I’m not a big countertop “appliance” guy. I’d rather use the stove, oven or grill to cook as opposed to the slow cooker, microwave or air fryer. However, I do love a rice cooker.

Rice can be such a finicky food to make, but the rice cooker takes out all of that guesswork. It also produces really delicious rice, every single time. But do you know what else it can do?

It makes a ridiculously good oatmeal.

My dad adored those Quaker Instant Oatmeal single-serving packets, especially the maple brown sugar flavor, so it was a staple in our house for as long as I could remember. I also recall some college pals living entirely on an “oatmeal diet” for a week or more, but that’s a conversation for another day.

When it comes to actual oats, I would sometimes throw them into a chocolate chip cookie dough, but I would rarely ever make oatmeal “from scratch” on the stove. It felt like a bit more of an undertaking, especially on a frenzied morning.

But everything changed when I started to use the rice cooker, which is almost entirely hands-off.


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To make oatmeal using a rice cooker, you’ll definitely want to use old-fashioned, rolled or steel-cut oats. Instant or quick-cooking oats aren’t ideal in this case, as they would probably become very overcooked and gummy in a rice cooker.

Also be mindful that the liquid (milk, cream, oat milk, water) amounts will range considerably based on the oats you choose, your specific rice cooker and your individual oatmeal preferences i.e. loose and runny, thick and rich or somewhere in between. You can also opt to make them vegan, vegetarian or entirely carnivorous — this journey is entirely up to you.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup oats (preferably old-fashioned, rolled or steel-cut)
  • 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups liquid of choice (milk, cream, oat milk, water, etc.)
  • Kosher salt
  • Vanilla and/or maple extract, optional
  • Toppings of choice

 

Directions

  1. Plug rice cooker cord into outlet.
  2. Add oats, liquid, salt and extract(s), if using. Turn rice cooker on, or turn to “porridge” setting if your rice cooker has that option.
  3. You should have perfect, thick oatmeal within 15 minutes. Some rice cookers will automatically turn off after detecting that the food has been cooked or the liquid has been absorbed; if you’d like it cooked a bit more, the “warm” setting should do the job.
  4. Transfer to a bowl and finish with your ideal toppings.

Cook’s Notes

– Oatmeal toppings are such a varied wonderland of textures, flavors, temperatures and consistencies; you can go with the standard and top with ground cinnamon and a glug of maple syrup. Conversely, you can add raisins or currants, honey, banana, granola, strawberries, toasted nuts, berries, pumpkin seeds, dried fruits, jams, applesauce, chocolate chips and nut butters. The combinations are endless.

– I also like warm spices in an oatmeal; think cinnamon, but take it up a notch with cardamom, cloves, ground ginger, mace and flavors like that.

– Go in the savory oatmeal direction, which is a vastly under-appreciated oeuvre. Top with crispy bacon, other breakfast meats, eggs, avocado, fresh herbs, vegetables, roasted tomatoes, or anything you’d like.

– If you like, feel free to spritz some cooking spray to ensure the oatmeal doesn’t stick.

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Michael La Corte

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