Compared to a towering stack of pancakes or a piled-high biscuit breakfast sandwich, oats have a tough time competing as a breakfast food you crave. But once you learn how to make oatmeal 31 ways—plus how to cook oatmeal with our foolproof oats to liquid ratio—you'll be bowled over by the flavor and the texture you can score from a fiber-packed bowl. If you want a grab-and-go breakfast option, try our so-easy overnight oats recipes. If you have just a few minutes in the morning to make a hot bowl of oatmeal, turn to the oatmeal cooking instructions utilizing the microwave. Or if you have a few more moments to boil water and cook the whole grains, you can savor some cozy stove-top oats. You can even cook oatmeal in an MVP countertop appliance for a set-and-forget slow cooker breakfast.

Below, master how to cook oatmeal, plus score bonus oatmeal directions for toppings and mix-ins so that you can dress up your bowl a new way each day of the month. Those hotcakes and fast-food sandwiches officially have some serious competition.

Types of Oats for Oatmeal

Making oatmeal starts with choosing the type of oats for your time available and desired consistency.

• Quick-cooking rolled oats: These speedy oats are cut into pieces and rolled thinner so they cook in about one minute on the stove top.
• Rolled oats: Also called old-fashioned oats, rolled oats are flattened with large rollers into flakes. They take about five minutes to be bowl-ready with our oatmeal cooking instructions for the stove top.
• Steel-cut oats: Also called Irish oats, Scotch oats, or pinhead oats, steel-cut oats are cut into several pieces and steamed but not rolled. They offer a chewier texture and take about 25 minutes to cook on the stovetop, or they can be cooked in a slow cooker.

How to Make Oatmeal

Now that you've selected your oats, learn how to cook oatmeal perfectly every time.

How to Make Oatmeal with Quick-Cooking Oats

This quick oats recipe is ideal for weekday mornings.

• Stove top quick-cooking oatmeal directions: For four servings, in a medium saucepan bring 3½ cups water and ¼ teaspoon salt to boiling. Stir in two cups quick-cooking oats. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for one minute, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat. If desired, cover and let stand about 30 seconds before serving. This allows the oats to absorb any remaining liquid. For creamier oatmeal, add the oats to the pan along with the water and salt and allow them to come to a boil together.
• Microwave quick-cooking oatmeal directions: For one serving, in a medium microwave-safe bowl combine one cup water, one half cup quick-cooking oats, and a dash of salt. Microwave on 100 percent power (high) for 1½ to two minutes. Stir before serving.

How to Make Oatmeal with Rolled Oats

If you have a little more time to work with, consider these oatmeal cooking instructions for larger, flat rolled oats.

• Stove top rolled oatmeal directions: For four servings, in a medium saucepan bring 3¼ cups water and ¼ teaspoon salt to boiling. Stir in two cups rolled oats (aka old-fashioned). Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat. If desired, cover and let stand for two minutes before serving. This allows the oats to absorb any remaining liquid. For creamier oatmeal, add the oats to the pan along with the water and salt and allow them to come to a boil together.
• Microwave rolled oatmeal directions: For one serving of rolled oats microwave-style, combine one cup water, one half cup rolled oats, and a dash of salt in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on 100 percent power (high) for 2½ to three minutes. Stir before serving. (By the way, have you heard about Himalayan pink salt? We adore it in oats.)

How to Make Oatmeal with Steel-Cut Oats

Compared to rolled or quick, steel-cut oats have a lower glycemic index since the less-processed flake format is more challenging for the body to break down. That being said, all oats offer a similar amount of nutrition.

• Stove top steel-cut oatmeal directions: For six servings (⅔ cup each), in a large saucepan bring four cups water and ½ teaspoon salt to boiling. Stir in 1⅓ cups steel-cut oats. Cover and simmer 25 to 30 minutes or until the oats are just tender and the liquid is nearly absorbed.
• Make-ahead steel-cut oatmeal directions: Prepare as above. Place cooked oatmeal in an airtight container and refrigerate up to three days. Place ⅔ cup chilled cooked oatmeal in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, covered with waxed paper, on 100 percent power (high) for 50 to 60 seconds or until heated, stirring once.
• Slow cooker steel-cut oatmeal directions: In a 3½- or 4-quart slow cooker, combine six cups of water, two cups of steel-cut oats, and one teaspoon of salt. Cover and cook on a low-heat setting for six to seven hours or on a high-heat setting for three to 3½ hours.

Oatmeal Toppers

Perfect for everything from weekday breakfasts to breakfast for dinner, oatmeal tastes incredible whether sweet or savory. After following the oatmeal cooking instructions above, try one of these recipes or topping combos to keep things fresh every day of the month. When listed as ingredients, the oatmeal ratios below are in reference to the amount per serving.

1. ½ teaspoon maple extract + ½ teaspoon cinnamon
2. ¼ cup applesauce + ½ teaspoon cinnamon
3. ½ chopped apple + ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
4. One slice crumbled cooked bacon + one fried egg
5. Ginger-Sesame Oats with Mushrooms and Charred Green Onions
6. One tablespoon no-added-sugar preserves + two tablespoons Greek yogurt
7. ½ teaspoon vanilla extract + one tablespoon apple butter
8. ¼ avocado, sliced + two tablespoons cotija cheese
9. Swiss Oatmeal
10. Two tablespoons dark chocolate chips + ½ cup chopped fresh cherries
11. One poached egg + ½ teaspoon chili powder
12. ½ banana, sliced + two tablespoons chopped walnuts
13. ¼ teaspoon almond extract + 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
14. One tablespoon maple syrup + ¼ cup canned pumpkin
15. One tablespoon brown sugar + two tablespoons chopped pecans
16. Oatmeal with Goat Cheese, Dates, Walnuts, and Honey
17. ½ cup blueberries + two tablespoons chopped almonds
18. ½ teaspoon orange zest + ½ cup dried cranberries
19. ½ tablespoon everything bagel seasoning + one ounce of cream cheese, cubed
20. ½ cup frozen mixed berries + one tablespoon nut butter
21. Baked Oatmeal
22. One ounce Parmesan cheese + ¼ cup chopped sweet pepper
23. ½ cup diced pineapple + one tablespoon toasted coconut flakes
24. One jammy egg + ½ teaspoon white miso
25. One tablespoon honey + two sliced fresh figs
26. ½ sliced peach + ¼ cup vanilla Greek yogurt
27. ½ cup raspberries + two tablespoons white chocolate chips
28. ½ banana, sliced + one tablespoon brown sugar
29. ½ cup strawberries, sliced + ¼ cup granola
30. ¼ teaspoon instant espresso coffee powder + two tablespoons cocoa powder
31. ½ tablespoon chia seeds + ¼ cup crushed pineapple

Now that you know how to make oatmeal and have 31 different ideas for how to make it your own, you'll be adding oatmeal to almost every grocery list.