Slow Cooker Rice and Beans

Slow Cooker Rice and Beans is the perfect side dish or vegetarian dump-and-cook one-pot meal made in the crockpot with just a few, budget-friendly ingredients.

With just a few steps and only a handful of ingredients, you can have a whole pot of this vegetarian meal that will serve six. It is packed with so much flavor that you will be impressed with yourself for making it. Even with only beans and rice as the two main ingredients, this can be a filling meal for the whole gang that cooks itself in a few hours. It is also full of protein, so you get lots of energy from this dish too. This is a dump-and-go one-pot meal perfect for any night of the week.

Slow Cooker Rice and Beans is one of the easiest and very budget-friendly meals you can make. This can be a great side dish or a full vegetarian meal as 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. I also like to serve this dish in bowls, pilled up with delicious fixings like Pico de Gallo, sour cream and sliced avocado.

If you are short on time and want a quick and easy meal, then this dish is the perfect one to go with. You simply dump the ingredients in the crockpot and let it do its magic. It can be enjoyed as a main dish, or side dish, and the leftover is amazing! Give it a try, and you will love it just as much as we do! This dish feeds the entire family for less than $10!

This meal is full of scrumptious seasonings, like smoked paprika, cumin, garlic, and onion mixed with chili powder, salsa, and lime zest. The beans and rice spend several hours soaking up all those flavors as well as the other ingredients, so they are bursting with all kinds of sweet, pungent, astringent, sour, and spicy tastes by the time you get to them. And all you had to do was dump them in the pot.

Why you will love this recipe

• Vegetarian: A healthy meal that is good for everyone.
• Inexpensive: Feed everyone for less than $10.
• One pot meal: Less cleanup because it is a dump-and-go one pot meal.
• So easy: Only three steps. Anyone can do this!

What you’ll need to make slow cooker rice and beans

Special items:

• Slow cooker – This is all you need. Just one pot. 
• Cooking utensils

Ingredients:

• Beans – I used two 14-ounce cans of black beans, rinsed and drained.
• Rice – I use arborio rice because I like the chewiness, but you can use what you like.
• Broth – You can use broth or water.
• Salsa – I prefer to use chunky mild salsa for extra chewiness.
• Lime zest – Make your own fresh lime zest. It tastes so refreshing and it only takes a few minutes.
• Chili powder – For an extra kick of spiciness. This is optional.
• Taco seasoning – You can make your own with my simple taco seasoning recipe.
• Cumin – This will add a nutty, earthy, and slightly sweet flavor.
• Garlic powder – For a bold garlicky taste.
• Onion powder – A blend of raw and cooked onion flavor.
• Salt
• Pepper

How to make slow cooker rice and beans?

1. Add the ingredients: First, add the rice, beans, salsa, taco seasoning, broth, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker and stir.
2. Cover and cook: Now, cover and cook on low for three to five hours.
3. Stir and serve: When it is finished cooking, stir in the lime zest. Then, serve with your favorite toppings.

Expert tip

Great uses for leftover rice and beans

There are so many things you can do with rice and beans. Serve it as a taco/burrito bar, just put out a bunch of warm tortillas, both hard and soft. Then, add all kinds of fillings and toppings. The main filling, of course, will be the beans and rice. Still, you can also have ground beef, chopped meats (chicken, beef, turkey), avocado slices, tomatoes, shredded cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole, onions, shredded lettuce, sour cream, and taco sauce.

Other uses include casseroles with rice, beans, and anything else you happen to have on hand or some rice and bean soup. Jambalaya is another great recipe with rice and beans that can be made with almost any other ingredients you may have, like shrimp, crawfish, or even chicken. Chili can be made from rice and beans, too. It already has most of the other ingredients, including chili powder.

If you have just a little bit left, mix it with some greens and make a salad. Or stir some melted Velveeta cheese into it and make a dip for tortilla chips or bread chunks. Why not veer off the Mexican path and turn the leftovers of this dish into an Asian snack? Mix in some bamboo shoots, eggs, cabbage, shredded carrot, and soy sauce, and then roll it all in egg roll wrappers. Fry and serve. 

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Add meat: Make this with meat by adding slices of smoked sausage or chunks of ham, turkey, or chicken.
• Add veggies: Instead of meat, 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, and 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:

There are so many ways to serve this pot of rice and beans. Here are some of my favorites.

• A meal like this needs some fluffy cornbread to dip into it for soaking up the extra juice.
• Instead of serving it as a meal, have it as an appetizer or party dish with chips or in mini tortilla cups. It makes an excellent dip for the big game!
• This would go great with a salad full of fresh vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions, especially if you add it to a crunchy tortilla bowl.
• For a burrito bar, serve with warm tortillas and toppings like pico de gallo, cheese, sour cream, and homemade guacamole.
• After a bowl of this rice and beans, you can enjoy a fruit salad with honey lime dressing.

Pair it with:

Frequently asked questions

How do I keep rice from sticking to my slow cooker?

Most of the time, I use the crockpot liners. However, sometimes, I do run out. When I don’t have any liners, I like to spray mine with non-stick cooking spray. You could also rub the inside of your crockpot or slow cooker with butter or oil. Another important tip is ensuring to have enough liquid in the slow cooker. If liquid runs dry, the rice and the beans (and anything else in there) will end up stuck to the pot.

Which dry 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 your slow cooker recipe.

Why 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 may contain dirt, hulls, insects, insect parts, debris, and microplastics. Also to remove any excess starch to prevent the rice from being sticky. Starch is the main reason for sticky, gummy rice. If you want fluffy rice, make sure you get rid of all the starch. Rinse it until the water runs clear.

Why is my rice mushy?

Besides not rinsing the starch away, mushy rice can also be caused by too much water or liquid in the pot. Be careful when measuring because the rice will absorb as much liquid as possible until it is as soggy as possible. Even though it is difficult to do so in a slow cooker, you may have overcooked it. Since you cannot cook it at too high of a temperature, it may just be cooked too long.

How to store leftovers:

• Refrigerate: Refrigerate for up to four days in an airtight container.   
• Freezing: You can also freeze it for up to three months in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container.   
• Defrost: Make sure you thaw your frozen leftovers overnight before serving.
• Reheating: Reheat in the microwave for one to three minutes.   

More slow cooker recipes to try:

Recipe tips:

• Only cook dried red kidney beans or cannellini beans in the slow cooker if you soak them overnight and then boil them for 30 minutes first. Otherwise, you can get a nasty gastrointestinal infection.
• Always remove any foreign bodies and rinse your rice before cooking it.
• Do not add too much liquid to your rice or cook it too long or your rice will be mushy.
• If your rice gets mushy, spread it onto a cooking sheet and bake it in the oven at 350 degrees F for several minutes.
• Use a slow cooker liner to keep rice and beans from sticking to your slow cooker.