Oatmeal is a satisfying, warming way to start your morning, and if you have any doubts about eating it from a nutritional standpoint, rest assured that it has many health benefits, from reducing inflammation to lowering cholesterol levels. Plus, it’s one of those foods that sticks with you throughout the day, leaving you full and satisfied so you’ll be less likely to reach for that midday snack. But enough about why you should eat oatmeal and more about the how to cook it. We’ve covered all of your oatmeal questions, from the best type of oats to eat to three different ways to make oatmeal.
A shot of a glass jar that is filled with oats on a counter top in a kitchen.
Directions: Bring water or milk to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in oats, reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 25-30 minutes or until oats are of desired texture.
What Are the Best Oats for Oatmeal?
There aren’t that many ingredients necessary to cook oatmeal. Oats. Liquid. Salt. That’s really all. However, you’ve got choices when it comes to the type of oats: rolled oats, old-fashioned oats, quick or instant oats, steel cut oats or quick steel cut oats. If you want to learn more about each variety, we go into detail in our story What Are Rolled Oats?. But don’t overthink things. Most oatmeal recipes call for rolled oats (also known as old-fashioned oats) because they take just about six minutes to cook and yield a pleasingly soft but not mushy texture. Quick oats are processed more than rolled oats and are softer and mushier when cooked. They’re great for little kids and camping, but the texture of rolled oats is what we think of when we imagine a bowl of hot oatmeal on a cold morning.
Lately, I’ve been hooked on two topping combinations, and you’ll find them in the recipe below. One is a mix of tart cherries and apples, with a sprinkle of chopped almonds for crunch. The other is a combination of blueberries, orange zest, yogurt, coconut, and chia seeds, with a pinch of cardamom and a drizzle of honey. Topped onto a hot bowl of oatmeal, each makes a hearty, warming, and nutritious breakfast. On cold mornings, they make me excited to get out of bed, and I hope they do the same for you.
If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you know that oatmeal has never been my thing. But this fall, after I tried Amy Chaplin’s whole oat porridge recipe, I started to come around to it. See, in the past, I always had plain instant oats, which I thought were bland and mushy. But as I started experimenting with other types of oats, I discovered that, cooked the right way, oatmeal becomes a rich, creamy porridge that’s a fantastic canvas for seasonal toppings.
To cook your oatmeal, bring an appropriate amount of water or milk for your oat variety to a boil, and stir in the oats and a pinch of salt. You could also add a spice like cinnamon, cardamom, or turmeric at this stage. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the porridge has thickened to your desired consistency. Then, load it up with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!
Huge Mistakes Everyone Makes With Oatmeal
FAQ
How long to let oatmeal sit in boiling water?
How do you know when oatmeal is done on the stove?
Can you overcook oatmeal?
How do you know if oats are cooked properly?
How long do you cook rolled oats?
Combine ¼ cup steel cut oats with 1½ cups water. Bring to a simmer, uncovered, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until oats are tender and water is absorbed. Combine ½ cup rolled oats with 1 cups water. Bring to a simmer, uncovered, and cook for 5 minutes, or until oats are tender and water is absorbed.
How much oatmeal should I eat for breakfast?
This depends on how you eat throughout the day, but a cool amount range to include for breakfast is between 1 and 3 tablespoons.
Can you cook oatmeal in a stovetop?
Stovetop cooking gives you the most control over your oatmeal — something that Instant Pot oatmeal, rice cooker oatmeal, or slow cooker oatmeal can’t promise. It also cooks the oatmeal relatively quickly. Most pots of oatmeal go awry in their ratio of water to oats, and with how long the oats are cooked.
How long does it take to cook steel cut oats?
Bring 1½ cups milk of your choice, 1½ cups water, and a pinch of salt to a boil over medium-high in a large saucepan. Stir in 1 cup steel-cut oats. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook at a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and oats are tender, about 25 minutes. Serve with a splash of milk and toppings, if desired.