Home › Home & Kitchen › Kitchen & Dining › Cookware › Steamers What to Use Instead of a Steamer Published: July 8, 2026 · Updated: July 8, 2026
Set a metal colander or a heatproof plate on a small trivet inside a lidded pot with an inch or two (3-5 cm) of simmering water, and you have a steamer — the food just needs to sit above the water, covered. A few balls of foil or a couple of crossed chopsticks can hold a plate up in a pinch.
Recommended A colander, or a plate raised on a trivet or foil balls, inside a covered pot over simmering water — anything above the water works — Steaming only needs food held above simmering water in a covered pot, so almost anything heatproof that lifts it up can stand in for a steamer. The easiest swap is a metal colander or sieve set into a pot whose rim it rests on, with the lid on top; put an inch or two (3-5 cm) of water below it, keep it at a simmer, and it steams vegetables or dumplings like a basket. For a heatproof plate of food, raise the plate above the water on a small trivet, an upturned heatproof bowl or ramekin, three balls of crumpled foil, or a couple of crossed chopsticks, then cover — this is how you steam fish or buns with no special gear. A microwave with a covered bowl and a splash of water steams vegetables fast too. The rules are the same as a real steamer: the water must not touch the food, keep the lid on to trap the steam, and top up hot water so it never boils dry.
