Rice Cooker Steel-Cut Oats

By Genevieve Ko

Rice Cooker Steel-Cut Oats
David Malosh for The New York Times
Total Time
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Rating
4(494)
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The rice cooker isn’t a one-trick pony: It’s actually the secret to waking up to hot, creamy oatmeal. Steel-cut oats soften in the machine while retaining their nutty flavor and nubby chew — all without any effort on your part. Since rice cooker models vary, you can play around with the water proportions to achieve your favorite consistency. Generally, though, you’ll need a lot more water to oats using a rice cooker because oats stiffen and soak up even more water as they rest after cooking. Once they’re done, you can top them however you like, but regardless of whether you prefer your oats sweet or savory, be sure to cook them with salt to enhance their flavor.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings
  • 1cup steel-cut oats
  • 1teaspoon kosher salt
  • Savory toppings: sautéed or roasted vegetables; crisped bacon, sausage or ham; flaked smoked fish; cooked eggs; kimchi; pickles; nori; roasted salted nuts or seeds; avocado; fresh tomatoes; fresh greens or herbs
  • Sweet toppings: toasted nuts or seeds; dried fruit; fresh fruit; maple syrup; brown sugar; honey; jam; fruit compotes; milk or cream; nut butters
Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Combine the oats and salt in a rice cooker. If using a model with a porridge setting and a cooking timer, stir in 3½ cups cold water. If using a standard model, stir in 4 cups cold water.

  2. Step 2

    If your machine has a timer setting, set it to start cooking 2 hours before you want to eat your oatmeal. If it doesn’t have a timer, turn on the machine right before you go to bed. The machine should automatically go to a warming setting after it cooks the oatmeal, but check your machine to make sure.

  3. Step 3

    Gently stir the oatmeal, then divide among bowls or airtight containers to eat on the go and add the toppings of your choice.

Tip
  • If you pack the oats in insulated thermal containers, they should stay warm for up to an hour. The cooked oats can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week and reheated on the stovetop or in the microwave.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
494 user ratings
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Comments

Lauren

No need to go to all the trouble of cooking steel-cut oats. The night before, simply boil 1c water per 1/4 cup of steel-cut oats. Add the oats, let it bubble for a couple of minutes, turn off the burner, place lid on pan, and go to bed. The next morning you should have perfectly prepared steel-cut oats and clean-up is a breeze! I've done this for years. Also, I'm a savory person so I top my oats with a sprinkle of nutritional yeast and some tamari. Yummy.

George K.

Like others have noted, for some rice cookers, even (especially?) the intelligent ones, this recipe will result in a morning disaster clean-up. I have made steelcut oats in my Zojirushi for years. The most I can put in without a mess is 133 grams of oats and 523 grams of water. This will result in roughly 3 portions of oatmeal (YMMV) at around 195 grams each.

Yes yes yes!

And if you have only quick-cooking steel cut oats in house, a la Bob’s Red Mill? Same instructions?

Mainer

Oh my gosh I didn’t know about the timer function!! That’s so helpful! I can use it for rice and anything else I want!

askofnyc

Has anyone tried any of these methods (especially Zoji) with oat BRAN?

Marilyn

I've done this for years in my Zojirushi rice cooker with consistent success ... EXCEPT when I FORGET to use the PORRIDGE setting. OOPS! Then the boil-over is a nightmare. Otherwise, at nighttime I use 1 cup steel-cut oats and 2 1/2 cups of water, set the delay to finish at 6:30 a.m. and wake up to Zoji singing and a perfect breakfast for me and my family.

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