Easy Apple Pie Steel Cut Oats from the Instant Pot™
When chilly weather strikes, there’s no cosier way to start the day than with a piping hot bowl of apple pie steel cut oats. Thanks to the Instant Pot™, it’s quick and easy enough to become part of your morning routine!
If you haven’t ventured into the Instant Pot™ arena yet and are wondering whether or not you need yet another appliance in your kitchen, this recipe ought to change your mind. I would buy the Instant Pot™ just to get healthy, steel cut oats on the table for my kids on busy school days. No more worrying about foaming, overflowing pots on the stove while you’re prepping your kids for school. Simply put the ingredients in the Instant Pot™, program it, and walk away. Healthy, apple pie steel cut oats will be on your table in under 30 minutes!
The nutty flavour of steel cut oats is a perfect canvas for apple pie’s flavours. In fact, this low-sugar recipe gives you the feeling you just had a slice of apple crisp for breakfast. It tastes like a decadent treat, although it’s actually a very healthy start to the day!
Why steel cut, rather than regular oats?
While both steel cut oats and regular oats, have similar nutritional profiles, they have very different glycemic indices. Regular oats have a glycemic index of 66, while steel cut oats have a glycemic index of just 42. This is an important difference, because it means that steel cut oats take longer to digest, and the sugar hits your bloodstream more gradually. Thus, you stay fuller for longer and put a lot less strain on your body when you choose foods with a lower glycemic index.
If that’s not reason enough to try steel cut oats, the additional flavour and texture ought to pique your curiosity. Steel cut oats are not steamed and pressed like traditional oatmeal. So, they retain a nutty flavour and a slight, toothsome chew. Much like pasta, you can cook the oats a little longer if you prefer softer oats.
I find the 8 minutes of pressure cooking I recommend here to be just about perfect. But, feel free to adjust the time according to your family’s preference.
About the Recipe
My great Grandma used to say, “apple pie without cheese is like a hug without a kiss”. She was referring to the slice of sharp cheddar normally added to the top of a slice of apple pie.
If you’ve never eaten apple pie this way, you should really try it. The cheese is a surprisingly tasty complement to the sweet apples.
I suspect that this saying is what gave me the idea that apple pie is like a great big hug. It’s just one of those comforting flavours that makes you feel loved. So, what better way to start the day than with a healthy apple pie hug? Enter steel cut oats, and the Instant Pot™ to make it easy enough for every day.
I start the recipe by sautéing the oats in browned butter. I like to prepare steel cut oats this way, because it highlights their gorgeous, nutty flavour. However, if you’re in a big hurry, you could always eliminate this step (and the butter). That would shave a good 3 minutes or so off the cooking time and lighten the recipe further.
As for the sugar, I have listed it as optional. The truth is, adults at my house like the oatmeal well enough with the natural sweetness of the apples. However, the younger set is more apt to eat oats with just a hint of sugar.
Feel free to experiment and see what your family prefers. Or, eliminate the sugar in the recipe and allow your diners to add honey at the table. Play with the recipe and adjust it to your own tastes and health requirements.
But, most of all, I hope you enjoy this apple pie steel cut oats in good health. Bon appétit!
Easy Apple Pie Steel Cut Oats from the Instant Pot™
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2/3 cup steel cut oats
- 3 cups water
- 3 pink lady apples, cored and cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice (or ground cinnamon)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Press [Sauté] on the Instant Pot™. When the screen says "Hot", add the butter to the pot. The butter will melt almost immediately. Allow it to foam and sizzle until it has turned light brown, and gives of a nutty aroma (beurre noisette). Then, add the steel cut oats to the pot and stir for 1-2 minutes, just until lightly toasted.
- Press [Cancel] to halt cooking. Then, add the water to the pot to cool it off.
- Now, add the apples, spices, and sugar (if using) to the Instant Pot™. Press [Pressure Cook], ensure that the vent is in the "Sealing" position, and set the timer to 8 minutes.
- When the cooking time is finished, you can either release the pressure manually and serve immediately, or allow the Instant Pot™ to switch over to the "Keep Warm" setting for up to 20 minutes.
Notes
If you are obliged to leave the pot on "Keep Warm" for longer than 20 minutes, you will want to add additional water to the pot prior to cooking, as water will continue to evaporate as long as the pot is kept on. If you are going to leave the Instant Pot™ on the "Keep Warm" setting for up to an hour, an additional 1/2 cup of water ought to do the trick.
The recipe calls for pink lady apples. However, any sweet, cooking apple will do.
If you prefer, you may substitute 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup for the sugar.
I was looking for steel cut oats recipe in Instant Pot. I got my Instant Pot just recently and love it! I never try melt butter and toasted steel cut oats before cooking, I need to try. I learned a small step can make a big differents in recipes and improve it. Thank you so much for sharing!
Oh Gala! I’m so glad you found this recipe. You’ll love the flavour of the browned butter in the oats. It just adds another dimension to breakfast, making it feel like dessert!