Steel Cut Oats Recipe (2024)

Reasons You’ll Love This Recipe

• Super good for you. Steel-cut oats are minimally processed, making them whole grain and high in nutrients like fiber and protein. They have a low glycemic index and are naturally gluten-free. However, if you have a gluten allergy, purchase certified gluten-free steel-cut oats to ensure no cross-contamination. When you eat a hearty bowl, you can plan to be full and satisfied through lunch.
• Inexpensive, healthy breakfast. A 24-ounce bag of steel-cut oats costs around $6. There are 15 servings per bag. If my math is correct, that’s only $.40 per serving.For reference, ordering steel-cut oats from a cafe will run you about $4 or 5 dollars a bowl.
• Meal prep champion. Cooking time for steel-cut oats takes longer than instant oatmeal, but it can be made ahead of time and warmed up all week. I’ll give more meal prep tips below.
• Variety. A bowl of steel-cut oats is like a blank canvas. You can top it with maple syrup, nut butter, fruit, yogurt, or even savory toppings.

What are steel cut oats?

Before I jump into all things steel-cut oats, I want to give a quick rundown on what steel-cut oats are and the difference between old-fashioned oats and instant oats.

Steel-cut oats is oatmeal that has been minimally processed. The inner part of the kernel (aka. the oat groat or whole oat groats) is cut into 2 to 3 pieces by a steel blade.

This is why steel-cut oats take the longest to cook, and it’s also why steel-cut oats transform into a nice chewy, creamy texture after it’s cooked.

Old fashioned oats, or rolled oats, are cooked slightly and flattened out, and this reduces the cooking time and makes them perfect for oatmeal recipes like overnight oats, granola, and cookies. The cooking time is shorter than steel-cut oats, and the texture isn’t as chewy as steel-cut oats, but it’s still firm without becoming too mushy.

Instant oats are the most processed of the three types of oats. The oats are cooked, dried, and then flattened out, and these cook quickly and can often turn mushy.

This is how I decide which types of oats to use:

• When I want a bowl of oatmeal, I turn to steel cut oats.
• I use rolled oats when I make overnight oats, baked oatmeal, granola, energy balls, or any baked good that calls for oatmeal.
• I never use instant oats. But if I did, it’d be to throw together a quick bowl of oatmeal for my kids.

Ingredients

• Steel-cut oats. You can find steel-cut oatmeal in your grocery store’s cereal, natural food, or a bulk section. Bob’s Red Mill is the brand I use most often.
• Coconut or almond milk. Dairy milk or any non-dairy milk will work just fine.
• Coconut oil or butter. Toasting the oats in either coconut oil or butter brings out a delicious nutty flavor with the oats.
• Vanilla extract adds another layer of flavor to the oats.
• Pinch of salt to bring out the other flavors.

Supplies

• 5 ½ – 6-quart saucepan
• Large spoon or spatula
• Souper Cubes for freezing.
• Ello round or square glass containers for storage.

How to Make This Steel Cut Oats Recipe

I prefer the stove top method when cooking steel-cut oats. Cooking steel-cut oats the old-fashioned way on the stovetop creates a creamy texture with a nice bite.

I turn to this slow cooker steel cut oats recipe when I want to make a big batch of steel cut oats.

Here’s my foolproof method for cooking the perfect bowl of steel cut oats on the stovetop.

• Melt the coconut oil or butter in a large saucepan. Once it melts, add in the steel cut oats and cook for 1-2 minutes until the oats are golden and fragrant.
• Pour in 4 cups of hot water, then bring to a boil.
• Turn the heat down and simmer for 20 minutes or until the oats start to absorb the water and thicken up. Stir the oats 1-2 times during this step.
• Stir in 2 cups of milk and let the oats simmer for another 15-20 minutes. Again, stir 2-3 times, so the oats don’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Let the oats sit for another 3-5 minutes or until thickened.
• Serve hot with your favorite oatmeal toppings.

Cooking tips

• This recipe works fine using all water if you’re out of milk. The milk does provide an additional creaminess so if you can, use milk.
• Almond milk, rice milk, hemp milk, oat milk, dairy milk or any type of milk will work fine in this recipe.
• You can add the sugar later on after the oatmeal cooks. Instead of adding sugar directly to the recipe as it cooks, stir in a couple of teaspoons of pure maple syrup to your bowl of oatmeal. I find this is all the sugar needed for the perfect amount of sweetness.
• Stir in some superfoods. Bulk up the fiber and protein by stirring in chia seeds, hemp hearts, flaxseeds, or your favorite superfood.
• The longer the oats sit, the thicker the texture will get. If the oats still seem liquidy after 35-40 minutes, don’t worry because they will thicken up as they sit on the stove. The oats will even thicken more when stored in the refrigerator.
• Add more liquid for a creamier texture. The recipe I’m sharing creates a delicious creamy texture, but if you’d like a softer texture with less bite, add in more milk.

Variations

There are so many steel cut oat topping ideas, here are some of our favorites.

• Fruit. Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, pears, mangos, blackberries, apples, and bananas.
• Dried fruit. Raisins, cranberries, cherries, blueberries, or shredded coconut.
• Nuts. Pecans, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and cashews
• Nut butter. Peanut butter and almond butter
• Sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger, cacao powder, or cacao nibs.
• Superfoods like flaxseeds, chia seeds, or hemp hearts.
• Top with yogurt, jams, or applesauce

Meal Prep Tips

• After the oats have cooled, place them into a glass meal prep container and refrigerate.
• To reheat steel-cut oats, place the desired amount into a microwave-safe bowl and heat on high for 1-2 minutes. Stir in maple syrup and additional milk, add toppings, and serve hot.

Freezer Tips

• Steel-cut oats freeze and reheat beautifully.After the oats are cooked and cooled, place them into 1-cup Souper cubes or a freezer container. If you’re freezing using Souper Cubes, remove and place the oat blocks into a labeled freezer bag after the steel-cut oats are frozen.
• When ready to eat, place the steel cut oats into a microwave-safe dish and heat on high for 2-3 minutes or until hot.