How to Make Oatmeal (A Guide to How to Cook Oatmeal)

Welcome to a comprehensive guide to oatmeal! If you’ve ever wondered how to make oatmeal, you are in the right place.

Here we are taking every variation of oatmeal (steel-cut, rolled, and quick-cooking) and teaching you how to make it in every method (stovetop, slow cooker, Instant Pot, overnight, and microwave). We also outline the benefits of oatmeal, answer FAQs and even share the best oatmeal recipes on the planet.

We love a good bowl of oatmeal here at Fit Foodie Finds and we hope this post convinces you the same. Learn How to Make Oatmeal + so much more with this comprehensive guide.

All About Oatmeal

Oatmeal is hands down my favorite healthy breakfast idea. Whether it’s overnight oats, steel-cut oats, or crockpot oats, we love oatmeal…and for so many reasons.

Quick and Easy: From 2 minutes in the microwave to completely hands-off in the slow cooker, oatmeal might be the easiest breakfast on the planet to make!

Great for Meal Prep: Need to make breakfast for a whole week? Oatmeal is your girl! You can double, triple, or quadruple most oatmeal recipes! Plus, a lot of recipes will last in the fridge for up to 5 days and can be frozen for later.

100% Whole Grain: If you’re looking to start your day off with a whole grain, choose oatmeal! Whole grain oatmeal is soft, chewy, and slightly nutty…plus 100% good for you.

Delish: On top of all of these reasons…oatmeal is delicious! We’re big fans of making oatmeal taste good, and you’ll see that connection throughout this post.

Types of Oatmeal

In this post, we’ll be covering 3 different types of oatmeal. All of these oatmeal variations are derived from the oat groat. Oat groats are the whole form of oatmeal because they contain all parts of the grain and are NOT processed.

Since it takes a lot of time and energy to cook whole oat groats, they have been processed to produce 3 well-known forms of oats that we consume every single day.

1. Steel-cut oats
2. Rolled oats
3. Quick-cooking oats

Steel-Cut Oats

Steel-cut oats are essentially whole oat groats cut into 3 or 4 pieces to create smaller oat groats. Steel-cut oats are also referred to as Irish or Scottish Oats.

They feel like thick pieces of rice when uncooked and their cooked texture has a chewy bite to it. A typical bowl of stovetop steel-cut oats can take around 40 minutes to cook because it is less processed than rolled or quick-cooking oats.

Nutrition per 1/4 cup, uncooked | 170 calories | 3.5g fat | 31g carb | 4g fiber | 1g sugar | 4g protein

Rolled Oats

Rolled oats are another by-product of the oat groat. They are steamed and then rolled to produce a thin, flat, rolled oat.

Rolled oats are also referred to as old-fashioned oats. This type of oatmeal cooks much faster than steel-cut oats and is easily found at pretty much every supermarket in America.

Nutrition per 1/2 cup, uncooked | 150 calories | 3g fat | 27g carbs | 4g fiber | 1g sugar | 5g protein

Quick Cooking Oats

Quick-cooking oats or “Instant Oats,” are the most processed byproduct of the oat groat, but take the least amount of time to prepare.

Essentially quick oats are just rolled oats that have been chopped into smaller pieces so that they cook faster. When cooked, they have a creamy texture and can be cooked as fast as 2 minutes in the microwave.

Nutrition per 1/2 cup, uncooked | 150 calories | 3g fat | 27g carbs | 4g fiber | 1g sugar | 5g protein

Nutrition & Health Benefits of Oatmeal

Are you wondering…is oatmeal good for you? Is oatmeal healthy? The quick answer is YES! In this section, we’re going to examine why oatmeal is healthy and what kind of nutrition you get from a single serving of oats.

Oatmeal Nutrition

Whether you’re a steel-cut girl or a quick-cooking oats kind of girl, all 3 types of oatmeal have similar health benefits.

