12 Rice Cooker Dinners for Seniors Living Alone (Not Just Rice, One Button, Nothing to Watch)

12 Rice Cooker Meals for One

Walter of Cook with Walter demonstrates single-serving meals made in a rice cooker. Cooking times are approximate, since cookers vary. For pasta and other foamy foods, check your cooker’s manual and keep the pot below the halfway line. Remember that when the cooker switches to “warm,” the liquid has cooked off; that does not necessarily mean the food is done.

1. Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

• 1 cup low-sodium broth
• 1 cup water
• A handful of shredded rotisserie chicken
• 1 small carrot, diced
• A little celery
• About ½ cup egg noodles
• Pepper and lemon, to finish

Method

1. Add the broth, water, chicken, carrot, celery, and noodles to the pot, filling it no more than halfway.
2. Press the cook button and cook for about 15–20 minutes, stirring once if convenient.
3. Check that the carrot gives easily to a spoon, the noodles are tender, and the soup is steaming hot throughout. Add extra time if you prefer softer noodles.
4. Finish with pepper and lemon. Walter suggests skipping added salt.

Tip: Some cooker manuals caution against foamy foods such as pasta, so check yours first.

2. Smoked Sausage with Potatoes and Green Beans

Ingredients

• 1 small potato, diced
• ¾ cup water
• A handful of green beans
• ½ link fully cooked smoked sausage, sliced
• Pepper and garlic powder
• Optional: turkey sausage or a lower-sodium sausage

Method

1. Put the potato and water in the bottom of the pot. Layer the green beans and sausage on top.
2. Close the lid and press the cook button. Cook for about 20–25 minutes, until the cooker clicks off and a fork slides easily into the potato.
3. Season with pepper and garlic powder.

Tip: Smoked sausage can be salty. Keep the unused half of the link for another dinner later in the week.

3. Mini Meatloaf

Ingredients

• ¼ lb ground beef or turkey
• 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
• 1 spoonful milk
• 1 tbsp finely chopped onion
• A little pepper
• 1 spoonful ketchup
• 1 cup water

Equipment: Rice cooker, steaming tray, and small heatproof dish. A thermometer is recommended.

Method

1. Mix the meat, breadcrumbs, milk, onion, and pepper. Shape the mixture into a small, flat loaf and place it in the heatproof dish. Spread ketchup on top.
2. Pour the water into the cooker, set in the steaming tray, and place the dish on the tray.
3. Press the cook button and steam for 25–30 minutes. Check that the center reaches 160°F.
4. Serve with refrigerated mashed potatoes, if desired.

Tip: Lift the lid away from your face—the steam is hot—and use an oven mitt to remove the dish.

4. Tuna Noodle Casserole

Ingredients

• ⅓ cup cream of mushroom soup
• ½ cup water
• A splash of milk
• ½ cup egg noodles
• ½ small can tuna, drained
• 1 spoonful frozen peas
• Pepper and lemon zest

Method

1. Stir the soup, water, and milk together in the pot. Add the noodles, tuna, and peas, keeping the mixture below the halfway line.
2. Press the cook button. When it clicks to warm, check the noodles with a fork.
3. If the noodles are still firm or the pot looks dry, stir in a splash of water, press the button again, and cook for 5 minutes.
4. Finish with pepper and lemon zest.

Key tip: The cooker’s click indicates that liquid has cooked off; it does not confirm that the meal is done.

5. Chicken and Stuffing

Ingredients

• ¾ cup low-sodium broth
• ½ cup diced cooked chicken
• A handful of frozen mixed vegetables
• ¾ cup dry stuffing mix
• A small pat of butter
• Optional: cranberry sauce

Method

1. Add the broth, chicken, and vegetables to the pot. Sprinkle the stuffing mix evenly over the top and dot with butter.
2. Press the cook button. Cook for about 10–15 minutes, until the stuffing has absorbed the broth and the cooker switches to warm.
3. Keep the lid closed for another 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
4. Serve with cranberry sauce, if desired. The chicken should be steaming hot, at about 165°F.

6. Ham and White Bean Soup

Ingredients

• ½ can white beans, rinsed
• ¼ cup diced ham
• 1 small carrot, diced
• 1 spoonful chopped onion
• 1 cup low-sodium broth
• ¼ cup water
• A pinch of thyme or black pepper
• Optional: toast or cornbread

Method

1. Add everything to the pot and press the cook button.
2. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the beans are soft and the carrot is tender.
3. Mash a few beans against the side of the pot with the back of a spoon to thicken the broth.
4. Serve with toast or cornbread, if desired.

Tip: Rinsing the beans removes some of their salt. Save the remaining beans in a small container for another day.

7. Veggie and Cheese Egg Bake

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• A splash of milk
• A pinch of pepper
• A few tablespoons chopped spinach or bell pepper
• 1 spoonful shredded cheese
• A little butter or oil for the pot

Method

1. Whisk the eggs with the milk, pepper, vegetables, and cheese.
2. Rub butter or oil around the inside of the pot, pour in the egg mixture, and press the cook button.
3. Check once at about 15 minutes. The bake is done when the top is set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, with no runny egg. Cook until firm and 160°F in the middle.
4. If the cooker switches off early, press the button again for a few minutes. Cut into wedges; leftovers can be saved for lunch.

