Steaming in an oven: a complete guide

Steaming is a cooking method that uses heated water vapors to cook food while helping to preserve nutrients, vitamins and minerals. On a cooktop, this usually involves placing a steamer basket or other insert over boiling water, but you don’t need to limit steaming to the stovetop.

Your oven can also be used to create delicious, nutrient-rich dishes like vegetables, rice, fish or chicken. In this guide, explore how to steam food in an oven and discover which foods work well with this method.

What is a steam oven?

A steam oven is an oven that is designed to utilize hot steam to cook food, rather than hot air.

Steam ovens generally operate by pulling water from a small reservoir into an internal boiler, where it’s heated to about 212°F. The resulting steam is then released into the oven cavity. Cooking with steam can be just as effective as other conventional methods—and often works quite quickly.

However, you don’t need a special appliance for steaming in the oven. Select KitchenAid^® wall ovens feature Steam Assist Mode, ideal for baked goods, breads and roasts, combining the dry heat of convection cooking with steam for a moist interior and browned exterior. The +Steamer Attachment—like the one included with this KitchenAid^® wall oven—connects to a powered hub in your oven, giving you more control over the steaming process through the oven’s display. Other KitchenAid^® wall ovens also feature a Steam Bake with Tray option that adds moisture during the baking process so you can enjoy foods like Basque cheesecake or fluffy, moist honey wheat sandwich bread.

How to steam in an oven

Steaming in the oven can be done with built-in steam functions or by adapting a standard oven with a foil-cover method. Preheat, prepare your dish and choose the right steam option for your recipe for moist, delicious results.

1. Prepare the oven and food

Preheat your oven to the temperature specified in the recipe. If your oven has a Steam Attachment, fill the water basin with approximately four cups of water, place the perforated tray on top, and arrange the food in a single layer. Cut foods into like-sized pieces and choose items with similar cooking times so everything cooks at about the same pace. Cover with the steamer lid unless using Steam Assist Mode.

2. Select the steam function

• Steam Assist Mode: Combines convection heat with steam for items like breads, cheesecake or poultry. Do not use the steamer lid.

• Steamer Attachment: Use with the lid for foods like vegetables, fish or grains.

• Standard oven: No steam settings? Cover your dish tightly with foil and add a splash of water or broth to help create steam.

3. Cook without interruptions

Avoid lifting the steamer lid or opening the oven door too often—releasing steam can affect food quality and extend cooking time.

4. Check for doneness and serve

Remove the steamer lid or foil carefully, opening away from you to let steam escape. Check doneness with a fork or food thermometer.

Shop KitchenAid^®wall ovens

KitchenAid^® wall ovens are designed to support your creativity in the kitchen, giving you tools that help bring your culinary ideas to life. Select KitchenAid^® wall ovens feature a Steam Bake with Tray option that adds moisture during the baking process so you can enjoy foods like Basque cheesecake or fluffy, moist honey wheat sandwich bread. Doneness Detection, on select KitchenAid^® wall ovens, utilizes an Intelligent Cooking Camera to identify personal food preferences that are selected while using Food Recognition, then sends notifications when food is ready to be taken out of the oven. KitchenAid^® wall ovens come in single, double and combination configurations and a variety of finishes to suit your kitchen’s aesthetic.

Can you steam food in a convection oven?

You can steam food in a convection oven if it has features that allow you to do so. These ovens use both hot air and steam, giving you the benefits of browning from convection along with the moisture of steaming. For instance, KitchenAid brand offers select models with Steam Assist Mode that combines the dry heat of a convection oven with steam to create a humid environment for cooking.

Why should you steam food in the oven?

Steaming food in the oven can help preserve vitamins and minerals, reduce the need for added oils, and create a moist cooking environment while enhancing natural flavors.

Additional benefits can include retaining natural moisture for juicy proteins like chicken breasts or pork chops, fast cooking times and the ability to possibly reheat or defrost foods gently and evenly. With steaming—depending on the set-up—you can sometimes  prepare a variety of foods—vegetables, fish, poultry, rice, grains or even desserts—at the same time without mixing flavors, such as in a steam oven.

Explore KitchenAid^® wall ovens and ranges

KitchenAid^® wall ovens and ranges are made to inspire creativity in the kitchen, offering configurations and features that help bring your favorite dishes to life. Select KitchenAid^® wall ovens include Even-Heat^™ True Convection, which features a unique bow-tie design with a heating element and fan that circulates hot air throughout the entire oven, providing optimal temperatures for delicious baked goods, juicy roasts and flavorful vegetables. Other wall ovens may also include Assisted Cooking Modes that suggest cook times and temperatures on an easy-to-navigate touch screen so you can explore new recipes with confidence.

KitchenAid^® ranges are available in both gas and electric configurations, giving you options to fit your kitchen and cooking style. Select ranges include features like a Steam Rack that offers the ability to provide additional moisture to the inside of the oven, enhancing cooking results, and 5 Burners (5k, 8k, 9.2k, 15k and 17k) that provide the perfect range of cooking power from 5,000 to 17,000 BTU, so you can go from a rolling boil to a delicate simmer.