Rice and Beans
$0.77per plate
Prep
10 min
Rice and Beans · Rice Cooker Meals
Rice Cooker Dinners
A rice cooker is not just for rice. Add sliced sausage and vegetables on top of the rice before you hit the button and it steams the whole thing into a complete dinner, no stove and almost no attention. It is perfect for a dorm room, a small kitchen, or a night when you do not want to stand at the stove. Four servings cost under a dollar a plate, and cleanup is one pot. Set it and let the machine do everything.
$0.99per plate
Estimated recipe total
$3.96 · serves 4
Cook
30 min
Total
40 min
Serves
4
1 How to make it
1
Add the rice and liquid
Rinse the rice and add it to the rice cooker with the broth, soy sauce, and seasonings. Rinsing keeps the rice from turning sticky.
2
Layer the sausage on top
Scatter the sliced sausage over the rice. It does not need to be stirred in; it will steam and flavor the rice as it cooks.
3
Cook, then add vegetables
Start the rice cooker on the normal setting. When it has about ten minutes left, or clicks to warm, stir in the frozen vegetables and close the lid to steam them through.
4
Fluff and serve
Let it sit on warm for 5 minutes, then fluff everything together with a fork so the sausage and vegetables mix through the rice. Serve straight from the pot.
2 Cheaper ingredient swaps
- Chicken or leftover meat. Diced raw chicken thigh cooks through with the rice, or stir in leftover cooked meat at the end.
- Any frozen vegetable. Peas, corn, broccoli, or a stir-fry mix all work. Add them near the end so they do not overcook.
- Add an egg. Crack an egg over the hot rice at the end and stir; the residual heat cooks it into the grains.
- Brown rice. Use the brown rice setting and a little more liquid for a heartier grain.
3 Budget tips
- A rice cooker turns cheap staples into a whole dinner with one appliance and no stove, ideal for a small kitchen or a tight budget.
- A little sausage flavors the entire pot, so you need only a half package to feed four.
- Frozen vegetables are the cheapest way to round out the meal with no prep and no waste.
- One pot means one thing to wash, and most rice cooker pots are nonstick for easy cleanup.
4 Storage, freezing & reheating
Fridge
It keeps for 4 days in a covered container; portion it into lunch-size tubs straight from the pot while warm.
Freezer
Freeze cooled portions for up to 2 months. The rice softens slightly but the flavor holds.
Reheating
Reheat in the microwave with a splash of water or broth to steam the rice back to fluffy.
5 Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
330
Protein
12g
Fat
13g
Carbs
40g
Estimates per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not a substitute for medical advice.
6 Frequently asked questions
Can you really cook a whole meal in a rice cooker?
Yes. Cook the rice with broth as usual and layer sliced sausage on top so it steams as the rice cooks, then stir in frozen vegetables near the end. You get a complete one-pot dinner with no stove.
When do I add the vegetables?
Near the end, when the cooker has about ten minutes left or clicks to warm. Adding frozen vegetables too early overcooks them into mush; stirred in late, they steam through and stay bright.
Can I cook raw chicken in a rice cooker?
Yes. Diced boneless thigh cooks through with the rice. Cut it small and even so it is fully cooked by the time the rice is done, and check the largest piece before serving.
How is this under a dollar a plate?
The full pot is about $3.96, four servings. Half a package of sausage flavors the whole thing, so the meat cost stays small.
Helpful Tools for This Recipe
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- Chef's knife. One sharp chef's knife handles almost all the chopping, from onions to chicken, and replaces a drawer of gadgets. Best for all-purpose prep in essentially every recipe on the site.
- Cutting board. A large, stable cutting board makes prep faster and safer, which matters when you cook most nights. Best for everyday chopping of onion, garlic, and vegetables across nearly every recipe.
- Mixing bowls set. A set of nesting bowls handles prep, mixing, and marinades without dirtying every dish in the house. Best for mixing meatball and patty mixtures, tossing ingredients, and holding prepped components.
- Measuring cups and spoons set. A basic set of measuring cups and spoons keeps amounts consistent, which keeps budget recipes reliable. Best for rice, liquids, and any recipe where the ratio matters.
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