Instant Pot makes it so easy to enjoy healthy whole grain steel-cut oats for breakfast – and with this recipe, they taste like a warm, cozy bowl of banana bread!
- Jump To Section:
- Ingredients
- Can I use rolled oats in this recipe?
- Can I use milk or plant-based milk instead of water in this recipe?
- Step By Step: How to Cook Banana Nut Oatmeal with Instant Pot
- Make-Ahead Breakfast Meal Prep
- Nutrition Insights
Ingredients
Steel cut oats are deliciously chewy and creamy, and they cook up in just 5 minutes in Instant Pot!
Bananas – two whole ones go into the oatmeal (no need to slice or mash before pressure cooking). Set aside a couple extra bananas to slice fresh on top.
Cinnamon for warmly spiced banana bread flavor.
Salt makes all of the other flavors pop – everything sweet needs a little bit of salt!
Nuts satisfy with healthy fats, protein and crunch. Walnuts or pecans make it feel most like a classic banana bread. Other top choices are hazelnuts, macadamias, almonds, coconut or nut butters. Instead of adding them to the porridge, I sprinkle the nuts on top to maximize the crunch factor.
Optional toppings – to finish off my bowl, I like to add a splash of whole milk. Almond or coconut milk would be great too. You can add your choice of sweetener to taste (maple syrup, honey, brown sugar). It also goes well with a sprinkle of hemp or chia seeds.
Can I use rolled oats in this recipe?
Instead of steel cut oats, you can substitute rolled “old fashioned” oats. You will need to adjust the amount of water, as rolled oats do not absorb as much liquid. Decrease the water from 3 cups down to 2 cups if you’re cooking rolled oats.
Can I use milk or plant-based milk instead of water in this recipe?
It’s not a good idea to use cow’s milk as the cooking liquid when pressure cooking oatmeal, because it can result in scorching at the bottom of the pot. Non-dairy nut milks don’t cause this problem, so they can be substituted. Personally, I don’t find that it adds much to the flavor or texture of the oats. I prefer to use milk or nut milk as a topping after cooking.
Step By Step: How to Cook Banana Nut Oatmeal with Instant Pot
Begin by turning on your Instant Pot’s Saute function. Toss in your dry oats and let them cook for a few minutes until you can smell their toasty aroma – this little step adds so much flavor!!!
When your oats are pleasantly toasted, stir in the cinnamon, salt and water. Throw in two whole bananas – don’t bother to mash or slice them. The pressure cooker will break them down just fine. Don’t forget to peel them, though 😜
Lock down for pressure cooking, and use Instant Pot’s Manual mode to select 5 minutes cook time on the high pressure setting.
After the timer beeps, let it sit for at least 10 minutes before opening the lid – then briskly stir up the porridge to make a creamy texture with even banana flavor throughout.
Scoop the banana oatmeal into bowls, top with fresh sliced banana and toasted nuts, and warm yourself up with the coziest breakfast! Enjoy it!
Make-Ahead Breakfast Meal Prep
Steel cut oatmeal reheats beautifully, which makes it a super convenient breakfast meal prep food. You can batch cook a big pot of oats (not a problem at all to double the recipe, there is plenty of room), refrigerate the leftovers and reheat it all week.
Tips:
- Cooked oats can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days
- For long term storage, portions of oatmeal can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months
- When reheating, It’s ideal to add a little splash of extra liquid (milk or dairy-free nut milk) to reach your ideal texture.
Nutrition Insights
Food for thought, from your friendly neighborhood Registered Dietitian Nutritionist + food science buff!
This Banana Nut Oatmeal is a delicious way to enjoy these healthy perks:
- Whole grain goodness: oats provide fiber, protein, and micronutrients like zinc, copper, magnesium and B vitamins.
- No added sugar: naturally sweetened, just banana!
- Nutrient-dense nuts: nuts and seeds are especially nutritious foods (just think, they are designed to fuel baby plants through germination until they are big enough to fend for themselves!!) – they power up this breakfast with healthy fats, protein, and too many functional health benefits to adequately describe here!
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[Instant Pot] Banana Nut Steel Cut Oats
Ingredients
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups water
- 2 medium bananas peeled
To Serve:
- 2 medium bananas peeled and sliced
- 4 ounces toasted nuts or nut butter of your choice walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, coconut, peanut butter…
Instructions
- Add the oats to the pressure cooker to cook over medium heat (with Instant Pot, press the ‘Saute’ button to begin cooking at medium saute heat). Stir frequently, and when the oats become fragrant, stir in the cinnamon, salt and water, then add the two whole bananas.
- Cover the pressure cooker with its lid (ensuring the valve is in sealing position) and cook under high pressure for 5 minutes (with Instant Pot, press ‘Cancel’ to stop saute mode, then press ‘Manual’ to select 5 minutes).
- When the cooking time is complete, allow 10 minutes for a natural pressure release before opening the valve and lid. Serve warm, topped with fresh banana slices and toasted nuts. Garnish with your choice of milk and/or any other desired toppings.