• Calories: Oatmeal is a nutritionally dense whole grain, but lower in calories compared to many other grains. Per 1/2 cup of uncooked rolled oatmeal, there is only 150 calories compared to 1/2 cup uncooked white rice where there is 360 calories.
• Sugar: Oatmeal is low in sugar with just 1g sugar per serving.
• Protein: Per serving, rolled oats have 5g protein which is an excellent amount of protein to start your morning off!
• Fiber: One of oatmeal’s best attributes is its fiber content. Per serving you get 4g of fiber, which really helps keep your body regulated.
• Calories: Oatmeal is a nutritionally dense whole grain, but lower in calories compared to many other grains. Per 1/2 cup of uncooked rolled oatmeal, there is only 150 calories compared to 1/2 cup uncooked white rice where there is 360 calories.
• Sugar: Oatmeal is low in sugar with just 1g sugar per serving.
• Protein: Per serving, rolled oats have 5g protein which is an excellent amount of protein to start your morning off!
• Fiber: One of oatmeal’s best attributes is its fiber content. Per serving you get 4g of fiber, which really helps keep your body regulated.

Your Q’s Answered

How to Make Oatmeal – Cooking Methods

There are many different ways to prepare oatmeal. From the stovetop to the microwave to the Instant Pot, we’re going to teach you how to cook oatmeal in every way possible!

• Stove-Top
• Slow Cooker
• Overnight
• Instant Pot
• Microwave

Stovetop Oatmeal

Looking to learn how to cook oatmeal on the stove? If you’ve got the time, stovetop oatmeal is the best way to get fluffiest oats in the world. Because you constantly have to mix stovetop oatmeal, the outcome is airy, fluffy oatmeal that everyone will love.

Good news, you can easily make quick-cooking oats, rolled oats, and steel-cut oats on the stove. Keep reading to find the standard ratio of oats to liquid.

Recipe used in photos: Banana Bread Stove-Top Oats.

Stovetop Steel-Cut

• 1 cup steel-cut oats
• 3 cups liquid

Instructions: Place 1 cup steel-cut oats and 3 cups liquid into a medium pot. Bring to a boil over high heat while continuously stirring. Then, reduce heat to low and let simmer, uncovered, for 20-30 minutes, stirring every so often. Cook until steel-cut oats are thick and creamy.

Stovetop Rolled Oats

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 2 cups liquid

Instructions: Place 1 cup rolled oats and 2 cups liquid into a medium pot. Bring to a boil over high heat while continuously stirring. Then, reduce heat to low and continue to stir for around 3-5 minutes, or until oats have thickened.

Stovetop Quick-Cooking

• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 2 cups liquid

Instructions: Place 1 cup quick-cooking oats and 2 cups liquid into a medium pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and continuously stir for 1-2 minutes or until oats have thickened.

Slow Cooker Oatmeal

Slow cooker oatmeal is one of my favorite ways to cook steel-cut oats because it’s very hands-off and easy to make. Add your steel-cut oats and liquid to the slow cooker, give it a mix, turn it on and in just a few hours you’ll have a hearty breakfast ready to go!

While you can make both instant oatmeal and rolled oatmeal in the slow cooker, we only recommend cooking steel cut oats because of the amount of work it eliminates in the cooking process.

Recipe used in photos: Crockpot Maple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats.

Slow Cooker Steel-Cut Oatmeal

• 1 cup steel-cut oats
• 4 cups liquid

Instructions: First, spray the slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Then, place 1 cup steel-cup oats and 4 cups liquid into the slow cooker and mix. Cover and cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. If possible, stir steel-cut oatmeal every hour or so to prevent sticking. Remove from slow cooker once thickened.

Overnight Oats

Overnight oats are a fun twist on classic oatmeal. Soak your oatmeal for at least 2 hours or overnight with milk and chia seeds and you’ve got yourself a chewy, healthy breakfast option! 

We love overnight oats because they’re served chilled instead of hot and we recommend always using chia seeds during this process so they get nice and fluffy! Good news, you can use all 3 types of oats for overnight oats. Keep reading to learn how.

