Banana Steel Cut Oats (Instant Pot)

The recipe calls for over-ripe mashed bananas for a naturally sweet banana oatmeal.  We add ground cinnamon and vanilla for flavor, then milk to make it creamy.  It kind of reminds me of banana bread oatmeal, but this version uses the instant pot for a hands-off recipe. 

If you don't have an instant pot, there are instructions below on how to make the banana steel-cut oats on your stovetop. Cooking steel-cut oats in the instant pot is an easy way to whip up a healthy breakfast option.  They take longer to cook than old-fashioned oats and have a chewier texture.

For more banana oatmeal recipes, try banana cinnamon overnight oats with peanut butter. If you enjoy steel-cut oatmeal, I also have a recipe for apple instant pot oatmeal recipe and pumpkin oatmeal with dried cranberries.

Recipe features

• Packed with bananas and cinnamon for a flavorful and delicious breakfast!
• Great for the whole family!
• It's a filling breakfast that works great for meal prep!

Ingredients and substitutions

The recipe utilizes simple ingredients; however, please refer to the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements.

Ripe bananas - Mash two ripe bananas before adding them to the steel-cut oats for a more cohesive texture and banana flavor.  Use browned spotted bananas (very ripe) like you would if you were making banana bread.  Lots of brown spots and soft.  This adds natural sweetness to the oats and spotted bananas give a more intense banana flavor versus more solid yellow ones.

Steel-cut oats - The liquid ratio and cooking time are for steel-cut oats in this recipe, not for quick cooking or old-fashioned rolled oats.

Unsweetened dairy-free milk - Any plant-based milk will work.  Try it with almond, oat, soy, or cashew milk.  The recipe calls for a combination of water and milk.  The milk will help create a creamy texture; I wouldn't use just water.

Maple syrup - The tablespoon of maple syrup is for more sweetness, everyone has their personal preference when it comes to sweetness.  If you're not sure if you want the oats as sweet, skip the syrup.  Once the oats are done and cooled, taste and adjust to meet your sweetness preference. 

Alternatively, instead of adding it to the entire recipe, you can add your desired amount to your servings. It can be substituted with agave syrup, chopped dates, brown sugar, or granulated sugar. 

Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract - These are used to help flavor the instant pot steel-cut oats recipe along with salt.  If you're not a nutmeg fan, leave it out.  Instead of ground cinnamon and nutmeg, you could use pumpkin pie spice.

Instructions for instant pot

Start the instant pot version of banana oatmeal by mashing the bananas well in a bowl. Add the oats, water, milk, maple syrup (if using), ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and nutmeg to the instant pot and stir in the mashed bananas.  Stir well to incorporate everything. 

Move the valve to seal and pressure cook on high for 8 minutes (it will take around 10 minutes to come to pressure), and turn off the keep warm function.

Let the instant pot naturally release for about 15-20 minutes, then you can go ahead and manually release any remaining pressure.  When the oats are done they will probably have some liquid separation, just stir the liquid back into the oats.  As the oats cool, they'll thicken up.  Serve warm with banana slices, fresh strawberries, or your favorite toppings.

Stovetop method

To cook the oats on the stovetop, you'll need to adjust the liquid-to-oat ratio. To a large pot, add the steel-cut oats, mashed bananas, 1 ½ cups dairy-free milk, 1 ¾ cups water, maple syrup (if using), ground cinnamon, vanilla extract, and nutmeg. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook covered for about 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

The time varies depending on how thick and creamy you like your oats.  Remove from heat and cool; the oats will thicken further as they cool.

Tips

• For steel-cut oats, I prefer 2 ¾ cups of liquid to 1 cup of steel-cut oats.  They are less processed and will need more liquid than rolled oats.  Recipes are adaptable, and if you prefer a thinner porridge, then next time, make the recipe add more liquid.  Meanwhile, thin it out with additional milk.
• You can use non-stick cooking spray at the bottom of your instant pot for the oatmeal to not stick as much.
• If liquid spurts out when you manually release, close the vent and let it naturally release longer.
• There will be liquid on top and some separation when the oats are done.  Just stir it back into the oatmeal and it will thicken as it cools.

Serving suggestions

My favorite toppings for serving the steel-cut oats are sliced bananas, a pile of fresh berries, and ground flaxseed.  I love the combination of fresh strawberries with warm steel-cut oats. Plus strawberries and bananas just go so well together. 

Other topping options are a drizzle of peanut butter, cocoa powder for a chocolate version, chia seeds, dairy-free chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, or chopped pecans.

Can I substitute with old-fashioned oats?

Old-fashioned (rolled oats), quick-cooking, and instant oats cannot be substituted. The time in the pressure cooker and the liquid-to-oat ratio are specifically for steel-cut oats.

Storage and reheating instructions

Let the leftovers cool before refrigerating, then store them in an airtight container for about 4-5 days. The banana steel-cut oats firm up once cooled and chilled. 

They can be reheated using the stovetop or microwave.  When reheating on the stovetop, add a splash of milk or water to get the desired consistency you prefer, and slowly heat the oats in a pot, stirring occasionally.  To heat up in the microwave, add the desired milk or water to thin the oats out, then microwave until warm.

Related recipes

• Instant Pot Apple Steel Cut Oats
• Instant Pot Pumpkin Oatmeal
• Banana and cinnamon overnight oats

More instant pot recipes

• Instant Pot Red Lentil Chili
• Instant Pot Wheat Berries
• Homemade Unsweetened Applesauce
• Instant Pot Millet

I hope you enjoy this recipe for instant pot steel-cut oats with bananas! If you like the recipe, feel free to rate it and leave a comment.