How to Make Protein-Packed Steel Cut Oats
Use these tips to boost your breakfast with protein-packed steel cut oats, made in the Instant Pot and perfect for fueling your day with energy that lasts until lunch
Why You’ll Love These Steel Cut Oats: High-fiber oats combine with protein-rich add-ins for a creamy, comforting, and wholesome breakfast. Plus, the Instant Pot makes them easy and mostly hands off!
There’s nothing like a hot bowl of steel cut oatmeal—creamy, comforting, and sure to last throughout the day.
Since I’ve been trying to add more protein to my mornings, I wanted to show you how I’ve been making steel cut oats lately.
I love that I can flavor them so many different ways, so even leftovers feel fresh and exciting.
Ingredient Notes
Steel Cut Oats
Steel-cut oats, which are oats that have been minimally processed and chopped into tiny pieces, are a favorite at Pressure Cooking Today.
These grains have twice as much protein per cup (18 grams) as rolled oats (9 grams) and more than four times as much protein as a packet of instant oatmeal (4 grams).
They are also high in resistant starch and fiber, which helps support healthy digestion and keeps blood sugar levels more steady.
We have a whole step-by-step guide on how to cook steel cut oats as well as dozens of flavor variations. More of a visual learner? Watch our tutorial on YouTube.
Protein Powder
The protein powder you use will have a huge overall effect on the flavor and sweetness of your finished steel cut oats. Make sure to use one you really like.
We tested this recipe with both unflavored pumpkin seed protein powder (20 grams protein per 2 tablespoons) and vanilla-flavored OWYN powder (13 grams protein per 2 tablespoons).
The vanilla flavored powder we used had 4 grams of added sugar, while the unflavored pumpkin seed powder had 0 grams of sugar total. I definitely wanted more brown sugar in my bowl with the batch that used the unsweetened powder.
Note: If your protein powder contains pre- or probiotics (which will be broken down by the cooking process) or thickeners (which may settle during cooking resulting in the burn notice), consider adding it after pressure cooking.
Simply dissolve the protein powder completely in 8 ounces of milk or water. After cooking, add the mixture to the steel cut oats and stir until well incorporated. If needed, select Saute and adjust to low and allow the oats to simmer until they reach your desired thickness.
Flax seed meal
Flaxseed meal grinds the flax seeds so that they are easier to digest. These are packed with Omega-3s, fiber, and lignans (great for heart health and hormone balance).
Plus, they add another 4 grams of protein to the finished dish.
Hemp hearts
Hemp hearts are another easy way to add protein to this recipe (7 grams). These have a mild, nutty flavor and provide a bit of texture to the finished oats.
They are also good for heart health, packed with Omega-3s, amino acids, magnesium, and iron.
(Store in the refrigerator or freezer after opening to help them last longer.)
Chia seeds
I love chia seeds in my oatmeal, since they add protein (6 grams), fiber, and more Omega-3s. I swear they also help me stay full longer.
These tiny seeds can absorb over 12 times their weight in liquid, so if you plan to leave them out, you may want to reduce the total liquid by 1/2 cup.
Note: Don’t like the way the seeds can get stuck in your teeth? Add them to a clean coffee or spice grinder and pulse a few times to blast them into a fine powder.
Fruit Toppings
While you can use any fruit (fresh or frozen) that you happen to have on-hand, I like to use frozen mixed berries with this recipe for two reasons:
- The berries are pre-cut and ready-to-go when I need them.
- Frozen fruit cools the oats down quickly when I’m ready to eat.
However, be aware that frozen fruits are more likely to color your oatmeal. (My frozen blend often turns my oats purple, so I used fresh fruit when I was taking the photos.)
Recipe Variations
This is such an easy recipe to change up with your favorite toppings. (Note that if you want to use additional spices, add them before pressure cooking.)
Want to change up the fruit? Add chopped fresh apples (before or after pressure cooking) with 2 teaspoons cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice.
If you’d like to use bananas, add them to individual servings. (Bananas brown quickly and don’t look great as leftovers, so don’t add them to the big batch.)
Diced pears or peaches pair well with cardamom, cinnamon, vanilla, or honey.
Don’t have any fresh fruit? Add raisins or dried cranberries. (Note that these soak up liquids as they cook, so I recommend adding them to individual portions with a splash of extra milk.)
Use the milk you have. You can swap milk for almond milk, coconut milk, or oat milk with no change to the recipe.
Sweeten it your way. I prefer brown sugar in my steel cut oats, but feel free to substitute your favorite sweetener. Honey, maple syrup, jams, or agave are all great options.
Looking for more protein mix-ins? Add large scoop of peanut butter (4 grams per tablespoon) or almond butter (3 grams per tablespoon) to single servings.
Add sliced almonds, chopped walnuts or pecans, or unsalted pumpkin seeds to individual bowls for a protein boost that comes with a pleasant crunch.
Stir in a little Greek yogurt (~2 grams per tablespoon) for extra tang and creaminess (make sure to use a flavor you like that goes well with your fruit toppings!)
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
To store: Allow the oats to cool, then place in an air-tight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. These oats also freeze well. Place in 1 cup portions to freeze (I love Souper Cubes), then transfer to a freezer-safe ziplock bag.
To reheat: These oats absorb a lot of liquid as they cool, so they will be very thick. Add a good splash of liquid to individual portions and stir. Microwave at 50% power for 1 minute, then continue checking in 30-second intervals until it reaches your desired temperature.
More Healthy Breakfast Ideas
Your Instant Pot is a great tool for making easy breakfasts! Here are a few of our favorites:
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Protein Packed Steel Cut Oats
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- Dash of salt
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar or your favorite sweetener, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons protein powder use your favorite brand (see ingredient notes)
- 2 tablespoons flax seed meal
- 2 tablespoons hemp heart
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 cups fresh or frozen mixed berries or other preferred toppings, for serving
Instructions
- Select Sauté and melt the butter in the pressure cooking pot. Add the oats and toast for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until they smell nutty.*
- Add the water, milk, salt, vanilla, and protein powder and stir until well mixed. Lock the lid in place. Select High Pressure and 10 minute cook time.
- When the cook time ends, turn off the pressure cooker and allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then finish with a quick pressure release. When the valve drops carefully remove the lid.
- Add the flax seed meal, hemp heart, and chia seeds and stir until evenly combined. Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes until the oats reach your desired consistency.
- Serve in individual bowls, topped with mixed berries, brown sugar, and a splash of milk if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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Can I use rolled oats and if so would the liquid amount change? Thank you
The liquid ratios and timing will be different for rolled oats. I would start with this recipe and add some of the same protein add-ons. You may find you need more liquids as flax, hemp hearts, and chia seeds tend to soak up some of the liquids. https://www.pressurecookingtoday.com/creamy-instant-pot-oatmeal/#recipe
I made this today and it is delicious. I placed my bowl on a trivet in my 8 qt Instant Pot Evo, with 1½ cups of water on the bottom and cooked as directed. Sometimes a burn notice pops up for me, and this avoids it.