Crab and Garlic Rice

Name: Crab and Garlic Rice (Rice Cooker)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 3 rice cooker cups white rice, washed; Water, to the 3-cup line; 1/4 cup soy sauce; 3 cloves garlic, minced; 2 green onions, chopped; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; 1/4 tsp salt; Freshly ground black pepper, to taste; 8 oz imitation crab meat, chopped; 1 large egg; 1 tbsp chopped green onions, for garnish

Crab and garlic rice is a simple one-pot rice cooker meal that combines jasmine or white rice with imitation crab, soy sauce, and fresh garlic for a satisfying Asian-inspired weeknight dinner. The entire dish cooks unattended in the rice cooker, making it foolproof and hands-off.

🌍Asian 🏷️Crab rice 🏷️Garlic rice 🏷️Rice cooker recipe 🏷️Imitation crab One-pot meal

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🏷️Easy recipe

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TikTok

Total

45 min

Servings

4

Difficulty

Easy

Est. Cost

$22–$36

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From TikTok

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TikTok

Ingredients

3 rice cooker cups white rice, washed
Water, to the 3-cup line
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 oz imitation crab meat, chopped
1 large egg
1 tbsp chopped green onions, for garnishoptional

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Instructions

1
Wash the rice and place it in the rice cooker pot. Add water up to the appropriate line for the amount of rice.
2
To the pot, add soy sauce, minced garlic, chopped green onions, garlic powder, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
3
Stir all the ingredients together to combine.
4
Add the chopped imitation crab meat on top of the rice mixture. Do not stir it in.
5
Close the rice cooker and start the cooking cycle.
6
While the rice is cooking, crack an egg into a small bowl and whisk it well.
7
Once the rice cooker cycle is complete, open the lid and pour the whisked egg evenly over the hot rice and crab.
8
Quickly close the lid and let the residual heat cook the egg for about 2-3 minutes.
9
Open the lid again and mix everything together thoroughly, ensuring the cooked egg is well incorporated with the rice.
10
Serve the crab and garlic rice in a bowl and garnish with additional chopped green onions.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Wash the rice thoroughly before cooking to remove excess starch and achieve fluffier results.
Mince the garlic fresh rather than using pre-minced; it provides better flavor than jarred garlic.
Stir the beaten egg into the rice immediately after the rice cooker finishes and the lid is lifted, while the rice is still steaming—carryover heat will cook the egg into soft ribbons.
Add green onions and crab after cooking for the best texture; cooking them in the rice cooker can make crab tough and green onions mushy.

Substitutions

Soy sauce → tamari or coconut aminos (for gluten-free)
Imitation crab → fresh lump crab meat (add after cooking to avoid toughness)
Green onions → chives or scallion greens (same quantity)
White rice → jasmine rice (maintains 1:1 water ratio)

Storage & make-ahead

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the rice cooker with a splash of water or in the microwave until warmed through.

Equipment

rice cooker

Common Questions

Can I use fresh crab instead of imitation crab?

Yes. Use 8 oz of fresh cooked crab meat, flaked. Add it after the rice cooker finishes cooking to prevent overcooking.

What type of rice works best?

White rice or jasmine rice are ideal. Avoid brown rice as it requires different water ratios and cooking times.

How do I prevent mushy rice?

Use the exact water-to-rice ratio (3 cups rice to 3-cup line of water). Do not open the lid during cooking.

Can I make this ahead?

Yes. Cook and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water in the microwave or rice cooker.