Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats with Chia Seeds & Cherries
Get a healthy and wholesome start to your day by making steel-cut oats in the Instant Pot. The pressure cooker makes it extra easy and adding chia seeds packs this hearty breakfast with protein and fiber. Plump, dried cherries offer that special flavor to sweeten your morning. This recipe is for a 6 Qt. See notes for Mini and 8 Qt.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 40
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: Classic
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
OATMEAL
- 1 tablespoon grass-fed butter, coconut oil, or extra virgin olive oil*
- 1 cup steel-cut oats, NOT QUICK**; See notes
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1.5 cups unsweetened milk, plant or dairy
- 2 cups water***
- 4 Tablespoons chia seeds
- 1/3 cup dried cherries
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
- 1/16 teaspoon salt, if butter is unsalted
TOPPINGS
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or slivered almonds
- 1 Tablespoon raw honey
- 8 Tablespoons unsweetened whole milk Greek yogurt
- 4 Tablespoons ground flax seeds, optional
Instructions
- Combine ingredients in the pressure cooker. Melt butter in a 6 Qt Instant Pot**** pan on the SAUTE setting. Add steel-cut oats and cinnamon and stir to mix. Toast the oats for approximately 2 minutes. This step enhances the flavors of the oats and cinnamon. Add milk, water, chia seeds, cherries, extract, and salt. Stir to combine and break apart the chia seeds since they clump. Push any ingredients that stick to the side into the liquid.
- Press the CANCEL or OFF button. Lock the lid in place and check that the valve is in the seal/pressure mode.
- Press PRESSURE COOK and set it on high pressure for 15 minutes****. After the cooking timer beeps, let the pressure cooker naturally release by letting it sit for 10 minutes. Do not quick-release, as oatmeal may clog the release valve.
- Nature release: Allow the oatmeal to sit in the pot for 10 minutes (more is okay since it will stay warm), then set the pressure valve to VENT or STEAM to release any remaining steam. Remove the lid and stir the ingredients when all the moisture is released.
- Serve the oatmeal in four bowls and divide the toppings among them. For meal prep, scoop the oatmeal into containers or jars with lids and store it in the refrigerator after it has cooled slightly. It will be good in the fridge for five days. If you plan to reheat it another day, ensure the containers are microwave-safe.
Notes
* Use extra virgin olive oil if following the Mediterranean diet or omitting saturated fats.
**If using quick-cook steel-cut oats, cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. Mini and 8 Qt. Cook for 3 minutes, also. All other steps remain the same.
*** The standard ratio of oats to liquid is 1:3. I add 1/2 cup because chia seeds and dried cherries absorb water
**** Ingredients and timing are for a 6 Qt Instant Pot; If using a mini, cook for 18 minutes on high pressure; for 8 Qt, cook for 12 minutes on high pressure. All other steps remain the same.
Note: Do not cut this recipe in half; you may get a burn notice. Doubling the recipe works great, but do not triple it because the volume will exceed the halfway mark. Instant Pot advises keeping sputtering foods like oatmeal below the halfway mark, or pieces may clog the steam vent.
