How to Make Instant Pot Pumpkin Oatmeal (Vegan Recipe 4 Ways)

Make this delicious, Instant Pot® pumpkin oatmeal recipe for a healthy breakfast the entire family will love! This easy fall recipe is a must for pumpkin spice season. Just like your favorite homemade pumpkin pie from scratch, this morning meal is made with pumpkin spice. So, it tastes like someone swirled a pumpkin pie into your everyday oatmeal. A variation on my ever so tasty cinnamon pear oatmeal, this vegan dish is an easy, warm breakfast for cool days. Make this easy recipe in an Instant Pot®, on the stove top, in a microwave or as overnight oats for a healthy way to start your day!

What is the Best Type of Oatmeal?

There are three types of oatmeal: quick cooking oats, old-fashioned oats and steel cut oats. Steel cut oats are the least processed. They have a chewy texture and are more coarse than other types of oats. They have an almost nutty flavor that tastes great in this vegan pumpkin pie oatmeal.

Old-fashioned oats, or rolled oats, are more processed than steel cut. They are steamed and flattened during processing. They have a milder flavor and the texture is softer. They take less time to cook than steel cut oats.

Quick cooking oats are the most processed, and they take the least amount of time to cook. They are partially cooked and more processed to decrease the cooking time, which also makes them less nutritious and have a softer flavor.

I recommend using steel cut oats to make a pumpkin oatmeal recipe. However, old-fashioned oats will work as well if that’s what you have on hand.

Why is Instant Oatmeal Bad?

Quick oats are the most processed oats, so your body digests them quicker than it does the other types of oats. This can cause spikes in your blood sugar, which makes quick oats a low glycemic index food. They also cook up mushy and lose much of their flavor in processing. Using steel cut oats instead of instant will give you this pumpkin pie oatmeal the best flavor and texture.

While I'm sharing instructions on how to make this breakfast idea in an Instant Pot®, there are actually four ways you can make it. Visit my original post on how to make vegan pumpkin pie oatmeal here for additional instructions. I also provide more in-depth information on nutrition and other handy tips. Plus find substitutions and variations.