Overnight Steel Cut Oats Recipe made with steel-cut oatmeal and quinoa in the slow cooker. Top with fresh berries and a splash of milk for a breakfast the whole family will love.
author’s note
Wake Up to the Best Overnight Steel Cut Oats!
A few years ago, I tried to make oatmeal overnight in my slow cooker and woke up to a pot of mush. After some trial and error (and many early mornings of testing), I finally cracked the code.
This Overnight Steel Cut Oats Recipe is the result of all that experimenting. Similar to overnight oats, it’s creamy but not soggy, hearty but not heavy, and the quinoa gives it the best nutty texture. I love that I can toss everything into the slow cooker at night and wake up to a warm breakfast the whole family devours with no morning rush required.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- No morning prep. Toss it together in under 10 minutes at night.
- Perfect texture. Creamy without turning mushy.
- Customizable. So many topping options!
- Feeds a crowd. Great for family breakfasts or meal prep.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | What It Does | Swaps & Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Steel-Cut Oats | Holds up overnight cooking, stays chewy instead of mushy | Don’t use rolled or quick oats—they’ll turn to paste |
| Quinoa | Adds protein, texture, and nutty flavor | Rinse well to avoid bitterness; no real swap recommended |
| Almond Milk | Creamy, slightly sweet, doesn’t curdle overnight | Oat milk or cashew milk work well; avoid cow’s milk (curdles) |
| Sweetener | Adds balance and depth of flavor | Use maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar; adjust to taste |
| Spices | Cinnamon and vanilla warm up the flavor | Add nutmeg or cardamom for variety |
Toppings
The toppings are where this overnight steel cut oats recipe really shines.
- Banana Nut: Sliced bananas, cinnamon, nut butter
- Berry Burst: Fresh or frozen berries, splash of milk, almond butter
- Apple Cinnamon: Diced apples, cinnamon, drizzle of maple syrup
- Strawberries & Cream: Fresh strawberries, splash of cream, nut butter
- Nut & Seed Crunch: Chopped nuts, pumpkin seeds, dried fruit
Overnight Steel Cut Oats Recipe Cooking Options
- Overnight (Regular Steel-Cut Oats): Cook on low for 1 hour, then switch to warm for 8–9 hours.
- Overnight (Quick-Cooking Steel-Cut Oats): Cook on low for 30 minutes, then switch to warm for 6–7 hours.
- Morning Brunch: Cook on low for 2½–4 hours.
More Delicious Breakfast Ideas
Desserts
Cinnamon Roll Cake Recipe
Breakfast
French Toast
Breakfast
Peanut Butter Overnight Oats
Breakfast
Dutch Baby Recipe (German Pancakes)
Overnight Steel Cut Oats Recipe
Overnight Steel Cut Oats Recipe, made with oatmeal and quinoa in the slow cooker, is a healthy, hands-off breakfast. Just add fresh berries and a splash of milk to serve!
Video
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups steel-cut oatmeal see note 1
- 1/2 cup white quinoa
- 5 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk or water; I prefer almond milk!
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Toppings as desired see note 2
Instructions
- Spray slow cooker generously with cooking spray or line with a slow cooker liner. In a mesh strainer, rinse quinoa under cold water for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Let dry.
- Combine steel-cut oats, rinsed quinoa, almond milk, brown sugar, maple syrup, salt, vanilla extract, and cinnamon (if desired) in the slow cooker.
- Stir everything together, place the lid on the slow cooker, and set it to low for 1 hour. Then, without opening the slow cooker or disturbing it (otherwise heat escapes!), switch the dial to the warm setting. Allow to cook overnight for 8–9 hours (longer than that and it becomes mushy; see note 3).
- Once you wake up, immediately turn it off and stir in the oats. They may still have some liquid, but it continues to soak in as they are served (I like them better with extra liquid rather than dry and mushy/gummy!) These oats are intended to be creamy.
- Check the post above for more serving suggestions, but add your favorite toppings such as fresh fruit, an extra splash of milk, additional brown sugar, honey, or maple syrup, and a big scoop of nut butter (peanut butter, almond butter, etc.).
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Do not use regular old-fashioned, rolled, or quick oats—they won’t work. If you use instant or quick-cooking steel-cut oats, (Be sure to check the package—sometimes it’s hard to tell if they are instant steel-cut oats), it will be done in about 6–8 hours. For best results, I recommend regular steel-cut oatmeal.
Note 2: Optional toppings: 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, fresh berries, a splash of milk, and additional sugar for topping.
Note 3: Different cooking options:
- For morning brunch: Cook on low for 2-1/2 to 4 hours. I don’t recommend cooking overnight steel-cut oats on the high setting.
- Overnight—with quick-cooking steel-cut oats: Cook on low for 30 minutes, then turn to warm for 6–7 hours.
- Overnight—with regular steel-cut oats: Cook on low for 1 hour, then turn to warm for 8–9 hours.
- Note that not all slow cookers cook the same. If your slow cooker has a tendency to cook quicker, it may be done sooner than the times indicated. If it is left in the slow cooker too long, it will likely become mushy and gummy. If your slow cooker cooks slower and oats/quinoa aren’t tender, turn the slow cooker back on to low for 30 or so minutes in the morning.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 387kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 358mg | Potassium: 139mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 14g | Calcium: 291mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Overnight Steel Cut Oats Recipe Tips
- Use a 6-quart slow cooker. Smaller ones haven’t been tested.
- Grease or line well. Makes cleanup easier.
- Keep the lid on. Don’t peek or it won’t cook right.
- Use only steel-cut oats. Rolled or quick oats turn mushy.
- Choose almond milk. Adds creaminess and won’t curdle overnight. Water works in a pinch, but skip cow’s milk.
Hi there, looks looks amazing 🤩
How many does this serve please?
If I add chia and flaxseeds to the slow cooker, should I add some more almond milk?
And can I add frozen blueberries to the crockpot?
Thanks so much!🌸
This sounds really good! My crockpot doesn’t have a warm setting? How would you suggest I cook this? Maybe during the day and reduce the time on low?
I haven’t tested cooking on low for longer than an hour but I think if you’re watching it during the day that would work on low for less time! Let me know if you give it a try! 🙂
This was delicious the first time I made it as directed! Now I don’t have any quinoa; would replacing the 1/2 cup with more steel cut oats be ok?
I was also wondering why the instructions say to start the slow cooker on low for an hour. If I just kept it on warm and extended the time, would that work?
Sigh…some woman at the grocery store where I bought the quinoa said, airily, “Oh, that is nonsense! You don’t need a fine mesh strainer to rinse quinoa! Just let it sit in a bowl of cold water for five minutes. Then put the quinoa in your slow cooker!”
WHY did I listen to her? I’m broke and can’t afford a fine mesh strainer! I should have waited until I could buy a fine mesh strainer! Bitter quinoa? Yeahhhhh. The entire slow cooker steel cut oats with white quinoa is a disaster. And a waste of steel cut oats. I am going to wait awhile before trying this again. I have to figure out how to dump this in the trash…
So sorry to hear this Maura! It’s definitely vital to rinse the quinoa before hand for a better flavor! Hope you’re able to try it again sometime soon!