Steel Cut Oats vs. Rolled Oats vs. Quick Oats – What’s the Difference?

February is Heart Health Month and oats have a stellar reputation for their heart health benefit. Do you know the difference between each variety of oats?

variety of oats in steel measuring cups

Fiber’s role in heart health

Dietary fiber can help improve blood cholesterol levels and lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, obesity and even type 2 diabetes.

The American Heart Association recommends that at least half of the grains you eat be whole grains. Eating whole grains (like oats) are consistently associated with a reduced risk of chronic disease, including cardiovascular disease. Whole grain oats and oat bran can help lower blood cholesterol thanks to the power of beta-glucan – a soluble fiber, largely unique to oats, that basically tells your liver to pull LDL cholesterol out of the blood. Then, it binds to some of the cholesterol in your gut, keeping it from ever reaching your bloodstream.

You head to the grocery store to pick up oats, and there are so many options. Steel-cut oats, rolled oats, old-fashioned oats – what’s the difference?

different variety of oats on a wooden board

Steel Cut Oats

steel cut oats in a metal measuring cup

Steel-cut oats, also known as Irish or Scottish oats, are oats that are processed by chopping the whole oat groat into several pieces. This type of oatmeal takes the longest to cook. Why? Because the outside layer of the whole grain, the bran, is fully intact. A longer cook time penetrates through the bran creating tender, yet a chewy texture that retains much of its shape even after cooking.

Don’t have time in the morning to cook steel-cut oats? I don’t blame you! Prepare them in advance by cooking them over the stovetop, in a crockpot, or Instant Pot. Or try my frozen muffin tin method.

Get the recipe: Frozen (Single Serving) Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal

Rolled Oats

rolled oats in a metal measursing cup

Rolled oats, also known as old-fashioned oats, are created when oat groats are steamed and then rolled into flakes. This process stabilizes the healthy oils in the oats, so they stay fresh longer, and helps the oats cook faster, by creating a greater surface area.

Rolled oats cook faster than steel-cut oats. They absorb more liquid and hold their shape well during cooking. With their faster cook time, enjoy a bowl of warm oatmeal in the morning or use in recipes like muffins, granola, pancakes, or other baked good recipes.

Get the recipe: Quinoa Oatmeal with Berries

Quick Oats

quick oats in a metal measuring cup

Quick oats, also known as minute oats or instant oats are rolled oats and that are steamed for even longer. As the most processed type of oat, instant oatmeal cooks in seconds and has a smooth, creamy, and soft consistency and mild flavor.

Quick cook more quickly than steel-cut or rolled oats, but retain less of their texture, and often cook up mushy. Plus, be mindful of the multiple varieties of quick oats in the shelf. Tip: Opt for the quick oats in the canister vs. the individual packets. Not only will you save money, but often the packets contain disodium phosphate (aka. salt), to help them swell even faster in the microwave, whereas the canister contains just the oats. Additionally, the packets contain added sugar, if choosing the flavored varieties.

Get the recipe: Apple Pie Overnight Oats

oatmeal with strawberries and raspberries in a white bowl

New Research

Consuming uncooked oats, like overnight oats that are soaked in milk or yogurt to soften, contain resistant starch. Resistant starch is a carbohydrate that resists digestion in the small intestine and ferments in the large intestine. As the fibers ferment they act as a prebiotic and feed the good bacteria in the gut.

The John Hopkins Patient Guide to Diabetes notes that “When starches are digested they typically break down into glucose. Because resistant starch is not digested in the small intestine, it doesn’t raise glucose. Gut health is improved as fermentation in the large intestine makes more good bacteria and less bad bacteria in the gut. Healthy gut bacteria can improve glycemic control. Other benefits of resistant starch include increased feeling of fullness, treatment and prevention of constipation, decrease in cholesterol, and lower risk of colon cancer. Resistant starch is fermented slowly so it causes less gas than other fibers.”

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Recipes you may enjoy

Frozen (Single Serving) Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal

Don’t have time in the morning to prepare hearty steel cut oatmeal for breakfast? With a little meal prep will help solve that morning rush and nourish your body with a wholesome breakfast with these Frozen (Single Serving) Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal.

Frozen Single-Serving Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal via RDelicious Kitchen @rdkitchen
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. How many times have you heard that before? While I believe all meals are important, a good breakfast fuels you up and gets you ready for the day. During the weekends, I love having a leisurely breakfast, sipping my coffee, and enjoying my morning. During the week breakfast making time is 5 minutes or less, rush out the door and coffee in the car on my commute.
Frozen Single-Serving Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal via RDelicious Kitchen @rdkitchen
Steel cut oatmeal is a hearty wholesome breakfast, but its downfall is that it takes about 15-20 minutes to cook. I’d rather get an extra 20 minutes of sleep. I know I’m not the only one!

Frozen Single-Serving Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal via RDelicious Kitchen @rdkitchen
Want to enjoy steel cut oats in under 2 minutes? Meal prep to the rescue! Spend 20 minutes one day and have steel cut oats all week. Even if they weren’t steel cut oats and rolled oats instead, the time to take out all the mix-ins is just too much when you are trying to get out the door. Instead, simply take your little frozen single-serving steel cut oat “muffin”, add a few drops of water and pop it into the microwave.
Frozen Single-Serving Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal via RDelicious Kitchen @rdkitchen

steel cut vs. rolled oats vs. old fashioned oats – what’s the difference?

Steel cut oats vs. rolled oats vs. old-fashioned oats can get confusing. Steel cut oats are whole oat groats cut into little pieces. They are higher in fiber and protein than rolled and instant oats making it more filling and satisfying breakfast.
Frozen Single-Serving Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal via RDelicious Kitchen @rdkitchen
Make these. You’ll thank me when you are enjoying a hearty breakfast with that extra 20 minutes of sleep.

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frozen single serving portion of pumpkin steel cut oats

Frozen (Single Serving) Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal

  • Author: Chef Julie Harrington, RD
  • Prep Time: 5
  • Cook Time: 15
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 6
  • Category: Breakfast

Description

Don’t have time in the morning to prepare hearty steel cut oatmeal for breakfast? With a little meal prep will help solve that morning rush and nourish your body with a wholesome breakfast with these Frozen (Single Serving) Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup steel cut oats
  • 3 cups water
  • ⅛ tsp salt
  • 1 banana, mashed
  • 1½ cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 tbsp chia seeds
  • 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice extract (can sub vanilla extract)
  • ½ cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions

  1. In a pot, bring water to a boil. Add salt and steel cut oats. Reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook 15. Stir once or twice during cooking time.
  2. Remove oats from heat. Stir in mashed banana, pumpkin, chia seeds, flaxseed, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and pumpkin pie extract.
  3. Spray a large muffin pan with cooking spray. Fill 6 muffin cups with the steel cut oats. Sprinkle chopped walnuts on each.
  4. Freeze steel cut oats in muffin tins until solid. Remove from muffin pan and store in a ziplock bag.
  5. To enjoy warm, simple add a few drops of water and reheat in the microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds – 2 minutes.

Keywords: breakfast, oatmeal, steel cut oats

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Chef Julie Harrington, RD - Culinary Nutrition Consultant of chefjulierd.com

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Frozen (Single Serving) Pumpkin Steel Cut Oatmeal via RDelicious Kitchen @RD_Kitchen