Steam cooking: Technology, benefits and practical tips

featuring BORA

11 May 2026

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Steam cooking is a gentle and healthy way to prepare food. There are numerous combination appliances on the market with this function, some of which replace conventional microwaves or even ovens. But how does steam cooking work and what are the advantages? We’ll provide you with some interesting facts about this cooking method.

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What exactly is steam cooking?

In steam cooking, food is placed in a perforated cooking container through which hot steam flows, cooking it evenly at temperatures of up to around 100 °C. Depending on the appliance, the temperature can sometimes be adjusted to the nearest degree. In principle, many of the dishes you can cook in a saucepan can also be cooked using steam. This includes vegetables from asparagus to spinach, sides like rice and potatoes, desserts like yeast dumplings, and many types of meat and fish. Food is cooked gently without the addition of fat – ideal for a health-conscious diet.

How does steam cooking work?

In steam cooking, hot steam at a temperature of approximately 100 °C is used to heat food. The food is therefore not immersed in the cooking water, but is steamed evenly in a moist environment. As a result, it loses very few valuable nutrients, remains tender and juicy, and retains its flavour and colour.

What equipment is needed for steam cooking?

The simplest way to steam food is to use a steaming insert for a saucepan, which you place over simmering water. In this case, you can get different metal ones, but you can also steam food in a bamboo steamer. There are also similar methods for steam cooking in the oven, such as the traditional clay Römertopf or a roasting tin with a perforated insert and a glass lid. With these two methods, you can only determine the cooking temperature roughly, which makes it difficult to cook food – particularly delicate foods – to the exact degree.

You’ll achieve far better results with a kitchen appliance designed specifically for this purpose. The classic steam cooker has several levels for cooking and looks rather like an oven. It is available as a freestanding unit or as a built-in model, with a water tank or a fixed water connection.

A steam oven is a combination appliance which, in addition to all baking functions, also offers the option of steam cooking. When comparing dedicated steam cookers with steam ovens, factors such as space and cooking habits come into play.

A professional steam oven such as the BORA X BO offers numerous advantages:

an innovative combination of steam and hot-air technology

consistent cooking results across three levels

intuitive operation, practical automatic programmes

manual settings for personalised cooking

effective odour filtration and automatic steam extraction

integration with the BORA multi-drawer for outstanding convenience

What are the benefits of steam cooking?

There is a whole host of advantages to steam cooking food rather boiling it in water the classic way:

The food is not submerged in water, so that flavour, vitamins and minerals are preserved as much as possible – as are colour, shape and texture. After cooking, green broccoli remains just as bright as orange carrots. The food retains its natural flavour, which you can bring out by using seasoning sparingly.
With steam cooking nothing burns or boils over. You can then get on with preparing the rest of the meal at your leisure or spend time with your guests.
Unlike when cooking in a frying pan or in the oven, there’s no need to add any fat. This isn’t just good for a healthy, balanced diet – it also reduces odours.
In a steam cooker, you can cook different dishes at the same time on all levels, as flavours hardly carry over.
It is possible to remove or add individual ingredients or dishes whilst steam cooking. This means that everything is cooked to perfection.

“Steam cookingis the modern, nutrition-conscious way to cook. Whilst intraditional cooking, flavours andnutrientsare leached out, the hot steam immediately seals the cell structure. This preservesthe maximum nutrient density and – something that is often underestimated – the food’s natural flavour. Anyone who has ever eaten steamed broccoli will realise just how much flavouris usually lostwhen cooking in water."

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Practical tips & tricks for steam cooking

Steam cooking is generally uncomplicated, but does have a few quirks. The following tips will help you to achieve perfect results.

The cooking time can be affected by the different sizes of the individual ingredients when chopping them. Cutting the food into small pieces saves energy.
As more of the food’s natural flavours are retained than with other cooking methods, you should use salt and spices more sparingly when steam cooking. It is best to add herbs and spices or butter after cooking and to taste the food before seasoning.
You can also place vegetables or herbs in a perforated tray above the food being cooked. The flavours dissolved in the steam drip down onto the food being cooked.
Another option is to add herbs or wine to the water simmering beneath the food. The circulating steam distributes the flavours.
Pasta can also be cooked in a steam oven: To do this, simply place the pasta in a container without holes, with a little water and salt, in the steamer.
For most appliances, there are special rice bowls or non-perforated containers that are suitable for cooking rice. The rule of thumb for the amount of water: calculate about one and a half parts of water to one part rice, that is, 1.5 cups of water to one cup of rice.

Which foods are particularly well suited to steam cooking?

Vegetables, fish, seafood and meat are ideal for gentle steam cooking. You will particularly benefit from this gentle cooking method, which preserves nutrients.
A major advantage of baby food is that it retains vitamins, minerals and trace elements to ensure the best possible nutrition for little ones.
But a steam cooker also creates the ideal conditions for steamed dough-based dishes such as yeast dumplings, Germknödel or filled dumplings, thanks to the moist environment: They bloom beautifully and don’t dry out.
Side dishes such as couscous turn out light and fluffy, poached eggs have the perfect consistency, and purées have a wonderful texture.

To ensure the food is steamed to perfection, the correct cooking time is crucial. With the BORA X BO, you can avoid the hassle of consulting cooking time tables for fish, meat, vegetables and so on – the automatic programmes ensure the settings are just right. You can, of course, adjust and save the cooking time, temperature and steam settings to suit your preferences.