No Cook Overnight Steel Cut Oats With Strawberries

If you’ve searched the web for recipes to use up that big bag of steel-cut oats you have in your pantry; you need to make these easy no-cook overnight oats with strawberries.

That’s right, sometimes you buy the steel-cut oats for one recipe and because they take so long to cook on the stove, they are left unused in the pantry, right?

Well, I’m here to tell you that steel-cut oats can be used to make oat flour or to make a delicious breakfast that practically cooks itself. I mean, there’s no “cooking” here, but you know what I mean.

Overnight Steel Cut Oats

If you’re wondering what are overnight steel-cut oats let me give you a brief summary: overnight oats are dry oats that are mixed with a liquid (milk preferably), some type of sweetener (totally optional) and any other add-ins you want (like fruit, nutritional boosters, and more).

You will either mix everything in a large bowl or inside individual jars, place the oat mixture in the refrigerator overnight, and wake up to a nutritious breakfast option. Sounds simple, right?

What Are Steel Cut Oats?

Steel-cut oats, also known as Irish oatmeal or coarse oatmeal, are groats of whole oats chopped smaller into two or three round pinhead-sized pieces, shaped like long-grain rice. Since they are minimally processed, they contain more fiber than rolled oats.

Can you make overnight oats with steel cut oats?

You can use steel-cut oats to make overnight oats, but they must be quick-cooking steel-cut oats, where the groat has been cut into smaller pieces. Traditional steel-cut oats don’t soften up enough overnight.

If what you have around is a bag of traditional steel-cut oats, grind it to make oat flour or try this delicious Overnight Crockpot Oatmeal recipe.

Benefits of Steel Cut Oats

Steel-cut oats are an excellent source of protein, soluble and insoluble fiber and minerals. They make a terrific base for breakfast or grain-based meals.

Steel-Cut Oats to Water Ratio

For every 1 cup of steel-cut oats, you’ll need 2 ½ to 3 cups of liquid, depending on how thick you’d like them to be. Less liquid will yield a thicker bowl of oatmeal or overnight oats.

You can use either water or milk to make overnight oats. I personally love using milk or unsweetened almond milk, like you’ll see in the recipe below because it provides the oats a creamy texture that’s 100% delicious.

No Cook Steel Cut Oats Overnight

Overnight oats are such a convenient breakfast because it’s a no-cook method. Once you fill the jars and let the oats rest in the fridge overnight, they soak up the liquid. In the morning, they are ready to enjoy.

This means that you don’t need to learn how to cook steel-cut oats when you make overnight oats because they practically “cook” themselves as they soak in the liquid.

Ingredients

This recipe is the first I tried when I made overnight steel cut oats. Notice that I’m using quick-cooking steel cut oats. I tried using traditional steel cut oats and they didn’t soften up enough.

Once I added strawberries to milk + quick-cooking steel cut oats, I felt like it was more like a bowl of strawberries and cream. The measurements are at the end of the post, but first, check the three simple ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:

• Quick cooking steel-cut oats: make sure you use the quick-cooking ones; they’ve been cut smaller so they cook faster.
• Milk: use your favorite dairy or non-dairy milk.
• Strawberries: fresh or frozen. You can also use other fresh fruit you love!

How to Make Steel-Cut Overnight Oats

You’ll see I assemble these strawberry overnight steel cut oats in single-serve jars, but you can also make one big bowl of overnight oats. Whatever works best for you! Here are the easy steps:

1. Place the oats
   You make a base of quick-cooking steel-cut oats inside each jar. If you’re adding any “add-ins” like flaxseed, hemp, or chia seeds, you place them now on top of the oats. Mix to combine.
2. Add milk
   You fill each jar with milk and stir to combine. 
3. Add fruit
   Finally, top each jar with strawberries and mix. You can also top the oats with strawberries in the morning.
4. Chill
   Place jars in the refrigerator for 8 hours or overnight.
5. Enjoy!
   In the morning, you can enjoy them cold, straight out of the jar, or warm them up in the microwave if desired.

Check out how they are made in this video:

How Far in Advance Can I Make Steel-Cut Overnight Oats?

Overnight oats are known for being a terrific breakfast you can prep ahead once, store in the fridge and enjoy for several days. Keep in mind that if you prep overnight oats without fruit, they last up to 5 days in the fridge.

If you add fruit to overnight oats, I recommend keeping them in the fridge for no more than 3 days since the fruit tastes different and loses its texture—especially berries. Learn more about how long overnight oats last in this post.

What are the best Jars to use for Overnight Oats?

Overnight oats recipes usually call for 8-ounce mason jars, which are available in glass or plastic. If you have young kids, I recommend these freezer jars that are also great for freezing smoothies.

No jars? No problem. Grab a large bowl, prepare the overnight oats, cover it with plastic wrap or a lid, and breakfast will be ready to serve in individual bowls the next morning. So it’s not about using “the best jar” but a container with a lid that’s airtight to prevent spills in the fridge.

More on the best jars to use when making overnight oats here.

Steel-cut Overnight Oats Add-ins

Whether you make overnight oats with quick-cooking steel cut oats or classic rolled oats, it’s always a great “base” for adding more flavor and nutrition. This recipe includes strawberries, but here are other delicious ideas you can add before or after refrigerating the oats:

• chopped fresh fruit: ½ cup per serving
• berries: ½ cup per serving
• chopped nuts: 1 tablespoon per serving
• dried fruit: 1 tablespoon per serving
• protein powder: 2 tablespoons per serving
• flax meal: ½ teaspoon per serving
• maple syrup or honey: 1 teaspoon per serving
• hemp seeds: 1 teaspoon per serving
• chia seeds: ½ teaspoon per serving
• nut butter: 1 teaspoon per serving

Do I need to add Yogurt in my Overnight Oats?

While most recipes out on the internet make you feel like yogurt is part of the recipe, I rarely add yogurt to my overnight oats recipes.

Adding yogurt to your overnight oats will thicken the mixture and make them creamier. Adding yogurt, about 1 tablespoon per serving, will thicken up your oat mixture and make them heavenly. This step is completely optional, of course.

How Long do Overnight Oats Take?

Overnight oats are called this way because they need at least 8 hours to soak in the liquid you add to the jar or bowl. When using quick-cooking steel-cut oats, it will take about 12 hours for them to soften.

Should Overnight Oats be Hot or Cold?

I love eating my overnight oats cold, right out of the refrigerator. Like most meals, this is a personal preference. If you want them warm, microwave the overnight oats for about 1 minute or until as heated as desired.

Can You Microwave Overnight Oats?

You can microwave overnight oats to warm them up for about a minute, mix to combine and check that they are heated through.

Other Recipes With Steel-Cut Oats

For an epic recipe that tastes like you’re visiting New Orleans and indulging on dessert, try these Bananas Foster Steel-Cut Oats recipe.