Recipes » Slow Cooker Steel Cut Overnight Oats (with Bulgur Wheat)

Slow Cooker Steel Cut Overnight Oats (with Bulgur Wheat)

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There’s nothing like waking up to the warm, comforting smell of breakfast already made! This slow cooker steel cut oats with bulgur wheat recipe is my secret to a cozy, no-fuss morning. It’s hearty, healthy, and the best part? You throw everything into the slow cooker the night before, and by morning, you’ve got a creamy, delicious breakfast waiting for you. It’s the kind of meal that fuels you up for the day without any stress or rushing.

A yellow dish filled with Steel-cut Oats and Bulgar that's topped with warm milk, cinnamon, fresh peaches, and nuts. Fresh sliced peaches sit to the side. A jar of milk and a second dish sits in the background.

When the weather gets cooler, I replace my yogurt breakfasts with oatmeal. I love hot oatmeal and have cooked it on the stove-top, baked it, and now my new favorite, in a slow cooker.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Slow Cooked Overnight. When I was young(er), I would often stay overnight with my grandmother. We would snuggle and talk about what we would fix for breakfast the next morning. My wish was always the same, oatmeal with a slice of her toasted bread! She used the old-fashioned rolled oats that I still love, but I really like steel-cut oats. Cooking steel cut oats can take a little longer to cook unless you let them cook while you sleep!

That sweet bulgur wheat flavor and texture. Adding bulgur to our overnight oats recipe adds a natural sweetness with a hint of cinnamon. In this recipe, we flavor the steel cut overnight oats and bulgur with cinnamon, vanilla, and honey, then throw it all in the crockpot and let it cook. The next day all we have to do is give it a good stir, add our favorite toppings and we’ve got a delicious easy breakfast.

Steel Cut Oats, Rolled Oats, Bulgur

What’s the difference between Steel Cut Oats and Rolled Oats? Both are made from Whole Oat Groats but they’re processed differently. Steel cut chop each groat into 2 or 3 pieces whereas rolled are steamed and then flattened. Steel cut oats have a nice chewy texture and rolled are softer and creamier. Steel-cut oats are also known as Irish oats, coarse-cut oats, or Scottish oats.

What is Bulgur? Bulgur is cracked whole grain from different varieties of wheat. It’s parboiled unlike cracked wheat making it cook quicker than other wheat grains. Most commonly it’s used in dishes like Tabouli Salad but we like the nutty tastes so much that we’ve used it in our Skillet Sausage Recipe. It can be used as a substitute for rice or other whole grains. Because steel cut oats have a longer cooking time, they work great in overnight steel cut oatmeal recipes.

Crockpot Steel Cut Oats & Bulgur is like waking up to a warm cinnamon hug. It's great as is or with fruit, nuts, and a drizzle of milk or cream. It makes several servings and freezes well | HostessAtHeart.com

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Ingredients for Steel Cut Overnight Oats

  • Steel Cut Oats. Do not use quick oats, because they will be too mushy using this method.
  • Bulgur Wheat. I use coarse #3 for just the right texture in this recipe.
  • Water.
  • Almond Milk. Any milk of choice or water will work. I love the flavor of almond milk or coconut milk.
  • Unrefined Coconut Oil or Butter.
  • Honey. For sweetness, you could use brown sugar or granulated sugar instead.
  • Salt. Just a pinch will bring out the sweet nutty flavor.
  • Vanilla Extract. Almond extract would also work.
  • Cinnamon. This is optional.

How to make Overnight Steel Cut Oats

Prep the crock bowl.

Use a slow cooker liner or spray your crock with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine the ingredients in.

Combine all of the ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Let it rest.

Turn off the heat and stir until smooth. Allow to cool uncovered for 15 minutes stirring occasionally. It will thicken as it cools.

Top-down view of a yellow dish filled with Steel-cut Oats and Bulgar that's topped with warm milk, cinnamon, fresh peaches, and nuts. Fresh sliced peaches sit to the side.

Serving Overnight Steel Cut Oats Recipe Variations

We had fresh peaches and slivered almonds on ours. The beauty of making unflavored oats is that you can customize them to your taste. Every member of the family can add their own toppings!

Stir in a handful of mini chocolate chips for the kiddos.

Up the fiber by adding hemp seeds, chia seeds, or ground flax seeds.

If bulgur isn’t in your pantry, you can use all steel cut oats.

Add a variety of spices to dress up your oatmeal. Spices are better cooked, so add these during the cooking process. Try pumpkin spice, or nutmeg in place of the cinnamon.

Add dried fruit such as raisins, apples, apricots, or nuts such as walnuts or pecans. 

Add a drizzle of maple syrup, milk or cream, or even a dollop of Greek yogurt. Either way, it’s a delightful, comforting, and filling breakfast.

Canned pie filling can be used to dress up oatmeal. Just heat the canned fruit on the stovetop in a saucepan until bubbly, then scoop out a little on each serving of oats. If you are reheating leftovers, you can add a scoop of the filling cold and it will heat up with the oats in the microwave. This adds so many flavor options!

A yellow dish filled with Steel-cut Oats and Bulgar that's topped with warm milk, cinnamon, fresh peaches, and nuts. Fresh sliced peaches sit to the side.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store leftover steel cut oats?

We store individual portions in the refrigerator in microwave-safe airtight containers which makes a healthy breakfast on busy mornings. You can use your leftovers for 5 days by keeping them in the refrigerator and reheating them in the microwave. 

Can I freeze leftover slow cooker steel cut oats?

Yes, you can freeze individual servings of slow cooker steel cut oats for quick and easy breakfasts.

How do you reheat leftover overnight steel cut oats?

