You wouldn’t know it from the plethora of steel-cut oatmeal recipes I have on the blog (one), but steel-cut oats are actually my favourite way to enjoy oatmeal.
The only problem is I’m usually too hungry to wait 30 minutes to eat breakfast. Hence, my obsession with quick breakfasts like Vegan overnight oats, Green Monsters, and rolled oatmeal.
Oats in review:
Instant Oats have been cooked, dried and rolled and are the most processed way to eat oats. Instant oats are very thin and need only hot liquid to soften. They are ready in about 60 seconds. While they are the most convenient (although some might argue that overnight oats are the most convenient!), they often have a lot of added salt, sugar, and other strange ingredients.
Quick-cooking oats are simply rolled oats that have been cut into smaller pieces. They cook in about 3-4 minutes.
Rolled oats are also known as Old-Fashioned Oats. They have been steamed, pressed with a roller, and dried. Cooking time is between 5-10 minutes. These are the oats that I use in my oatmeal recipes and in some baking recipes.
Steel-cut oats are also known as pinhead oats (pinhead…ha), coarse-cut oats, Irish oats, or Scotch oats. They are oat groats (the inner portion of the oat kernel) that have been cut into 2-3 pieces rather than being steamed and rolled. Steel-cut oats are coarse in texture and remain chewy even after cooking and re-heating. They generally take about 20-25 minutes to cook, although there is a quick-cook overnight method too.
Because steel-cut oats retain their chewy texture after cooking (while rolled oats tend to get mushy), they are the perfect breakfast cereal to make ahead of time and quickly reheat in the morning.
Many of you said you like to make a big batch of steel-cut oats and then enjoy it all week long for quick and easy breakfasts. Once I wrapped my head around actually making the oatmeal at night (I tend to forget!), it occurred to me how much time it can save in the morning. And steel-cut oats reheat very, very well. I actually think that my make-ahead batch tasted better the next morning after the flavours developed a bit more.
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Make-Ahead Steel Cut Oatmeal
With a little forethought at night or on the weekend, you can make steel-cut oats for 4 breakfasts (or more if you need!). I made this batch with mashed banana for a natural sweetener (it also does a great job of adding volume), but you can add any sweetener/fruit you prefer if you aren’t into bananas.
Yield: 4 servings or 3.5-4 cups
Ingredients:
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
- 1 cup uncooked steel-cut oats
- 2 large bananas, mashed (1 cup mashed)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tbsp ground flax + 1 tbsp chia seeds (or seeds of choice)
- 2-3 tsp vanilla extract
1. In a medium-sized pot, bring the water and almond milk to a boil. Add in steel-cut oats and a pinch of salt and reduce heat to low.
2. Stir in the mashed banana (mashing it helps disperse the sweetness throughout), ground flax, and chia seeds. Simmer on low, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, stirring every 5 mins or so.
3. When the oats are creamy and tender, remove from heat and stir in cinnamon to taste and pure vanilla extract. Serve immediately or allow to cool before transferring into air tight containers in the fridge. In the morning, add a splash of milk and reheat in the micro or on the stove-top.
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I was feeling inspired after my post on my 5 favourite oatmeal recipes, so I put on my creative oatmeal thinking cap and went to town!
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Berry Almond Bliss Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Cherries, blueberries, and blackberries combine with a lovely cinnamon spiced almond butter sauce. I like to keep a bag of mixed frozen berries on hand for oatmeal and Green Monsters throughout the Fall and Winter. This bag of frozen berries I picked up is by President’s Choice. Place the berries on top if you don’t want them to bleed and turn your oatmeal purple.
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients:
- 1 serving make-ahead steel-cut oats (see above), approx. 3/4-1 cup cooked
- 1/2 cup mixed berries (I thawed frozen cherries, blueberries, and blackberries from President’s Choice)
- 1 tbsp chopped almonds, toasted if preferred
- Cinnamon Almond Butter Sauce (whisk together: 1 tbsp almond butter, 1 tbsp almond milk, 1 tsp maple syrup, & 1/4 tsp cinnamon)
- Sprinkle of Sucanat, brown sugar, or maple syrup, to taste
1. Reheat steel-cut oats with a splash of milk either in the micro or the stove-top.
2. Add mixed berries and chopped almonds on top.
3. In a small bowl or mug, whisk together the almond butter sauce. Drizzle over top and sprinkle with sweetener.
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Cinnamon Peanut Butter Swirl Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Inspired by one of my favourite pancake recipes- cinnamon peanut butter swirl pancakes! The applesauce mixed with the peanut butter gives you much more volume and it adds a bit of sweetness too. Plus, who doesn’t want to eat something swirly? I rest my case.
