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?
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. 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.
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. 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 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.
Onto the toppings! 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 do almond butter (I get the big 2-packs of Kirkland brand from Costco). P.S. did you know pecans have more antioxidants than any other nut?!
I’m a huge peanut buttah gal but for some reason, when it comes to oatmeal, I usually want almond butter. 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!
To breakfasts of champions!!
- 2 cups steel cut oats
- 4 cups water
- 4 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or milk of choice)
- pinch of salt
- Bring milk, water, oats, and pinch of salt to a boil in a large pot (I use my dutch oven).
- Let it boil for 1-2 minutes, stirring to make sure it doesn't boil over.
- Remove from the heat (I move it to the burner behind), cover with lid, and let it sit out on the stove overnight, unrefrigerated.
- In the morning, remove lid, stir, heat, and eat! I like to top mine with almond butter, cinnamon, and berries. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
I rarely cook my oats overnight, mostly I just cook them in a rush in the morning (if I even do, since I’m always so last minute!). This recipe would be a nice change to help with my time in the morning! 🙂
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Give it a go!
Do you think it is safe to keep this on the stove overnight if I use homemade almond milk that has no preservatives?
Yep
How do you portion it out in the morning? Just wondering what the serving size of the cooked oats is? I’m the same way with PB vs almond butter as a topper. Almond butter only on oats, PB for sandwiches 🙂
The serving depends on the person—I fill my bowl and eat till I’m full 🙂
After I asked the question I realized that’s how you’d answer 🙂 . Thanks! Trying this tonight!
I cannot wait to try this! My MIL was just asking about steel cut oats, so I sent her this recipe. 🙂
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I honestly had given up on cooking steel cut oats just because of the time! I cannot wait to try this method; thanks for sharing! BTW, team Aldi all the way 🙂
Thanks for posting this! I saw it on your stories and wanted to make it but then I forgot what you did haha. I have never done overnight oats because I reallyyyyy struggle with the thought of eating cold oats, so the fact that you heat this up again in the morning is a major selling point for me! Can’t wait to give this a try!
Yay! They’re nothing like typical overnight oats because they’re cooked, not raw. Way better in my opinion!
WOW!!! Oatmeal is one of my favorites, and I’ve been hoping for a great overnight recipe to come along.
So, peanut butter and almond butter has never occurred to me. I will try anything, once.
Also, if I may share, I always add raisins and cinnamon to mine. As I’m writing this it also occurs to me chopped up dried figs and dates might go well too. Pecans are swell and so are walnuts.
Like most of your recipes Alexis, this one is definitely a keeper.
Stay Blessed :^)
Love cinnamon! Let me know what I can do to make it 5 Stars.
Made this recipe several weeks back when you posted in on your insta stories…so good and creamy!! This will be a weekly meal prep staple as the weather gets cooler!
So glad!!! Can’t wait to make a pumpkin version 🙂
Hi, I’m a fourteen year old girl who has struggled with disordered eating in the past. Just wanted to let you know your blog posts have brought an enormous amount of clarity and inspiration into my life. I love your (sadly) unique attitude towards food, and I check your blog regularly for guidance in my own intuitive eating journey. You should feel great–there are many people you are impacting without knowing.
P.S. I love your sense of style–your “what I ate & wore” posts are awesome.
Emma, thank you so so much. That means a TON to me! It’s people like you that keep me inspired to continue sharing even when it’s tough. Sending you love on your journey!
OMG! You wrote back!! It’s awesome that you care about your fans! I made your Fluffy Vegan Pancakes for breakfast this morning. I was so proud that I incorporated peanut butter- one of my fear foods – into the recipe, and I’m glad I did – it was delish!
This probably sounds like a bit much, but you literally changed my life. Two summers ago, I decided I wanted to get “skinny” for the upcoming year. I counted calories and restricted myself to 1200 a day. I joined a gym and compulsively overexercised. I began to fear foods like oils, nut butter, bread, pasta. . . I was always thinking about food, looking up high-calorie recipes but never actually eating them. . . I was literally headed for a full-on eating disorder. When I found you online, I was literally shocked of a confident, happy woman who embraced all different types of food. Slowly, I began to embrace the idea. I can’t say I’m perfect — I definitely mentally track calories most days, but now I’m beginning to realize that food really IS just food. I also realize how saddening it is how enmeshed in diet culture I was at age 12! (I read a lot about the topic online). You’ve inspired me to become an RD one day. I just subscribed to your blog (before, I just checked it, but I’d like to support your blog in any way possible). Thank you so much for all you do for the girls and women who read your blog. (My twin sister has been through my disordered eating struggle with me, too, and we love to make your recipes together.) Here’s to all different types of food, from kale (love it!) to cookie dough ice cream (love it too!)
Emma, I read your comment over and over. It warmed my heart like you can’t imagine. You should be so proud for sharing your story and for the strides you’ve made. Life is a journey. We’re always challenging ourselves to get better and there’s so much beauty in the process. Keep trying new foods and nourishing relationships with people that help bring out the best in you. Thank you so much for your comment! It means the world to me. ❤️
Love this! Have already made it twice! Random question–how do you get your almond butter to spread so nicely? 🙂
Andrea
Yay! It’s just a nice drippy almond butter! It’s Kirkland brand from Costco that I drizzled on with a fork.
I like to add a little sharp cheddar cheese, salt and pepper!
Ohhhh yum!
Oatmeal dish is very attractive and simple. great food for breakfast
I love it.very interesting and meaning full post.
Love this! I tried it for the first time this week and I’m officially obsessed 🙂
How long do you think they are good for in the fridge?
Thanks!
Yay! A while…like up to a week? I go by the notion of smelling so as long as it smells good, you’re good 🙂
This recipe is SO easy and so delicious! I could never eat regular, quick oats again!! Helping my husband lower his cholesterol.
I live for oats in the morning but I bought a big bag of steel cut oats by mistakes, let me give this a try. So do you refrigerate the rest for the week?
Yep! See #4 in the directions.
I recently bought some steel cut oats but they only had “quick cook” which I believe is cut finer than the regular version? Any thoughts on cooking that overnight vs the package recommendation (under 10 minutes either as microwave or stovetop)? I’ll definitly try this recipe when I get regular steel cut oats. Thanks!
Hey! Sorry I’ve never tried it with quick cook oats so I have no idea, sorry!
This is a great way to save time! I’m always in a hurry, so that’s definitely for me
I finally tried this. All I can say is O.M.G. I’ve been cooking regular oats on the stove top every morning, M-F. I don’t like regular overnight oats and steel cut take too long to cook before work and I don’t like the way they turn out in the instant pot. This is a total game changer!
I made these yesterday and they turned out GREAT. I knew i wanted to use them in a savory way, so i cooked them in 8 cups of chicken stock instead of water/milk. I also added salt, pepper and garlic powder. They’re amazing!
I love your version! Sounds amazing.
This has been my “go-to” breakfast for the fall! I make up a batch on Sunday night while washing up the dinner dishes and we have breakfast for the week. I much prefer this overnight oat recipe to those that don’t cook the oats. I use macadamia nut milk instead, which makes a very creamy oatmeal for those of us who can’t eat dairy.
I’m so glad! Thanks for the feedback, Suzanne.