How to Cook Oats

Oats are a nutritious and delicious way to start your day. Since there are so many ways to prepare it, oats are also a quick and convenient option for an energetic morning!

Table of Contents

Ingredient

1/2 cup (45 g) rolled oats, traditional broken oats or instant oats
1 cup (240 ml) of water or milk
1 cup (240 ml) almond milk, coconut milk, soy milk or milk substitute (optional)
Toppings, seasonings and seasonings (depending on taste)

Cook oats in the microwave

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Pour oats into a microwaveable bowl. For most quick-cook or rolled oats, an average serving is ½ cup (45 g). If you’re cooking instant oats, simply open the package and pour the oats into a bowl – the pack of instant oats is portioned so you won’t have to worry about weighing. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Use a dry measuring cup to measure loose oats.

Pour 1 cup (240 ml) of water into the oats and stir. Measure out 1 cup (240 ml) of cold water and pour into a bowl of dry oats. Stir well until the water is evenly coated and the oats don’t clump or dry parts in the bowl. ^{[2] X Research Source}

1 cup (240 ml) of water may seem like a lot when poured into ½ cup (45g) of oats, but keep in mind that oats will absorb water very quickly when cooked.
For a thicker and richer oatmeal, you can use milk instead of water.

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Heat the oats in the microwave for 1.5 -2 minutes. Put the bowl of oats in the microwave and heat on high. If you prefer softer, richer oats, set the cooking time to 1.5 minutes. If you want the oats to be thicker, you can cook for 2 minutes or a little longer. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

If using a more whole grain type of oats, such as rolled oats or traditional broken oats, you may need to increase the cooking time to 2.5 to 3 minutes to ensure the oats are tender. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

Stir the oats thoroughly. Carefully remove the bowl of oats from the microwave – it will be very hot! After a quick stir again, your oatmeal is ready.

Wait 1-2 minutes for the oats to cool before serving.

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Mix your favorite seasonings into the oats. At this point, you can add a few delicious and nutritious toppings to your oatmeal, such as butter, honey, cream, fresh fruit, dried berries, or toasted nuts. You just need to stir these ingredients in as much or as little as you like and enjoy! ^{[5] X Research Sources}

With instant oats, you should taste before adding anything. Instant oats are often available in flavors like brown sugar, cinnamon, and apple, so you may not need a lot of extra seasoning.

Cook rolled oats or granulated oats on the stove

Pour 1 cup (240 ml) of water or milk into a shallow saucepan. Measure with a regular measuring cup to ensure correct proportions. Oats cooked in water will cook faster and retain their original firmness. Oats cooked with milk will be softer and smoother. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

A small saucepan like a saucepan will work best, as the oats need to be partially submerged in water to cook.
You should only cook oat bran or rolled oats on the stovetop. Other types of oats, such as instant oats and quick-cook oats, are often used to cook in the microwave. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Heat water or milk until it comes to a gentle boil. Heat over medium-high until the water begins to bubble. This is the optimal temperature for cooking oats. It is important to boil water or milk before adding the oats so that the oats do not soak up too much water and become mushy. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

You can also use a mixture of milk and water for a richer, yet calorie-free oatmeal. ^{[9] X Research Source}
Be careful not to overheat the water or milk, lest it evaporate quickly and the oats may burn.

Add ½ cup (45 g) of oats and stir well. Measure the oats with a dry cup. ½ cup (45 g) of oats is considered a standard serving per person. If you want to cook more, just leave room to add another ½ cup (45 g) of oats and ¾ – 1 cup (180 -240 ml) of water or milk. ^{[10] X Research Source}

Add a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor of the oats.

Cook until the oats reach the desired consistency. Stir the oats occasionally while cooking, but avoid stirring too much. The exact cooking time will depend on the quantity and type of oats. Instead of just looking at your watch, you should keep an eye on the oats as it begins to thicken. ^{[11] X Research Source}

Cooking a traditional pan of rolled oats can take 8-10 minutes. Due to their hard texture, broken oats can take up to 20 minutes to cook until tender. ^{[12] X Research Source}
Starch can break down if stirred too much, so the oats will stick and lose most of their natural flavor.

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Remove the oats from the stove. Once the oats have reached the desired consistency, you can pour them out into a serving bowl. Use a spatula or spatula to scrape around the sides of the pan to make it easier to clean up later. And of course the bowl should be large enough to accommodate the ingredients you plan to sprinkle on top of the oats!

Remember that the oats continue to thicken a bit after they cool, so you should remove them from the heat before they are as thick as you want them to be.

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Mix a little more seasoning. While the oats are still hot, you can add some butter, a tablespoon of peanut butter, or a handful of raisins. If you like it sweet, try sprinkling a little brown sugar, maple syrup, honey, or fruit jam. Don’t worry, your oatmeal won’t be bad! ^{[13] X Research Source}

Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and Jamaican pepper also help balance out the sweetness. ^{[14] X Research Source}
Wait for the oats to cool enough to eat before serving.

Soak oats in boiling water

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Boil a kettle of water. Pour clean water into the kettle and put it on the stove with high heat or use an electric kettle to boil water. While waiting for the water to boil, you can prepare other items for breakfast.

This method can be used to make instant oats and slow-cooking oats such as rolled and broken oats.

