Types of Oats & How to Cook Oats (2024)

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What are the different types of oats? How do you cook them? Are they good for you? We’ll teach you all this and more as we walk through the top varieties of oats you’ll find at your local stores, our favorite preparation methods, nutrition tips, how to guarantee they’re gluten free, and everything else you ever needed to know about oats!

Part 5 of our Gluten Free Grains Month, this blog is part of our Oat series in which we teach you what they are, how to use them, and more to spread knowledge about gluten free grains and help make it easier to follow a gluten free diet without missing out on delicious meals the whole family can enjoy!

Why We Love Oats

Oh, oats. How we love you so. Whether you need a quick dinner, fiber-filled snack, or nourishing breakfast, oats are always there to save the day with recipes like Savory Oatmeal with Crispy Bacon and No Bake Oatmeal Energy Balls! As if it wasn’t obvious, they’re super versatile. However, they are so many more reasons to love all the types of oats! For instance, they’re:

Super Budget-Friendly
Naturally Gluten Free (We’ll talk more about how to guarantee your oats are guaranteed gluten free below.)
Full of Fiber and Nutrients!
They’re Delicious! (At least, we think so.)

Are All Oats Gluten Free?

Oats are naturally gluten free, meaning they do not contain the gluten protein found in many whole grains. However, when packaged and sold in stores, many oat brands carry traces of gluten due to cross-contamination. While the oats themselves do not contain gluten, more often than not they come into contact with other gluten-containing grains while being processed for consumption. To make sure your different types of oats are free from gluten, look for varieties that state they are made in a certified gluten free facility on the packaging.

All About the Different Types of Oats

Technically speaking, there are a wide variety of oats available for purchase. They include whole oat groats, steel cut oats, Scottish oatmeal, old-fashioned oats, quick oats, oat flour, and oat bran just to name a few. If you wish to read more about each version, you can do so here. However, for this post, we’re focusing on the 3 most common varieties found in stores and used in recipes.

Steel Cut Oats

Sometimes referred to as Irish or Scottish oats, steel cut oats are slightly less processed as other varieties and resemble grains of rice. They’re made by slicing the whole grain groat into smaller pieces. As a result, steel cut oats take the longest to cook and have a slightly chewy texture. We love them with recipes like our breakfast parfait cups.

Rolled Oats (Also Known as Old Fashioned Oats)

Arguably the most common type of oat, rolled oats are also known as old-fashioned or whole oats. They are more round in shape than other varieties, resembling small discs. To achieve this shape, whole grain groats are first steamed to make them soft and flexible. Then, they are rolled or pressed in order to flatten them.

As a result, rolled oats are able to absorb more liquid than other varieties and hold their shape relatively well while cooking. They have a softer texture than steel cut oats and are most often the preferred option for recipes like oatmeal balls, oat muffins, and other baked items.

Quick Oats

As the name suggests, quick oats cook more quickly than their steel cut or rolled counterparts. This is a result of how they’re prepared. You see, unlike other oat varieties, quick oats are cut into more pieces, pressed thinner, and steamed longer. If you can’t find them in stores, you can even make your own by pulsing old-fashioned oats in a food processor a few times! This allows them to cook much more quickly but also results in a slightly softer or mushier texture.

We like to use quick oats as a gluten free “breadcrumb” substitute for recipes like meatballs, burgers, and meatloaf! They aren’t exactly ideal for a crispy coating but help add the right amount of texture to help bind meat, eggs, and more with none of the gluten found in bread!

Note: Often used interchangeably, quick oats and instant oats are not always the same thing. More often than not, instant oat varieties are cut even smaller and pressed even thinner than quick oats.

Nutrition & Health Benefits

There’s a reason why oats are so heavily promoted for breakfast, and that’s because they pack a lot of nutritional benefits with each bite!

They are:

High in Fiber
A Complex (Slow-Digesting) Carb
Loaded with Vitamins and Nutrients (manganese, phosphorous, copper, vitamin B1, iron, and more)
Higher in Protein Than Other Grains

As a result, consuming oats on a regular basis can help:

Reduce Blood Pressure
Reduce Cholesterol
Stabilize Blood Sugar
Boost Your Immune System
Regulate Your Digestion

Cooking Methods

Depending on which type of oat you’re using, you’ll want to apply a slightly different cooking method and water ratio. We recommend determining how much time you have to prepare your oats and picking the type you used based on the cooking times listed with each method below!

