Who says you can use a rice cooker just to make rice and nothing else? You can try new delicious recipes anytime you want. A rice cooker can be used to make quiches, bake pancakes, oatmeal, etc. Rice and beans are a great combination, this may lead you to wonder ‘can rice cooker cook beans?’. Not just with rice, you can combine beans with anything or just enjoy them on their own. Beans are a healthy source of food. They are rich in protein and builds antioxidants. Eating beans can help control your appetite so if you want to lose a few pounds of weight, include beans in your daily meal.

Cooking is an art that you can play around with. There are numerous flavors to experiment with and combinations to test out. Rice cooker is one of the safest appliances you can stumble upon. So there are almost zero risks in cooking with a rice cooker and not to mention, it’s quite simple as well. So let’s look at some bean recipes that you can try on your recipe that would just make you crave more.

Easy Beans Recipe

This is one of the easiest recipes for beans you can try with ingredients that are very easy to come by. Since you are starting out and wondering can rice cooker cook beans, we recommend a simple recipe like this one. For this recipe, you would need pinto beans, also known as kidney beans. Take 1 cup of beans and rinse them properly. Then put the beans in the rice cooker with 5 cups of water. Set a 2 hours timer and start the rice cooker.

As the beans get cooked, you can set aside other ingredients that you may like to add. You can have some tomatoes cut into small cubes. Adding a little butter or olive oil would enrich the flavors even more. Remember to sprinkle some salt and if you prefer, add some herbs like oregano. Constantly check to see if the beans need more water. If the water dries off before 2 hours, you need to add some more.

While you check the beans, you can add the herbs and salt but do not add the tomatoes until the beans are almost cooked. Tomatoes melt easily and having those with the beans from the start would prevent the beans from being properly cooked. After 2 hours, serve the beans on a plate and enjoy with your favorite veggies.

Black Beans Recipe

Use this recipe to make some delicious black beans that would look amazing with the pearly white rice. The black and white contrast is not just a great combination for your plate, but also a delicious one. For this recipe, take a cup of black beans and soak them in water for a few minutes. Then drain the water and put the beans in the rice cooker. Add 3 cups of water with the beans and sprinkle a little salt.

Take half a cup of chopped onions and put those with the beans. If you would like some extra flavors, add some herbs with the mix and then close the lid. If your rice cooker has a ‘Porridge’ mode, then use that. If there is no such mode, the normal ‘cook’ option would work just fine.

Set the time for 2 hours and let the beans cook. After an hour, check the beans to see if there is enough water for another hour. If not, add some more water. This recipe should be enough for 2 servings. So you can have an amazing meal right at home.

Red Beans

Red beans are best served with rice. So, here is a recipe for making rice and red beans that can make a complete meal. Use 1 cup of rice and 1 cup of red beans. Rinse them properly before putting them into the cooker. Take half 1 cup of finely diced onion and bell paper. For the flavors, you can use some garlic and chili powder. Don’t forget to add some salt. Put everything with the rice and beans. Add 1.25 cups of water and start the cooker.

Take 1 cup ham and finely slice them. After 10 minutes of cooking the beans, open the lid and add the ham. Stir the ham with the beans and let it cook for another 10 minutes. Use the rice cooker spatula to mix everything together and leave the beans in warm mode for 5 minutes.

This delicious recipe can be served to 3 people. The entire cooking process should take around 30 minutes. So if you need to set up a quick meal, try this! This should help you answer your question ‘can rice cooker cook beans?’

Great Northern Beans

Also known as white beans or navy beans, the great northern beans are very common to come by. But that doesn’t mean you cannot make a delicious dish out of it. Take 2 cups of beans and rinse them thoroughly with water. Put the beans in the inner pot of the rice cooker with 2.5 cups of water. Take 1 carrot (medium-sized) and one large onion. Dice them finely and add them with the beans.

Add half tea-spoon of chopped garlic, half cup of chopped parsley, and ¼ spoon black pepper. Sprinkle some salt over the ingredients (use kosher salt if available) and close the lid. Set a timer for 2 hours and turn on the rice cooker. Keep checking to see if the beans need more water to cook.

As an optional ingredient, you can use some ham to mix with the beans. Make thin slices of 1 cup of ham and add it after 1 hour and 30 minutes. Give the ham and beans a good stir.

Once the beans are finished cooking, you can serve it over rice, pasta, or salad- whatever you prefer. This recipe should provide 3 servings at least. 

FAQs

Should I soak the beans before cooking them in the rice cooker?

Many recipes might tell you to soak beans overnight before you get to the cooking part. But it doesn’t affect the taste that much. The beans would cook a little slower if you don’t soak them, but there won’t be a huge difference in the timing for you to notice.

When can I add flavors to the beans?

No one wants to eat bland food so if you want your beans to be full of different flavors, you can experiment all you want. You can add your preferred spices or herbs as the beans are cooking or you can just add them all together beforehand. In both ways, the beans would gain a rich blend of flavors.

Can I add potato in beans to reduce gas?

Beans fall into the category of food that tends to cause gas. It is rich in fiber and has some complex protein elements that may have trouble breaking into molecules sometimes. That can cause gas problems which you can avoid by cooking the beans with a large potato. The potato would absorb the gas so you won’t have to worry about feeling uneasy after eating the beans. Make sure you throw away that potato since it would have those gas causing elements and eating it may make you nauseous. 

Can I lose weight by eating beans?

Yes, it is possible to lose weight by including beans in your diet. If you already have a controlled diet, beans can help you achieve your weight loss goal. Beans are an instant source of energy since they have high protein. Eating beans keeps you from getting hungry so you would automatically eat less without feeling weak. That’s why beans can be quite beneficial when you’re looking to shed some weight.

What should I do with the bean-soaked water?

We should always look for ways to recycle since so many resources we have are limited. If you use water to soak beans before cooking them, you can keep that water aside for using later instead of throwing it away. The water would have some flavor and traces of elements from the beans. You can use it to make broth or soup later.

Can baking soda soften beans?

Yes, it can. Baking soda has sodium ions in it which helps weaken the beans once you add it. The soda helps the pectin molecules to break into smaller molecules which helps soften the beans. So, if you can incorporate some baking soda into your beans recipe, go ahead since it would help them cook faster.

Final Thoughts

Rice and beans together are a complete meal for a lot of people. You would get your required amount of carbs and protein but the vitamin intake may be a little low if you depend only on rice and beans. If you can add some fruits or juice with the beans, then it would be a complete meal. Rice and beans are capable of keeping you well-nourished.

Beans are not just a source for instant energy, you can have some mouthwatering experience with beans with the right recipe. Now that you have answered the question, ‘can rice cooker cook beans?’, if you have a rice cooker at home, try one of the recipes above.