8. Lemon Cod with Zucchini

Ingredients

• At least ½ cup water; Walter uses ¾ cup
• A few zucchini slices
• 1 thawed cod fillet
• 2 thin lemon slices
• Pepper and a little dill
• Optional: small baked potato or bread

Equipment: Rice cooker and steaming tray.

Method

1. Pour the water into the pot, using at least ½ cup. Set in the steaming tray and arrange the zucchini on it.
2. Place the cod on top and add the lemon, pepper, and dill.
3. Press the cook button and steam for 12–15 minutes, until the fish flakes easily and reaches 145°F.
4. Serve with a small baked potato or bread, if desired.

Tip: Point the lid away from your face when opening it; steam from the vent is very hot. Lemon and dill add flavor without extra salt.

9. Egg Roll in a Bowl

Ingredients

• 1 tsp oil
• ¼ lb ground pork or turkey
• 1½ heaping cups coleslaw mix
• 1 tsp low-sodium soy sauce
• A little grated ginger
• A pinch of garlic powder
• Optional: a splash of rice vinegar

Method

1. Rub the oil around the pot and add the ground meat. Press the cook button.
2. After about 10 minutes, break up the meat with a spoon.
3. Add the coleslaw mix, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic powder. Press the button again if the cooker has switched off.
4. Cook for 5–8 minutes, until the cabbage wilts and the meat is cooked through, with no pink remaining, and reaches 160°F.
5. Finish with rice vinegar, if desired.

Tip: Bagged coleslaw mix saves chopping, and leftovers reheat well.

10. Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients

• 1 cup low-sodium broth
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup cooked chicken
• 1 spoonful frozen peas and carrots
• 2 refrigerated biscuits, each cut into quarters
• Optional thickener: ½ tsp cornstarch mixed into a splash of cold water

Method

1. Add the broth, water, chicken, and vegetables to the pot and press the cook button.
2. When the mixture begins gurgling, usually around 10 minutes, place the biscuit pieces on top.
3. Close the lid and cook for another 12–15 minutes. Keep the lid shut so the dumplings steam through.
4. Check that the dumplings are puffed and light, not doughy in the middle. The chicken mixture should be steaming hot, at about 165°F.
5. For thicker broth, stir in the cornstarch mixture before adding the biscuits.

11. Shrimp and Grits

Ingredients

• ¼ cup quick-cooking grits
• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup milk
• A pinch of pepper
• 4–5 peeled, thawed shrimp
• A small pat of butter
• 1 spoonful shredded cheese
• Optional: lemon
• Shrimp substitutions: diced ham or a soft fried egg

Method

1. Stir the grits, water, milk, and pepper together in the pot, staying well below the halfway line.
2. Press the cook button and stir once or twice as the mixture thickens. The grits should be creamy after about 15 minutes.
3. Add the shrimp, press the button again, and cook for 5–6 minutes, until pink and firm. If any shrimp remain gray or translucent, cook for another minute.
4. Stir in the butter and cheese. Finish with lemon, if desired.

Tip: Stay nearby during the shrimp’s final cooking stretch; shrimp cooks quickly.

12. Cinnamon Baked Apple

Ingredients

• 1 firm apple
• 1 tbsp rolled oats
• A few raisins
• A sprinkle of cinnamon
• 1 tsp brown sugar or honey
• A tiny pat of butter
• ¾ cup water
• Optional topping: plain yogurt

Equipment: Rice cooker and steaming tray.

Method

1. Core the apple while leaving the bottom intact. Fill the hollow with oats, raisins, cinnamon, and brown sugar or honey; top with butter.
2. Pour the water into the pot, set in the steaming tray, and place the apple on it.
3. Press the cook button and cook for 20–25 minutes, until the skin wrinkles and a fork slides in easily.
4. Lift the lid away from your face and let the apple sit for a few minutes; the filling is hot. Spoon it into a bowl and add yogurt, if desired.

General Equipment, Cleanup, and Leftovers

• Equipment used across the recipes: Rice cooker with lid and cooking pot; steaming tray and heatproof dish for some recipes; spoon, fork, knife, measuring cups and spoons; and a thermometer for the meatloaf. An oven mitt is useful for removing the hot meatloaf dish.
• Transfer leftovers to a shallow container within 2 hours and refrigerate for 3–4 days. Reheat in a microwave or small pan until 165°F and steaming hot throughout.
• The cooker’s “keep warm” setting is for a short wait, not storage. Walter advises not saving food that has sat warm for more than a couple of hours, or when the time is uncertain.
• Unplug the cooker and let it cool before washing. Use a wooden or plastic spoon to avoid scratching the nonstick pot. Clean it with a soft sponge and wipe the lid and steam vent.

Presenter and channel: Walter, Cook with Walter. He also recommends checking your rice cooker’s manual for guidance on foamy foods such as pasta.