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients:
- 1 serving make-ahead steel-cut oats (see above), approx. 3/4-1 cup cooked
- 1 tbsp roasted peanuts
- Cinnamon Peanut Butter Swirl (whisk together: 1 tbsp peanut butter, 2 tbsp applesauce, & 1/4 tsp cinnamon)
- garnish with cinnamon
1. Reheat steel-cut oats with a splash of milk either in the micro or the stove-top.
2. Stir in roasted peanuts.
3. In a small bowl or mug, whisk together the cinnamon PB swirl sauce. For swirl: Add mixture into a baggie and cut the very end of the corner out. Now, “pipe” the sauce around in a swirl. Garnish with cinnamon.
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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Glazed Steel-Cut Oatmeal
Cashew butter, almond milk, and maple syrup combine to make a delicious & decadent cookie dough flavoured glaze to pour on top of your oatmeal. This bowl is inspired by my cookie dough glazed doughnuts.
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients:
- 1 serving make-ahead steel-cut oats (see above), approx. 3/4-1 cup cooked
- 1-2 tbsp cacao nibs (or sub nuts)
- 1 tbsp dark chocolate chips
- Cookie dough glaze (whisk together: 1 tbsp cashew butter, 2 tbsp almond milk, 1 tsp maple syrup)
1. Reheat steel-cut oats with a splash of milk either in the micro or the stove-top. Stir in 1 tsp cacao nibs if desired.
2. In a small bowl or mug, whisk together the cookie dough glaze. Stir in 1/2 tsp chopped chocolate chips into the glaze if desired.
3. Spoon glaze on top of oats. Garnish with chopped chocolate chips and cacao nibs (or nuts).
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Fall Spice Steel-Cut Oatmeal
All the flavours of Fall in one bowl of oatmeal. This was the first time I’ve ever had a fresh prune and I absolutely loved them!
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients:
- 1 serving make-ahead steel-cut oats (see above), approx. 3/4-1 cup cooked
- spices: 1/4 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ginger, pinch nutmeg
- 2 fresh prune pums (or dried), pitted and chopped
- 2 tbsp currants
- 1/2 tbsp walnuts
- 1 tsp pure maple syrup & cinnamon, or other sweetener to garnish
1. Reheat steel-cut oats with a splash of milk either in the micro or the stove-top. Stir in spices and 1 tbsp currants.
2. Add chopped prunes, nuts, and remaining currants on top.
3. Drizzle on sweetener to taste and sprinkle with cinnamon.
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You are all cordially invited for a steel-cut oatmeal party.
Just don’t be alarmed when you see the bomb that went off in my kitchen…
These recipes are so adorable and look super tasty! Love the photography per usual. Thanks to you, I’m getting excited for chilly morning oats!
Yes! I love this. I’m getting to this over the weekend!
I make my oats in the slow cooker-for everyone!! The dogs LOVE them!!
I am wondering if steel cut oats can be cooked in a rice cooker? Have you tried it? I love my rice cooker for rice and quinoa, and would be tres happy if it worked for these oats! Love your pics, look like they are ready for a magazine…
It looks like it! :)
I just found this tutorial here: http://potteryblog.com/2009/01/cooking-steel-cut-oats-in-a-rice-cooker/
I cook mine in a rice cooker on Sunday night. My rice cooker has a timer and I put in the oats set the timer for the next morning and use the brown rice setting. They come out perfectly! I have never tried to do anything but the oats and water. I am excited to try the combo that Angela has created for the make ahead oats. I do get nervous about leavng my milk in the cooker overnight though…
Hi Angela,
i was wondering if i can leave out the bananas, as i cant eat them, or are they a neccesity for the reciepe to work?
Yes you can leave out the bananas and sub in any fruit and sweetener you’d like. Apples, or pears might be nice. Just be sure to adjust the sweetness to taste…you don’t want bland oats!
Wow. I never had steel cut oats, but I really will give this try. Even with weather reaching 90* and spare the air days around here, I am beginning to crave the hot oats. Preparing them ahead of time on the weekend, is just perfect.
How does the oatmeal taste with 4 day old mashed banana in it? Sometimes my bananas in the fridge get the over ripe flavor and I hate that. Did they do that in the oatmeal?
I will let you know!
I wish I was as pretty as that fall spice oatmeal. waaay gorgeous. Also I’m going to be creeping Ottawa farmers markets for fresh prunes. Plums.. but not plums? Is there a difference?
A plum is the same as a fresh prune
the plot thickens… :)
I have no idea…the store I got them at called them prunes. But I read that dried plums are prunes….confusing!
very intriguing. I shall simply refer to them as plumes. or prums. and call it a day.
Sounds like a plan!
Dried plums are prunes; now they’re called dried plums because they got a bad rap with the other name.
