These Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats are my new favorite breakfast! I combine dried cherries, walnuts, and brown sugar to make the most delicious oatmeal topping ever! Perfect for breastfeeding Mommas + busy families who love make ahead breakfast options.
I mentioned in my 50 Words of Advice for New Moms post that I got an Instant Pot at my baby shower! When you have 5 kids, making a baby registry is hard. Since we have all of the essentials, we decided to throw some most wanted kitchen items on our Amazon Baby Registry, and Hello! I’m the new owner of an Instant Pot thanks to my Mother-in-law. 
I have to say, EVERY new Momma needs an Instant Pot! When we brought our sweet Felicity home, it was a lifesaver. Breastfeeding cravings are a real thing, and I’m pretty sure I ate steel cut oats more then once a day for a couple of weeks. I always used the same vanilla + cherry + walnut + brown sugar topping combo and it never got old.
Preparing the steel cut oats in the Instant Pot is a breeze! The Instant Pot makes the perfect oats, and all you have to do is throw the ingredients in and turn it on. Any new Momma can relate that extra time is nonexistent, so I found myself searching for make ahead options that I could heat up during the day when I needed a snack or a meal. These steel cut oats were perfect for just that!
Tips for Making Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
- SAFETY first! Please read through your entire Instant Pot manual if you are not familiar with using the Instant pot.
- I would not stray from the ratios provided. I’ve tested this once or twice when I came up short on the oats and honestly it just wasn’t the same! 2 cups of steel cut oats to 5 cups of water makes the perfect oatmeal. It is not too dry, but not runny either.
- I stuck with using 1/4 cup of brown sugar as I didn’t want my oatmeal to be super sweet. If you like your oatmeal on the sweeter side I would suggest 1/2 cup of brown sugar.
- For the best results, you will want to allow your Instant Pot to cool for a minimum of 20 minutes. This will release the pressure from the pot naturally (as opposed to opening the pressure valve), and you should see the little round stainless steel pressure meter come up fully. Your Instant Pot will start a timer as soon as your cooking time is over so you will know when it has been the full 20 minutes. If you do open your pot sooner, your steel cut oats might stick to the bottom. To prevent sticking even more you can coat the bottom of your pot with butter or coconut oil. FYI, I do not coat mine with anything and I haven’t had sticking when I followed this 100%.
- A pat of butter on the top of your warm bowl of steel cut oats + dried cherries + walnuts + brown sugar or maple syrup is LIFE.
Instant Pot Steel Cut Oatmeal
By Published: August 6, 2018
- Yield: 5 Servings
- Prep: 5 mins
- Cook: 30 mins
- Ready In: 35 mins
These Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats are my new favorite breakfast! I combine dried cherries, walnuts, and brown sugar to make the …
Ingredients
- 2 cups steel cut oats
- 5 cups water
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt I use Pink Himalayan salt
- dried cherries, walnuts, and brown sugar to taste
Instructions
- Combine 2 cups steel cut oats with 5 cups water, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tsp pure vanilla extract, and 1/8 tsp salt in the bowl of the Instant Pot and stir.
- Turn Instant Pot lid to the closed position and seal the vent. Put the setting on Manual, and set the timer for 4 minutes on high pressure.
- Allow the Instant Pot to come to pressure, cook for 4 minutes, and sit for an additional 20 minutes without unsealing the vent or taking the lid off the pot. When 20 minutes has elapsed, release the vent to allow any additional pressure to release, and open the lid.
- Give the oats a good stir to combine any additional water well. Serve with dried cherries, walnuts, and additional brown sugar to taste. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
