These steel-cut oats are ultra-creamy and delicious, made on the stovetop with whole milk and a pinch of salt. Get ready for the best bowl of oatmeal you’ll ever eat!
I grew up eating steel-cut oats, and it was basically our version of breakfast cereal. It was warm, incredibly filling, and always bubbling away on the stove. Every time I make steel-cut oats now, I’m transported back to the 90s in Ukraine and I feel like a child enjoying the simple pleasures in life all over again. This oat porridge is not only one of my favorite dishes — it’s a symbol of my upbringing.
“Kasha” is quite a broad term in Slavic culture, but it pretty much just means any porridge made with cooked grains (either sweet or savory). Buckwheat, millet, oats, barley, and wheat are most commonly used. In Slavic countries, kasha represents the circle of life. It is traditionally served as a baby’s first food and is also featured at weddings and celebrations. There’s even a famous Russian proverb: “Kashu maslom ne isportish” — which means you can’t spoil kasha with butter!
Exploring kasha variations? This pumpkin pudding is a classic, along with good ol’ fashioned buckwheat kasha.
How To Cook Steel-Cut Oats
Making the perfect creamy bowl of steel-cut oats is so easy — I get why this was my mom’s go-to breakfast! This recipe only requires three ingredients and comes together in under 30 minutes.
- Bring the milk to a simmer: Add the milk and salt into a heavy-bottomed saucepan (the one in this set is my favorite) and bring it to a simmer.
- Add the oats: Stir the oats into the simmering milk.
- Cook the oats: Turn the heat down to low and cook the oats for 25-30 minutes, stirring often. Allow the cooked oats to rest for a few minutes before enjoying.
Topping Variations
Steel cut oats are a blank canvas, ready to be transformed into a hearty meal or indulgent treat. Here are some of my favorite ways to top them.
- Classic Ukrainian/Russian style: Add a slice of butter and a splash of warm milk to make the oatmeal more runny. My fav childhood version was letting the butter melt into the oats, then adding jam or berries.
- Sweet: Make the oatmeal into a sweet treat by adding butter and your favorite sweetener (sugar, honey, or maple syrup). Dress it up further with apricots, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, bananas, chia seeds, almond butter, peanut butter, Nutella, or walnuts. Or, create an apple pie version with sautéed apples, brown sugar, and nutmeg.
- Savory: For a savory twist, add butter and additional salt to the cooked oats. Load them up with a fried egg, bacon crisps, and sliced avocado, or take a slightly different approach with sautéed mushrooms, thyme, and Parmesan cheese.
Tips For the Creamiest Steel-Cut Oats
Through lots of trial and error, I’ve discovered how to make a bowl of steel-cut oats that is wonderfully creamy, chewy, and flavorful. Here are six of my top tips for a perfect batch.
- Use whole milk. Nothing compares to it! Whole milk produces the creamiest, most satisfying texture. Using low-fat milk will result in runnier oatmeal.
- Don’t skip the salt! Even a small amount of salt enhances the natural nuttiness of the oats and balances the richness of the milk.
- Avoid letting the milk boil. It’s okay if the milk starts bubbling a bit, but try to add the oats before it gets to a rolling boil. Boiled milk has a higher chance of scorching, and its denatured proteins can make the oatmeal sticky or gluey.
- Stir often and choose the right pan. Steel-cut oats have a tendency to stick to the bottom of the pan and scorch, so it’s essential to use a heavy-bottomed pan and stir frequently, especially in the last 10-15 minutes of cooking.
- Adjust the consistency to your liking. I personally love a thick oatmeal texture, so I use a 4:1 liquid-to-oat ratio. If you prefer a thinner texture, add more warm milk a splash at a time.
- Allow the oats to rest. The five-minute rest is essential for a uniform texture, as it allows the oats to absorb any remaining liquid and thicken up.
Storage & Reheating
Need a breakfast that is ready-to-go? I love cooking up a big batch of this steel cut oatmeal at the beginning of the week so we can enjoy it all week long!
- Storage: Allow the cooked oats to cool completely, then transfer them to an airtight container (these are perfect for meal prep) and store them for up to five days in the fridge.
- Reheating: Cooked steel-cut oats can become quite solid after refrigeration, but it’s easy to revive their creamy texture. Reheat the oats in the microwave in 30-second increments until they are hot.
More Recipes with Oats
- Overnight Oats — No cooking required and super customizable with 10 flavor variations
- Old Fashioned Oatmeal Pudding — Topped with berries, nuts, and honey
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies — Soft, chewy, and packed with plump raisins
- Banana Baked Oatmeal — Perfect for busy mornings when you don’t want to stand over the stovetop
Recipe
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the milk and salt. Bring it to a gentle simmer (don’t let it boil hard).
- Stir in the steel-cut oats. Turn the heat down to low and cook the oats for 25–30 minutes, stirring often so the milk doesn’t scorch.
- Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let it rest for 5 minutes to finish thickening.
- Serve the oats warm with favorite topping. Enjoy!
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