Overnight Steel Cut Oats are a delicious, healthy, make-ahead breakfast. This recipe combines steel-cut oats and almond milk along with other goodies like fresh fruit, nuts, and seeds. This nutritional breakfast can be prepped quickly and packed in mason jars for an easy, take-along, healthy breakfast.
The Best Overnight Steel Cut Oats
Do you like oatmeal? I have loved oatmeal since I was a little girl, so this recipe was right up my alley. Not fond of steel-cut oats? No worries, you can make these with old-fashioned rolled oats as well. It is so easy to personalize these with your favorite goodies. This is the perfect breakfast for health-conscious families that are always on the go. You can pack them in mason jars or Tupperware-style containers for little ones.
I have a whole house full of oatmeal fans. If you like oatmeal as much as we do, try my oatmeal muffins, oatmeal pancakes, oatmeal raisin cookies, and oatmeal bars.
What is the difference between steel-cut oats and old-fashioned rolled oats?
Steel-cut oats, also known as pinhead oats or Irish oats, are more coarse than other types of oats and have a chewier texture. All oats have about the same amount of nutritional value, but steel cuts have the highest fiber content and density, making them the best nutritional choice for your buck. Steel oats (groats) are cut from the oat kernel (less the husk). These whole oat groats are cut into two to three smaller pieces using a steel blade. The cooking and softening time on steel cuts oats is longer than old-fashioned rolls oats. They absorb more liquid and take longer to soak.
Rolled oats, sometimes referred to as old-fashioned rolled oats, are flattened and steamed. They don’t take as long to cook as steel-cut oats. They are a better choice for cookies, muffins, bread, bars, pancakes, smoothies, and crumb toppings.
Steel-cut oats have health benefits
- Steel-cut oats are high in fiber. Just one-quarter of a cup contains five grams of fiber which is almost twenty percent of the daily recommended amount. Because of its high fiber content, it helps you feel fuller longer.
- They are high in protein. A serving size (one-quarter cup) contains seven grams of protein.
- Steel-cut oats are a good source of iron. Iron is an important part of hemoglobin which carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body.
How do you make Overnight Steel Cut Oats?
Actually, I should name this Overnight Overnight Steel Cut Oats because it is best after two nights in the fridge. Grab an airtight container. Add the oats, almond milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt. Stir to combine, cover, and refrigerate overnight, stirring a couple of times.
On the second day, add about one-quarter of a cup of fruit, nuts, or seeds to a mason jar. Spoon in an equal amount of the overnight oats mixture and top with more fruit and a drizzle of honey. Cover the jars with the lids and refrigerate them one more night. This recipe makes four six-ounce mason jars full of mixed fruit, nuts, seeds, and oats.
Flavor Variations
- Banana Nut -1/2 banana, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, almond butter, or any nut butter, and 1 tablespoon of chopped pecans or walnuts.
- Pina Colada – 1/3 cup chopped pineapple, 1 tablespoon toasted coconut
- Almond Blueberry – 1/4 cup blueberries, 1 tablespoon flax seeds or hemp seeds, 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
- Mixed berry – a few blackberries, a few raspberries, 1/4 cup chopped strawberries
- Apple – 1/3 cup chopped apple, a couple of pinches cinnamon, 1/2 tablespoon chia seeds
Do you have to use steel-cut oats for overnight oats?
If you prefer rolled oats in your oatmeal, mix the rolled oats in place of the steel-cut oats. Jump to the second day when you fill the mason jars with fruit, nuts, seed, and mixed oats. Cover and refrigerate for one night.
Feel free to mix or match any of these or try some new interesting combo that works for you and what you have on hand. These oats are a delicious healthy breakfast that travels well with you when you are running late.
More Oatmeal Recipes
Overnight Steel Cut Oats Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup steel cut oats
- 1 1/2 cups almond milk or your milk of choice
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Banana Nut
- 1/2 banana
- 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon of chopped pecan
Pina Colada
- 1/3 cup chopped pineapple
- 1 tablespoons toasted coconut
Almond Blueberry
- 1/4 cup blueberries
- 1 tablespoon flax seed
- 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
Mixed Berry
- 1/4 cup blackberries
- 1/4 cup raspberries
Instructions
- In an airtight container, add the oats, almond milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt. Stir to combine, cover, and refrigerate overnight, stirring a couple of times.
- On the second day, add about 1/4 cup of fruit, nuts, or seeds to a mason jar. Spoon in a 1/4 cup overnight oats and top with more fruit. Cover the jars with the lids and refrigerate them one more night.
Notes
- If you prefer rolled oats in your oatmeal, mix the rolled oats in place of the steel-cut oats. Jump to the second day when you fill the mason jars with fruit, nuts, seed, and the mixed oats. Cover and refrigerate for one night.
- The nutritional information is just for the overnight oats.
Nutrition
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Adriana Reyna
These are delicious! I’m new to learning how to prepare steel cut oats in this way and I love the overnight, wake up and go factor! How long do these keep for…say if I don’t finish the whole mason jar, only half.. would it keep for the next day?
Beth Pierce
Yes it would keep for the next day. After that though the fruit might start to decay.
Alejandro
I just need to clarify this, yo add oats to the airtight container with the milk when they are still “uncooked” ?
You never have to boil them or do anything else, just add them uncooked with the milk ?
Beth Pierce
Yes that is correct! Enjoy!
Donna White
Looks wonderful, I love steel cut oats – regular oatmeal is too mushy for me. I’ve never eaten oatmeal cold though; can this recipe be heated?
Beth Pierce
Yes they can. If heating in the microwave make sure to use microwavable canning jars and do not include any metal parts like rings, lids and caps.
Pauline
Could I use regular milk instead of almond milk? Or coconut or hemp milk.
Beth Pierce
Yes you most certainly can.
Megan
Really want to try this recipe but I’m not sure I will like it cold ….could I heat this up ?
Beth Pierce
Yes I think you could microwave them. However make sure you remove any metal lids from mason jars before microwaving.
Jacquelyn Hastert
This is the perfect breakfast to make ahead of time and take with you to work when you are in a hurry. It’s healthy too which is an added bonus.
Shannon Graham
Oh my goodness, I love all of these flavor combinations! Delicious and definitely a breakfast I’ll be adding on my “to-try” list.
Vik
These overnight oats sound so good, but I definitely like how the Banana Nut Oats sound! Trying those soon
Erin
YUM!!! I love this delicious version!!! This is so picture-perfect!
Krista
Each one of these looks fabulous! The perfect way to get up and get moving!
Katerina
I absolutely LOVE this!! The perfect breakfast!
Allie
I had oatmeal the other day because well i thought if everyone does it why not me and I could not do it, i tried i really did! I wanted to! 🙁 So i am really going to try this to change my mind.
Joy
Thank you for sharing this. I will be sure to try out each of the options you listed. Thank you for sharing.
Beth Pierce
My pleasure! Thanks for stopping by!
Jane
Great recipes and photos! Love oats – they are so healthy. Thank you for sharing the differencesame with us!
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome! I am glad that you liked the post!!
Bev
Yum, this looks delicious and it’s so easy to prepare specially for mums, it’s always better to do things the night before to make sure we eat healthily.
Beth Pierce
That is so true Bev. It seems like if we don’t prepare than we grab something that may not be that healthy!
Catherine
I love overnight oats…these look so refreshing and nourishing…perfect start to any morning!