Slow Cooker Rice and Beans
My slow cooker rice and beans recipe uses just a handful of ingredients and takes less than 10 minutes to prep! This is my go-to dump meal, which is budget-friendly, easy to make, and can easily feed a crowd. It is packed with so much flavor that you will be impressed!
This can be a great side dish or a complete vegetarian meal; it is very hearty and filling. I like to use this homemade recipe mixture as a burrito filling. All you have to do is add more protein if you want, sour cream, cheese, salsa, and lots of guacamole. My family likes to make burrito bowls pilled with delicious fixings like pico de gallo, sour cream, and sliced avocado.
Table of contents
If you are short on time and want a quick and easy meal, this dish is the perfect one. You simply dump the ingredients in the crockpot and let it do its magic. It can be enjoyed as a main or side dish, and the leftovers are fantastic! Give it a try, and you will love it as much as we do! This dish feeds the entire family for less than $10!
Why you will love this recipe
- Vegetarian: This is a simple, easy, healthy meal that is good for everyone.
- Inexpensive: I can feed everyone for less than $10. You cannot find many recipes like that anymore.
- One-pot meal: I love recipes that I can cook in one pot. There is less cleanup because it is a dump-and-go one-pot meal.
- It’s so easy: There are only three steps. Anyone can make this meal, no matter how skilled (or unskilled) they are.
What you will need
- Black beans – I used two 14-ounce cans of black beans, rinsed and drained. Their rich, earthy flavor and meaty texture are perfect, and they hold their shape well during the long cooking time.
- Rice—I use arborio rice because I like its chewiness and high starch content. When cooked for a long time, it also creates a creamy, rich texture.
- Broth – I like to use broth instead of water for extra flavor. I prefer low-sodium broth because it has less salt.
- Salsa – It adds a tangy, fresh, and slightly spicy flavor to the dish. I prefer to use chunky, mild salsa for extra chewiness.
- Seasoning – I used chili powder, taco seasoning, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder, and fresh lime zest.
How to make
Adding the ingredients: First, I add the rice, beans, salsa, broth, taco seasoning, and cumin.
Cover and cook: I add the remaining ingredients, stir well, cover, and cook on low for three to five hours.
Stir and serve: When cooking is finished, I stir in the lime zest and serve with my favorite toppings.
Expert tip
Using dried beans
Although my recipe calls for canned beans, you can make this recipe using dried black beans. After all, they are healthier and cheaper. First, rinse and sort the beans, getting rid of any that seem bad and any rocks, dirt, bugs, and other strange things in there.
I add the beans, chopped onion, garlic, bay leaves, olive oil, cumin, orange zest, and salt to a large pot, cover with water, and bring it to a boil over high heat. Then, I turn the heat low, remove the lid, stir the pot to ensure nothing is stuck to the bottom, and let it simmer for one hour. After an hour, I test a few beans. If they are not ready, I cook and check every 15 minutes.
I usually add more seasonings after removing the pot from the heat, such as cilantro, lime, and salt, as needed. I also remove the bay leaves and orange zest. The liquid should all be absorbed by now, or it will be by the time the beans are ready to be used.
More tips to consider
- Do not cook dried red kidney beans or cannellini beans in the slow cooker unless they are soaked overnight and then boiled for 30 minutes first. They can cause a nasty gastrointestinal infection.
- Always remove any foreign bodies and rinse your rice before cooking it.
- Do not add too much liquid to the rice or cook it too long; it will become mushy.
- If the rice becomes mushy, spread it on a baking sheet and bake it for several minutes at 350 degrees F.
- Use a slow cooker liner to keep rice and beans from sticking to your slow cooker.
Recipe variations and add-ins:
- Add meat: You can make this with meat by adding slices of smoked sausage or chunks of ham, turkey, or chicken.
- Add veggies: Toss in bell peppers, celery, onions, tomatoes, corn, peas, zucchini, and mushrooms.
- Different rice: Another rice would be fine as well. Jasmine rice would give this a floral, sweet taste; basmati is nuttier.
- Brown rice: Add a little more broth, about 1/4 cup more. Check on rice mid-cooking and add 1/4 cup more if needed.
- Cajun rice and beans: Making this Cajun wouldn’t be hard. Just add some of my Cajun seasoning and chopped jalapenos.
Serving suggestions:
One of my favorite ways to serve this slow cooker rice and beans dish is with tortillas and Mexican toppings for a taco or burrito bar. Some of the toppings my family likes are homemade guacamole, tomatoes, lettuce, sour cream, Mexican cheeses, black olives, jalapenos, hot sauce, and pico de gallo. Another way to enjoy this is by serving it as a thick soup with my sweet southern cornbread for dipping.
Instead of using this dish as a meal, it also works as a perfect dip for the big game or party. I also like to serve it at barbecues with a bowl full of crispy air fryer potato chips. They are so easy to make in minutes, and everyone loves them! This rice and beans dish is also a fun side dish to any entrée, whether beef, chicken, seafood, pork, or turkey.
Pair it with:
How to store leftovers:
- Refrigerate: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Freezing: To freeze, put leftovers in a freezer bag for up to three months.
- Defrost: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator for the best flavor.
- Reheating: Reheat in the microwave for 60 to 90 seconds in a container covered with a moist paper towel or in a saucepan with some water or broth.
Frequently asked questions
Most of the time, I use the crockpot liners. However, sometimes, I do run out. When I do not have any liners, I like to spray mine with non-stick cooking spray or rub the inside of your crockpot or slow cooker with butter or oil. Another important tip is to ensure enough liquid in the slow cooker. If the liquid runs dry, the rice and the beans (and anything else in there) will end up stuck in the pot.
Do I need to rinse my rice first?
The most obvious reason to rinse rice before cooking is to clean it of its impurities. Rice can contain many things, including dirt, hulls, insects, insect parts, debris, and microplastics. Excess starch, which is the main reason for sticky, gummy rice, also needs to be removed to prevent it from becoming sticky. For fluffy rice, rinse it until the water runs clear.
One of the main reasons for mushy rice is too much starch. The way to get rid of it is to rinse your rice. Besides not rinsing the starch, mushy rice can also be caused by too much water or liquid in the pot. Be careful when measuring because your rice will absorb as much liquid as possible until it is as soggy as possible.
Which beans should not be cooked in a slow cooker?
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), cooking dried cannellini and red kidney beans in a slow cooker can be toxic because of their lectin levels. These proteins bind to carbohydrates and can cause gastrointestinal issues like vomiting and other unpleasant side effects when not cooked properly. These two dried beans are the only two that have a high enough amount of this lectin. To avoid this problem, soak them overnight (at least five hours) and then boil them for 30 minutes before using them in the slow cooker recipe.
More slow cooker recipes to try:
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Slow Cooker Rice and Beans
Ingredients
- 2 14 oz cans black beans rinsed and drained
- 1 cup Arborio Rice
- 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth or water
- 1 cup chunky mild salsa
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon taco seasoning
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder optional
- 1 teaspoon lime zest
Instructions
- Add rinsed and drained beans, rice, water, salsa, cumin, taco seasoning, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3-5 hours.
- After 3 hours, stir, add 1/4 cup of water if needed, and cook more.
- Once ready, stir in lime zest.
- Serve topped with homemade or store-bought Pico de Gallo, sour cream, avocado, and guacamole.
- Or serve as a burrito filling!
- Enjoy!