The dried prunes are of a different variety than the red, purple, black plums usually sold fresh, which don’t dry well. In French they are differentiated by prune & prunelle. (Peaches have different varieties too. Freestone are sold for eating fresh while clingstone are grown for canneries. Who knew fruit could be so mysterious?)
Wow! I am inspired :)
The photography, the flavours, oats, oh my this is magnificent!
Ill have to make these with my rolled oats as I always seem to fail with steelcut.
For me oats are not complete without a mshed or chopped banana in them,
add such great sweetness. :)
Thanks Laura :)
Wowza oats! We love steel cut at our house. We usually mix 1/2 steel cut and 1/2 rolled oats for a chewy + smooth bowl of oats. I’m loving your fall take on the oatmeal. I did something really similar yesterday with leftover grains! http://www.healthfulpursuit.com/2011/09/putting-leftover-grains-to-work-3-minute-breakfast-bowl/ if you’re interested!
I love it. Can you pleaseeeee do a post on how to microwave/dormify some of your food cause girl I am dying over here
I found this article on how to cook them in the micro….hope it helps!
http://www.tastespotting.com/features/how-to-cook-steel-cut-oats-microwave
Girl you rock! I never was an oatmeal eater. I’m getting better now because I need something quick in the morning being a new mom. These recipes look so good !!
I was just looking at my steel cut oats and lamenting always going for the easy kind! Thanks for the motivation and inspiration to make these recipes!
I was actually just looking at slow cooker oatmeal recipes — I want something quick and easy for breakfast and I am craving warm foods so oatmeal seemed like a good choice.
I love all of the combos you came up with!
I’d officially like to eat every meal at your house!
Oh my! All of them look super yummy!
I love steel cut oats! And this post is perfect timing as I’m on my third day of oatmeal breakfasts :)
The pictures a gorgeous!
I want to compliment you on your creative oatmeal recipes! I eat overnight oats just about everyday for breakfast and you’ve just inspired me to try making a big batch of steel-cut to keep in the fridge. Thanks!
Thanks Corinne :)
Oh man I love steel cut oatmeal! Now I have 4 new recipes to add to my repertoire. Woot Woot! :) I’m excited to get in the kitchen and start cooking. I have to ask, though, which recipe was your favorite?!
That’s a tough one….I’d say a tie between cookie dough and the swirl!
I was inspired by you this morning even before reading this post. I’m sitting here with a bowl of “peach cobbler” oatmeal. Rolled oats, chia seeds, cinnamon, nutmeg, stevia, unsweetened vanilla almond milk, 1 diced fresh peach, 1 TBS Bob’s organic honey oat granola to top it off! Mmm! A little brown sugar would have been fab, but I’m trying to watch the sugar intake. Now, I’m thinking about breakfast for tomorrow! ;)
Mmm that sounds great!
my old roommate and i were oatmeal addicts.. we would put steel cut in the crock pot with chopped apples and spices over night, and wake up to a glorious bowl of oatmeal. such cool college chicks we were ;)
haha that’s smilar to the crock pot steel cut oats recipe I posted a while back. Slow cookers are fun! But I hate the clean up…
This is too funny… It’s like you read my mind!
I’ve been on a total oatmeal kick, but I had steel cut oats for the first time today! I just found them yesterday in the grocery store. I ate mine plain with a handful of raspberries mashed in. So good!
The cookie dough oats looks heavenly. I might just try this out :)
My fiancee loves steel cut oats so I may have to try making one of these for him!
I’ll do the dishes if you save me some…I figure if I start driving now, I can be there in a week or two.
Thanks for the different recipe options! Dying to try the chocolate chip cookie dough one!!
Angela,
What a wonderful combination of recipes! I am about to get company at home. I think I may actually prepare this every night and have a different version in the morning. It will be a breeze to have 4 nutritious breakfasts next day! :)
Angela, you are the best! I LOVE steel cut oats. They make winter bearable :) I usually stick to the same couple of mix-ins, but its becoming very clear I need to get my hands on some cinnamon swirl PB. The variety here is incredible. Thanks so much for sharing.
I thoroughly enjoyed this post and you have me drooling for a bowl of oats right now!
YUMMY! I love whole oat groats too. I cook them in the rice cooker on the brown rice setting with chopped apples and cinnamon. So good! I make them at night too!
Oh my, these look so delicious!
What great ideas for oatmeal, I can’t seem to get enough.
I just posted about my favorite way to make steel cut oats (the overnight, vegan kind) with a chai oatmeal recipe! Yum!
http://absolutelyayurveda.wordpress.com/2011/09/15/radiant-recipes-overnight-chai-steel-cut-oats/
Aisha
whoooaaa I had no idea you could use steel cut for overnight oats!!
