Everyone and their grandma needs to know about this instant pot overnight oatmeal recipe that you set up the night before for a hearty warming breakfast.
The Quest for First Breakfast
Raising four boys is a lot like raising hobbits. You have to have multiple breakfasts.
My firstborn has always been an early riser.
I am not that.
I have, let’s call it, “symptoms of attention deficit” and cannot for the life make porridge on the stovetop without burning it and boiling it over. Doing this at 5 or 6 am increases the likelihood of this occurrence from 98% to 99.99%. Being raised by a Scot, this is a great weakness as all growing children must eat porridge to “put hair on their chest.”
Remember the overnight refrigerator oats that were a huge trend a few years ago? Well, those were appallingly undigestible. Really, oats are not something that should be eaten raw. I’ve even taken to soaking my oats before I make granola bars.
However, those overnight oats in little jars, they were onto something. They reflect a deep desire of my heart: to not have to function at the crack of dawn.
Oats: Nourishing and Affordable
Expensive and sugar-laden cold breakfast cereals are not something we buy regularly. Have you done the math on those? Even if they were healthy they don’t work well for larger families.
I just wanted a solution where my kids could have a nourishing-AND-dirt-cheap breakfast, but one where I barely had to lift a finger. This would become my go-to recipe and forever answer the age-old question of “what’s for breakfast?”
I thought there must be a way to make oatmeal in the instant pot, but I could only find slow cooker recipes online.
Then I made the discovery that the instant pot has a delay-start function.
Game changer! By setting up the breakfast the night before, I never had to groggily burn and spill breakfast in the morning. I don’t even know how long I have been doing this, but it is at least 4 years now, nearly every morning.
The added bonus of setting this up the night before is that the oats soak overnight in acidic water, breaking down the phytic acid, an anti-nutrient that can block the absorption of calcium, zinc, magnesium, iron and copper.
Discovering Instant Pot Overnight Oatmeal
I tested all the types of oats, including quick oats and stone cut. However, rolled old fashioned oats easily won for my perfect recipe.
We still make hearty cooked breakfasts with our farm-fresh eggs later in the morning as “second breakfast.” Some days I will bake fresh muffins for first breakfast, too, but at least one kid usually wants porridge, too!
The Perfect Ratio of Oats to Water
I like old fashioned rolled oats cooked at a 1:2 ratio plus a little extra water. If you like your oats chewier, keep it at the 1:2 ratio of oats to water.
Remember, the instant pot doesn’t let a bunch of steam off while cooking. So it won’t seem to be the same ration as stovetop porridge cooking.
Ingredients
The basic ingredients are oats and water! Here’s the ratio you’ll need for the instant pot. See the recipe card below for how I make it.
1 c old fashioned rolled oats
2 c plus a splash of water
1 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, optional, helps break down the phytic acid
Doubling the Recipe:
I actually always make 2 c oats, 4 1/4 c of water, but I have 4 boys. You make the amount you think your crew will eat.
Method
This oatmeal recipe couldn’t be easier. It is just like making them on the stovetop but without the stirring or the potential mess!
- Add all ingredients to the instant pot and give a quick stir.
- Replace the lid and turn the seal to sealing.
- Set to cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
- Before it turns on, press the delay start and set the amount of hours, allowing for at least 15 minutes natural release. This turns out way better if it has a long natural release time so I set it to turn on a full hour or more before breakfast. The keep warm function makes it just right whenever kids are hungry.
- In the morning, add your choice of toppings – we keep it simple with raw organic buffalo milk and maple syrup most days. We also love a spoonful of cinnamon stirred in.
Additional Ideas
Since I’ve been making this for a few years now, I feel like I have really hacked this recipe. I even discovered a way to make it more healthy, nourishing, and Weston A. Price approved! I now replace 1 cup of water (1 of 4) with 1 cup of bone broth!
I promise you, no one can taste it. They don’t even notice! You can smell it a little when you take the lid off, but as soon as your toppings are in, its not even noticeable!
If you have a tough crowd, start with replacing 1/8 of the liquid before working your way up to 1/4 or even 1/3. Be sure to use plain, unseasoned bone broth for this.
Overnight Oatmeal
Prepare this instant pot oatmeal the night before and set a timer for a hearty warming breakfast.
Ingredients
- 2 c old fashioned rolled oats
- 4 c plus a splash of water
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, optional
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to the instant pot and give a quick stir.
- Replace the lid and turn the seal to sealing.
- Set to cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
- Before it turns on, press the delay start and set the amount of hours, allowing for a nautral release.
- In the morning, add your choice of toppings.
Notes
- Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice is optional. It does add a slight smell but no noticeable taste.
1/2 cup of bone broth can be subbed in for some of the water too to add nutrition.
Do you love home cooking?
Cooking from scratch for nutrition and affordability is one of my favourite hobbies! See my other recipes here.
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Looks yummy! I will need to try this asap! Thank you!
This looks delicious and I love your writing style!
This is all great information, I have been thinking of looking for a recipe for oats in the instant pot. I found this at the perfect time!
This recipe is a total lifesaver! 🙌 As someone who struggles with early mornings and burnt porridge, the Instant Pot overnight oatmeal is a game-changer. 😅 It’s so convenient to set it up the night before, and waking up to a warm, hearty breakfast feels like a win. 💯 I also love the reminder about properly soaking oats for digestion—this is definitely going into my rotation! Can’t wait to try it! 🍲🌟
Would it be better to cook oats on “low pressure” for longer instead of doing “high pressure” for 3 min? Would there be a better nutritional value in low pressure cooking it?
I tried this and got a burn notice. Left it for 6 hours overnight. How can I prevent it from burning next time?