Brown Butter Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Steel-cut oats offer a chewy, hearty texture that I find far superior to rolled oats. When cooked under pressure on the Porridge setting, they only need 12 minutes. Browning the oats in butter beforehand adds a toasty, rich flavor and prevents sticking. Once you’ve experienced your hot breakfast cereal prepared this way, plain oats cooked in water will never compare.

Recipe Information

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups steel-cut oats
• 4 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Brown sugar, for serving
• Heavy cream, for serving

Preparation

1. Sauté the Oats: On the Instant Pot, select Sauté mode and melt the butter. Add the oats and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes until they are aromatic and lightly toasted. Mix in the water and salt, ensuring that all oats are covered by the liquid.

2. Pressure Cook: Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Press Cancel to reset the cooking program, then choose the Porridge setting and set the timer for 12 minutes on high pressure.

3. Release Pressure: Allow the pressure to release naturally for at least 10 minutes. Then, move the Pressure Release to Venting to release any remaining steam. Open the pot and stir the oatmeal to mix in any extra liquid.

4. Serve: Spoon the oatmeal into bowls and top with brown sugar and cream.

Variations

• Apple Cinnamon: Add 1 chopped apple and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon with the water.
• Pumpkin Spice: Mix in 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice with the water.
• Peanut Butter-Banana: Stir 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter into the cooked oatmeal and top with banana slices.
• Blueberry Almond/Pecan: Top with fresh blueberries, toasted sliced almonds or pecans, and a drizzle of honey.
• Savory Sesame Soy: Skip the salt. Stir in 2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil with the water. Serve with a fried egg on top.