Use 1 part steel cut oats to 4 parts liquid. Bring the liquid to a boil, stir in the oats, then drop to a bare simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until creamy but still chewy. One cup of dry oats makes about four servings.
Steel cut oats are the whole oat groat chopped into a few pieces rather than rolled flat, which is why they take four times as long to cook and why they keep an actual texture when they get there. Rolled oats go soft and porridgy; steel cut stay nubbly and nutty. Neither is better, but they are not interchangeable in a recipe, and using rolled oats measure-for-measure in a steel cut method gives you glue.
| Type | Ratio | Cook time | Texture |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steel cut | 1:4 | 25-30 min | Chewy, nutty, distinct grains |
| Rolled (old-fashioned) | 1:2 | 5-10 min | Soft, creamy, holds some shape |
| Quick oats | 1:2 | 1-2 min | Soft, uniform, no chew |
| Instant | 1:1 | Add hot water | Very soft, often sweetened |
The ratio is 1 to 4
One cup of dry steel cut oats to four cups of liquid, which after 25 to 30 minutes gives four generous bowls. Water is traditional and lets the oat flavor come through; half milk gives something closer to a pudding. If you use all milk, keep the heat very low and stir more often, because milk scorches on the bottom of the pan long before the oats are done.
Toast them first if you have five minutes
Melt a little butter in the dry pan and stir the oats around over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes until they smell like toast, then add the boiling liquid. It is a small step that does more for the flavor than any topping, turning the taste from plain to properly nutty. Add the liquid carefully, because it will spit when it hits the hot pan.
The overnight shortcut
Bring the water to a boil at night, stir in the oats, cover the pan and turn the heat off entirely. In the morning they will have absorbed the liquid and need only 5 minutes of reheating with a splash more water. This is genuinely as good as the long simmer and it is how to have them on a weekday. It is not the same thing as refrigerator overnight oats, which use rolled oats and are eaten cold.
Keeping and reheating
Cooked steel cut oats keep for about five days in the refrigerator and reheat well with a splash of water or milk to loosen them, because they set firm when cold. They freeze in portions for three months, and a muffin tray makes convenient single servings. Batch-cooking on Sunday is the reason most people who eat these eat them on weekdays at all.
Questions we get asked
What is the ratio of water to steel cut oats?
Four parts liquid to one part dry oats. One cup of steel cut oats and four cups of water makes about four servings and takes 25 to 30 minutes at a simmer.
How long do steel cut oats take to cook?
25 to 30 minutes at a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. They are done when the liquid has been absorbed and the oats are creamy around the edges but still have a distinct chew.
Do you have to soak steel cut oats overnight?
No, but it helps. Soaking cuts the morning cook time to about 10 minutes. The better trick is to boil the water at night, stir in the oats, cover and turn off the heat. By morning they need only reheating.
Are steel cut oats healthier than rolled oats?
Nutritionally they are nearly identical, since both are the whole grain. Steel cut oats are less processed and have a lower glycemic index because the pieces are larger and digest more slowly, so they tend to keep you full a little longer.
Can you substitute steel cut oats for rolled oats?
Not measure for measure. Steel cut oats absorb far more liquid and take four times as long, so they will stay hard in a cookie or a crumble written for rolled oats. Use each where the recipe asks for it.
Why are my steel cut oats gummy?
Usually too much stirring, or a boil instead of a simmer. Vigorous stirring releases starch and turns them pasty. Keep the heat low enough that the surface barely moves and stir only every few minutes.
How do you cook steel cut oats in a slow cooker?
Use the same 1 to 4 ratio, grease the crock well, and cook on Low for 6 to 7 hours. Adding a cup of the liquid as milk gives a creamier result, and a splash of water when reheating loosens what sets overnight.