We all know how convenient rice cookers can be; all we have to do is throw in a few cups of rice, some water, turn it on, and then leave it do its work. Soon enough, you have a steaming serving of rice that can go perfectly with any meal. 

But it doesn’t have to be just plain old rice. With a little creativity, you can make a whole slew of dishes in a rice cooker. All of them are possible in AFRA’s line of rice cookers, and we’ll be sharing some of these recipes right here.

Avocado Breakfast Bowl

Here’s a recipe that boosts heart health and protein intake with just one bowl. This delicious breakfast bowl is a mix of eggs, red quinoa, avocado, and feta cheese that combine to give a rich and unexpected kick of flavor. It’s also very easy to prepare and is a delicious way to start off your day.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup water
  • ¼ cup red quinoa
  • 1 ½ teaspoons olive oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon seasoned salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese

In your rice cooker, stir water and quinoa together and cook for about 15 minutes. Make sure the quinoa turns tender.

In a skillet, heat your olive oil over medium heat and cook your eggs until they’re to your preference. Season with your salt and pepper.

Finally, combine your quinoa and eggs in a bowl. Finish off by topping with your avocado and feta cheese. Your breakfast bowl is now ready to enjoy.

Rice Cooker Spanish Rice

If you’re in the mood for Mexican cuisine, then take a look at this delicious recipe. It’s guaranteed to be popular with kids, and it’s versatile; you can substitute spices and vegetables, according to you and your family’s preferences. And if you use any of the optional ingredients, you can turn this recipe from a tasty side to a wholesome main dish.

Ingredients

  • 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 2 cups uncooked white rice
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup canned corn, drained (Optional)
  • ½ cup crumbled cooked bacon (Optional)
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • ½ cup chopped red bell pepper
  • ½ cup chopped black olives (Optional)
  • ⅓ cup salsa
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin

In your rice cooker, combine your tomatoes, rice, tomato sauce, chicken broth, onion, bell peppers, salsa, chili powder and any other optional ingredients. Seal your cooker and cook the combination for 20 to 25 minutes, until it becomes tender.

Homemade Vegetable Sushi

You’d be surprised at what your rice cooker can do sometimes. In this case, you’ll be downright shocked. If you’re craving Japanese-inspired cuisine, or simply want to add an exotic touch to your meal, then this vegetable sushi recipe is a must-try. Even better, unlike regular sushi, this recipe uses no fish or seafood, making it perfect for vegetarians.

To get the best out of this recipe, we strongly recommend investing in a bamboo sushi mat. This will help you roll up your sushi into those nice, round shapes you might be familiar with.

Alternatively, if a sushi mat is not an option for you, a sheet of aluminium foil can work just as well. Just make sure that it’s larger than your sheet of nori (seaweed), otherwise you won’t be able to roll up your sushi properly.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sushi rice
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 sheets sushi nori (dry seaweed)
  • ⅓ cup rice vinegar
  • 1 small cucumber, cut into matchstick-size pieces
  • 1 carrot, cut into matchstick-size pieces
  • 1 avocado, sliced

First rinse out your sushi rice in cold water, then drain. Place it into a rice cooker. Make sure to add 1 cup of water. Cook in your rice cooker for about 15 minutes, until it turns tender. Once it’s done cooking, use a fork to fluff it up. Then, let it sit for 10 minutes.

Pour your rice vinegar onto the rice, then toss it to let it coat evenly. Leave it for 30 minutes so that it cools completely.

Next, is to cover your bamboo sushi mat in plastic wrap and set it onto your cutting board. If you don’t have a mat, you can use a sheet of aluminium foil instead.

Place a sheet of your nori on the mat and cover it with your cooled rice. Across the bottom third of your nori sheet, lay out one-third of your cucumbers, carrots, and avocado on top of the rice. Then, with the help of your mat, carefully roll up the nori with the contents.

Repeat this process with your remaining rice, nori, and vegetables. Once done, use a knife to cut each roll into equal pieces to get your sushi.

Rice Cooker Risotto

To most people, Italian cuisine seems to be limited to pastas, spaghetti and little else. Obviously, they hadn’t heard of risotto, a creamy rice dish cooked with broth that’s common in all of Italy.

But you don’t need to visit a restaurant to enjoy a good risotto. You can make and enjoy one right at home using only a rice cooker and this very simple recipe. Even better, risotto is very versatile, and you can add any combination of meat and veggies that you like.

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
  • 4 ½ cups hot chicken stock
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (Optional)

In your rice cooker, place your rice and heated chicken stock. Let it cook until your rice cooker shifts to the ‘Keep Warm’ setting, then let it sit, with the cover remaining, for around 10 more minutes, until the rice turns completely tender. Once finished, sprinkle parmesan cheese according to taste, and stir.

Rice Cooker Pancake

This recipe is definitely on the unusual side, but if you enjoy pancakes, either as breakfast or as a treat, then it could be what you’re looking for. It’s a simple recipe too. You don’t have to stand at the stove and flip every single pancake; simply pour in the batter and let your rice cooker handle it for you.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp granulated white sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 ½ cups low fat milk

First, whisk your eggs and milk together in a large mixing bowl. Whisk until they are completely blended, and then add in your remaining ingredients. Whisk further until only small lumps are remaining. Your batter is now ready.

Take your rice cooker pot and grease its interior. Pour in your batter. If your rice cooker is small, take care that the batter does not reach beyond the halfway marker; the pancake will rise substantially when cooking. Once you’ve poured in your batter, close your rice cooker. It should cook for 45 minutes.

Once done, you will have noticed that the cake has pulled away from the edges of the pan. The surface will be slightly moist due to condensation and, upon touching, should feel firm and bounce back. To check if your pancake is cooked, insert a toothpick, and pull it out; it should come back perfectly clean.

Allow your cake to cool for a few minutes, before inverting it onto a plate; it should slide out easily, and the surface must be brown.