Instant Pot Banana Bread Steel Cut Oats
Hearty steel cut oats are SO easy (and fast) in the Instant Pot, and this Instant Pot banana bread steel cut oats recipe is healthy and so delicious!
If you are in the market for super hearty and healthy breakfasts that come together quickly…and most importantly…super deliciously, this Instant Pot banana bread steel cut oats recipe is here for you.
Modeled after this popular Creamy Coconut Milk Steel Cut Oats recipe, this banana bread version is crazy good. Although I haven’t tried it in the slow cooker like I have the coconut milk recipe, I think it stands a good chance of working (for you non-IPers out there).
Steel cut oats are one of my favorite things to make in the Instant Pot. Thicker and chewier than regular ol’ rolled oats, steel cut oats take 30 minutes of simmering on the stovetop, but in the Instant Pot, they cook in just 4 minutes. Holla!
Now I know that the time controversy with the Instant Pot is a valid battle. Adding in the time it takes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure, cook, and then naturally release pressure may make the total time about equal for steel cut oats (stovetop vs. Instant Pot).
But I will fight to the death that you can’t beat the hands-off functionality of the Instant Pot. As in, no steel cut oats bubbling and boiling over on the stove or burning on the bottom of the pan causing one (who shall remain nameless) to say bad words. You can set it and forget it! And for some reason, that just makes the steel cut oatmeal taste better. #truth
This banana bread steel cut oatmeal is so delicious. Not only can you (and should you!) top the creamy cooked oatmeal with sliced bananas, there are also mashed bananas added to the oats before cooking. You know, for that wonderful little banana bread vibe.
The bananas add creaminess and a little boost of natural sweetness.
And while I don’t like nuts in all the things, these Instant Pot banana bread steel cut oats are fantastic with the nutty crunch of a few toasted pecans (or almonds or whatever). P.S. this oatmeal is also insane with a little dollop of Nutella. Just sayin’.
I have a feeling this recipe would be pretty adaptable to a bunch of different fruit add-ins if you are banana averse or just looking for a way to change things up.
What about peaches? Apples? Strawberries? Each would add a different flavor and texture, but I’m liking the idea of endless variability. Well, endless may be a stretch. I’m not sure grape or kiwi oatmeal should be a thing, but hey, if you feel like living on the edge and trying it, let me know how it goes. 🙂
Instant Pot Banana Bread Steel Cut Oats
Ingredients
- 2 cups milk, almond milk, dairy milk, etc
- 2 cups water (see note)
- 2 to 3 mashed/pureed bananas, about 1 cup
- 2 cups steel cut oats
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ cup brown sugar, or honey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- For serving: sliced bananas, chopped toasted nuts, honey for drizzling
Instructions
- Grease the insert of a 6-quart Instant Pot with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the milk, water, mashed bananas, oats and salt to the pot and give the mixture a good stir.
- Secure the lid making sure the valve is sealed. Select the Manual or Pressure Cook button and dial up or down to 4 minutes. The IP will start automatically. When finished cooking, let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes before manually releasing the remaining pressure (otherwise the oatmeal may spurt through the valve if pressure is released too soon). Stir in the brown sugar (or honey) and vanilla.
- Serve warm with additional milk (if desired), sliced bananas, chopped nuts or extra honey/brown sugar. The oatmeal will thicken considerably as it cools.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
128 Comments on “Instant Pot Banana Bread Steel Cut Oats”
If added in protein powder do you think it would be best to add in the beginning or at the end after it is finished cooking?
I would probably stir it in at the end.
Loved this one! Full of fiber and delicious too! I added cinnamon with the brown sugar and vanilla after cooking and it was so yummy.
I was excited to try this, but got a burn notice. I added another cup of water, tried again, and another burn notice. Just added another cup and a half so we’ll see bur I don’t have high hopes.
Yummy and so easy! I only have an 8 quart instant pot and it worked great and no burn warning. Whole family loved them!
Quick note for those wondering: I have a small crockpot (maybe about 8-12 cup capacity) and I make steel-cut pasta in it all the time. I mix it up, set it on low, and go to bed. It’s always perfect the next morning.
Sooooo good!!!!! Topped with blueberries and walnuts, what a treat!
Why do you add the sugar and honey at the end instead of just throwing it all in there?
