Rather, it wakes up their flavor and helps ensure the oats are not at all bland.
- Use a medium or medium large saucepan. The oats will need some room to expand.
STEP THREE: Bring to a Boil, Reduce to a Simmer.
- Let the oats simmer on medium-low heat for about 20 minutes to start. You don’t need to babysit them. Simply stir the oats every now and then to make sure they aren’t sticking to the bottom and to remind yourself how delicious this bowl of steel cut oatmeal is going to be.
STEP FOUR: Choose Your Texture.
- Once the oats have been simmering 20 minutes, they’ll need about 5 to 10 minutes of additional simmering to reach their ideal texture.
- “Ideal” is defined by YOU, the oatmeal chef! Like your oats with a more chewy texture? Stop cooking them sooner. Softer, thicker, and creamier is more your style? Let them go the full half hour. Thirty minutes total time is my personal steel cut oatmeal sweet spot.
- The oats will continue to thicken as they cool, so don’t panic if they seem too thin.
STEP FIVE: Top ’Em Off!
- This is the fun part. Oats are a healthy blank canvas for any of your favorite toppings and mix-ins.
Topping Ideas & Variations
Toppings and mix-ins are one of the best parts of steel cut oats! Use them to add flavor and nutritional benefits alike.
- Fresh Fruit. Sliced bananas, blueberries, or strawberries are classic; or try seasonal variations like pears, apples, cherries, or peaches.
- Dried Fruit. Try dried cranberries, raisins, or chopped dried apricots.
- Chocolate. Chocolate chips are always yummy. For double chocolate, add 2 to 3 teaspoons of cocoa powder, plus some sweetener like in this Chocolate Oatmeal.
- Nuts. Try toasted chopped pecans or walnuts, or use a nut butter like peanut butter or almond butter.
- Seeds. Have chia seeds, flaxseeds, or sunflower seeds in your pantry? Toss ’em in!
- Spices. Try a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg. Pumpkin pie spice is yummy too (see this Pumpkin Oatmeal to really spice ’em up).
- Sweeteners. A tablespoon or two of honey or pure maple syrup can work wonders to convince oatmeal skeptics.
- Cream. A little splash of heavy cream makes these extra special.
- Protein Powder. 1/2 to 1 scoop can add flavor and make the oats even more filling.
- Greek Yogurt. I love adding a cool blob of vanilla Greek yogurt to the top of my hot oatmeal. It proves a nice counterpoint, plus additional calcium and protein.
How to Store Steel Cut Oats
Since steel cut oatmeal takes longer to make than I typically have time for on an average weekday morning, I like to make a big batch on weekends and store it for healthy breakfasts all week long.
- To Refrigerate. If you are super organized or want to be able easily grab a single serving, portion the oatmeal into individual containers. You can also just put it all into one giant container, then scoop your desired amount into a bowl the morning you heat it up. Steel cut oatmeal can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.
- To Freeze. Portion your desired amount of the cooked oats into your container of choice. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
How to Reheat Steel Cut Oats
- Place the steel cut oatmeal in a microwave-safe bowl or in a saucepan. Add a good splash of milk or water. Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop, stirring a few times throughout and adding more liquid as needed to keep it from drying out.
- Note on portions: Oatmeal quadruples when it’s reheated. OK, don’t quote me on that exact math, but I find that by the time the oats absorb the extra liquid, I end up with a much larger serving than it appeared when I first scooped it into my bowl.
Questions? Thoughts? Confessions of oatmeal love (or hate!)? LET ME KNOW!
I’d love to hear what you think about steel cut oats, along with any of your favorite toppings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! See Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats for a recipe. Be sure to tightly seal your Instant Pot and use non-dairy milk.
Absolutely. See my Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats for a recipe; it is excellent for big batches and crowds.
If you’d like to make overnight oats by soaking them in liquid, I recommend this overnight steel cut oats recipe, which is typically served cold (though you can heat it if you like). It is one of my favorite make-ahead breakfasts.
Quick-cooking steel cut oats are regular steel cut oats that are cut a bit smaller so that they cook more quickly. Their texture is not as nice and chewy as regular steel cut oats, but they are a better option for a bowl of oatmeal than instant oatmeal or quick-cooking oats.
Whole grain and high in soluble fiber, oats have been shown to help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, which can lower risk of heart disease. They are also rich in iron and vitamin B. For those with celiac, oats are a gluten-free grain. (benefits info found here).
Groats are the whole kernel of a grain after the husk has been removed. Steel cut oats are whole oat groats that have been toasted, then chopped into small pieces.
Steel Cut Oats | How to Cook the Perfect Bowl
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Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups water plus additional as needed
- 1 cup milk any kind you like (I use unsweetened almond milk)
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt do not omit this!
- Toppings and mix-ins of choice see blog post above for suggestions
Instructions
- Place 2 1/2 cups water and milk in a medium/large saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- As soon as the liquid boils, stir in the oats and salt. Return the mixture to a steady boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low so that the oats are at a gentle simmer. Don’t walk away from the pot at this point, as oats sometimes like to boil over. If your oats start to foam up and you are concerned, lift the pan right off the heat and let it settle down a bit before returning the pan to the heat to finish cooking.
