One of the healthiest, low-fat, and delicious vegan breakfast options out there is a big ole bowl of creamy Steel-Cut Oats. Change up the toppings to keep it new every single morning!
I like regular oatmeal as much as the next person but, give me a choice, and I’ll pick the steel-cut variety over traditional rolled oats any day of the week.
What are steel-cut oats?
All of the varieties of oatmeal–traditional, quick cooking, steel cut–start out as oat groats aka oat berries which are the whole unbroken grains. The difference between them is how they are processed and cut.
The reason I prefer steel-cut oats over traditional and quick-cooking oats is because of their chewy texture and the fact that they are the least processed. Because of this, they also take a little longer to cook.
Steel-cut oats are cut instead of flattened which allows them to maintain some bulk and creates a chewy nutty flavor which I really like. They are more granola-ish than traditional oatmeal.
While nutritionally speaking, all oatmeal is very similar, steel-cut oats do have a slightly lower glycemic index making them even better for those with diabetes.
How to cook steel-cut oats
There are a number of different ways to cook steel-cut oats, so you can choose the method that best suits your preference. My personal favorite is to make them in the microwave because I have it down to an art, and it takes a lot less time. It’s also great for making single servings.
The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.
Cooking in the microwave
Choose a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl and measure out 1/4 cup of steel-cut oats. Add 1 cup plant milk and 1/2 of a ripe banana to sweeten. Adding bananas is optional, but I highly recommend it. Microwave on medium heat for 2 minutes.
After the first 2 minutes, carefully use a fork to mash the banana that is now very soft. The bowl will be hot, so handle it with care. Stir it well and place it back in the microwave and cook for another 2-minutes.
Once it is finished, add ground cinnamon, crushed walnuts, raisins, and fresh berries to serve. Total Time 4 minutes.
Stovetop directions
To make steel-cut oats on the stovetop, you’ll want to make more than one serving because saucepans are just larger in size.
Bring 4 cups of plant milk or water to a boil in a saucepan. Add 1 cup of steel-cut oats and 1 ripe banana. Cover and lower the heat. Allow to cook for 20-30 minutes stirring occasionally.
Once it has finished cooking, add cinnamon, raisins, and fresh fruit. Total Time 20-30 minutes.
Instant Pot directions
Due to the size of an Instant Pot, you will want to make more than an individual serving.
Add 3 cups of plant milk or water to the Instant Pot along with 1 cup of steel-cut oats and 1 ripe banana.
Close and lock the lid and press the MANUAL button and set the timer to 4 minutes. It will take approximately 10-15 minutes for the pressure to build up before the cooking timer begins.
Once it beeps, allow it to release for 10 minutes naturally. Slide to VENT and carefully open the lid. Add cinnamon, raisins, and fresh fruit to serve. Total Time 25-30 minutes.
Topping ideas
- Cinnamon
- Crushed walnuts
- Fresh fruit
- Frozen berries
- Peanut butter
- Dairy-free chocolate chips
- Flaxseeds, chia seeds, and others
Pro tips for making steel-cut oats:
- For the stovetop method, the cooking time is 20-30 minutes. The longer the steel-cut oats are cooked, the creamier they become.
- Many people add a pinch of salt while cooking, but I don’t and never miss any flavor.
- I highly recommend including a ripe banana for sweetening naturally.
- Using plant milk or a mixture of half plant milk and half water is preferred over just water. It adds flavor and creaminess. Any plant milk–almond, soy, rice, etc–works great.
More great vegan breakfast recipes
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Steel-Cut Oats Breakfast Bowl
One of the healthiest, low-fat, and delicious vegan breakfast options out there is a big ole bowl of creamy steel-cut oatmeal. Change up the toppings to keep it new every single morning!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup steel cut oats
- 1 cup plant milk (or water)
- 1/2 ripe banana
- pinch ground cinnamon
- fresh or frozen fruit for toppings
- 1 teaspoon crush walnuts (optional)
- 1 tablespoon raisins (optional)
Instructions
- Choose a medium-size microwave-safe bowl and measure out 1/4 cup steel-cut oats. Add 1 cup plant milk and 1/2 of a ripe banana to sweeten. Adding banana is optional, but I highly recommend it. Microwave on medium heat for 2-minutes.
- After the first 2 minutes, carefully use a fork to mash the banana that is now very soft. The bowl will be hot, so handle with care. Stir it well and place it back in the microwave and cook for another 2-minutes.
- Once it is finished, add ground cinnamon, crushed walnuts, raisins, and fresh berries to serve. More topping ideas are listed above in the article.
Notes
Stovetop directions
To make steel-cut oats on the stovetop, you’ll want to make more than one serving because saucepans are just larger in size.
Bring 4 cups of plant milk or water to a boil in a saucepan. Add 1 cup steel-cut oats and 1 ripe banana. Cover and lower the heat. Allow to cook for 20-30 minutes stirring occasionally.
Once it has finished cooking, add cinnamon, raisins, and fresh fruit. Total Time 20-30 minutes.
Instant Pot directions
Due to the size of an Instant Pot, you will want to make more than an individual serving.
Add 3 cups of plant-milk or water to the Instant Pot along with 1 cup steel-cut oats and 1 ripe banana.
Close and lock the lid and press the MANUAL button and set the timer to 4 minutes. It will take approximately 10-15 minutes for the pressure to build up before the cooking timer begins.
Once it beeps, allow it to naturally release for 10 minutes. Slide to VENT and carefully open the lid. Add cinnamon, raisins, and fresh fruit to serve. Total Time 25-30 minutes.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 175Total Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 6gProtein: 6g
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Shawna S.
Wednesday 7th of July 2021
I like to meal prep and just reheat. The steel cut oats in the IP sounds like a good one to try. Anything you would do different, Terri, for this?
Terri Edwards
Wednesday 7th of July 2021
Hi Shawna- Meal prepping is a great idea. If you scroll down to the 'Notes' section in the recipe, I've included the Instant Pot directions. Hope you enjoy the recipe!