One-Pot Vegetable Rice

Introduction

Rinsed rice is topped with diced mushrooms, peas, and corn kernels, then cooked all at once in a rice cooker with a bit of water and soy sauce. The rice soaks up the aroma of the vegetables, and a quick stir with a spoon once it's done gives you a nutritious, fuss-free one-pot meal — almost no separate stir-frying required. It's perfect for busy weekdays or whenever you don't feel like washing a pile of pots and pans. This dish is so simple it needs nothing more than a rice cooker, and the vegetables can be swapped freely based on whatever you have in the fridge.

Nutrition Highlights

• Mushrooms bring natural umami, giving the rice plenty of flavor without needing much extra seasoning
• Peas and corn add dietary fiber and vitamins, rounding out the nutritional balance of the dish
• Cooking everything in one pot keeps added oil to a minimum, making this noticeably lighter than fried rice
• The rice absorbs the moisture and flavor released by the vegetables, turning soft and fragrant with a subtle vegetable aroma

Tips

• Soak the diced mushrooms in warm water ahead of time — the soaking liquid can replace part of the cooking water for extra savoriness
• The rice-to-water ratio is slightly different from your usual cooking, since the vegetables also release moisture, so you can cut back on the water a little
• Once the rice cooker finishes, don't open the lid right away — let it sit for 5 minutes so the rice fully absorbs the steam before stirring