How To Make Steel Cut Oats in a Rice Cooker
I woke up to a morning like any other spring morning…snowy? Looks like we are not quite done with winter yet, but hopefully it’ll be over soon.
What’s a better way to warm up from all this snow than with a big bowl of oatmeal? Before I switched to my eggs and mushrooms phase, I used to eat oatmeal every day for over a year with stevia and pumpkin pie spice. I used rolled oats that were ready in 2 minutes and it was glorious.
What I loved about it was that it took so little time and I am unquestionably lazy when it comes to preparing most of my food. I knew that steel cut oats were a better option in the oatmeal world, but any oatmeal that takes 20-30 minutes to cook was immediately off my breakfast agenda.
I decided to buy some steel cut oats last week so that I had good base of carbohydrates before my morning workouts and runs, but I made sure to find a quicker way to make them. Enter my rice cooker. I use this for both rice (obviously) and quinoa and it has made my life so much better for its existence. I tried out my oats and voila–enough made for 4 mornings all while I blogged or had a dance party or whatever it is I do here all day.
Steel Cut Oats In A Rice Cooker
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 4 cups liquid (water, dairy milk, non dairy milk, etc)
- Before putting the oats in the rice cooker, I rubbed coconut oil on the inside to prevent the oats from sticking to the container.
- Add the oats and liquid to the cooker. I still had cashew milk, so I did a mix of 2 cups cashew milk and 2 cups water.*
- Use the brown rice setting on your rice cooker. Fancier cookers also may have a “porridge” setting. If yours does, use this.
- Have a dance party.
- When the oats are done, they will still look very watery when you open the lid. Don’t be fooled, there are delicious cooked oats underneath. Simply give them a good stir.
- Separate oats into containers and when ready to eat, microwave for 90 seconds. If you like your oats a little soupy, add a little water before reheating and stir when done.
*If you use regular milk, make sure not to use all 4 cups of milk or it will boil over. Split it in half with water or even 1/3 (1 cup milk to 3 cups water).
If you don’t have a rice cooker, you can also make these in a slow cooker by following the same steps. Just set the slow cooker on low for 7-8 hours.
I have been having this for breakfast every morning for about a week and a half and have been loving it so far. Feel free to fancy up your oats with whatever toppings or flavors strike you. I have been having mine with some maple syrup, almond butter, and granola.
Unrelated topic: Neil and I started watching Empire this weekend and then watched the whole season because it was so good. Watch it!
Questions:
- What’s your favorite oatmeal topping?
- Do you have any other breakfast hacks?
- Is it spring or winter where you are?
- Did you watch Empire this season?
The have a dance party is my favorite step. For certain
Susie @ SuzLyfe recently posted…Taking Life Back and Chicago Good Food Festival
It’s essential to good oats.
Love this!!! I actually just bought some steel cut oats this weekend totally on a whim. I might have to try this rice cooker method, although mine isn’t nearly as fancy as yours (there is no white/brown rice button), so we’ll see how it works! I love the coconut oil idea though!
Stephanie @ My Freckled Life recently posted…“He has your nose!” {Weekend Recap}
Yeah the coconut oil definitely makes clean up a breeze! Let me know how it is with your rice cooker…I think the brown rice button just cooks it for a little longer.
Never would have thought of using a rice cooker for oatmeal! What a clever idea! Mine definitely isn’t fancy either – I just have a “cook” button to push. Think I’m going to have to give it a try! As for toppings, I’m an almond butter, banana, and blueberry girl. 🙂 And, I think it’s spring (finally!) but I wore gloves and a hat and long sleeves on my run this morning so maybe just a little bit of spring?
Woohoo for Dance Parties! I have dance/singing parties with my pit bull all the time. She loves them 😉 This is a great idea. I don’t have a rice cooker, but have been thinking about getting one. I like making steel cut oats in the slow cooker but no matter what something always sticks.
thesimplepeach recently posted…CREAMY CHEESY POTATO SOUP {vegetarian}
Definitely try rubbing the inside with coconut oil…it makes clean up super easy!