To prevent any burning issues while cooking
I just made a batch of this banana steel cut oats this morning. Yum! So good and easy! I was afraid the oats were going to stick to the pot, but they didn’t.Another winning recipe, thank you Mel!
Great recipe! It’s healthy and has a delicious flavor! I enjoyed this one more than the chocolate version (since I didn’t want to add too much sugar). I did get the burn notice a couple times, so I just pushed the saute button to finish it off. No biggie and it came out great.
I am terrified of blowing up my house with my instant pot so have never used it until now – made this and was fabulous – thanks mel!
Do you happen to have a carb count for this? My daughter is type one and she has a hard time dosing for oatmeal.
I don’t calculate that information; sorry!
Made this recipe for the first time today. It worked beautifully! No burn notice or sticking/burning to the bottom of the pot. I added an extra cup of water and 3 frozen bananas. It needed only 2 tablespoons of honey to sweeten the whole pot!
Thank you so much for posting this recipe.
Hello, can you tell me if I can make this with regular rolled oats? Thank you so much
Hi Christie – I think you’d need to make some adjustments to liquid ratios and cooking time so the oats don’t overcook and get gummy. I haven’t tried it, so I’m not sure. Good luck if you experiment!
I have been making this every couple of weeks for a while now! I’ve been stirring in 1/4 cup of chia seeds with the brown sugar and vanilla. My favorite way to eat it is with added banana slices and a spoonful of peanut butter. Thanks for the yummy, healthy breakfast!
Just had to say I made this again for the millionth time; it’s one of my favorite breakfasts. One time I made this and got the burn warning; since then I have always used 3 cups water with 2 cups of almond milk and it’s been perfect. A little wet when I first open the IP, but as it cools I love the texture (and no burn warning)!
Just had to say this morning I added fresh banana and fresh blueberries as my toppings; it was awesome!
Thanks for the tip (and review), Alicia!
I made this today. I was not successful. I got a burn notice after 1 minute. I opened it up again and added more water. It heated up again and after another minute, I got another burn notice. Everyone was hungry so I gave up n left it in the instapot.. After breakfast, I was going to cook it on the stove but since it had been in the pot, it seemed to have cooked enough. We will eat it tomorrow. It has a good taste, but I found it too hard to cook in the instapot.
Hey Mel! Long time fan. Just wanted to share this crazy video about steel cut oats. My family has been making recipes and sourcing food/ingredients from the book 1000 Foods to Eat Before You Die. Steel Cut Oats or Oatmeal Porridge is one we did awhile ago. Episode 15 of 99. About to film Episode 100. At the rate we are going our kids will be parents by the time we are done but hey it’s an adventure. 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xuf0l9Sgyk
I usually freeze my bananas because they turn brown before I eat them. I let them thaw a bit and threw them in. Then I added just a half a cup more of water so I didn’t get a burn notice.
I usually add just a bit of peanut butter to my oatmeal but this was sweet enough already.
Delicious and easy!!! Thank you so much.
I made this but didn’t mash the banana.
I added them sliced in the insta pot.
They added a lot of flavor and sweetness.
I did add diced apple. I need the extra fiber.
My mother in law came downstairs and thought I was baking.
The house smelled delicious most of the day.
We had leftovers and they warmed up great!
Followed the recipe and the results were delicious.
Used 1 cup of milk and 4 cups of water because I like a creamier oatmeal.
The Instant Pot ran flawlessly.
Thank you!
Hello Mel,
First I would like to say I absolutely love this recipe. I make it ahead and refrigerate it to make such a delicious, hearty and super quick breakfast. The first time I made it I, had absolutely no problems. But the second time I got the burn notice. Not a big deal – I just shut off the IP and let it release naturally and it worked out just fine. Anyway, my question is whether or not to have this on high or low pressure. I didn’t pay attention the first time but wondered if maybe I had it on low and that is why no burn notice. Thoughts? Thanks for such a great recipe!
Hi Heather – I cook it on high pressure, but switching to low pressure might be the ticket to avoiding the burn notice.
I have two nasty pots and no breakfast. This was a total flop for me. Followed the recipe to a T, don’t have quick steel oats, they are regular ones. No idea how I’m going to get this crap out of my pot, and now my house smells like banana bread and my stomach is still growling.
Regular oats are completely different than steel cut oats; they are not equivalent. The flop was likely from a major substitution.
Followed recipe exactly as written, kept getting burn notification even after adding more water. Never got the recipe to work out