Creamy Instant Pot Oatmeal recipe made with old-fashioned rolled oats or steel cut oats and topped with your favorite fruit and berries is the perfect healthy breakfast to start your day!
What can be better than to start your day with a delicious and nutritious meal. I like to make my Instant Pot Oatmeal in the morning for two simple reasons: it’s so easy to make and healthy. You can play around with different flavors and toppings, so you never get bored!
Table of contents
Rolled Oates Vs Steel Cut Oats
Rolled oats and steel cut oats are the most popular oats to make oatmeal. Both of them are whole grain cereal oats with similar nutritional value. But what is the difference between these two?
ROLLED OATS (also known as OLD FASHION OATS) are grains that are steamed first (to prevent cracking), then rolled through mills (to have the famous flattened shape). After which they get toasted to have a beautiful nutty flavor. Because of their flat shape, they are quicker to cook and make a creamier oatmeal.
STEEL CUT OATS (also known as IRISH OATS) are a less processed grain. Instead of being steamed and rolled, they are chopped in smaller pieces. Because they are thicker than rolled oats, they take longer time to cook and have a chewier texture.
Both of them are great to make oatmeal. Depending on what type of oats you choose, you will need to adjust the cooking time and liquid ratio.
Oatmeal to Water Ratio
Because the rolled and cut steal oats are processed differently, they have different “Oats to Liquid” ratio.
For Rolled Oats: 1 to 2 ratio. That means that for each cup of rolled oats, you need 2 cups of liquid.
For Cut Steal Oats: 1 to 3 ratio. For each cup of cut steal oats, you need 3 cups of liquid.
Also, depending on your preferences, if you like your oatmeal runnier, you might want to add ½ cup of extra liquid.
How long to cook oats?
For the same reason, because these two types of oats are processed differently, the cooking time will be different. But only by 1 minute!
Rolled oats need to be cooked for 4 minutes, while steal cut oats will take 5 minutes.
How to make the recipe
Since I learned how to make Oatmeal in Instant Pot, I don’t make on the stove anymore. It’s so much easier to put all the ingredients in one pot, stir, close the lid, and your delicious creamy breakfast will be ready in just a few minutes.
To make the oatmeal, put the oats (rolled or steel cut) in the Instant Pot. Add milk (dairy or plant based) and water.
Close the lid and make sure that the venting knob is turned to “SEAL”.
Cook on Manual High Pressure for 4-5 minutes (depending on want oats you choose), then do a quick pressure release.
Then open the lid and stir the oatmeal. I like to add a little bit of honey or maple syrup to sweeten it up.
Add your favorite toppings and your delicious breakfast is ready!
Oatmeal toppings ideas
- Banana, Blueberry. This is my favorite “to-go” topping. In addition, I like to add a bit more of honey or maple syrup on top.
- Apples, Walnuts, and Cinnamon. This is the best combo for the Fall season!
- Chocolate Chips and Coconut Flakes.
- Strawberry, Dates, Shredded Coconut Flakes.
- Banana, Almond Butter, Chocolate Chips.
- Tropical Fruits (kiwi, banana, mango, coconut flakes)
Frequently Asked Questions
After it’s completely cooled off, transfer it to an air-tight container and refrigerate for 3-5 days.
Milk provides creaminess and additional flavor. If you want to use only water, you can, but it won’t taste the same.
MORE BREAKFAST IDEAS YOU MIGHT LIKE:
- Sweet Potato Breakfast Hash skillet
- Carrot Zucchini Muffins
- Pineapple Spinach Smoothie
- Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
- Best Buttermilk Pancakes
- French Crepes Recipe
Instant Pot Oatmeal Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled or steel cut oats
- 2-3 cups milk plant based or dairy
- 2-3 cups water
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
Instructions
How to make Instant Pot Oatmeal with Rolled Oats.
- Put 2 cups rolled oats in the Instant Pot. Add 2 cups milk (dairy or plant based) and 2 cups water.
- Close the lid and make sure that the venting knob is turned to “SEAL”.