I won a rice cooker from a giveaway (that I seemed to have forgotten I ever entered?..) and wondered what the heck I was going to use a rice cooker for. I don’t like rice. Truth. BUT! I found out you can cook lots of things in a rice cooker, like these steel cut oats! Thanks for sharing! And here’s a great article I found on buzzfeed which shows loads of other things you can cook in a rice cooker.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/arielknutson/surprising-things-you-can-make-in-a-rice-cooker#.vxJX9gRx7Y
Kaylin @ Enticing Healthy Eating recently posted…Gone, but not Forgotten
That’s amazing! I am definitely going to check that out. Thanks!
I don’t have any breakfast hacks other than being a bad girl and skipping it from time to time (not good!) I just watched the first two episodes of Empire. I had no time to commit to any shows before I moved and now I have some down time while I’m basically unemployable until I get my National ID here, so I’m catching up with Better Call Saul, Fargo, and Empire. I feel like I’ve escaped winter entirely, it’s actually been really sunny and beautiful here in Glasgow, which I wouldn’t have ever guessed it would be. Hopefully you’ll have some spring flowers soon! 🙂
Erin recently posted…My First Week in Scotland
That’s great Im glad you’re enjoying it there so far. Do you love Empire??
I gave this a try this morning. I missed the step with coconut oil, but added a table spoon if butter. Unfortunately I had a massive boil over. Any thoughts?
Thanks for the tip. Thanks to this blog entry I’ve been enjoying some delicious steel-cooked oats right out of the rice cooker that I’ve never used before!
I just made this and it turned out amazing! I followed the directions explicitly. Added a smudge of real vanilla because…yum! Perfect lazy girl breakfast! My dance party skills need some work, however!
That’s great! Glad it turned out. Don’t worry – there’s no judgement in a dance party
I do not have coconut oil. Can I line the rice cooker with Olive Oil instead? Or, do you think it will create a mini explosion as happened to someone who lined their rice cooker with butter? Thanks for your thoughts.
Claire
Since it wont smoke any cooking oil should work the same. We dont bother with the oil and just soak the pot.
Good tip thanks Jamie!
It’s delicious! Hope you enjoy!
How big is your rice cooker? Trying to make sure I don’t overdo it on mine and have it spill out.
I think it was either 8 or 10! I’d just start w maybe a cup to try 😀
Great advice ! Mine is 8 and is Aroma brand
Massive boil over! Indid everythong like the recipe and now my roce cooker is ruined. :/
Oh no! I’m not sure what happened my cooker didn’t have that issue. I’d maybe suggest trying it with a little less liquid if you do it again?
I have a 10 cup Aroma rice cooker and mine boiled over ☹️
I just put rags around it and let it keep going. Right out of the pot the oats were still el dented but edible.
I think allowing the remaining oats to soak in the milk in the fridge and they will be fine.
Since I can probably only do 1/2 cup oats and 2 cups water this doesn’t really make enough for food prep.
Oh no! I had that happen once but not any other times. I will try and figure out what the issue is! Thank you for letting me know!
Morning,
this recipe does make a right mess in a 6 quart rice cooker, doesn’t it. It makes a difference if one is cooking in an 6, an 8 or 10 quart, lol. I kept an eye on my 6 quart as to the comments to boil over. For a 6 quart I’ve yet to try .5 cups oats to 2 cups of water. Which begs the question where’s the time savings; a conventional stove, or slow cooker (which I’ve not tried) or pressure cooker can make larger quantities that can be portioned and frozen. DO NOT COOK 1 CUP OF OATS/4 CUPS OF WATER IN A 6 QUART RICE COOKER.
Hi! Gorgeous recipe! My problem is that my rice cooker does not have a porridge setting, just normal rice. I am afraid that the machine keeps going until it detects no water inside. What shall I do?
Thanks for the recipe! Can’t wait to try it!