Oats - Quick, Rolled, Steel Cut, Instant …

Looking to understand the difference between wholegrain, steel-cut, and quick-cook oats? Our latest blog breaks it down.

Oats are one of the few whole grains you’ll find many varieties of on the shelf, making them an extremely versatile ingredient. With such a wide selection available, choosing the right oat for your recipe might be a little challenging. Use this quick guide to make your decisions a little easier, and perhaps you’ll be tempted to give them each a try!

All-natural and delicious, oats – in all their forms – are a terrific way to add fiber, vitamins, minerals, and plant-protein to any diet. Here’s what to look for:

Wholegrain Oats or Rolled or Jumbo: The most common oats you’ll find. Wholegrain are whole oats which have been toasted, hulled, steamed and then rolled. These oats absorb a lot of liquid, cook fairly quickly and will hold their shape well when cooked. They are the main ingredients in granola and overnight oats. Try our wholegrain oats in our oats and peanut butter breakfast bar recipe.

Cooking time: approx. 15 minutes

Quick Oats: or “quick-cook” oats, have been cut, steamed and rolled into thinner flakes, making them quicker to cook than wholegrain oats. With quick cook oats, you can have a hot, healthy breakfast on the table in less than five minutes, and because of their finer texture they’re frequently used in muffins, cookies and breads.

Cooking time: approximately 5 minutes

Steel Cut Oats: also known as Irish oatmeal, steel cut oats have a great chewy texture and nutty flavor. Steel cut oats are whole, hulled oats that have been cut once or twice with steel blades into smaller pieces. They take a little longer to cook than rolled oats, but have a wonderful, satisfying texture. Enjoy steel cut oats for breakfast, or as an awesome alternative to other grains.

Cooking time: approximately 20 minutes

Oat Bran: Oat bran is made from the outer layer of the hulled oat kernel and is particularly high in insoluble fiber. It can be prepared as a hot cereal or sprinkled on cold cereal, and is used as an ingredient in quick breads, casseroles and pancakes for a boost of added fiber. You can also use oat bran to boost the fiber in meat patties, and as a binder that will keep the patty light.

Oat Flour: Oat flour is simply whole-grain oats, milled to a fine powder. Oat flour can be used to thicken sauces and gravies, in breading and in baked goods. Oat flour is commercially available or can easily be made at home in a food processor or blender. To make oat flour, process rolled or quick oats to a powder, then sift.

Gluten-Free Oats: Oats are inherently gluten-free, but may contain traces of other gluten-containing grains, such as wheat or rye. If you are following a strict gluten-free diet, be sure to choose any of the oats above that are labeled “certified gluten-free.”