One of my preferred kitchen equipment has the rice cooker. We enjoy boiled rice once a week and generally make enough for sticky rice. I can cook rice just on the stove, but this rice cooker has a simple nonstick covering and can hold the rice warm for hours; it’s something I can utilize right before I leave home in the morning. But now we’ll talk about can you cook steel cut oats in a rice cooker.
There is nothing like a bowl of scalding hot oats for breakfast on a chilly winter morning. It satisfies and nourishes your body so effectively that it may stay you going for a long time. But who has the opportunity to sit over the stove and boil oats for the morning meal first thing every morning?
This problem has an easy resolution. Continue reading to learn to cook steel-cut oats in a rice cooker. It is a complete game-changer. It will allow you to attend to the children, dress them, organize their school supplies, and yet send them off to the school with such a healthy breakfast in their hungry little stomachs.
What are the steel Cut Oats

Steel-cut oats are made from crushed entire oat grains, which are the core kernel of the indigestible hull of the wheat stalk. Steel blades cut them into pinhead bits, giving cooked steel-cut oats the coarsest feel than rolled oats. Steel-cut oats are also called Irish, wild, or pinhead oats.
Steel-cut oats are still a popular morning cereal, frequently topped with fresh or dried fruit, milk, brown sugar, or butter. Steel-cut oats were once consumed at any meal, typically with a savory topping such as sautéed mushrooms, steaming vegetables, and sausage.
Why We Use the Rice Cooker to cook Steel Cut Oats
When a rice cooker does not inherently allow faster cooking time, it does make it a lot more failsafe because you can just set it on and run away. My second quick oatmeal recipe was steel-cut oats in a slow cooker, but because my slow cooker is enormous, I had to make lots of oatmeal to ensure it cooked correctly. I didn’t like the layer of dried-out oats that formed on the bottom.
On the other hand, the rice cooker works very well in minor quantities, mainly because you want to give sufficient area for it to rise to the surface without spilling over when it comes to a boil. This is ideal when I only require extra oatmeal for one or two meals for my tiny household.
With an energetic toddler around every morning, not having to close an eye on a bowl of boiling oatmeal, significantly longer steel-cut oats, is a savior. Those who like to sleep in can still have a delicious breakfast because the rice cooker maintains the porridge warm for hours.
How Does Rice Cooker Work
When you consider it, the procedures of cooking rice and oats aren’t all that dissimilar: Boil in your preferred liquid until dissolved and soft. Even the most simple rice cooker automates the entire process; it quickly raises it to a boil.
A sensor activates, promptly shutting off the heat to let the contents within keep steaming and relaxing. More expensive rice cookers contain sensors that detect when the liquid has been absorbed and modify the cooking time appropriately.
Is it Essential to soak and rinse the oats Before Cooking
While cooking steel-cut oats on the stove, it usually is best to wash them for 2 hours and then thoroughly rinse them. This softens the oats and reduces the cooking time.
Steel-cut oats do not want to be soaked before cooking in a rice cooker. I recommend giving them a short washing to remove any residue powder that may cause your oats to have a gritty texture.
What is the Perfect Water Ratio for Steel Cut Oats
When preparing oatmeal using steel-cut oats, the oats-to-water ratio is determined by your own choice for the texture of your porridge.
If you prefer your oatmeal firm and solid, use 2-2 ½ cups liquid to 1 cup steel-cut oatmeal. If you like softer oats, add 2 ½-3 cups of juice.
Allow me to reveal a great little secret to you. If you like your oats to be exceptionally smooth and creamy, substitute a few of the water with milk. Your oats are beyond amazing if you replace 1 cup of water with 1 cup of milk.
Can You Cook Steel Cut Oats in a Rice Cooker

The advantage of preparing steel-cut oatmeal in a rice cooker is that the entire procedure is so straightforward. You don’t even need to worry about picking the correct option or cooking temperature. The rice cooker includes programs that do everything for you.
If your rice cooker has a ‘Soup’ option, we suggest that you utilize it. It will prepare your oats at a little lower temperature than usual, but for a little longer, providing you the creamiest, fully cooked oats.
The ‘Soup‘ setting is not available on all rice cookers. If your device does not provide this option, do not be alarmed. Steel-cut oats may still be cooked in a rice cooker. In this scenario, choose the ‘Brown rice’ option.
The cooking process will be somewhat shorter if you choose the ‘Brown rice‘ setting since it cooks at a temperature higher than the ‘Porridge’ option, but the product will be great.
This recipe yields around 2 cups of cooked oats, enough for 4 ordinary breakfast pieces. Nothing beats this method if you’re searching for a quick and easy way to make a nutritious, hot breakfast.
- In the rice cooker, add 1 cup of steel-cut oats.
- Sprinkle with 14 teaspoons of salt.
- Pour in 3 glasses of water. (For a creamier texture, use 1 cup milk and 2 cups water.)
- With a wooden spoon, thoroughly combine all ingredients.
- Choose the ‘Porridge’ option and turn it on.
- Allow your rice cooker to perform its thing while attending to other matters.
- Return and ladle steaming hot, excellent oatmeal into four serving dishes to enjoy
How Does the Taste Steel Cut Oats
Steel-cut oats generally have a bland taste profile, not deviant. There are some nutty undertones and a gritty undertone, but the dish is lighter in flavor than barley or wheat. The taste of a plate of oats is frequently determined by the things added in and on the upper edge.
Some Additional Tips
Although we like our oats precisely as written in the recipes, we occasionally want to add extra components or creative toppings to give that daily bowl of oats a unique twist.
If you want to add something to your oatmeal to make it more interesting, we have a few ideas. We’ve struggled them all, and they’re all fantastic.
- Add a few walnuts or chopped dried fruit on top. Dried pears or peaches work really nicely.
- A little cinnamon will provide an excellent taste to your porridge.
- Just several drops of pure vanilla essence help bring out the natural flavor of steel-cut oats.
- Nothing beats a sprinkle of honey syrup over the top before nestling it into your oats for those of you with such a sweets craving.
- Try putting a tablespoon of shredded coconut on top for a unique twist.
- A few crushed nuts or slivered nuts will provide a delicious nutty flavor to your porridge.
FAQs
How long does it take to cook steel-cut oats in a rice cooker?
Fill the rice cooker pot halfway with ingredients. Cook is the default setting. In 10-fifteen minutes, your oatmeal will be ready. Stir in 1/2 cup syrup and 1 teaspoon ginger at the beginning of the cooking cycle.
Should you soak Steel-cut oats before cooking?
Before consuming, soak the steel-cut oats for at least 5 – 10 hours. They’ll be incredibly chewy yet delicious on one day, and they’ll begin to soften during the week. Even after 5 days, the 1 night Steel Cut Grains had an excellent consistency but were not soggy.
How do you make steel-cut oats with rice?
In a rice cooker, mix the oatmeal and salt. Mix in 3 1/2 cups of ice water. Use a machine with a porridge option and a cooking duration. Mix in 4 cups of water if using a standard model. Set your timer for 2 hours before you need to consume your oats if your appliance has one.
Conclusion
The rice cooker is a household essential that is frequently used for purposes other than rice cooking. Steel-cut oats (and other meals) may be cooked in the same pot first but ensure your appliance has a metal bowl or pan.
While it’s not as quick or easy to use an instant oats package, it makes sure that all of those vitamins are preserved during the heating process. However, like with any recipe modification, research how long each component requires to be at specific temperatures before serving to avoid overcooking!