How to Cook Oatmeal

Oatmeal might be one of the most common breakfast foods on the planet! It’s easy to make, versatile, and one of the most nutritious ways to start your day! Also called porridge, this filling whole grain basically is the alpha when it comes to breakfast foods.

What I love the most about oatmeal is that it’s so easy to cook or prepare overnight. It’s nutritious, filling and boosts your energy, leaving you feeling good for the rest of the day. I’m sharing my 3 favorite ways to cook this heart healthy breakfast food!

If you love to have oatmeal recipes for breakfast, check out my Health Strawberry Oatmeal Bars, Blueberry Oatmeal Bake, and Baked Chocolate Oatmeal.

Different Types of Oats

Before diving spoon first into a delicious bowl of oatmeal you will want to decide what kind of oats to use for your morning bowl! Here are the most common types of oats and what you should know about them before making your bowl.

• Oat Groats– This is the oat grain in it’s most whole, intact form. The hull has been removed, but other than that, the bran, endosperm, and germ are all still intact. The groats has the most fiber and is in the most natural state. This also means it takes more water and a longer time to cook.
• Steel Cut Oats– Steel cut oats come from cutting oat groats with a steel blade. They take less water and time to cook than oat groats.
• Rolled Oats– Also called old fashioned oats, rolled oats are made from steaming the groats and rolling it into a flat flaky shape. These oats are the most common and readily available at stores. Steaming the oats makes them quicker to cook than steel cut and needs less water on average to cook.
• Instant Oats– Instant oats take the rolled oats and steam them a second time making them quicker to cook. As the name implies these oats cook instantly and are traditionally made in the microwave.

Cooking Oatmeal

Here are 4 ways to cook oatmeal using the most common types of oatmeal.

How to Cook Old Fashioned Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water or milk
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• Sweetener of choice, if desired.

Direction to Cook Oatmeal on Stovetop

1. In medium sauce pan, over medium heat, bring water or milk to a boil.
2. Once boiling, stir in rolled oats.
3. Cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat stirring occasionally.
4. Remove from heat and serve with desired toppings!

How to Cook Steel Cut Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cup water or milk
• 1/4 cup steel cut oats
• Sweetener of choice, if desired.

Directions to Cook Steel Cut Oatmeal

1. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, bring water or milk to a boil.
2. Once oiling, stir in steel cut oats. Reduce heat to low.
3. Simmer the oats, covered, for about 25-30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the oats from sticking to the pan.
4. Remove from heat, serve in a bowl and top with desired toppings and enjoy!

How to Make Overnight Oats

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup old fashioned (rolled) oats
• 1/2 cup milk- I like to use almond milk but regular milk works well too
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp. chia seeds

Directions to make Overnight Oats

1. In a mason jar add oats, milk, yogurt, and chia seeds.
2. Stir together until smooth.
3. Cover with lid and refrigerate overnight for best results.
4. When you are ready to eat, top with toppings of your choice and enjoy!

How to Cook Oatmeal in the Microwave

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup rolled oats (old fashioned oats)
• 3/4 cup water

Directions to make Overnight Oats

1. In a microwave safe bowl, add the oats and water.
2. Stir together and cover with saran wrap.
3. Microwave on High for 2 minutes. Remove from the microwave and let it stand for another 2 minutes. Stir the oatmeal. If the oats are more dry than you prefer, a couple tablespoons of hot water and mix. Add sweetener and favorite toppings.

Best Oatmeal Toppings

I think one of my favorite parts about making oatmeal has to be the toppings! Oatmeal really is a blank canvas you can add just about anything to. A few of my favorites include:

• Fruit– sliced bananas, blueberries, sliced strawberries, cinnamon, apples.
• Granola– basically crunchy oats on top of soft oats!
• Nuts and seeds- flax seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds, sliced almonds, salted peanuts.
• Extras topping– shredded coconut, dried cranberries, chocolate chips, and peanut butter chips.
• Spreads: peanut butter, melted chocolate, Nutella spread, and lotus spread.
• Sweeteners: honey, maple syrup, sugar, artificial sweeteners.

Health Benefits of Oatmeal

Oatmeal also contains many beneficial vitamins and minerals. It’s high in magnesium, phosphorus, and vitamin B1. Not to mention oats contain more protein than just about any other grain!

One of the main reasons oatmeal is considered heart healthy is because of this high amounts of fiber in each cup! This soluble fiber helps lower blood sugar and cholesterol keeping your heart in tip-top shape.

Other Nutritious Breakfasts

• Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal
• Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cups
• Baked Oats (3 ways)
• Blueberry Oatmeal Bake

More How to Posts

• How To Cook Corn
• How to Cook Quinoa
• How to Make Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs
• How to Make Perfect Soft Boiled Eggs

I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this tutorial on how to cook oatmeal recipes. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it and share it with your friends and family!

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