TIP ON SERVING SIZES:

A typical serving size of oats can range from ¼ to ½ cup dried oats or about 1 to 1 ½ cups cooked oats.During the cooking process, the starchgranulesabsorb water and thicken. This means that the yielded cooked amount of oats can vary depending on how long they’re cooked and the amount of liquid used.

How to Cook Steel Cut Oats

Stove Top Instructions:

Water Ratio: For every 1 cup of steel cut oats you’ll need 3 ½ – 4 cups of liquid, depending on how thick you like your oats.

Note – One cup of uncooked steel cut oats will yield about2 ½ to 3 cupsof cooked oats.

Combine the Ingredients. To start, add the oats, water, and a good pinch of salt to a saucepan. Yes, salt! It won’t make your oats too salty, promise. Instead, it enhances the natural flavor making them even more delicious.
Boil and Simmer. Heat the oats over high heat until they begin to boil. Then, reduce the heat to low, and let them simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cooking Tip: The oats will continue to thicken as they simmer. So, feel free to let them cook longer for thicker oats. Or, serve them right away for a thinner consistency!

Instant Pot Instructions:

Water Ratio: For every 1 cup of steel cut oats you’ll need 3 cups of water.

Manual Cook. Cook the oats on the Manual setting for 3 minutes on high.
Natural Release. Set the pressure cooker for natural release for 20 minutes.
Release Pressure. Flip the valve to release any remaining pressure.

Slow Cooker Instructions:

Water Ratio: For every 1 cup of steel cut oats you’ll need 4 cups of water.

Grease. Spray the inside of your slow cooker with an oil spray.
Combine the Ingredients. Add the oats, water, and salt to the slow cooker, and give them a quick stir.
Cover and Cook. Place the lid on your slow cooker, and let the oats cook on low for 7-8 hours or until the oats are tender and creamy.

Microwave Instructions:

Water Ratio: For every ⅓ cup of oatmeal (which is a single serving), you’ll need ¾ cup water.

Combine. Add your oats, water, and salt to a microwave-safe bowl.
Heat. Microwave for 2.5-3 minutes at 50% power.
Cool. Stir the ingredients together, and allow them to cool a bit before serving.

Pro-Tip: Cooking times and temperature may vary. So, be sure to keep an eye on your oats to prevent them from overflowing!

How to Cook Rolled Oats

Stove Top Instructions:

Water Ratio: For every ½ cup of oats, you’ll need 1 cup of water.

Note – ½ cup of uncooked rolled oats will yield about 1 cupof cooked oats.

Boil. Add your water to a saucepan, and bring it to a boil over high heat.
Add Oats. Once boiling, add in your oats, stirring to distribute them throughout the water.
Cook. Reduce the heat to medium, and let the oats cook for 5 minutes or until your desired consistency is reached, stirring occasionally.

Instant Pot Instructions:

Water Ratio: For every 1 cup of oats, you’ll need 2 cups of water.

Cook. Press the Manual setting, and cook for 3 minutes on high.
Release. Set the Instant Pot to Natural Release for 20 minutes.
Remove Steam. Flip the valve to get rid of any remaining steam.
Note – Feel free to stir in any fruit or veggies too! Like we did in this superfood instant pot oatmeal recipe below.

Microwave Instructions:

Water Ratio: For every ½ cup of oats, you’ll need 1 cup of water.

Combine. Add your water, oats, and salt to a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave. Cook your oats on high for 2 ½ – 3 minutes or until the desired temperature is reached, making sure to keep an eye on them in the microwave!

How to Cook Quick Oats

Stove Top Instructions

Water Ratio: For every ½ cup of oats, you’ll need 1 cup of water.
Boil. Add your water to a saucepan over high heat, and bring it to a boil.

Note – ½ cup of uncooked quick oats will yield about ¾ to 1 cupof cooked oats.

Stir. Add the oats to the pan, and give them a stir.
Cook. Let them cook over medium heat for a minute or until the desired consistency is reached, stirring occasionally.

Microwave Instructions:

Water Ratio: For every ½ cup of oats, you’ll need 1 cup of water.

Combine. Add your water, oats, and salt to a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl.
Microwave. Cook your oats on high for 1 ½ – 2 minutes or until the desired temperature is reached, making sure to keep an eye on them in the microwave!

What are the Best Types of Oat for Overnight Oats?

