Slow Cooker Mexican Black Beans and Rice–This recipe for Slow Cooker Mexican Rice and Beans has become a staple at my house. I love it because it’s easy to get in the slow cooker within minutes and I love the creamy, yummy rice and beans that come out of the slow cooker a few hours later.
Get the INSTANT POT version of this recipe
Slow Cooker Mexican Black Beans and Rice
- Cook Time: 3-5 hours
- Total Time: 22 minute
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 or 2 (14 oz) can of black beans, rinsed and drained
- 3/4 cup brown rice
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 3/4 cup salsa (plus more, if needed)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic salt
- Salt and pepper
- Lime juice
Instructions
- Place beans, rice, water, salsa, bay leaf, cumin, and garlic salt in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 3-5 hours.
- Add in salt and pepper to taste and lime juice to taste. Add in additional salsa to brighten it up, if needed.
Notes
Ideal slow cooker size: 3 quart
- Method: Slow Cooker
Started off on low but rice was not cooking. So I turned it up to high an hour later and it’s been on high for about 2 hours and rice still not cooking. I used long grain brown rice. Concerned about what the other ingredients will do on high for the time it will take to cook the rice. My husband, who is our family cook because he loves it and does it so well, just said you can’t cook rice in a crock pot because it needs to reach boiling temp. Oh my! Help!
I would keep cooking on high until it’s done. It sounds like your crockpot cooks lower than some. Every time you lift the lid the slow cooker loses heat so try to avoid doing that.
This recipe is super easy. Very customizable to taste as I add chili powder and LOTS of cloves of garlic! Very healthy with brown rice. Great dish, easy to make. Thank you.
★★★★★
Sounds like a perfect idea to me!
What would be a good meal with this recipe?
grilled chicken or steak would be great!
Is this instant brown rice or no?
Thank you
Janelle
It’s long grain brown rice, raw
Thank you again. This is my “eat a lot of nutrient dense good food” go to recipe. I well rinse and pick through a 2lb bag of any type of beans and throw them in the crockpot. Fill the crockpot with hot hot water and add the ratio of your recipe. Thank you from a hyperthyroid skinny. Oh and I appreciate the curly hair with a smile picture to start the day.
Joseph
★★★★★
I love this recipe too Joseph! And I’m glad my curly hair gave you a smile! 😂
Can you please augment this recipe to use raw black beans? I don’t know where to start.
Can I Use Dried Black Beans?
My recipe calls for a can of black beans out of convenience. If you have dried beans that you would like to cook and use follow these steps:
Add ¾ cup of black beans into your Instant Pot with 2 cups of water.
Cover the pot and secure the lid. Make sure valve is set to sealing. Set the manual/pressure cook button to 25 minutes.
When time is up let the pot sit for 10 minutes then move valve to venting. Remove the lid. Rinse the beans and drain them.
Use them in the recipe below.
Hello.
I make this in the instant pot and it’s great. A friend does not have an instant pot so will do the crock pot version. My question is do you layer in the order you list the ingredients (like I do for the instant pot version) or do you stir the ingredients after you put them into the crock pot? Thank you for your help. Amazing recipe. Hope I can hear back soon.
Stirring works well for the crockpot!
Wish you included carb and calorie count with you amazing recipes.
Use myfitnesspal and put the recipe in.
Thanks Karen! I used parboiled rice and canned Mexican flare diced tomatoes. The guests said “is there meat in this?” I said “nope” they said “cool, I’ll try some” they said “wow this really good”
I won points. Thank you.
Ps. Love love your hair
Thank you Joseph! I’m glad they liked it. So fun!
And thank you for the hair compliment someone just told me on youtube that I needed someone to teach me to do my hair and it hurt my feelings. Naturally curly hair has a mind of its own.
Hi Karen, thanks for all of your wonderful recipes. I am enjoying exploring so many of them.
I even got my husband to eat the garlic and cheese mashed cauliflower and he likes it! Again, thank you for all the great ideas and by the way, shame on the person who criticized your hair. I have a dear friend with curly hair and I know from her how difficult it can be to manage. Try not to let it get to you. Your fans love your recipes and your hair! Stay safe in this challenging time we have right now.
★★★★★
Your hair is beautiful just the way it is.
Thanks for the amazing recipes.
Thanks Linda! You’re so nice.
Thank you Tammy you are very sweet.
This recipe is in the slow cooker right now. I added a can of corn. It looks delicious!
Corn is a great idea!
I will definately try this soon. And I enjoy reading the comments that come with it for variations and advice.
I made this for supper tonight. So easy and super yummy!! 🙂 Thank you for sharing.
★★★★★
You’re welcome Tina!
How long is the ideal cook time in the crock pot
Can you freeze this recipe?
Yes
Can you use white rice?
yes I believe you could. The cooking time will take less time by maybe an hour or more.
What kind of salsa is recommended?
I like to use pace picante sauce
Instant rice is not a good option for this, correct?
I haven’t tried it. Are you talking about brown instant rice? You could probably do that. Use the water to rice ratio on the box. But only cook for 2 hours.
I was referring to instant brown rice and I went ahead and made it before I saw your response (so I didn’t adjust the water ratio). I turned out amahhhhhzing. Thank you for a great recipe.
HOORAY!
Karen can I add sweet bell peppers to this recipe?
Sure!
I hope you get this soon, seeing as how this is January 2018! Can I double the recipe and put it in my large crockpot and get the same results?? I fixed it before and it came out fine but I need to cook more.
yep!!!
5 hours in, 3 low and 2 high, and my rice is hard as a rock still. it smells good, but it’s more of a crunchy rice soup than rice and beans.
did oyu use instant rice or something?
So sorry! This is sad to me. I use long grain brown rice. Maybe my slow cooker just cooks faster than yours? They all sort of cook a bit differently. Did it ever cook all the way through?
Have you tried this recipe cooking on High? If so how long? I only found this post today while I was at my doctors appt.
Please reach me at the following email if I lose this page. Thank you!
[email protected]
yep, you can cook on high for 2 hours
Planning to make this tomorrow. Two hours on high suits my schedule. If I’m doubling the recipe, does it need to cook longer than two hours?
It may take an extra 20 minutes or so!
Do you cook the rice first?? Or put in uncooked rice?
uncooked!
So if I start with dry beans, do I cook them with everything else for 10 hours? Or is it a two step process and I have to cook for another 5 hours with the rice?
Thanks.
Andy, you'll have to start with cooked beans. If that means you need to cook them the day before then do that. I just use a can of beans for ease but you could easily make the equivalent of a can in your slow cooker prior to adding them in with the rice.
This was my exact question! I’m excited to try this recipe!!
so glad you liked them!!
These were delicious! I made them in my 1.5 quart crockpot ( perfect size by the way). The flavor and texture was yummy. AND they were so good I kept eating bites while putting leftovers away, which is a high firm of praise in my kitchen!
You're awesome Karen and your recipes even better
I would say it serves about 4 people!
How many servings does this make?
Thanks
How many servings does this make?
Thanks
Geena,
you're welcome!
I recently tried the recipe with barley and it was soooo good! I'm going to make it again soon.
I found your site via Pinterest and wanted to say thank you for the recipe!! 🙂 I have made it several times because its so simple and healthy. I have made it with the brown rice and also tried it a couple times with quinoa and it keeps turning out wonderful! Its wonderful plain and added to burritos! Thank u again!!
I substituted pearled barley for the brown rice. It was excellent!
this sounds really good!