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.

cooked oatmeal in a bowl topped with some pineapple, banana and honey

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.

three types of oat meals in individual bowls

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

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

cooked oatmeal in a pot with a spoon scooping some oatmeal

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

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

pouring oatmeal in a pot filled with water

oatmeal and water in a pot before it got cooked

cooked oatmeal in a pot with a wooden spoon scooping some oatmeal

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

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