Pour ½ cup (45 g) of oats into a bowl. This amount of oats is enough for one serving. If you want to cook more, you can measure out half a cup (45 g). You will need to add ½-1 cup (120 -240 ml) of boiling water for every ½ cup (45 g) of oats. ^{[15] X Research Source}

Use a dry measuring cup to accurately measure the proportions of oats and water.
Add a pinch of salt to dry oats to enhance the flavor.

Pour boiling water over the oats. Turn off the stove when the water is just boiling and open the lid of the kettle to let the steam out. Pour boiling water over the oats, stirring constantly while pouring. If you want the oats to soften, you will use 300 ml of water. If you like thick oats, you should only use 180-240 ml of water.

Oats will expand and thicken as they ripen; That means you should add a little more water than you expected.

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Wait for the oats to cool before eating. After you add boiling water, the oats will stay very hot for several minutes. To avoid burning your mouth, wait a while until the vapors are almost gone. You’ll be glad you did when you taste your first spoonful of oats!

A tablespoon of ice cream or Greek yogurt mixed into the oats will help the cooked dish cool faster. ^{[16] X Research Source}

Add the sprinkling ingredients to the oats of your choice. Sweeten your oats with honey, brown sugar, or maple syrup, then add a few banana slices, crunchy cereal, or chocolate chips. Finish with a pinch of cinnamon sugar or apple pie seasoning. ^{[17] X Research Source}

Don’t hesitate to get creative with exotic flavors like dried cherry, pistachio or grated coconut when you want to try something different.
Try enjoying oats as an acai bowl—stir into the oats with ground berries and other healthy foods like chia seeds, nut butters, and fresh fruit. ^{[18] X Research Sources}

Soak rolled oats overnight

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Measure out ½ cup (45 g) of rolled oats into a small container. Glass food containers with a screw-on lid are ideal as it helps you control portion sizes, but any jar that is deep and has a wide mouth will work. Pour the oats into the jar and shake until the oats are evenly spread. ^{[19] X Research Source}

The most suitable type of oats for processing by this method are rolled oats – instant oats will quickly soften when exposed to liquid, and broken oats will not be soft enough, so they are often dry and hard. ^{[20] X Research Source}
If your mornings are often too busy, you should mix oats in a plastic container for convenience.

Pour into the oats an equal amount of milk or milk substitute. Pour into the oats ½ cup (120 ml) cold milk or replace the milk with almond milk, coconut milk, or soy milk. The liquid will provide moisture to the oats. The ratio of milk and oats used in this recipe is usually 1:1. ^{[21] X Research Source}

You may need to experiment a few times to find the correct ratio. If the first time the overnight oats are mushy, the next time you reduce the amount of milk. If the oats are dry, you can add a little more milk before serving. ^{[22] X Research Source}

Thoroughly stir the mixture in the jar. Continue stirring until the oats are evenly moist from top to bottom. Otherwise, your dish will lose its taste because there are dry spots. ^{[23] X Research Sources}

At this point you can also add other dry ingredients such as chia seeds, flax seeds, and seasoning powders.

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Leave the jar of oats in the refrigerator overnight. Cover the jar of oats and place in the middle of the refrigerator. When soaked in milk, the oats will slowly absorb the water and swell. This will take about 3-5 hours. If you want the oats to have a smoother texture, you should wait 7-8 hours. ^{[24] X Research Source}

If using a jar without a lid, you can cover the top of the jar with cling film or foil.
Oats left in the fridge overnight for longer than 10 hours can become mushy and difficult to eat.

Add your favorite seasoning and enjoy the oats cold. Take the oats out of the fridge and fill the jar with delicious treats like honey, greek yogurt or chocolate hazelnut crumbs. Health-conscious people can opt for healthier alternatives like fresh fruit and unsweetened nut butters. ^{[25] X Research Sources}

Try using mashed banana to sweeten in place of the usual sweeteners. ^{[26] X Research Sources}
Be creative! There is almost no limit to the unique flavor combinations you can think of.
If you don’t like cold oats, you can heat a serving in the microwave for 1-2 minutes.

Advice

If you want convenience, consider making a large batch of oats and storing them in the fridge to take out when you need them. You can scoop out a sufficient amount of oats, add 1-2 tablespoons of water or milk and heat in the microwave.
Replace milk with almond, coconut, or soy milk for a nutrient-dense breakfast that’s lower in calories.
When cooking oats for the whole family, you can arrange the seasonings in a buffet style to create your own oat stand.
If you want to make breakfast more nutritious, you can add protein by combining oats with egg whites, nut butters, Greek yogurt, etc.

Warning

It is best to wash the pot immediately after cooking the oats on the stove. The oat stains left in the pot when dry will not be able to be washed if not soaked in water for a long time.
Never boil water unattended. Not only is there a fire hazard, you could also lose your breakfast!

Things you need

Cook oats in the microwave

Microwave oven
Bowl can be used in the microwave
Measuring cup (for both wet and dry ingredients)
Spoon

Cook oats on the stove

Shallow pot or saucepan
Measuring cup (for both wet and dry ingredients)
Spoon

Oats soaked in boiling water

Kettle
Measuring cup (for both wet and dry ingredients)
Spoon

Oats soaked overnight

Glass food jars or similar small containers
Measuring cup (for both wet and dry ingredients)
Spoon