Carrot Cake Steel Cut Oats Porridge Bowl
An easy Instant Pot recipe for Carrot Cake Steel Cut Oats, giving you the flavours of carrot cake in a healthy and filling plant-based breakfast bowl.
The Meeting
I was first introduced to steel cut oats a couple of summers ago at my aunt’s house. She showed me these little pebble-like bits and I was initially confused as to how they would turn into something akin to my beloved porridge bowls. My aunt proceeded to put them in a pot, added water, and left them on the hob/stove to cook. After about half an hour she ladled out a big portion and handed me a steaming bowl of creaminess. I dug in…and fell in love. Porridge had been an almost daily staple in my life for years, (it still is) and so I couldn’t believe I had never tried the goodness that is steel cut oats before!
Steel cut oats are the form of oats closest to their original grain form. Since they’re the least processed, they result in a chewier and more textured porridge bowl, which I personally love, and leave me feeling full for much longer. Oats are so good for you, filled with protein, fiber, and nutrients, and if you haven’t yet tried steel cut oats you really need to!
The Search
After this first taste, I immediately set out to find steel cut oats in my local shops. It proved much more challenging to track down than I’d anticipated. I discovered that they’re commonly known over here in the UK as ‘pinhead’ oats. I did find them eventually and bought a big 2.5kg bag (cause buying in bulk is the way to go).
You would think that in my eagerness I jumped at the chance to make myself a bowl the next morning…you would think. I just got a bit put off by the cooking time, which felt like ages compared to the literal two-minute porridge bowls I was used to conjuring in my microwave. (I have since learned that you can soak steel cut oats overnight to reduce the cooking time, so that definitely helps!).
The Hack
This is where my Instant Pot (IP) stepped in to save the day – and many days thereafter. My IP is honestly one of the best investments I’ve ever made and you’ll be seeing it much more throughout this blog. I am all about easy meals that require very little preparation and effort, and the IP is one of my magic weapons in making that possible. So, when I found that I could cook up a big pot of steel cut oats by just throwing all the ingredients in my IP, setting it to do its thing, and then coming back to have everything done for me, it was very exciting news!
The thing I love about the IP is that you don’t have to watch over it, or worry about anything boiling over, or think about how long it’s been cooking. You just dump, set, and go. Which is amazing.
I’ll generally throw all the ingredients for this recipe into my IP and set it going early in the morning, get on with my routine, and come back to have breakfast done and ready to serve – I can’t even tell you how good that feels. If you don’t have an IP you can still make bowls of steel cut oats for breakfast – it’ll take about 30 minutes or so simmering on the hob, stirring every once in a while to keep it from sticking – not quite as easy as the IP method, but I promise you it’s worth the extra effort!
The Recipe
The recipe below is my go-to for when I’m craving carrot cake flavours – which, let’s be honest, is 100% of the time. Generally a 3:1 ratio of liquids to oats is best, and you can add whatever flavours and extras you want.
Fast Five Reasons to Try: Carrot Cake Steel Cut Oats Porridge Bowl
- Sneak in your veggies at breakfast time.
- The carrots add a lovely sweetness when cooked.
- The winning combo of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg – carrot cake flavours for breakfast? Yes, please!
- Makes 2-3 portions for an even quicker breakfast using leftovers during the week!
- Equally tasty hot or cold so you can enjoy it any day, any way.
Have you tried adding carrots to your breakfast bowl?! If not, I absolutely recommend it – maybe give this recipe a try! If you do, I’d love to hear how you get on with it – take a photo and tag me on Instagram @bitesbybekah. I’d love to connect with you and it always makes me so happy to see your creations!
Carrot Cake Steel Cut Oats Porridge Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup Steel cut oats/pinhead oats
- 1.5 cups Plant mylk
- 1.5 cups Water
- 1 bag Shredded carrots
- 3 tbsp Chia seeds/ground flax seeds
- 1 tbsp Cinnamon
- 1 tbsp Ginger
- 1 tbsp Nutmeg
- Toppings of choice
Instructions
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Add all ingredients to the Instant Pot
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Give it a quick stir to incorporate everything (opt)
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Put on the lid, make sure the valve is closed, and then set the IP for 10 mins on the ‘Manual’ setting
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After finished, turn off the IP - either quick release the valve, or let the pressure release naturally (the latter option gives the porridge a bit more time to thicken).
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Add a serving into a bowl, top with your favourites (fruit, nuts/seeds, nut butters, etc.), and enjoy!
I can’t even believe I’m saying this considering I eat oats every single day, but I STILL have no tried steel cut!! Ugh I totally need to get on it and this recipe looks like an amazing place to start!!! I love how sweet carrots get in recipes like this. Looks so good, Bekah!!
Thanks so much for leaving a comment Sara! (And jumping through the hoop of having to leave an email, I’m still finding my way around wordpress!). Gosh, I cannot believe you haven’t tried steel cut oats yet, you really must! It took me years of having porridge daily to finally try it myself though, so I get it =P Hope you can try out this recipe soon – carrots in these kinds of recipes are just amazing!