Technically, any type of oats you have on hand can be used to make overnight oats. However, we recommend opting for rolled oats! They take a bit longer but provide the perfect balance of smooth, creamy, and chewy taste and texture. Meanwhile, quick oats take only a few hours but are mushier than other varieties, and steel cut oats should soak for at least 10 hours and have the chewiest texture. Learn how to make the best overnight oats recipe here!

Nerdy Nutrition about SOAKING OATS –

Did you know that soaking oats makes them better for your gut?! It’s true. Letting them soak helps to break down both the starches and phytic acid which can be difficult to digest.

The breakdown of phytic acid also allows for easier absorption of all the other vitamins and nutrients oats have to offer. Not to mention, soaked oats have a higher resistant starch content which can help improve digestion, reduce insulin spikes, and more!

Common Questions

Which types of oats are best?

The best type of oat will be determined by your dietary needs, what you’re using them for, and your texture preferences. For instance, steel cut oats have the lowest glycemic index and may be best for those looking to control their blood sugar. However, generally speaking, all oats are highly nutritious! Ultimately, what is “best” is up to you!

What can I make with oats?

There are endless ways to use oats! Bake them, boil them, microwave them, pulse them, and more! To get you started, some of our favorite ways to use oats include crepes, overnight oats, protein bars, and more! Of course, they’re also great cooked and topped with all your favorite ingredients like fresh fruit, nut or seed butter, coconut flakes, and more!

Is there a good substitute for oats?

If you can’t tolerate oats, there are lots of substitutions for pretty much every way they’re used. For instance, for a warm breakfast bowl, swap out quinoa or cream of rice. Or, for baked goods, use a gluten free flour alternative like almond flour. Just be sure to adjust the ratios as necessary.

How to Cook Steel Cut Oats, Rolled Oats, and Quick Oats

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Author: Lindsay Cotter
Total Time: 4 -26 minutes
Yield: 1 – 4 1x
Diet: Gluten Free

Print Recipe

Description

Learn the basics on how to cook oats on the stove top, microwave, and in the Instant Pot for an easy gluten free breakfast.

Ingredients

Units Scale

½ – 1 cup gluten free oats (steel cut, rolled, or quick)
Water or non-dairy milk
Dash of salt

*See notes for cookedamounts.*See cooking methods below for exact ingredient amounts.

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Stovetop Option

For Steel Cut Oats:

Add 3 ½ – 4 cups of water to a saucepan. Boil over high heat.
Once boiling, add 1 cup of oats and salt if using.
Reduce the heat to low. Simmer 20-25 minutes or until the desired consistency is reached.

For Rolled Oats:

Add 1 cup of water to a saucepan. Boil over high heat.
Once boiling, add ½ cup of oats and salt if using.
Reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 5 minutes or until the desired consistency is reached.

For Quick Oats:

Add 1 cup of water to a saucepan. Boil over high heat.
Once boiling, add ½ cup of oats and salt if using.
Reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1 minute or until the desired consistency is reached.

Instant Pot Option

For Steel Cut Oats:

Add 1 cup of oats, 3 cups of water, and a pinch of salt to the Instant Pot.
Press the Manual setting, and cook for 3 minutes on high. Let the oats natural release for 20 minutes.
Flip the release valve to get rid of any remaining steam, and serve.

For Rolled Oats:

Add 1 cup of oats, 2 cups of water, and a pinch of salt to the Instant Pot.
Press the Manual setting, and cook for 3 minutes on high. Let the oats natural release for 20 minutes.
Flip the release valve to get rid of any remaining steam, and serve.

Notes

For a quick option, cook oats in the microwave using this guide. Just be sure to adjust cooking times based on the microwave used.

1 cup of uncooked steel cut oats will yield about 2 ½ to 3 cups of cooked oats
½ cup rolled oats or quick oats will yield ¾ cup to 1 cup of cooked oats.

For a overnight oats option see here.

Prep Time: 1 minute
Cook Time: 3 -25 minutes
Category: Breakfast
Method: Instant Pot, Stove Top, Slow Cooker, Microwave
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: ¼ – ½ cup, dry oats (varies per type of oats)
Calories: 150 – 180 calories
Fat: 2.5 – 3 grams
Carbohydrates: 27 g – 32 grams
Fiber: 4 – 6 grams
Protein: 5 -7 grams

Phew, that was a lot, wasn’t it? Whether oats are already a staple in your diet, or you’re looking for more ways to use different types of oats, we hoped you learned something! If you still have questions, please let us know in the comments below!

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