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.
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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…
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!
I make these for my husband all the time, but I learned a trick a little while ago! Boil the water, add the oats and let them boil for a minute. Turn the heat off and cover them up and leave them overnight. In the morning, just turn the oats back on for about 7-8 minutes! This is when I add in my bananas or natural apple sauce, cinnamon, a little vanilla, some flaxseed meal or wheat germ, and whatever else I want! It saves so much time!
I linked to that quick cook trick in the post…great minds think alike! :)
I was going to prepare them that way last night, but then I figured it would be quicker to make 4 batches at once instead of washing a pot each morning. Either way, it’s so much easier than cooking from scratch each time!
Another reader commented that you can soak the steel cut overnight like in vegan overnight oats, so Im going to have to try that out too.
I’m not that into oatmeal, but I love (!!!) your pictures lately. Really pretty and professional looking! Keep up the good work :)
Aww thanks! I’ve been trying to change it up a bit. :)
Love Steel cut oats! I will have to try these recipes. Cinnamon and blueberries gets old after awhile.
Your picture labels are beautiful! They really add a nice little “something.” : ) All of these look delicious. Angela’s done it again! : )
your posts are so timely! I’m just getting into steel cut oats… I had them for the first time last week and loved them. Usually oats leave me feeling lethargic and with low blood sugar, but I found out steel cut have a lower glycemic index so I gave them a shot and they worked out really well for me! But yes, the time factor is a bit annoying. This is great to know they reheat really well, thanks!
Yum, these look awesome! Angela where do you buy your cocoa nibs? I haven’t been able to find any at my local health food store in waterloo. I also saw your post a few weeks back that had chocolate covered cocoa nibs and i’d also love to get my hands on some of those! Any tips would be appreciated!
I buy them at Ontario Natural Food Coop in bulk. I bought the coco covered nibs from bulk barn :) I would imagine they have the plain nibs too? But not positive.
You can also get them at whole foods I think.
Lovelove!! Haha great recipes and how-to! I am definetly trying out the steel cuts soon :)
Now that the weather is getting cooler I can’t wait to make oatmeal…i love it! A friend turned me onto steel cut oats which I find delicious and usually use in place of old fashioned oats in oatmeal recipes. FYI- in case you didn’t know, Trader Joe’s has quick cooking steel cut oats which don’t have any additional junk in them and cook in about 8-10 mins, making it much more convenient to cook them during the week. They come in a cardboard container just like other oats :)
Oh that sounds interesting! Good ‘ol TJ’s :) Wish we had them here!
Those look sooo good especially beery bliss and cookie dough :D YUM! I’ve never heard of steel cut oats – pinheads (I took fish & wildlife in school and pinheads are also what we call baby fish of minnows) lol
it made me laugh
Im pretty sure im calling them pinheads from now on :D
Thank you for the invitation, this is the greatest post I have read all day :)
Thank you Tessa :)