My fam is overnight oatmeal obsessed - it's the most foolproof healthy breakfast! This tested and perfected recipe for hot overnight steel cut oats is the easiest and most most delish way to enjoy the benefits steel of cut oats. No more standing over the stove! Instead, boil them for just 1 minute at night, let them sit on the stove, and wake up to perfectly cooked oatmeal. Top with nut butter, berries and a drizzle of maple syrup!
Love steel cut oats but hate waiting 30 minutes for them to cook? Join the club! That's precisely why I developed this recipe. Ahem, nourishing oatmeal recipes are kinda my thing.
This hands-off hack where the oats cook themselves overnight is the answer to all my one-and-done breakfast dreams.
I've lost count of how many times we've made this recipe. My husband takes it daily to work over a pile of frozen wild blueberries and my kids eat it for dinner at least once a week (yes, we rock oatmeal for dinner regularly).
What it looks like when it's done: creamy, thick goodness!
This method works because...
The 1 minute boil time jumpstarts the cooking process. The oats then soften overnight in the hot liquid versus standard simmering.
Dialing in the ratio of liquid to oats was my biggest hurdle so they're never too watery or too thick in the morning. One cup oats to four cups liquid is gold. I found all water too boring, so I swapped swapped half with milk. We found a winner!
And you wouldn't believe how critical the salt is...truly make or break for flavor. Don't skip it! Adding ½ tsp cinnamon is delish, too.
How to make this *actually* filling
Oatmeal gets a bad rap for not being satisfying but that's assuming you're eating it solo. The Registered Dietitian in me wants you to know that the key is balancing oats with fat and protein to stabilize blood sugar and keep you fuller longer. English, please?
To boost the protein and fat content, use a high protein milk for cooking, add nut butter or hemp seeds, butter, or avocado (love savory oatmeal!). Pair with scrambled or Greek yogurt for a super balanced meal.
Live a little! Make the flavors fun.
You can totally make a plain base and go wild with toppings, but I tested a few flavor variations that make this next level fun to eat.
- Chunky monkey: Top with peanut butter or walnuts, banana, and chocolate chips.
- Berry almond: Fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries, strawberries or blackberries with a splash of almond extract maple syrup, and chopped toasted almonds.
- Carrot cake: Stir in grated carrot (or try zucchini!), cinnamon, almond butter, pecans, nutmeg and vanilla.
- Peach tahini: It may sound funky, but fresh peaches with tahini and sea salt is a go-to for me!
- Caramel apple: I've tested with recipe with a pat of butter, brown sugar or maple syrup, and chopped apple and it's AMAZING.
What I discovered when I froze it
I was skeptical when I tried to freeze this, but it does work! Now I will say my husband and I agree the flavor of fresh is supreme to thawed from frozen. But my kids don't seem to notice, LOL.
So you can freeze in pre-portioned containers for busy mornings and transfer them to the refrigerator the night before so they're ready to go in the morning. But like they always say...fresh is best!
Print
Healthy Overnight Steel Cut Oats (4 Ingredients!)
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Total Time: 8 hours 5 mins
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
I absolutely love overnight oatmeal - it's a fabulous healthy breakfast. This recipe for overnight steel cut oats is the easiest way to enjoy the benefits of steel cut oats! Spend just 5 minutes at night and wake up to perfectly cooked, whole grain goodness. Top with nut butter, berries and a drizzle of maple syrup!
This recipe yields 6 bigger or 8 smaller servings (you can easily cut it in half).
Ingredients
- 2 cups steel cut oats (NOT quick cook)
- 4 cups water
- 4 cups milk of choice (I like unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
- heaping ½ tsp kosher salt
- optional: ½ tsp cinnamon, 2 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Bring milk, water, oats, and pinch of salt to a boil in a large pot (I use my 3.5 qt dutch oven, don't go smaller or it may boil over).
- Let it boil for 1-2 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring often make sure it doesn't boil over.
- Turn off burner. Cover pot with lid and let it sit out on the stove overnight at room temperature.
- In the morning, stir and eat hot (I like hot) with your favorite toppings! Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
For a fun flavor twist, try my Overnight Apple Steel Cut Oatmeal. You can also make in the slow cooker by cooking on low heat for 7-8 hours. Give my Crockpot Blueberry Steel Cut Oatmeal a whirl!
Renee says
Havent tried this yet; just wondering about food safety of leaving milk of any kind on the counter overnight - especially after being heated???
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
I’ve never had any issues but feel free to do what you’re comfortable with!
Mina says
I've been making this for years as meal prep for the week. I make it Sunday after breakfast so I can portion it out and clean up after dinner on Sunday.
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Ahhh yes, us too! Thank you for letting me know it's a staple, Mina. Happy holidays!
Arthur Schumann says
You should never leave a dairy or non dairy product out of refrigeration for more than 2 hours.
Victor says
Boiling first kills all the bacteria that might be in the mix. Keeping it covered overnight doesn’t allow new bacteria to settle on the surface.
Dani says
I’ve been making this with whole milk and leave out overnight on the stove. But every time I go to make it I second guess leaving it out overnight. Do we think that’s okay? Family favorite!!!!
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Hey Dani, technically it’s safest to cook, cool, and refrigerate via traditional method vs leave out. While we’ve never had an issue, of course do whatever you’re comfortable with!
Sinyee Fok says
Is it safe to leave it out overnight on stove and not in refrigerator? Esp since there's almond milk?
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
I’ve never had an issue but you can certainly use all water if you’d like!
Lisa Germano says
I'm making this recipe for the third time and have been cutting the recipe in half or quarters. This time I'm adding some dried fruit and nuts to make a sort of muesli. So easy and yummy!!
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Ohh love that, thanks for sharing!!
Christie says
This has seriously solved so many problems for us in the mornings. I love having steel cut oats for breakfast but seriously who has 25 minutes to stand over the stove every morning, especially with a hangry toddler?
We just simply heat, add some fruit, nuts, seeds and protein powder and it’s a breakfast we all enjoy. THANK YOU so much for this!
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
WAHOOO that's what I like to here! Hangry toddler no longer. Thanks, Christine!
Jennifer Schwabe says
Hi there! I loved your comment. It is nice to hear that you can add what you wanted after it was cooked. My question is, can I add frozen berries to it? And, most importantly, at which point? Thank you!
Alexis Joseph, MS, RD says
Hmmm I think I'd just stir them in at the end?
Anonymous says
Faye Weare says
So easy and so good!
Aaron says
Absolutely perfect and simple and DELICIOUS!!!
Alexis Joseph says
Yayyy thanks Aaron!