Did you know you can use your slow cooker to make rice? Rice cooker's are awesome if you have the room... but why NOT let your crockpot help you out if you don't? Just make some crock pot rice and use some now, refrigeratate for later OR even freeze that stuff in batches.

Crock Pot Rice Topics

Freezing Crock Pot Rice

You betcha! You can freeze it! You can cook up a huge batch, freeze it in portion sized baggies or canisters...and get it out as you need it. If you freeze it pre-cooked and flattened out in baggies it will defrost in about an hour.

So you can make a huge batch, freeze in stacks and get it out when you cook a meal in your crock that sounds good over rice. Just pop crock pot freezer meal in your slow cooker and toss a bag of crock pot rice in the refrigerator...it will be defrosted when you're ready for supper 🙂

Pre-cooked crock pot rice will last about six weeks frozen. I've never frozen it for longer than that and had good results. If you use a Foodsaver and get more air out of the bag, it will probably last longer. But Foodsavers are good that way, they make everything last longer. I've just haven't had the opportunity to try it yet. It's on my winter to-do list though!

All Sorts of Rices

I'm not gonna go in to all the kinds of rice there are. I have read (but not researched) that there are thousands. I like rice. But I don't care enough about it to research a thousand different kinds. I can tell you though, that for making rice in your slow cooker long grain rices work best. I don't know why and I don't know the science behind it...but they do.

You can easily cook either white or brown rice in your crock pot. Either one works great. They have slightly different water requirements but both work. I usually mix mine half and half.

I tried migrating my family over to completely brown rice many years ago. It didn't fly. And even after my kiddos grew up and moved away, hubby didn't care for straight brown rice. Honestly, neither did I...so we still do half and half most times.

Add-Ins for Making Crock Pot Rice

I didn't make a huge batch of rice and freeze this round. Just a smaller amount. You can make as much as your crockpot will hold frankly. But rice GROWS.

Just like making it any place else, it's gonna grow in your slow cooker too. So only fill the crock about 1/2 to 2/3's full of both rice and water. That way it'll have plenty of room to grow and not make a mess. Cause it sure will make a mess if you overfill it. It also won't cook properly and you'll have to toss it out.

You Can Add Herbs, Spices & Even Broth

You can see in the picture above I'm adding dried spices to this batch. You can, you don't have to. You can add just about anything and it will cook right into the rice.

You can also add broth or stock for more delicious flavors. I've never tried to cook it solely in broth or stock but I DO know you can use half water and half stock and the rice cooks very well. It adds additional flavor and lots of health benefits too. So it's a good alternative if you like/use it.

Step-by-Step Rice in the Slow Cooker

This part's super easy. So here we go...

Choose any long-grain rice you like
Decide on any herbs and spices you'd like to add
Grab any sort of broth or stock you'd like to use

Crockpot White Rice

When making white rice in the slow cooker you'll need to use a ratio of 2:1. Two parts liquid to one part rice. That's it. Toss the rice in the slow cooker, add any spices you'd like then add twice as much liquid as rice. FYI, no salt. If you want to add salt, do it after it's cooked, not before. Adding salt before hand makes the rice stay a bit hard.

Crock Pot Brown Rice

Making brown rice in the slow cooker works the exact same BUT you need a slightly higher amount of water. You need a ratio of 2.5:1... So, for every 1 cup of brown rice you'll need to add 2 1/2 cups of liquid.

Cooking Times for Rice is the Crock Pot

Once you've added your spices (if you're using them) and your liquids...simply stir up everything and cook on high for about 2 hours. Sometimes it'll take 1 1/2 hours, sometimes 3. It all depends on how much you cook, how hot your slow cooker runs (because they call vary a lot) and how big of a batch you cook.

Do yourself a favor and rub the crock insert down with butter, olive or coconut oil before cooking too. It makes cleaning up a breeze!

How Much Rice Should Your Cook?