- Cook on Manual High Pressure for 4 minutes, then do a quick pressure release.
- Then open the lid and stir the oatmeal. I like to add 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup and stir.
- Add your favorite toppings and your delicious breakfast is ready!
How to make Instant Pot Oatmeal with Steel Cut Oats.
- Put 2 cups steel cut oats in the Instant Pot. Add 3 cups milk (dairy or plant based) and 3 cups water.
- Close the lid and make sure that the venting knob is turned to “SEAL”.
- Cook on Manual High Pressure for 5 minutes, then do a quick pressure release.
- Then open the lid and stir the oatmeal. I like to add 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup and stir.
- Add your favorite toppings and your delicious breakfast is ready!
Tasted great, but burnt at the bottom.
This was creamy and yummy….BUT as other people pointed out it exploded after 4 minutes of venting it. What I would suggest is that you add to time 5 minutes after it finishes the 4 minute cook cycle and it will turn out perfectly!
I’ve made this recipe as directed with rolled oats, once on ‘high’ and once on ‘low’ and I’ve gotten the BURN notice both times…? What am I doing wrong?
I’ve made this recipe twice as directed with rolled oats, the first time I made it I put it on ‘high’ pressure got the ‘burn’ notification so tried on ‘low’ pressure and same thing!!
What size Instant Pot are you using??
Hi Donna, I use 6 qt Instant Pot.
Can you use the porridge setting on the instapot? I don’t like my oatmeal chewy.Is 4 minutes long enough? I had another recipe that called for 6 minutes on porridges setting
Hi Melissa, I didn’t test this recipe on porridge setting. The oatmeal doesn’t come out chewy.
This is the most creamy delicious recipe for oatmeal I’ve ever had. I love it!
Thank you so much, Cathy!
Great oatmeal, but a quick release causes a mess. Won’t do that again.
Loved this great for when you wake at 4am and trying not to wake the house up! The milk shot everywhere during quick release and I also used a towel to try help reduce, made enough for 4 breakfasts with just a lazy ting in the microwave as the only person in the house that eats it!
Wow! That should definitely make your morning easier at 4 am! 😉 When you make a double portion, you might have some liquid shooting out when doing a quick release. It happens because you have a lot of starch in the pot. The easiest way to fix it is to put a towel over the valve.
We made this just now and it’s wonderfully creamy! We added bananas and blueberries. The only thing we hated was the cleanup of the milk! Holy cow! Milk was shooting out out during the quick release. We have to take a toothbrush to the lid to clean it. Gonna do some experimenting!
Hi Kelli! I’m so happy you liked the recipe! We make it every weekend too!
Sorry for the milk mess, it never happened to me before. One of the ways to fix it is to cover the valve with a towel while it releases the pressure. Hope that helps.
Oatmeal is such a healthy breakfast option. I love it. Never made it in instant-pot but now that I saw your recipe I might give it a try.
Absolutely love using instant pot every where i can. Oatmeal is definitely my favorite and that oatmeal recipe of yours looks amazing! I wish I could grab a bowl right now!
I just got an instant pot so this was so helpful and informative for helping me figure out how to make oatmeal with it! Thank you!
There is almost nothing in the world I love for breakfast more than a big bowl of hot oats! This Instant Pot Oatmeal recipe looks splendid and I love that I don’t have to stand over a stove making it in order to get that perfect oatmeal fluffiness!
I love oatmeal, especially with fruit in it! The zesty tang adds so much texture and deliciousness! I’m so excited to share this recipe with my family!
Oatmeal is the staple comfort food to me. I love that this can be made in the Instant Pot!
I swear there’s nothing the Instant Pot can’t do! This is such a great way to prep oatmeal on busy mornings, and the blueberries and bananas are the most delicious additions.
Oatmeal is always such a great idea for an easy and healthy breakfast and it’s so easy with the Instant Pot!
I am sooo ready to start a new day with this oatmeal – it looks outstanding. Add a cup of your favorite hot drink to it, and you have the perfect combo – yum!
I love making oatmeal for my family on the weekend. I can’t wait to make it SUPER fast.