Salsa rice, as we call it at our house, is our once-a-week-meal. All these years, I’ve just made it in a skillet on the stove. Finally I decided to do a “baked” version of it in the slow cooker. It was very good, the flavors combined nicely and it’s a meal everyone will eat happily. Winner! This is a perfect meal if you leftover rice that you need to use up. We eat this as a main dish but it could also be a side dish at a potluck or with a Mexican dinner.
Slow Cooker Salsa Rice Bake
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
A saucy, cheesy rice with browned sausage.
Scale
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked brown rice (I make instant brown rice)
- 1 cup picante sauce (just use salsa if you don’t have picante sauce)
- 1 lb bulk sausage, browned and drained of extra grease (use breakfast sausage, spicy sausage or Italian sausage…it’s up to you!)
- 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
- 1 (4 oz) can diced green chile peppers
- 1/2 cup grated cheese (I use cheddar, but use whatever you like)
- Sour cream
- Cilantro
Instructions
- Make a foil collar (see below) and place in your slow cooker on the opposite side of your controls.
- Add the rice, picante sauce, sausage, tomato sauce and peppers to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
- Sprinkle the cheese on top.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 2 hours.
- Top with sour cream and cilantro and serve.
Notes
Ideal slow cooker size: 3-4 quart
How to make a foil collar:
• Layer and fold sheets of heavy duty foil until you have a six layered foil rectangle. Press the collar into the back side of the slow cooker insert; the food will help hold the collar in place during cooking.
Use the foil collar to prevent burning
- Method: Slow Cooker
Leslie says
January 10, 2019 at 6:40 pmAs great as this rice bake sounds my e-mail was for 5 ingredient enchilada chicken but when clicking on slow cooker I got the rice recipe.
Help!!
Karen says
January 10, 2019 at 10:48 pmyikes so sorry. here is the recipe: https://www.365daysofcrockpot.com/slow-cooker-5-ingredient-enchilada-chicken/
Darice Clark says
January 10, 2019 at 11:55 amCan you freeze the leftovers for salsa rice bake?
Karen says
January 10, 2019 at 2:01 pmyep!
Mrs. Emma J. Powell says
September 7, 2016 at 9:31 pmI have both kinds. I usually use my bigger one bc it’s programmable. The foil collar should work just fine for both kinds of slow cookers. Good luck! =D
Sharon says
January 8, 2013 at 6:21 pmI guess you are saying that putting the foil on the hotter side of cooker keeps things from burning! Thanks Sharon
p.s. My cooker is an older model I don't know how it would cook these recipes!
Jenessa Adams says
May 3, 2012 at 8:50 pmI have liked the two recipes I have tried from your site. I made the salsa rice bake one morning, but just cooked it in the oven for 30 minutes before I left for school. My roommates loved it too, and it is such a great meal to use up the random ingredients in the cupboards!
Delish!!
Karen says
October 26, 2011 at 8:32 pmCarmen, sometimes when baking a casserole-ish thing in the slow cooker I use the foil collar. I use it because the side opposite of your controls gets hotter than the other sides and this prevents burning.
Melisss says
August 30, 2017 at 11:47 amThanks for that information. I tried another recipe last week and we thought one side tasted burnt…now we know!
Karen says
August 30, 2017 at 2:23 pmyou’re welcome!!
Carmen says
October 26, 2011 at 6:35 pmI'm sorry to be dense, but what is the foil collar for? Thanks for all the recipes I love trying new things in my crockpot!
christ says
October 26, 2011 at 12:26 pmtks so much for the really great visit on your website.
creole cuisine