I know! It has CHANGED. MY. LIFE.
:P
I will be trying this stat!
Perfect timing for this post! I’ve always been interested in steel cut oats, but much like you, I’m always too hungry to wait 30 minutes for breakfast. Now that I know you can cook them / reheat them (and they reheat well!) I’m definitely going to pick some up on my next trip to the store and try each of these recipes.
Hahah – a kitchen looking like a bomb having gone off would be considered only a mere consequence for a bowl that turns out looking that delicious! I’ve never done steel-cut oats and I really don’t know why. I need to change that!
Do u buy your carob nibs online? I can’t find them in any stores near me.
I buy them in bulk from my supplier ONFC. I think bulk barn might carry them? Or whole foods & natural food stores. But yes you can probably find them online for cheaper.
I make mine in the slow cooker and have them cook all night. Might have to try some of these toppings tho! They all look amazing!
This is awesome! I get in such a rut with oatmeal. I make a big batch of plain oats (no seasonings) in the crock-pot and split them with my husband during the week. These mixtures will be a great addition to our breakfast rotation. thank you!!
Perfect, I’ve been wanting a make-ahead recipe for these because I love steel-cut oats, but yes, they do take a long time to cook! I personally love how nutty they taste more than anything else. So delicious; can’t wait to try!
What an easy and wonderful idea! Making them ahead, love it, and will definitely be making use if it as these days get colder. Thanks again!
I love to do a huge batch of steel-cut oats & dried fruit in my slow cooker. Then I freeze them in individual portions. Viola! Instant breakfast.
Ahhh they all look delicious, although perhaps a bit sugary! The cookie dough one is calling my name….
I wish I could like oats like that! I need mine to be THICK and I haven’t been able to find a way to do so without mixing them with Greek yogurt and letting them sit over night. Then I can pick the whole thing up and eat it like a cookie. I think I just need to start making an oatmeal cookie for breakfast ;)
If you cook the steel cut and then place them into small containers, it will actually firm up so when you remove it from the fridge it will be in the solid shape of your container and just pop right out! Not sure if that is thick enough for you though!
Sounds like I have some experimenting to do!
this sounds great, will definitely be giving it a try. I already love steel cut oats but have actually only eaten them as overnight oats! they are quite chewy but I like it. I tried them on the stovetop once according to the directions on the package……yuck! chef-error I’m sure, I ended up with a sticky mess that went in the garbage :)
great recipes! Thank you so much for sharing :)
I loved this post! I’m in love with oatmeal so the recipes you included are great! I also appreciated the explanation between all the different types of oatmeal. I’ve wondered what steel cut oats really were and the differences between the others. Thanks!
Perfect timing! I was just sitting here eating the same bowl of oatmeal I eat most mornings and was thinking I need to change it up. I have never tried steel cut oats before, but I’m excited to. Thanks for the recipes.
Ange, these recipes look RIDICULOUSLY good!! I like steel cut oatmeal but rarely eat it because it takes so darn long to cook. I think the cinnamon PB swirl and cookie dough would be my favourites. It sounds like you’ve been eating lots of oatmeal lately! :) Have a fantastic afternoon!
Perfect timing! I had a hankering for steelies this morning, so I loooove that you have a whole post devoted to different ways to roll with steel-cut oats. (I took inspiration from your pumpkin pie VOO and made some pumpkin pie steelies — so I have you to thank for a fantastic breakfast!) :)
I was wondering if it would work with steel cut…glad to hear it was good!
YESSSSS!! Chocolate chip cookie dough oats!!!
*dances around chair*
My breakfast for tomorrow is now complete! :)
Great ideas! I love oatmeal in the winter. I did one similar to your berry recipe with just cherries that was great.
Would love to combine your berry and PB swirl ideas for a PB&J oatmeal! :)
These recipes are drool worthy and perfect for this crisp autumn weather! I am going to put my order into the coop for a big bag of the oats! Can you use them to bake as well (like the rolled oats – to add to cookies etc)? I have also had my rice cooker in a cabinet for a few yrs b/c my rice did not come out right with it (though it does not come out right on the stove either – i am beginning to get a rice complex!) – gives me new motivation to try it out again!
Thank you!
Hey Suzanne!
I didn’t think you could bake with them, but I was able to find a steel cut cookie recipe (which uses 2 tbsp of steel cut oats) http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Dark-Chocolate-Oatmeal-Cookies-109497 so I guess Im wrong!
I’ve tried steel cut oats in baking and was unsuccessful (did not pass the husband test. . . or my test for that matter, though we still ate the cookies). I’m sure there are ways to use them in baking though.
OK – so sounds like only a tbsp or so could work – but not the same as rolled oats where you can use tons! Thanks for the info Angela and AGS!