Your end results will vary a little bit. Everything does. Like I said earlier, there are a LOT of kinds of rice out there. But if you use long-grained rices and NOT anything quick-cook. You should be about 2 1/2 times whatever you started with.

So, here's an example...

If you use 1 cup of long-grained white rice, 1 cup of sodium-free chicken broth, 1 cup of water and 1 teaspoon of whatever herbs you want...you should get about 2 1/2 cups of cooked rice.

For the recipe in the picture below I cooked 1 cup of white rice, 3/4 cups brown rice, 2 tablespoons of various herbs and 4 cups of water. I got just shy of 4 cups in total. So with that knowledge, you'll know how to plan a little 🙂

Final Notes on Crock Pot Rice

If you decide to use broth or stock for more flavor here are two things that will help it come out well:

Use half broth or stock and half water. Some people have had excellent results using full broth instead of adding any water. I, personally, have not. If you try it and get it to work well, let me know. I'd love to know the secret. BUT full broth/stock really isn't necessary. You still get wonderful flavor using only half stock/half water.
Try to find low-soduim or sodium free stock or broth. Just like adding salt to your spice mix before cooking...using salty stock is going to make your rice not quite so tender. And sodium-free broth is more healthy for us anyways. You can always add salt later. But sea salt and Himalayn salts are both much more healthy than regular table salt...some of that's opinion, most of it's medical fact 🙂
If you DO decide to use spices (like I did in the pic above) AND you use bay leaves. Make sure to remove them after your rice is cooked. Bay leaves impart a delicious flavor to almost any soup or stew and they are awesome in rice BUT you can't eat them. They have to be tossed out. Humans can digest them and they will cut your throat too. So it's best to remove them before you serve or freeze your crock pot rice.

Printable & Pinnable Recipes for Making Rice in the Crock Pot

Here's are the printables for making both white and brown rice in the crockpot. I've separated them because they take different liquid ratios (see that tutorial above).

Let us know if you make it and how it turns out! Hope you enjoy...and ROCK THAT CROCK 🙂

Recipe

Crock Pot White Rice

SlowCookerKitchen.com

Cooking rice in the crock pot is not difficult. It's actually very easy. Brown rice and white rice take different quantities of liquids to cook properly. And you can also cook half brown and half white rice (that's usually what I do). The ratio for white rice is 2:1; the ratio for brown rice is 2.5:1. Adding both herbs/spices and stock/broth are also yummy options. Don't add salt until after cooking and only use half stock/broth and the other half water

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 2

Total Time 2 2

Servings cups

Ingredients

1 cup long-grained white rice
2 cups liquid water or half water & half sodium free stock/broth
1 to 2 teaspoons herbs and/or spices optional
1 teaspoon butter coconut oil or olive oil

Instructions

Butter or oil the crock pot insert
Add everything and stir
Cover and cook on high for 1 1/2 to 3 hours
!Freezer Directions
Cook per the directions above
Allow to cool completely and bag in serving sized canisters or bags
Freeze for up to 6 weeks or longer if you use a vacuum sealing system

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Recipe

Crockpot Brown Rice

SlowCookerKitchen.com

Cooking brown rice in the crock pot isn't any more difficult that cooking white. It only requires a bit more liquid of some sort. By that I mean you can use all water or you can you half stock or broth. This adds more flavor and more nutrition as well. Try to use sodium free stock/broth and don't add salt (if you decide to use it at all) in with your spices...leave the salt until after its cooked and your rice will come out fluffy and delish!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 2

Servings 1/2 cups

Ingredients

1 cup long-grained brown rice
2 to 2 1/2 cups liquid either all water or up to half broth/stock and the remaining amount water
1 to 2 teaspoons herbs and spices of your choice optional
1 tsp butter oil or pan spray

Instructions

Butter, oil or spray the slow cooker insert
Add your ingredients, except the salt, and stir
Cover and cook on high for 2 to 3 hours
!Freezer Directions:
Allow cooked rice to cool completely
Fill canisters or bags with serving sized portions, label and freeze for up to 6 weeks