- Let the oats gently simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping along the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking. At this point, judge how chewy or creamy you’d like your oatmeal. For softer, creamier oats, continue cooking for 5 to 10 additional minutes, stirring every few minutes until the oatmeal is as tender as you like. If the oatmeal becomes thicker than you’d like, splash in a little extra water or milk to thin it out to your desired consistency.
- Remove the oatmeal from the heat and let sit a few minutes to finish thickening. Enjoy hot with any of your favorite toppings.
Video
Notes
- Leftover steel cut oatmeal is a meal-prepper’s dream! Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, either as one large batch or in individual portions. Oatmeal will thicken as it chills. Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stove with an extra splash of liquid to thin it back out.
- Steel cut oats are also very freezer friendly. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
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Love you for making my oatmeal taste so good.
Thank you, Erin.
So glad you enjoyed it!
“Once the oats have been simmering 20 minutes, they’ll need 5 to 10 minutes of additional simmering…”
Terrible recipe. Also took an hour to get to the main topic. I’m not interested in what you think about them
Hi Boz, it seems like you never made it to the recipe. The part that you copied and pasted was from the blog post. The recipe is listed above the area where you commented, you actually had to scroll right past it. There is also a very convenient “jump to recipe” button at the top of every post that helps you navigate directly to the recipe, no scrolling involved! Hope this helps!
Hi Boz – I have been making Erin’s recipe for steel cut oats for a number of years. It is easy and nutritious; not laden with added sugars, which is great! I often add chopped apple and cranberries, when I make it, but even if not, it gets positive comments from the people i make it for. Incidentally, bloggers write posts because people ARE interested in what they have to say. You might want to use a cook book if reading a post is not your thing. Maybe it was a bad day for you when you sent your comment, but it did not seem constructive, in fact it sounded somewhat mean.
This is so sad and unnecessary.
Which brand of oats do you use or recommend?
Hi Lizmarie, Bob’s Red Mill is the brand I use. I hope you enjoy!
I always use this recipe.
Super easy, and delicious every time!
Thank you
Great to hear, thank you Glenda!
Please share whether to simmer covered or uncovered. What is the white sticky deposit that collects on the side of the pan. Should I just mix it back in or discard?
Hi Tom, you will be keep this uncovered since you will need to keep stirring occasionally and scraping along the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking. Hope this helps!
Leave uncovered. The white part is milk stir back in. Easiest recipe out there. I usually cook at least 25 minutes as prefer soft and creamy
Glad to hear you enjoyed it, Cheryl! Thank you!
Just tried for the first time and and must say this is bland and flavorless. Tastes almost like eating a bowl of plain rice. I’ll continue to experiment but it seems like the only flavor you get is whatever you top it with.
Hi Jerry, steel cut oats have a chewy, nutty flavor and will definitely depend on the brand use. As like rice, you can enhance the flavor based on the toppings or ingredients you use to cook them in or with. Hope this helps!
Hi! Should I rinse the steel cut oats before cooking?
Hi Emma, no need to rinse. Enjoy!
Thank you for sharing! I am eating them while leaving this comment. first thing: YUM! Second thing: I put all my favorite toppings on-fresh blueberries, sliced almonds, cinnamon, and Maple syrup, hence the YUM! I buy my steel cut oats in bulk, so thanks again for sharing. ♥
Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Bert! Thank you!
To pressure cook, how many whistles required?
Hi Rose, I am not understanding the question, “how many whistles required?”
These came out perfecly tender creamy in 20 minutes. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Glad to hear, thank you Lucy!
These came out soooo good. I used 1 c whole milk and 3 c of water.
Reheated some the next day, added water and they came out perfect!!
The last steel cut oats recipe I’ll ever use!
So glad you enjoyed it, Sheryl! Thank you!
Hi Erin,
I am inexperienced with making steel-cut oats and would like to know if it is normal for the oats to be slimy with strings of gel coming from the grain. If so, is there a way to negate that? That happened to me today and I was totally turned off by it, which is disappointing because the flavor was really good. Thanks!
Sam
Hi Sam! Fun fact: this is actually the soluble fiber in the oats! It’s perfectly safe but I understand it can be off putting. Try lowering the heat next time and don’t let them sit on the heat long after they are cooked. Hopefully that will help mitigate it in the future.
I absolutely loved theses. It took me back to my childhood, when I used to go to Pakistan in my childhood days every time we had upset stomachs we were given oats to eat. They were these steel cut ones not the quick ones we eat now as days. I added a teaspoon of honey and some raspberries, I loved them….
Love this, thank you for sharing!
First time ever trying steel cut oats. I was happy to see only 20-30 minutes of simmering. I friend told me she has them on for an hour or something. For me, I think I had them on for 25 minutes. I used water & milk. I loved how they turned out. Not mushy, little nutty flavor. For reheat I’ve splashed water, added chia seeds, bananas and some cinnamon. Thank you for sharing this recipe! Will be a go to for me now!
So happy to hear, thank you Amber!
I always have hard time cooking cold cut steel oats. I tried this recipe and they came out just perfect!!!! Thank you!
Great to hear, thank you Feruza!
I made this this morning and used a cup of coconut milk, a very nice addition and it maintained that creamy texture.
So glad it worked well for you, Wayne! Thank you!