Easy Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats

This is my lazy-morning power move: creamy, nutty, perfectly tender steel cut oats made in the Instant Pot while I drink coffee and pretend I have my life together. These oats come out soft but still toothy, not gluey, and the pressure cooker makes them hands-off—no babysitting, no stirring, no pot bubbling over like it always does when I look away for literally one second. Bonus: a big batch keeps all week, so future-you wins breakfast without ever touching a stove.

My husband swears these oats are why he actually makes it to his early run, and our kid calls them “oatie clouds,” which is wildly generous but I’ll take it. On school mornings, I reheat a scoop, throw on whatever fruit isn’t hiding behind the pickles, and we all eat in that quiet, sleepy way where nobody’s fully awake yet. On weekends, we do the big topping bar, and someone always gets reckless with the peanut butter jar. This recipe is simple, cozy, and it’s honestly one of the few breakfasts everyone in this house agrees on without negotiations.

How to Make It

Okay, here’s the vibe: toss steel cut oats, water, and a pinch of salt into the Instant Pot. If you’re feeling cozy, add a cinnamon stick or a sprinkle of ground cinnamon. Lock the lid, pressure cook on High for 4 minutes, then let it hang out (natural release) for about 15 minutes while you get your coffee or pack lunches or stare into the fridge. When you open the lid it might look a touch watery—don’t panic. Stir like you mean it and it turns creamy. Now’s when you stir in milk or a splash of cream, maple syrup, vanilla—whatever makes you happy. Let it sit a minute to thicken, then pile on toppings and call it breakfast. That’s literally it.

✔Ingredient Notes

– Steel-cut oats: The little nubbly guys, not rolled oats. Chewy, toasty flavor, and they don’t collapse into paste. Don’t swap these 1:1 with quick oats—different universe.
– Water: Do 1 cup oats to 3 cups water for pressure cooking. It looks soupy at first; stirring + a minute to rest fixes it.
– Salt: Tiny pinch wakes everything up. Oats without salt are just… beige sadness.
– Milk or cream: Stir in after cooking for creaminess. Pressure + dairy = burn risk city, so save it for the end.
– Maple syrup or brown sugar: Sweeten after. I do maple on weekdays and brown sugar with a pat of butter on weekends because balance.
– Cinnamon & vanilla: Cinnamon can go in before; vanilla after pressure or it just evaporates into the ether.
– Butter or coconut oil: A teaspoon before cooking helps keep foam down and adds flavor. Not required, just nice.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Add 1 cup steel-cut oats, 3 cups water, and a pinch of salt to the Instant Pot (optional: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon).
2. Stir quickly, then lock the lid and set to High Pressure for 4 minutes.
3. Let pressure release naturally for 15 minutes, then vent any remaining steam and open.
4. Stir vigorously to cream it up; if desired, add 1/2–1 cup milk to reach your perfect texture.
5. Sweeten to taste with maple syrup or brown sugar; stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla if using.
6. Rest 2 minutes to thicken, then serve with toppings.

What to Serve It With

– Sliced bananas, walnuts, and a drizzle of peanut butter.
– Berries + Greek yogurt + honey for that cafeteria parfait energy.
– Apples sautéed in butter with cinnamon and a pinch of salt—fall in a bowl.
– Chopped dates, pistachios, and a dusting of cardamom if you’re feeling fancy.
– Savory twist: cheddar, a fried egg, and black pepper. Trust me.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Don’t cook with milk under pressure. Add it after or you’ll flirt with the Burn notice.
– If it looks watery after opening, stir and give it a minute. It thickens as it cools.
– Oats stuck to the bottom? Add a teaspoon of butter or coconut oil before cooking next time.
– Doubling the recipe? Keep the same time—just don’t go past the max fill line.
– Want softer oats? Use 5–6 minutes pressure instead of 4.

✔Storage Tips

Pop leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or portion into jars so weekday-you can high-five weekend-you. Reheat with a splash of water or milk on the stove or in the microwave—stir halfway so it loosens up nice. Freezes great for 2–3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Cold oats are totally a thing too—like a thicker, heartier overnight oats situation. No shame breakfast right from the container.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Apple pie bowl: Stir in diced apples post-cook, add cinnamon, brown sugar, and a tiny knob of butter.
– Banana bread vibes: Mash a ripe banana into the hot oats, add chopped pecans and a splash of vanilla.
– PB&J: Swirl in peanut butter and a spoon of jam. Silly good.
– Pumpkin spice: Stir in pumpkin puree after cooking with pumpkin pie spice and maple syrup.
– Dairy-free: Use almond, oat, or coconut milk at the end.
– Sweetener swaps: Maple ↔ brown sugar ↔ honey. All work; add to taste.
– Gluten-free note: Oats are naturally GF—just grab certified gluten-free oats to avoid cross-contamination.
– Savory lane: Stir in shredded cheddar, black pepper, and chives. Add a soft egg if you’re that person (I am).

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats

Creamy, hands-off steel cut oats made in the Instant Pot. Just set it and let pressure do the work for perfectly tender oats every time.

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup steel-cut oats
• ▢ 3 cup water
• ▢ 1 cup milk optional, or use more water
• ▢ 0.25 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
• ▢ 2 tablespoon maple syrup optional, to taste
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
• ▢ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter optional
• ▢ 1 cup fresh berries optional, for serving
• ▢ 0.5 cup chopped nuts optional, for serving

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Add steel-cut oats, water, milk, salt, and cinnamon to the Instant Pot. Stir to combine and make sure no oats are stuck to the bottom.
• Lock the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 4 minutes with Keep Warm off if possible.
• Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure.
• Open the lid and stir well. The oats will look loose at first and thicken as you stir.
• Stir in vanilla, maple syrup, and butter if using. If the oats are thinner than you like, use Sauté on Low and cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until creamy.
• Serve warm with berries and nuts or your favorite toppings.

Notes

For dairy-free, use all water or unsweetened almond milk. Leftovers keep up to 4 days refrigerated; reheat with a splash of milk or water, stirring until creamy. Avoid overfilling past the halfway mark when cooking grains in a pressure cooker.