How To Use A Rice Cooker To Steam Vegetables The Right Way

For a category of foods that's so diverse and nutrient-dense, vegetables have quite a divisive reputation. Some people can't get enough of them, while others remain wary of them at best — especially when they're steamed. Though steaming sounds like a pretty boring preparation method, it's actually one of the best ways to preserve your veggies' color, nutrient content, and even their taste. Steaming is also a pretty fast cooking method, taking about 10 minutes, depending on how many servings you're preparing.

Of course, traditional steaming methods can be a bit of a hassle, as it requires monitoring a boiling pot of water and placing a steaming basket "just so" inside the pot. Fortunately, veggies of all kinds are one of many categories of foods you can make in a rice cooker other than rice. Many rice cookers are even designed for the task, coming with a variety of inserts to maximize their usage, including a steamer basket that fits perfectly inside the rice cooker — though you can still use this hack even if your model didn't come with one.

Understanding the science behind how a rice cooker works offers some insight into why they're such a convenient appliance for steaming veggies. The heating sensor is designed to keep water at the boiling point until it's evaporated, then switch over to warm. Though veggies don't need to be cooked until "warm mode" activates, this safety feature means you won't have to worry about ruining your food or your rice cooker.

If your rice cooker came with a wire steaming basket (or you're able to find one for your model), this makes cooking your veggies much easier. The basket is designed to suspend your food above the water, so the steam can surround and soften them to your preferred texture. Steamed veggies should never touch the water, as they could become mushy from being boiled and steamed simultaneously.

However, if you don't have a steaming basket and no time or funds to get one, there are other solutions, such as a round wire cooling rack. Though these racks don't usually have a very tall profile, it's easy enough to suspend them above the water by rolling together dense, sturdy balls of foil to sit under their feet. You can then lay your veggies on the rack and let them steam as normal. The same goes for other solutions, like fine mesh sieves or metal colanders — be sure to avoid items with plastic parts, as they'll melt inside your machine.

Once your veggies are suspended inside the rice cooker, turn on the "cook" setting, and set a timer for about 10 minutes. Some models have timers on them, but if yours doesn't, you can use your oven timer or an egg timer. That way, you can focus on making a restaurant-style ribeye steak without worrying about your steamed veg getting soggy. After they're done cooking, season them up with your favorite sauce or a little melted butter and salt before serving.