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Among countertop appliances, few have a unique purpose built into their name such as Rice cooker. The easiest way to cook rice? Obviously a rice cooker. Unlike other useful kitchen tools such as Air fryers, Mixers and Slow cookersthe rice cooker not only tells you what it does, but exactly what to put in it.
But the name “rice cooker” doesn’t tell you everything He can Put it in, however. From basic on/off rice cookers to arcane multi-function logic models, rice cookers can do a lot more than just cook rice. From breakfast to dessert, a rice cooker can support a number of culinary projects and ambitions throughout the day that go beyond rice.
I’ve asked recipe developers and cooking professionals about those preparations they swear by in their rice cooker. With their input, here are 12 ways to use a rice cooker that might surprise you.
1. Other grains
Oatmeal couldn’t be easier to cook in a rice cooker.
In essence, a rice cooker cooks rice by relying on the water-to-grain ratio and switching from cooking mode to warm mode once all the water is absorbed. To this end, any grain based on this method can also be prepared in a rice cooker, such as quinoa, barley, and farro, to name a few.
Oats are also a grain that can be transferred to a rice cooker, making them a hassle-free breakfast. “The rice cooker is my favorite way to prepare steel-cut oats because it maintains a consistent heat and requires no stirring, which prevents burning,” says Shawna Clark, founder of the company. Healthy food lover girl. “I recommend lightly drizzling with oil and using porridge or brown rice if available, as the oats foam more than rice and benefit from slow cooking,” she says. In this context, a rice cooker can be used to prepare a warm breakfast of overnight oats, which is a marked improvement over overnight oats prepared in the refrigerator.
2. Delicious oatmeal
As a variation on the grain theme, with a little light frying that can also be done directly in the rice cooker, these hearty oats also make a good rice cooking project. “I’m a hearty breakfast lover at heart, and this is one of my top three breakfast treats,” says Farwin Simak, recipe developer at . Love and other spices.
If your rice cooker has a browning/sautéing function, this will be easier, but even in a traditional rice cooker, you can saute the onions for a few minutes for this delicious preparation. “Sauté onions and optional garlic in butter, and use old-fashioned oats and broth instead of water for flavor,” says Simak. Once the water is absorbed and the delicious oats are cooked, “serve with hard-boiled eggs, a drizzle of chili oil, and a sprinkle of chopped green onions,” she says.
3. Egg custard/frittata
Rice cookers can easily handle egg frittata.
Unlike an air fryer, which requires a fryer inside the cooking chamber, the accessory of your rice cooker is actually a container for liquid ingredients. “I use my rice cooker to make egg custard,” says Ed McCormick, the company’s founder. Cape Crystal Brands. “Not scrambled eggs, but smooth, sliceable preparations.” Egg custard can be sweet or salty in nature. The latter are particularly ideal for producing even shapes to add to breakfast sandwiches.
“The heat of a rice cooker is constant,” McCormick says. “That’s the main thing—nothing bubbling, nothing burning. I’ve spoiled enough custard on the stove to notice the difference.” With cheese, vegetables and/or meat, the egg custard turns into a frittata. You can use a separate bowl in your rice cooker, especially if you’re aiming for a smaller quantity. If you are cooking directly in the insert, be sure to spray the pan with cooking spray or grease it with butter or oil. For best custard-making results, McCormick advises, “Leave the lid alone.” “Opening it too early is where things go wrong.”
4. Garlic confit
There is almost no end to the culinary uses for powerful garlic confit.
Confit is a fancy term for foods that have been cooked slowly in their fat. Duck confit may be the main ingredient for such a preparation, and while you can probably do it in a rice cooker with enough patience, the everyday preparation that is gold in rice cooking is garlic confit.
“I use my rice cooker to make garlic confit,” says Kyle Taylor, the company’s founder. He is cooking. “It’s useful because it holds a nice, constant heat without having to sit in a bowl.” For best results, he recommends keeping the garlic completely submerged in the oil, and only using the warm setting if the cooker is hot.
Turning hard garlic cloves into something deeply aromatic and spreadable, without the effort of mincing, will likely have you using your rice cooker for this purpose regularly. “You can use garlic confit in basically any application where you would use garlic,” Taylor says. “It offers a softer, sweeter, more complex flavor,” he recommends using the finished confit in aioli, sauces, vinaigrettes, or just spreading it directly on toast.
5. Boiled eggs
Speaking of eggs, I’ve previously advocated the use of Air fryer for easy boiling of eggs. If the idea of ”boiling” eggs without water makes you uncomfortable, consider using a rice cooker for this purpose. “A rice cooker is basically just a pot with a lid,” says Lindsay Chastain, founder of the company. The cheers and the clickMaking it ideal for low-lift preparations like poached eggs.
The gentle heat of a rice cooker is especially good for hard-boiled eggs. “Eggs work best if you use the steam basket in your rice cooker,” she says, if your model includes one, “but you can also put them in water.”
