This Overnight Steel Cut Oats recipe is a make-ahead breakfast that will make your mornings easier. Instead of taking 20 to 30 minutes to cook, you can prep these quickly and enjoy them straight from the fridge all week. 

overnight steel cut oats topped with berries in a meal prep jar. overnight steel cut oats topped with berries in a meal prep jar.

Unlike rolled oats, which are steamed and flattened during processing, steel-cut oats are hulled, whole oats chopped with a steel blade. Since they are less processed, they take longer to cook.

Luckily, we can shorten the process by planning ahead. If you enjoy the chewy texture and nutty flavor of steel-cut oats, this will quickly become your favorite healthy breakfast! 

Ingredients You’ll Need

Steel cut oats (also known as Irish Oats) don’t require many ingredients, but you’ll get the creamiest results by cooking them in a combination of water and milk. You can make these dairy-free and vegan by using dairy-free milk. 

Just like traditional overnight oats, you can get creative with the mix-ins! Once they are cooked, season them with cinnamon, maple syrup, nut butter, or any other options you love. 

For more flavor ideas, try stirring in chopped apple, banana slices, almond butter, blueberries, or pecans. You can customize your bowl with a different topping each day!

a cup of steel cut oats with water, milk, and salt on a marble board. a cup of steel cut oats with water, milk, and salt on a marble board.

How to Make Overnight Steel Cut Oats

In a 2-quart saucepan over high heat on the stove top, combine the steel-cut oats, water, milk, and a pinch of salt. Bring the liquid to a boil and stir occasionally.

Once the pot has reached a rolling boil, let the oats continue to boil for 2 minutes. You can turn down the heat if the liquid starts to bubble near the top of the pan. 

oats added to a pan and boiled on the stove top.oats added to a pan and boiled on the stove top.

When the 2 minutes have passed, turn off the heat and set the pan aside to cool.

It’s best if you can let this cool for at least 20 minutes, because you need to transfer it to a storage jar, and you don’t want the jars to break from the sudden heat. 

Once the oats have cooled off a bit, transfer them to a mason jar with a lid. You can use one large storage container and portion this out each morning, or store it in several individual containers. 

runny steel cut oats cooling off in a white saucepan. runny steel cut oats cooling off in a white saucepan.

The oats may still look slightly runny when you store them, but they will thicken and soften overnight. Remember, steel cut oats have a chewy texture when they are cooked.

So they will not be as soft and mushy as old-fashioned oats. 

close up of the steel cut oats texture in a glass meal prep jar. close up of the steel cut oats texture in a glass meal prep jar.

When you’re ready to enjoy the oats, top them with any extras you love. Add peanut butter, a drizzle of honey, and fresh berries like strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries.

You can add more protein with a scoop of hemp hearts (hulled hemp seeds) or extra fiber with a spoonful of chia seeds.

overnight steel cut oats in 3 glass jars topped with berries.overnight steel cut oats in 3 glass jars topped with berries.

Looking for more meal prep recipes? Try Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding, Banana Overnight Oats, or Apple Baked Oatmeal for more delicious ideas.



  • 1 cup uncooked steel-cut oats
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups milk (of choice)
  • â…› teaspoon fine sea salt

  • In a 2-quart saucepan combine the steel cut oats, water, milk, and salt. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat on the stove top.

  • Once the liquid it boiling, set a timer for 2 minutes. The boiling liquid may start to rise up towards the top of your saucepan, if this happens lower the heat until the liquid lowers. Stir often so the oats won’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

  • When the timer goes off, remove the pan from the heat and set it aside to cool for 20 minutes. (This way, you won’t add boiling-hot oats to glass jars and risk them breaking.) The oats will continue absorbing the liquid as they cool.

  • Once the oats have cooled, transfer them to individual storage jars with lids. One cup of dry oats makes 3 hearty servings cooked. Store the oats overnight in the fridge to continue softening.

  • When you’re ready to eat, grab a jar of oats from the fridge and add your favorite toppings. These can be enjoyed warm or cold. Heat them up on the stovetop with an extra splash of milk, or microwave in a heat-safe bowl for 60 to 90 seconds. Oats will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Nutrition information is for 1/3 of this recipe, without any toppings. This was calculated using generic almond milk; other milks will change the nutrition. This information is just an estimate, not a guarantee.
 

Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 321mg | Potassium: 0.02mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 0.2g | Calcium: 231mg | Iron: 2mg

If you enjoy this overnight steel cut oats recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below. I’d love to hear how you like it!

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