Learn how to cook steel cut oats! Creamy and flavorful, they're a delicious, healthy breakfast. Enjoy them with toppings like fruit, nuts, and more.
Steel cut oats are a delicious, healthy breakfast! If you haven’t tried them, take this recipe as your sign to buy a bag. Steel cut oats are creamy and nutty, and they pair well with so many flavorful toppings. Bonus: these oats reheat perfectly, so you can make them ahead.
Ten years ago, if you’d told me that I’d one day be excited about oatmeal, I would have laughed at you. Back then, oats and I didn’t mix. I’d eaten a few too many packets of instant oatmeal during college, and I’d sworn off the stuff. I thought oatmeal in any form was mushy and bland.
But steel cut oats changed all that for me. They’re creamy rather than mushy, with a nice al dente bite. Compared to the instant oats of my past—or even old fashioned oats—they’re a thousand times more satisfying.
I’m sharing my favorite stovetop steel cut oats recipe below. These days, it’s a staple in my morning meal rotation. Even if you’re an oatmeal skeptic, I hope you’ll take a chance on it. This recipe could win you over to team oatmeal too!
Steel Cut Oats vs Rolled Oats
Steel cut oats, rolled oats, quick-cooking oats…. They’re all different versions of the same thing: oat groats.
Put simply, oat groats are whole grain oats. You can think of them like the oat equivalent of wheat berries.
- Steel cut oats are oat groats that have been roughly chopped.
- Whole rolled oats (aka old fashioned oats) are oat groats that have been steamed and rolled into flakes.
- Quick-cooking oats (aka instant oats) are oat groats that have been steamed longer and pressed into thinner flakes than whole rolled oats.
I use all these types of oats for different things. Whole rolled oats are perfect for baked oatmeal and overnight oats, for example.
But when I’m craving hot oatmeal, steel cut oats are my favorite. They become super creamy as they cook (especially with the cooking method below!), but they still have some chewy whole oat texture. Goldilocks would 100% eat steel cut oatmeal over any other kind.
Note: Oats are naturally gluten-free, but they are sometimes processed in facilities alongside wheat products. Seek out certified gluten-free oats if you need this recipe to be gluten-free!
How to Cook Steel Cut Oats
You can find my complete steel cut oatmeal recipe with measurements at the bottom of this post, but for now, here’s a quick overview of how it goes:
- Bring the liquid to a boil. I use a slightly higher liquid to oat ratio than most packages recommend—3 1/2 cups liquid for every 1 cup of oats. It gives them an extra-creamy texture. I also use a combination of milk and water. Any type of milk goes—use regular milk or a non-dairy alternative like almond milk or coconut milk.
- Add the oats and simmer until thickened, for 20 to 25 minutes. Make sure to stir every few minutes. The oats can start to stick, creating a gummy film on the bottom of the pan.
- Turn off the heat and let them sit for 2 minutes to continue thickening.
- Optional step: Stir in mix-ins like warming spices or vanilla extract for an extra boost of flavor. I love this recipe with a dash of cinnamon or ground ginger stirred in!
Serve with your desired toppings!
Can I make steel cut oats in the Instant Pot?
Yes! If you’d rather not stand at the stove for 20 minutes stirring, you can make steel cut oatmeal in the Instant Pot instead. Check out my Instant Pot steel cut oats recipe for instructions!
How to Store and Reheat
I call for 1 cup oats in the recipe below. While you could make a smaller batch, I don’t recommend it. This oatmeal reheats perfectly, so it’s great for meal prep. Why not cook a big batch and enjoy it all week?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Pop them in the microwave to reheat, or warm them in a saucepan on the stove. The oats thicken in the fridge, so you may want to add an extra splash of milk or water to return them to a creamy consistency.
You can also freeze steel cut oatmeal. Defrost it in the microwave, or let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating in the microwave or on the stove.
Topping Ideas for Steel Cut Oats
No bowl of steel cut oatmeal is complete without toppings! Here are a few fun ideas for loading yours up:
- Fresh fruit like fresh berries, sliced bananas, or chopped apples, peaches, or pears
- Dried fruit like raisins, dried cranberries, dates, or chopped dried apricots
- Toasted nuts or seeds like walnuts, almonds, pepitas, or chia seeds
- Nut or seed butter like peanut butter, almond butter, or tahini
- A sweetener like honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar
- Greek yogurt for extra protein!
- Coconut flakes or shredded coconut
- Chocolate chips
What are your favorite toppings? Let me know in the comments!
More Healthy Breakfast Ideas
If you loved this steel cut oatmeal recipe, try one of these healthy breakfast recipes next:
- Overnight Oats
- Baked Oatmeal
- Oatmeal Pancakes
- Egg Bites
- Or any of these 60 Healthy Breakfast Ideas!
Steel Cut Oats Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Combine the water and milk in a large saucepan or small Dutch oven. Bring to a boil over high heat.
- Stir in the oats and salt and allow the mixture to return to a boil. Reduce the heat so that the liquid maintains a gentle simmer, then cook for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the oats are thick and creamy. Stir occasionally, gently scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking.
- Remove from the heat and let stand for 2 minutes to continue thickening. Stir in any desired mix-ins, then portion into bowls and serve with desired toppings.
Made this for breakfast today and it was delicious. Oddly the packet instructions were to cook for 5 minutes which was pretty terrible. Was wondering how it would be to just use water though as I usually make my regular porridge with only water as I have yoghurt with it.
I’d like to try steel-cut oats, (they sound really good!), but I don’t have an Instant Pot. Can steel-cut oats be made in a microwave? Or a slow cooker?
Hi Linda, you can make this recipe on the stovetop!
I use Bob’s Red Mill Organic Quick Cooking Oats. For 1/2 cup I use all pasture raised whole milk (1 !/2 cups), a smidge of butter, salt, big shakes of cinn., frozen blueberries, raisins, my trifecta combo of hemp hearts, chia seeds, flax meal (couple tbls.). Cook for 7 min. Serve over 1/2 banana, top with whatever fruit you want. This makes 2 servings. It’s filling and yummy.
I love steel cut oats, too, and my go-to recipe is the 10-minute America’s Test Kitchen version where you bring the water to a boil the night before you want to eat them, add the oats, cover and let sit overnight. Then in the morning I add the milk (since it’s perishable) and cook for 5 minutes…and it’s done. You have to plan ahead of course, but it’s definitely quicker.
Hi CK, I’ve been curious to try that method! Thanks for the suggestion.
My go-to breakfast: steel cut oats with blueberries, walnuts and two tablespoons of ground flaxseed meal. A dash of oat milk,too.
I make enough for 5 days at one time, and they keep perfectly. I know I could vary the add-ins, but I just love this combination.
Hi Gwen, yum! What a great go-to combination of toppings.