Instant Pot Savory Oatmeal

This oatmeal is creamy and rich but it’s not at all sweet. Instead, it has garlic, smoked paprika, and a touch of cheese.

I realized a long time ago that I’m not really a fan of sweet breakfast foods. This is unfortunate because there are so many quick and easy options. That’s why I decided to start making my own not-sweet breakfast. What I really needed was something delicious so that I would actually reach for it, and it also has to be quick for me to get ready in the mornings.

I make a batch of savory oatmeal like this in my Instant Pot on Sundays or Mondays so that I can quickly heat up a bowl of it for my breakfast throughout the week. If I’m in a hurry, I just scoop some into a bowl, microwave it, and then add a bit of milk and eat.

If I have a few extra minutes, I’ll heat it up and then top it with some diced tomato, green onion, and basil. Or, sometimes I stir in some spinach leaves (they wilt from the heat of the oatmeal) and top it with a sprinkle of feta cheese. Or, it’s really lovely with some sliced avocado and a dollop of sour cream.

If I have even more time, I’ll do any of the above options topped with some scrambled egg whites or a fried egg. The options are really endless.

I use steel cut oats for this. I really like their firmer texture, especially if I’m making a larger batch to have in the fridge. The texture after refrigerating is not at all gummy. However, I didn’t used to make steel cut oats often though because they took longer to cook than other kinds of oats. But by doing them in the Instant Pot, it’s not long at all.

How To Make Steel Cut Oats In The Instant Pot

Whether you’re making the savory recipe below or a plain batch, you will follow the same basic instructions. You want one part steel cut oats to two parts liquid. That is, one cup oats and two cups of water. Or, two cups oats and four cups of water.

I choose to use water for this as the liquid because my other top, milk, ends up resulting in a burn notice in my Instant Pot. Sticking with water is a safer bet.

I add 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the mixture and give it a stir. Then you set the Instant Pot for 4 minutes of pressure cooking on high. After the 4 minutes are over, do a natural release by not doing anything at all until the pressure button drops and you are able to open the lid. Give it a stir and it’s ready!

How To Make Creamy Savory Oatmeal

So, I mentioned that you shouldn’t use milk as your liquid, but I do something else to make this savory oatmeal extra creamy and delicious. I add a couple of American cheese slices! A

After adding the oats, water, salt, and any seasonings, take some American cheese slices and tear each into 4 pieces. Arrange those pieces over the oats in a single layer. That’s it! The cheese melts in as the oats cook and makes the whole dish really creamy and amazing.

I use 1-2 cheese slices per cup of oats.

I hope you love having a batch of this savory oatmeal in your fridge. It really helps me to make sure I eat in the mornings because it’s just so good!

Enjoy! -Christine xo

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