These Date-Sweetened Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats are the perfect overnight breakfast. Full of fiber and nutrients, this is a healthy set-and-forget recipe that actually tastes wonderful!

slow cooker steel cut oats

“I made this for suhoor this morning and it was delicious! This is definitely a set and forget it type of recipe. I put it in the slow cooker before bed and it was ready at suhoor time, pretty perfect for simplifying Ramadan and so healthy.! Its barely sweet and the texture was actually really similar to kheer! This will be going into our regular suhoor rotation!”

Namrah

Oats for Suhoor

I have the most absolute, groundbreaking, PERFECT idea for Suhoor —

Overnight Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats!

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not the first person who threw steel cut oats in a slow cooker. But why aren’t all 1.6 billion Muslims making them for Suhoor?!?!?!

Here’s why they’re ideal pre-fast meal:

  1. Steel Cut Oats are a health food. They are whole groat oats that have been chopped into pieces. And since you’re (hopefully) eating less during Ramadan, you want to try to make your calories count. (For more recipes for Ramadan, check out my collection of 40+ Pakistani Ramadan Recipes for Suhoor, Iftar and Dinner.)
  2. They are high in fiber and a complex carbohydrate, both elements which should be present in a pre-fast meal. And because they rank low on the Glycemic Index, it takes pretty long to digest them. So they make you feel fuller longer, which is ideal for fasting.
  3. You can throw them in the slow cooker right before sleeping (which is probably late, since it’s Ramadan) and be extremely lazy in the kitchen in the morning. No rushing and constant Fajr-time monitoring required!
slow cooker steel cut oats

So…Don’t feel like making parathas? Steel-cut oats got your back! Want to spend the wee hours of the morning focusing on spiritual rejuvenation? You do you, boo! 😀

I love the texture of steel-cut oats, and this an easy/lazy/delicious way to cook them. Plus, I’ve naturally sweetened them with dates. By morning, the dates take on a beautiful purple hue and become very easy to mix in. Add to that, you’re amping up the nutritional factor with milk. Milk provides protein and other nutrients that will set you up for the day. It’s a complete breakfast.

Before you start, here are a few tips:

  • They may take more or less time to cook depending on your slow cooker. When it’s done, the edges will be slightly browned, and the oats will be well cooked and creamy but still have some liquid. You may want to make them during the day once to see how long they’ll take in your slow cooker.
  • Use a slow cooker liner . Otherwise, you’ll allocate the time you saved from cooking to cleaning. Don’t use rolled oats unless you intend to cook them for a much shorter time, and with less liquid.
  • I’ve tried them with just the base recipe (oats, water, milk, salt, and dates) and many times with my recipe below. You can build on the base recipe as you wish!

Other Breakfast Recipes You’ll Love

Aloo Anday ki Bhujia – Khageena
Easy Mooli Wala Paratha Breakfast Recipe
Traditional Turkish Menemen (Tomato and Egg Scramble)

Tried this recipe? If you have a minute, please leave a comment & star rating below and tell me how it was! If you’re on Instagram, please tag me so I can see your creations. I truly love hearing from you! Thank you!

slow cooker steel cut oats
5 (1 rating)

Date Sweetened Slow Cooker Steel Cut Oats

Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 6 hrs
Total Time: 6 hrs 5 mins
I love the texture of steel cut oats, and this an easy/lazy/delicious way to cook them. Plus, I’ve naturally sweetened them with dates. By morning, the dates take on a beautiful purple hue, and become very easy to mix in. Add to that, you’re amping up the nutrition factor with milk. Milk provides protein and other nutrients that will set you up for the day. It’s a complete breakfast.
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Ingredients 

  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 2 cups milk, I use dairy, soy, and sometimes almond
  • 1 cup steel-cut oats
  • 4 pitted Medjool dates
  • 1/2 tsp rose water
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cardamom powder or freshly ground green cardamom seeds from about 3 cardamom pods
  • pinch saffron, optional
  • up to 1 tbsp honey, optional, though I usually add

Instructions 

  • Line your crock pot or slow cooker with a slow cooker liner.
  • Add all ingredients to your slow cooker. Stir, cover, and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 4 hours. Slow cooker times can vary depending on the size of your slow cooker.
  • Mix to shred the dates as desired. I often serve it with a splash of milk. You may also add a little milk before reheating leftovers.
Calories: 296kcal, Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 12mg, Sodium: 205mg, Potassium: 328mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 22g, Vitamin A: 233IU, Calcium: 178mg, Iron: 2mg
Author: Izzah Cheema
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American

Enjoy!