Instant Pot Porridge

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This Instant Pot porridge recipe is a total game changer if, like me, you love steel cut oatmeal but just can't bear to spend 20 minutes cooking it on a weekday morning for breakfast! With the Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker, you can set it and leave it, and it will be ready for breakfast when you need it.

Steel cut oats, sometimes also called pinhead oats, Irish oatmeal or coarse oatmeal, are a less processed version of the commonly found rolled oats. They are the inner kernel of whole oats that have been cut into pinhead sized pieces using steel blades, hence their name.

Because steel cut oats have not been rolled flat to reduce cooking time, they typically take anywhere from 15-20 minutes to cook. When cooked, the oats hold their texture and are a bit chewy and nutty in flavour. You can find steel cut oats at most large supermarkets or health food shops. You can also find them online here.

I used to consider porridge made from steel cut oats a luxury due to its lengthy cooking time. But now, I always use steel cut oats for Instant Pot porridge. Not only does the Instant Pot reduce cooking time significantly, but I can also set everything up the night before, and the porridge will be ready for breakfast the next morning! Now, that is my kind of breakfast.

Once the Instant Pot porridge is cooked, you can serve it as usual with all your favourite toppings. Because the recipe below uses only water, it is also vegan friendly. If you like milk in your porridge, I would recommend adding it after the porridge is cooked, as dairy doesn't tend to do well in the Instant Pot. Depending on how much milk you add, you could reduce the cooking water slightly.

And here's what you'll need to make this Instant Pot porridge:
(Click here to jump straight to the recipe)

180g steel cut / coarse oats
840-900ml water [1]
1 cinnamon stick (optional)

And here's what you'll need to do:

Put the steel cut oats into the inner bowl of the Instant Pot.
Add the water, and pick out any stray hull fibres or tiny stones from the oats.

Add the cinnamon stick if using, and place the inner bowl into the Instant Pot.
If you're preparing this the night before, programme the Instant Pot to cook on High Pressure for 4 minutes with natural release, and Delay Start to at least half an hour before you intend to serve the porridge.
Some oats are tougher and may require up to 5 minutes of cook time, and others may only require 3 minutes of cook time. Adjust this according to your preference.

When porridge is done cooking and the pin on the Instant Pot has dropped, open the lid carefully.
Discard the cinnamon stick, and give the porridge a stir to mix the water in.
Remove the inner bowl from the Instant Pot, and rest it for a couple of minutes.

Serve with your choice of toppings.

Notes

The amount of water used will ultimately depend on the oats. Some oats will absorb more water and some less. It is also a matter of personal preference how much liquid you like in your porridge, and you may wish to use less water if you'll be adding milk to your porridge. It may take one or two tries to fine tune the oat to water ratio to your liking.