Whether refrigerated or frozen, the oats will heat up nicely in the microwave or on top of the stove with a bit of milk to thin it out.

I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe as much as we do. Drop me a comment below, and don’t forget to give it a star rating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Your comments and ratings help others decide if this recipe is for them too.

Angled view of a bowl of cooked steel cut oats topped with sliced peaches and almond slivers.

Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats with Bulgur Recipe

Author: Hostess At Heart
Wake up to the cozy aroma of slow cooker steel cut overnight oats with bulgur. This delicious breakfast will keep you satisfied all morning long.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 15 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Keyword: Bulgur Wheat, overnight oats, Steel Cut Oats
Servings: 8

Ingredients
 
 

Instructions
 

  • Spray the bowl of a crockpot with nonstick cooking spray or use a crockpot liner.
  • Combine all of the ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
  • Turn off the heat and stir until smooth. Allow to cool uncovered 15 minutes stirring occasionally. It will thicken as it cools.
  • Serve with desired toppings such as fresh or dried or fresh fruit, nuts, and milk or cream.
  • Store in covered containers in the refrigerator or freezer.

Nutrition

Calories: 226kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 5gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 94mgPotassium: 82mgFiber: 6gSugar: 17gVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 108mgIron: 1.4mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

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Sideview of a bowl filled with slow cooker steel cut oats and bulgur. It's topped with sliced peaches and almond slivers. Hostess At Heart

Originally released on September 15, 2016, this overnight steel cut oats recipe has undergone updates to enhance our readers’ experience, including simple details and new images. No changes were made to the actual recipe.

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5 from 2 votes

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34 Comments

  1. Wow….sounds really delicious! Thank you! Will certainly try it….as is has cooled down quite a bit, even in FL; opening windows…. Still able to eat breakfast outside,watching the birds & butterflies! Miam miam for the oats….& The bulgur; excellent for the intestines!☺️

  2. Best steel cut oats recipe ever! Perfect follow up to a long run in the snow. Everyone in our family loves it, teens and kids included. My crockpot runs hot so it was completely ready in only about 3 hours.

  3. This is SO delicious! I’m eating it right now. The only change I made was to halve the honey—it’s gently sweetened. I topped it with coconut milk, walnuts, sliced apples, and a bit more cinnamon. Thank you!

    1. I agree Patti! I went kicking and screaming into fall but now I guess my taste buds are ready. I have to admit it’s so much easier to get my good walk in being cool too.

    1. This one was so easy Debbie. Have you tried the steel cut? I don’t think I would want to try the old fashioned oats. You’ll want to spray the sides or use a liner though and it was sure bubbling when I got up and smelled so good! Thank you my friend!

  4. Waking up to the smell of cinnamon and vanilla sounds like a perfect way to start the day. I’ve never tried making oatmeal in the crock pot, but I’m going to have to give it a go. This looks so comforting and delicious, Julie. Thanks for sharing at Fiesta Friday. Have a great weekend!

  5. snuggling with grand mas and making plans is the best kind of plan for every little girl..
    these oats and bulgar breakfast bowl is so comforting.

  6. I like to eat oatmeal for breakfast in the cooler weather, too–never thought of making steel cut oats in a crockpot! Sounds great!

  7. Thanks for your note: Just wondering: Would you be interested to be a Guest poster with us, and share some of your awesome recipes on our blog?

    Have a look at:
    https://cookandenjoyrecipes.wordpress.com/2016/09/09/update-fellow-bloggers-sharing-is-caring-recipe-exchange/ and leave me a note in the comments of this post, with a link to your recipe, if you’re interested. That will be just fantastic. Hope to hear from you soon

  8. Such a delicious start to the day. Love that you make this in a slow cooker. Thinking about cooler weather and warming comforting meals makes me happy.

  9. What a great idea cooking breakfast in the crockpot to enjoy over the next few days. I’ve seen so many different variations on this overnight breakfast in a crockpot. We eat oatmeal every single day with nuts and raisins, I’d love to be able to cook this ahead of time with all those gorgeous warm spices. I’m sure your house aromas were lovely for days. Thanks for bringing this along to Fiesta Friday, I know we will all enjoy this recipe. Have a wonderful weekend. It’s finally cooled down a tad here, with highs in the 80’s, but beautifully cooler nights.

    1. Thank you so much, Loretta! I love oatmeal almost every day too, and this one recipe made enough for 8 3/4 cup servings. Enough for almost 2 weeks. I’ve had it with peaches and raisins as well as nuts. Thank you for your sweet comments and for hosting us this weekend at FF!

  10. I am definitely starting to get all warm and fuzzy simply by looking at your photos! Love it Julie and can’t wait to try it 🙂

  11. This looks absolutely mouthwatering and HEALTHY. I’m starting to get ready for my cold weather oatmeal breakfasts… 🙂

  12. I will have to try it! I am an oatmeal girl for breakfast year round girl. I’d love to wake up to a warm cinnamon. hug.

    1. Thanks, Johanne! This stuff was so good. I’m an oatmeal girl too, and keeping it in the fridge makes me look forward to breakfast. This morning’s batch had raisins.

  13. “Crockpot Steel Cut Oats & Bulgur is like waking up to a warm cinnamon hug.” Ooooh Julie, so much goodness! I can almost feel all those flavors. I like that I can freeze it, and of course, the snuggling part. 🙂

    1. Thanks Ana! My grandmother was the best. It’s funny how memories come up like that when I think of particular foods. I think some people are going to say give the bulgur a rest already! LOL. My batch made 9 3/4 cup servings and I put them in individual containers and just heated one up each morning. Half went in the freezer for another time.