Steel cut oats are one of my favorite dishes to have for breakfast. They are delicious, nutritious, and filling. Unfortunately, they take a long time to cook. If you decide to make a fresh bowl of steel cut oats in the morning, you are looking at about 20 to 30 minutes cooking time.

Most people don’t have so much time in the morning for making breakfast. We all want something easy and healthy that we can just grab and go. That’s why overnight oatmeal recipes have become so popular on the internet in the last couple of years. Anything that helps to make getting out the door in the morning less stressful is a winner.

But did you know that you can also make no-cooking steel cut oats overnight?

Steel cut oats are very hard so you can’t really just soak them overnight the way you would do with rolled oats. They just don’t soften enough. So I soak them in hot water first and then place them in the fridge overnight.

I usually make two jars of overnight steel cut oats in the evening so that I can have it the next morning as well as the morning after. This way, I don’t keep them in the fridge for more than 48 hours.

5 Reasons to Make Overnight Steel Cut Oats:

1. Overnight steel cut oats are very easy to make. You don’t have to follow long recipes or learn complicated cooking techniques. Just put the ingredients together, mix them up a bit, and you are done;
2. It’s quick. It literally takes just a few minutes to prepare the oats, so you don’t have to spend a long time in the kitchen;
3. Overnight steel cut oats are portable. If you prefer to take your breakfast to work or school, overnight steel cut oats are perfect for you because you can make them in glass jars or containers and then just take them with you in the morning;
4. This overnight steel cut oats recipe is very customizable. Once you know how to make the basic recipe, you can tailor it to your taste and dietary preference. For example, you can make them with different types of milk such as cow’s or your favorite non-dairy milk. You can also experiment with adding different toppings (see below for some topping ideas). You can also control how sweet you want them to be.
5. Overnight steel cut oats make a very healthy breakfast. Steel cut oats are full of important vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein, and even fat. Adding chia seeds and other healthy topping makes them a breakfast of champions.

How to Make Overnight Steel Cut Oats:

***Please scroll down for the step-by-step pictures.***

1. Place the steel cut oats into a large bowl. You will need 1/4 cup of oats per portion.

2. Carefully add boiling water to the bowl. The oats will swell quite a bit so make sure that the oats are covered by at least 1 1/2 inches of water. The more portions you are making, the more water you will need.

3. To keep the water warm longer place a cover on the bowl. I just use a small plate because it fits perfectly over my bowl. Let the oats soak for at least one hour.

4. Remove the cover and drain the oats.

5. Divide the soaked oats equally between jars or glass containers.

6. Add the chia seeds. About 1 tablespoon per portion.

7. Add your favorite non-dairy or cow’s milk, about 1 cup per portion, and mix to combine. Cover with a tight lid and place in the fridge overnight.

8. Add your favorite toppings such as nuts and fruits before serving.

Toppings add flavor and nutrition to the overnight steel cut oats. Choose your favorite toppings or experiment with new ones. There are so many combinations that you could create a new flavor every day.

Overnight Steel Cut Oats Topping Ideas:

Topping # 1 – Berries and Fruits:

I usually add about 1/2 cup berries or cut up fruits. Here are some of my favorite fruits and berries to add to my overnight steel cut oats:

• Blueberries
• Strawberries
• Blackberries
• Raspberries
• Peaches
• Apples
• Plums
• Pineapple
• Pomegranates
• Oranges
• Mango
• Kiwi
• etc.

Topping # 2 – Nuts, Seeds, and Nut Butters:

Don’t forget to add some nuts or nut butter. I usually add about 2 tablespoons of chopped nuts or 1 tablespoon of nut butter:

• Almonds
• Sunflower Seeds
• Shredded Coconut
• Walnuts
• Pecans
• Cashews
• Hazelnuts
• Almond Butter
• Cashew Butter
• etc.

Topping # 3 – Sweetener (optional)

I don’t usually use any additional sweetener in my morning oatmeal because I find that with fruits and berries it tastes sweet enough. If I want it to taste sweeter, I add a little bit of maple syrup, honey or coconut sugar.

If you like steel-cut oats, check out this Raspberry Steel Cut Oatmeal and these Savory Steel Cut Oats.

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