Steel-Cut Oatmeal

Low-calorie steel cut oats

Debbie Smirnoff / E+ / GettyImages

Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 8 hrs
Total: 8 hrs 5 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Have you ever tried steel-cut oats as opposed to rolled oats in your oatmeal? This recipe may just turn you into a steel-cut oats fan.

Unlike rolled oats that are steamed and rolled during the manufacturing process, steel-cut oats are simply oat groats that have been chopped using very sharp blades. There is very little processing involved, which makes steel-cut oats an even less processed version of homemade oatmeal.

Now, in my opinion, any oatmeal that is made at home and is made from plain oats without any sugar, artificial flavors, or artificial ingredients is certainly better than opening a paper package of flavored oats and dumping them into a bowl. By combining plain unflavored oats with water or milk and simple flavorings such as honey or maple syrup from your own pantry, you are making a far better choice than packets of processed flavored oatmeal. 

This steel-cut oats recipe combines simple ingredients and only a little bit of sugar for a great warm flavor first thing in the morning. The great thing about this recipe is that it cooks in the crock pot for 7 to 8 hours. So, if you start the crock pot right before bedtime, it should be ready right about the time you wake up in the morning. Just be careful not to sleep in or the oats get overdone! Also, do note that many crock pots cook differently, so keep an eye on the oats the last hour or two the first time you make them so that you can make sure they don't burn or run out of cooking liquid. If the oats have absorbed all of the liquid but are still not quite tender enough, simply add a 1/2 cup of water to the oats while they finish cooking.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water

  • 2 cups skim milk

  • 1 cup steel-cut oats

  • 1/3 cup golden raisins

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar

  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Seven to eight hours before you plan to eat oatmeal, combine water, skim milk, steel-cut oats, golden raisins, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt In a 4-qt crock pot. Use a large spoon to gently stir together ingredients until they are well combined. 

  3. Turn crock pot on to low, place lid on crockpot, and cook for 7-8 hours, until oats are tender and completely cooked.

  4. Ladle into bowls and serve. Top with a small amount of additional milk if desired. 

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
254 Calories
3g Fat
49g Carbs
10g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 254
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 4%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 2mg 1%
Sodium 207mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 49g 18%
Dietary Fiber 5g 17%
Total Sugars 20g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 189mg 15%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 440mg 9%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)