Easy Steel Cut Oats
- PREP 5min
- COOK 25min
- TOTAL 30min
Steel cut oats are whole oat groats cut into small bits (instead of rolled into flat discs like with rolled oats). They take slightly longer to cook than other oat varieties but are delicious. When cooked, steel cut oats have a creamy, chewy texture. We love them topped with fruit and nut butter, but take a look at our article above for topping suggestions.
For a quicker cooking time, consider soaking the oats in water the night before you plan to make them. Soaking them will reduce the cooking time by about half.
You Will Need
2 tablespoons butter or vegan butter
1 cup steel cut oats
3 cups water
Pinch salt
1/2 to 1 cup milk, dairy or non-dairy
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon sweetener like brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup
Optional oatmeal toppings like nut butter, fruit, nuts, and seeds
Directions
Toast the oats in butter
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the bottom of a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the oats and stir them around in the butter for a minute or two, or until they begin to smell nutty. Continue to next step.
Cook Oats
Combine the oats with the water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat so that the water is just barely simmering. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice to lift any oats stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Stir in the milk, butter, cinnamon, and honey. Cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until the oats are soft with a slight chew. If the oatmeal seems dry, add a splash more water or milk.
Serve with your favorite oatmeal toppings.
Storing and Make Ahead
Store cooked steel cut oats in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and freeze for up to 3 months. Steel cut oats thicken as they sit, so you might find that you need to add a splash of water or milk when reheating them to achieve the perfect consistency again.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Tips for cooking steel cut oats in a slow cooker and pressure cooker are in the article above.
- For gluten-free oatmeal, make sure that the oats and any toppings that you plan to use are certified gluten-free.
- Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA database to calculate approximate values. We did not include any toppings in the calculations. We assumed whole milk in the calculations.
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