Recipe used in photos: Classic Vegan Overnight Oats.

Overnight Steel-Cut Oatmeal (or quick-cooking steel-cut)

• 1 cup steel-cut oats
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 2 cups liquid

Instructions: Place 1 cup steel-cut oats, 1 tablespoon chia seeds, and 1.5 cups liquid into a glass container and mix. Place in the microwave and cook on high for 1 minute. Mix again. Then, cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Overnight Rolled Oats

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1.5 cups liquid

Instructions: Place 1 cup rolled oats, 1 tablespoon chia seeds, and 1.5 cups liquid into a glass container and mix. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Overnight Quick Cooking

• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1.5 cups liquid

Instructions: Place 1 cup quick-cooking oats, 1 tablespoon chia seeds, and 1.5 cups liquid into a glass container and mix. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Instant Pot Oatmeal

Instant Pot steel-cut oatmeal and Instant Pot oatmeal are a great way to cut the cooking time down, while still getting that chewy delicious texture you get from the stovetop or slow cooker.

While you can make quick-cooking oatmeal in the Instant Pot, we only recommend cooking steel cut oats and rolled oats because of the amount of work it eliminates in the cooking process.

Recipe used in photos: Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats.

Instant Pot Steel Cut Oats

• 1 cup steel-cut oats
• 3 cups liquid

Instructions: Place 1 cup steel-cut oats and 3 cups liquid into Instant Pot and mix. Close Instant Pot and turn the valve to seal. Set Instant Pot to high pressure for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, quick release by opening the valve to vent. Mix steel-cut oats and serve.

Instant Pot Rolled Oatmeal

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 2 cups liquid

Instructions: Place 1 cup rolled oats and 2 cups of liquid into the Instant pot and mix. Close the Instant Pot and turn the valve to seal. Set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 3 minutes. When the timer goes off, quick release by opening the valve to vent. Mix oatmeal and serve.

Microwave Oatmeal

Only have a couple of minutes for breakfast? Make either rolled oats or quick-cooking oats in the microwave in under 2 minutes!

Recipe used in photos: Cookie Dough Microwave Oatmeal.

Microwave Rolled Oats

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 and 1/3 cups liquid

Instructions: Place 1 cup rolled oats and 1.33 cups liquid into a microwave-safe bowl. Then, microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove from microwave and stir. Place back into the microwave for another 1 minute on high.

Microwave Quick-Cooking

• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• 1 and 1/3 cups liquid

Instructions: Place 1 cup quick-cooking oats and 1.33 cups liquid into a microwave-safe bowl. Then, microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove and stir.

Healthy Sweeteners, Toppings, & Mix-Ins

Don’t let oatmeal get a bad rap for tasting bland because you can always mix it and top it with so many delicious things!

All-Natural Sweeteners

We love using all-natural sweeteners in our oatmeal over refined sugars not only because it’s better for you, but it just tastes better! Really, is there anything better than the sweet and savory taste of maple syrup? Here are some of our favorite way to sweeten oatmeal using all-natural sweeteners.

• Mashed banana
• Maple syrup
• Honey
• Coconut sugar

Toppings & Mix-Ins

We’re all about the toppings and mix-ins because it gives your oatmeal texture and an additional flavor profile. From pureed fruits and veggies to nuts and seeds, there are so many different ways to “spice up” your oatmeal!

• Fresh fruit
• Berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, etc.)
• Seeds
• Brown sugar
• Cocoa powder
• Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, etc.)
• Nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, etc.)
• Extracts
• Chocolate chips
• Nuts (pecans, walnuts, peanuts, etc.)
• Coconut flakes
• Protein powder
• Dried fruit

Popular Flavor Combos

Never get sick of oatmeal for breakfast with these delicious oatmeal flavor combinations that you will absolutely love!

More Healthy Oatmeal Recipes

Looking for more healthy oatmeal recipes? Check out some of our other popular posts about oatmeal below.