Overnight steel cut oats is perfect for make ahead breakfasts. Choose from four topping ideas and meal prep a batch of oatmeal for the week!
Did you know you can make overnight oatmeal using steel cut oats? My overnight oats recipe is so popular and one that I make for breakfast often by soaking rolled oats with milk. The same principle can be applied here for the steel cut oat version with a few differences that I’ll share below, plus many topping possibilities!
What is steel cut oats?
Steel cut oats are less processed compared to rolled oats. The oat groat (or whole oat) is cut into pieces rather than being pressed and rolled. They have a chewier and nuttier texture and hold their shape once cooked. They don’t get mushy after being cooked, making them ideal for make-ahead breakfasts.
How to make overnight steel cut oats
- Stir the oats into boiling milk and water.
- Turn off the heat and cover with a tight fitting lid and leave the pot at room temperature overnight. It’s ready for serving the next morning at room temperature or heated again.
Oatmeal topping ideas
Peanut Butter Banana: In this version, slice some bananas, top it with off with creamy peanut butter and then add crushed peanuts (to enforce that peanut taste). Finish it off with a dash of cinnamon to add some warmth.
Strawberry Nutella: Slice some fresh strawberries to place on top of your oatmeal and add some Nutella and chopped hazelnuts. Finish it off with a drizzle of male syrup or honey.
Caramel Apple: Slice a green apple to add to the steel cut oatmeal, add some chopped pecans for texture and drizzle with caramel sauce. If you don’t have caramel sauce, maple syrup works well. Finish it off with a sprinkle of ground cinnamon or nutmeg.
Chocolate Almond Butter: Add some chopped chocolate, a couple of tablespoons of almond butter and a couple of pitted chopped dates. Finish with a drizzle of honey and coconut flakes if you’d like. When you stir this one together, it looks like chocolate steel cut oatmeal – my kids’ favorite!
Tips for making overnight steel cut oats
- Heat water and milk before adding oats. There are methods of making overnight steel cut oatmeal where no heat is applied and the oats just soak the liquid. However, in my experience, the consistency is more creamy and thick when the liquid is heated first.
- Don’t skip the salt. Just a little really does make all the difference. It brings out the natural sweetness and nuttiness of the oats and it can taste quite bland if you don’t use it.
- Use a mixture of water and milk. I find that this creates that wonderfully creamy texture without adding too many calories or fat. You can use all milk or all water if you prefer.
- Heat for a thicker consistency. When you first take a peak in the pot the next morning, you might notice some liquid still in the pot. Stirring it will allow the oats to absorb more of that liquid. But reheating is will help most. Plus it’s already in a pot, so it’s a quick convenience step.
Frequently asked questions
Steel oats are much tougher than rolled oats, so you need to let them sit in the liquid for at least 8 hours.
Yes, as long as your kitchen temperature is not too hot, it’s completely safe to leave the oats soaking overnight at room temperature, especially since they are covered in a pot with a lid.
Steel cut oatmeal will keep well for up to a week in the fridge. In the morning, place the cooled oatmeal into an airtight container and you can reheat portions of it throughout the week. It’s great to batch cook for easy and quick breakfasts.
Try this method of soaking steel cut oats with hot liquid overnight and you will probably never find yourself cooking steel cut oats on the stove top again!
More oatmeal recipes:
- Basic Oatmeal Recipe
- Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal
- Baked Blueberry Oatmeal
- Protein Oatmeal
- Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cups
- Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal
- Quinoa Oatmeal
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Banana Oatmeal Cookies
If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Overnight Steel Cut Oats recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!
Overnight Steel Cut Oats
Ingredients
Base Recipe
- 1 ½ cups steel cut oats
- 3 cups water
- 3 cups almond milk
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Peanut Butter Banana
- 1 banana sliced
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon peanuts chopped
- Dash of cinnamon
Strawberry Nutella
- 4-5 strawberries sliced
- 2 tablespoons nutella
- 1 tablespoon hazelnuts chopped
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
Caramel Apple
- 1/2 green apple sliced
- 2 tablespoons caramel sauce
- 1 tablespoon pecans chopped
- Dash of cinnamon
Chocolate Almond Butter
- 2 ounces chocolate bar chopped
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 2 dates chopped
- 1 tablespoon honey
Instructions
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, bring the water, milk and salt to a boil.
- Stir in the oats and continue mixing with the liquid for 2-3 minutes to warm up the oats.
- Turn off the heat, cover the pot with a lid and leave overnight at room temperature.
- In the morning, remove the lid, heat for a couple minutes while stirring the mixture, and serve with your favorite topping combinations.