6. Dumplings
Your rice cooker doubles as a steamer to make easy dumplings while the rice or grains cook below.
If it’s not called a rice cooker, it can also accurately be referred to as a slow cooker or even a steamer, making it perfect for dumplings.
“Dumplings — especially soup dumplings — are another rice cooker favorite because they work similarly to a steamer, with moist, even heat,” says Kate Fine, a kitchen appliance specialist. Dinner was done quickly. “It steams well, and you can add vegetables too if you want a full meal,” she says. “Distribute the dumplings, add at least 1/2 cup of water to the sink, and if you want a brown bottom, add a little oil after the water is all cooked and leave for 2 to 3 minutes until browned.”
Asian cookbook author Patricia Tanomiharja She also recommends using a rice cooker for unique, next-level dumplings. “I tried making the one-pot viral dumplings known as Asian lasagna in my rice cooker, and they turned out perfect,” she says. “No need to mess with steam or a water bath in the oven. Love it!”
7. Cheese/fondue
A rice cooker is essentially a small slow cooker, which makes it the perfect vessel for keeping cheese warm and melting.
You can also use your rice cooker when hosting with this genius trick. “A rice cooker is my favorite way to keep queso or cheese perfectly warm and smooth,” says Amy Clinton. Totally Amy. “The gentle, consistent heat and ‘warm’ setting prevents the cheese from hardening or separating, keeping the texture perfect throughout the night,” she says. Keep the queso or fondue just warm, stirring it occasionally to keep the heat evenly distributed. “You can also add small amounts of cream, milk, or Greek yogurt” if the dip starts to get too thick, Clinton says.
8. Soups, stews and curries
Many rice cookers come equipped with slow cooker functions or timers that allow you to set and forget for an extended period, making them ideal for cooked preparations such as soups, stews and curries, or for reheating these dishes in a gentle, even manner. (More basic rice cooker models may be able to handle the workload of these appliances, but will likely require more babysitting or more time.) Several of the experts I queried pointed to different preparations.
“I also prepare rendang (Indonesian beef curry) in the rice cooker,” says Tanomiharja. “It doesn’t dry out as much as it does when cooked on the stove, but I love saucy rendang anyway,” she says. “It’s great because it’s mostly hands-free, and there’s no risk of it burning. Every time the button pops, you’ll be reminded to move the dish.”
“The rice cooker is my favorite place to make French onion soup,” Chastain adds. “Just add the cheese in the last few minutes and it turns out perfect.”
9. One-pot meals
With some careful layering and strategies, your rice cooker can also be used for complete one-pot meals, especially those with a rice base.
“I’ve also prepared entire meals in the rice cooker, such as Hainanese chicken and rice and black bean ribs,” says Herman Chan of Hainanese. Herman is at home. “All you have to do is wash the rice, add the liquid, seasonings and protein over the rice, and then turn on the rice cooker,” he says. “Once the rice is done cooking, you’ve cooked the rice and protein perfectly and are ready to eat.”
You can experiment with what you add to the rice for a complete dinner. “I will mix the uncooked rice with the meat, aromatics and spices in the pot and cook it as usual,” says Tanumiharja. “I either steam the vegetables over the rice mixture in the steamer basket, or add them at the end of the cooking time,” she says.
10. Dessert
The Basque style cheesecake in the rice cooker was delicious.
Steamed or braised desserts in a variety of forms are also potential fodder for your rice cooker. “Personally, I make Asian taro dessert in a rice cooker,” Chan says, referring to the dessert soup containing taro, tapioca and coconut milk. “It cooks the candy until it reaches the perfect consistency,” he says. As mentioned in the “Egg Custard” heading above, custards and bread pudding are also well represented in this list of rice cooker recipes.
11. Cake
Yes, even cakes can be made in a rice cooker, especially delicate Japanese-style sponge cakes. “In Asian culinary culture, we often steam buns instead of baking them in the oven,” says Tanumiharja. “I discovered I could steam buns in a rice cooker instead,” she says. “It takes less prep time, fewer dishes to wash, and it’s hands-off. All I have to do is press the cook button, and I can go off and do other things.”
Note that for rice cooker cakes, including cheesecakes, you need to use a recipe that is appropriate for the size of your rice cooker. Cake flour is also important here, and if you have a basic model without a timer, steam or cake function, it may take a lot of waiting and restarting the rice cooker once it automatically switches to the ‘warm’ mode.
12. Chocolate fondue
As the latest “Ta Da” in Unique Rice Cooker Uses says, “Chocolate fondue is one of my favorite and unexpected ways to use a rice cooker,” says Clinton. “It gives a gentle, consistent heat that melts the chocolate evenly without burning it,” without having to sit in a double boiler.
“My trick is to use the cook setting briefly to melt the chocolate, then turn your rice cooker to the warm setting once the chocolate is fully melted,” she adds. “Make sure to monitor it and stir it frequently as it melts.” Once done, you can stir in coconut oil, cream, or heavy cream to get a completely liquid texture.