Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats with Apples

This post is sponsored in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill. As always, all opinions expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help me bring you new recipes!

I’ll just be honest here and say I do not use my Instant Pot nearly as much as I should! But then I made this steel cut oats recipe and I was instantly (see what I did there) reminded of just how handy this countertop kitchen appliance is.

By using a pressure cooker, these steel cut oats were done in less than 30 minutes with no pot-watching or stirring necessary.

Re: preventing pot from boiling over because we’re multi-taskers and often forget about said pot on stovetop while multitasking.

Whether you’re looking for a quick steel cut oats recipe to enjoy in the morning or you’re prepping oatmeal for the week, you will love these creamy, perfectly spiced and lightly sweetened apple cinnamon oats!

Are Steel Cut Oats Healthy?

Yes! Steel cut oats (and other styles of oats) are a great source of whole grains providing fiber, iron, B vitamins, and have a low glycemic index.

Because steel cut oats are a complex carbohydrate, they can help provide sustained energy.

Steel cut oats have been minimally processed and they also contain a decent amount of protein.

Steel Cut vs Rolled Oats

This recipe is made in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill and we’re using their Gluten Free Organic Steel Cut Oats!

Bob’s has a large selection of whole grain products and tons of oats, including these gluten free and organic steel cut oats.

TIP: Most of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Products have the little red “GF” circular indicator on them. So if you’re looking for gluten-free, keep an eye out for their red symbol!

Difference between steel cut oats and rolled oats

When most of us think of oats, we likely think of rolled oats or quick oats – quite possibly having to do with the fact that they’re used in Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies and who doesn’t love those?

Honestly, I didn’t even know what steel cut oats were probably until my mid-twenties because I didn’t really grow up eating oatmeal!

The main differences are:

• Steel cut oats are oats that have been cut using a steel blade, hence the name “steel cut oats”. Also referred to as “Irish oats.”
• Rolled oats are oats that have been steamed and pressed.
• Quick oats are made from rolled oats, often called “old fashioned oats”

When it comes to making oatmeal, personally I prefer steel cut oats over quick oats. Yes – even in my overnight oats recipes I like using steel cut oats (or mixing them with regular oats!) because I love the texture they keep.

Nutritionally speaking, they’re almost identical but steel cut oats will have more fiber in comparison to their rolled counterpart.

How to Make Steel Cut Oats in a Pressure Cooker

As you may have guessed, we’re using an electric pressure cooker to cook these steel cut oats with apples and cinnamon!

And guess what? It’s super easy and essentially hands-off.

Step 1

First chop the apples – I like to leave the skins on.

Step 2

Add milk and water to pot then chopped apples, steel cut oats, cinnamon, maple syrup, vanilla extract and salt. Give it a stir.

Step 3

Close lid and set vent to sealing position. Then hit manual and set timer for 4 minutes. Allow pressure to build for about 10 minutes before timer starts.

Step 4

Once timer has gone off, slow-release (do not turn vent) for 10 minutes, then you can manually release the rest of pressure and open lid to stir.

Apple Oatmeal Toppings

• Favorite nut butter – peanut, cashew, almond or even coconut butter for a sweeter topping. Sunflower butter works too!
• Seeds for some extra nutrition – hemp hearts, flax seeds, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, pepitas, etc.
• Yogurt – I love a good dollop of yogurt swirled in. Dairy free or regular, pick your favorite!

This recipe for steel cut oats is going to be on repeat all season long! It’s quick, easy and something the whole family will enjoy.