Overnight Steel Cut Oatmeal

6 August, 2018 80 Comments

This Overnight Steel Cut Oatmeal is the easiest, foolproof way to enjoy healthy steel cut oats! Spend five minutes preparing it at night and wake up to perfectly cooked oatmeal in the morning.

I’ve been making this beauty of a recipe for YEARS.

Ya see, I found the genius method of cooking steel cut oats overnight on the internet ages ago and have perfected it over time. Because who wants to wait 30 minutes for oatmeal to cook? Not this lady! Now it’s second nature to us to make a big batch of oats for the week because it makes eating a healthy, yummy breakfast SO quick and easy. This recipe also makes a lot, because you know how much I appreciate leftovers. Any oatmeal you don’t finish you can use in in these splendid Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins! Too soon for pumpkin? Never.

This creamy Overnight Steel Cut Oatmeal takes just minutes to prepare, is super cheap, and makes enough to last me and the big eater next to me for days. It’s approachable, affordable, and accessible health at its finest. Miracle breakfast situation, ya hear?

What’s the Difference Between Steel Cut Oats and Rolled Oats?

Now when it comes to the anatomy of oatmeal, there’s instant oats, old fashioned rolled oats, steel cut oats, and oat groats. Oat groats are the most natural state of oats, the whole hulled kernel of the oat grain. Steel cut oats are the least processed of the oat varieties, meaning they take the longest to cook. While these varieties differ in processing, the nutritional value is pretty much the same. If you’re like me and don’t want to stand over the stove for half an hour, this Overnight Steel Cut Oatmeal is made for your face.

How to Make Overnight Steel Cut Oatmeal

Full of fiber, plant protein, and whole grain goodness, Overnight Steel Cut Oatmeal is a GLORIOUS way to start the day, especially when the full Tupperware is ready to go and all you have to do is throw it in the microwave and top to your heart’s content. I use these 36oz glass containers to store leftovers. To make this ridonculously simple recipe, all you have to do is bring oats, water, and almond milk to a boil for 2 minutes, cover, remove from heat, and let it sit out overnight (not in the refrigerator).

That’s it! I use my trusty 5-qt dutch oven for cooking, which I use for pretty much everything.

Now let’s talk ingredients! I typically get my steel cut oats at Aldi (traditional, not quick cook) because they’re the most affordable. I keep several containers of it on hand at all times. For the milk, I use whatever store brand unsweetened vanilla almond milk I have on hand, which is either the Aldi brand of Kroger’s Simple Truth brand. It makes it nice and creamy. If you like sweeter oatmeal, you could use an original milk that’s sweetened or add brown sugar/honey/maple syrup to to your liking. You could also use all water if you’re not on team creamy oatmeal.

Topping Options for Overnight Steel Cut Oatmeal

You guys know how much I love nut butter, and no bowl of oatmeal is complete without it. My go to is this date pecan butter because it’s sweet and salty and heavenly, but I also adore almond butter (I get the big 2-packs of Kirkland brand from Costco), peanut butter, and sunflower seed butter. P.S. did you know pecans have more antioxidants than any other nut?!

When it’s summer and they’re in season, fresh blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries make the best toppings. When it’s fall or winter, I heat up frozen wild blueberries instead. After the nut butter and berries goes a sprinkling of mulberries for sweetness, texture, and a nutrient boost plus cinnamon. Done and done!

When I’m not feeling the nut butter route, I love doing a pat of butter, a drizzle of pure maple syrup, chopped crisp apple, and a pinch of salt. It legit tastes like a caramel apple!

Are Steel Cut Oats Gluten-Free?

Oats do not contain gluten. This gets confusing because they are often processed in facilities that do process grains with gluten, which means risking cross-contamination. If you are avoiding gluten for personal or health reasons, be on the lookout for steel cut oats that indicate they’re certified gluten-free on the label.

Making Oatmeal in the Slow Cooker or Instant Pot

If you’re looking for quicker method, I’ve made steel cut oatmeal in the Instant Pot using 2 cups of steel cut oats, 3 cups of water, 3 cups of almond milk, and a good pinch of salt. Cover with lid and turn the top to sealing. Cook on high pressure (“manual”) for 4 minutes. When it’s done, allow the pressure to release manually for 20 minutes. The oats will thicken as they sit. I like mine more like porridge, but if you like them thicker, cut back on the liquid.

To cook steel cut oats in a 4-6 quart slow cooker, first spray vessel very well with cooking spray. Use ingredient proportions below and combine in a slow cooker. Cover with lid and cook on low for 7-8 hours or overnight. Easy!

How to Store Leftover Oatmeal

This recipe makes a giant batch of overnight oatmeal, making breakfast a breeze! If you’re cooking for one, cut the recipe in half.

You can store leftover overnight steel cut oatmeal in the refrigerator for a week and in the freezer for months. In order to reheat, simply mix your desired portion of steel cut oats with a little water or milk and warm it in the microwave or on the stove.
You can also freeze leftover steel cut oatmeal 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. I like these glass containers for meal prep.

Please let me know how this overnight steel cut oatmeal recipe turns out for you by leaving a star rating and/or comment! I hope you adore it as much as I do.

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