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Instant Pot Oatmeal is an easy and delicious breakfast that’s ready in minutes! Made with old-fashioned rolled oats, water, and a pinch of salt, enjoy yours with a splash of milk, fresh fruit, and a drizzle of honey.
Nutritious and delicious, this Instant Pot oatmeal is one of my favorite breakfast food recipes.
I have always loved oatmeal – it’s versatile and comforting and easy to enjoy with whatever fun toppings I happen to have in the refrigerator or pantry. Plus, it’s a whole grain!
And lately cooking oats in my Instant Pot pressure cooker has been a total game-changer. Gone are the days of continuous stirring and checking. Now, I simply dump everything in my Instant Pot, secure the lid, set the timer, and walk away. As the oatmeal is cooking, I can make coffee, unload the dishwasher, and make Octavian’s lunch without stirring a single thing! It’s multi-tasking at its finest.
If you’re new to cooking oats, check out my article all about the different types of oats, or learn a little more about the difference between rolled oats vs. quick oats.
Table of Contents
How to Make Oatmeal in the Instant Pot
Cooking oatmeal in the pressure cooker fast and easy!
- Type of oats: Old-fashioned oats, rolled oats (not quick oats)
- Cooking ratio: For every 1 cup of oats, add 2-2 1/2 cups of water (or water/milk)
- Cooking time: 2 minutes at high pressure with 10 minutes natural pressure release
I have only ever cooked my oats in water. As such, I have never experienced any kind of “burn notice” from my Instant Pot while my oatmeal is cooking. If you choose to cook your oats in a combination of water and milk, you may want to,
- Spray the bottom of the Instant Pot with non-stick cooking spray before adding any ingredients.
- Use the “pot in pot” method: Cook the oatmeal in a separate (pressure cooker-approved) glass bowl within the Instant Pot. To do this, place the trivet in the pot and add 1 cup of cold water to the center of the pot. In a 7-cup heat-safe bowl, combine the oats, water, milk, butter (if using), and salt. Place the bowl on top of the trivet. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and continue cooking as instructed.
Oatmeal Toppings
There are so many variations of this healthy breakfast. Get started by adding different toppings.
- Dairy milk or dairy-free milk
- Chia seeds
- Flax seeds
- Chocolate chips or cocoa nibs
- Applesauce
- Cinnamon
- Fresh or frozen fruit
- Honey or maple syrup
Reasons to Love Instant Pot Oatmeal
- It’s a hands-off breakfast ready in 20 minutes
- All you need are rolled oats and water (and maybe a couple of your favorite toppings)
- Oatmeal is packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants
- They are naturally vegan and gluten-free (just be sure to purchase oats that say that they are certified gluten-free)
- Instant Pot oatmeal is naturally sugar-free (until sugar is added)
More Breakfast Recipes to Try,
- Overnight Steel Cut Oats
- Hash Browns Recipe
- Sausage Gravy Recipe
- Overnight Oats Recipe
- Quiche Lorraine Recipe
- Crustless Quiche Recipe
- Instant Oatmeal Recipe
- Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats
Have you tried making this easy Instant Pot oatmeal recipe?
Tell me about it in the comments below! I always love to hear your thoughts. And tag me #theforkedspoon on Instagram if you’ve made any of my recipes, I always love to see what you’re cooking in the kitchen.
Instant Pot Oatmeal Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 4 cups water, see notes
- 2 tablespoon butter, optional
- pinch of salt
Optional Toppings
- Fresh fruit
- Sweetener, honey, maple syrup, brown sugar
- Nuts & Seeds
- Nut Butter, peanut butter, almond butter
- Milk, almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, cow milk, etc.
- Ground cinnamon or Nutmeg
Instructions
- Add the oats, water and/or milk, butter (if using), and a pinch of salt to the Instant Pot. Stir well to combine. Secure the lid and cook the oats for 2 minutes, high pressure (it will take approximately 5-8 minutes for the Instant Pot to reach full pressure).
- After the cooking time is completed, allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure. Carefully remove the lid once the pressure valve pops up and all of the steam has been released.
- Enjoy immediately with all of your favorite toppings.
Notes
- For creamier oatmeal, cook the oats in 1-1 1/2 cups water with 1 cup of milk.
- Keep leftovers stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat. Add additional water or milk as needed.
- Easily double or triple this recipe to feed a larger group. The cooking time stays the same, but the time to reach full pressure will increase by about 5-8 minutes.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I am making brunch at my church and need to upscale this recipe for 70 people. I just tried a two-serving size and am over the moon. It is perfectly as I’d hoped it would be and I’m looking forward to serving it at my church. Thank you!!
Thank you so much Susan! I am thrilled your test batch turned out exactly as you hoped. For 70 people, I would prepare several smaller batches or use multiple Instant Pots rather than scaling everything in one cooker. Since oats expand and foam, be sure the ingredients never exceed the halfway line in each pot. I hope your church brunch is a huge success! ๐