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Slow Cooker Brown Rice
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Want perfectly cooked brown rice? Try making it in your crock pot. Never mushy, just perfectly cooked grains of rice.
serves/makes:
ready in:
2-5 hrs
2-5 hrs
27 reviews
9 comments
ingredients
5 cups water
2 cups brown rice
2 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
directions
Combine the water, brown rice, and salt in the crock pot. Stir to mix.
Cover and cook on high for 3 hours. Do not lift the lid.
Taste the rice and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Different crockpots cook differently so adjust the cooking time as needed.
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crock pot notes
Crock pots/slow cookers all heat differently. There is no standard among manufacturers. Cooking times are suggested guidelines based on our testing. Please adjust cooking times and temps to work with your brand and model of slow cooker.recipe tips
How hot your particular brand of crock pot gets will factor in to how well you can cook things like rice or pasta. Crock pots that cook "hotter" will work better (most newer ones tend to be on the "hot" side). If you find that the rice ends up mushy, try pre-heating the crock pot for 30 minutes AND use very hot (not boiling) water.
Experiment with different types of broth instead of water for more flavor.
Mix in steamed vegetables after the rice is cooked for a heartier side dish.
Make sure to check the instructions for your specific crock pot to get familiar with its recommended cooking times.
If you enjoy a nuttier flavor, try toasting the brown rice in a dry skillet before adding it to the crock pot.
For easier cleanup, use a liner designed for crock pots.
Try adding a dash of soy sauce or vinegar after cooking for added flavor.
common recipe questions
What is the best type of brown rice to use in a crock pot?
Short-grain, medium-grain, or long-grain brown rice can all work well, but long-grain brown rice tends to produce the lightest and fluffiest texture.
Why should I use a crock pot for brown rice?
A crock pot provides a consistent cooking temperature, allowing the rice to cook evenly without stirring, which can prevent it from becoming mushy.
What should I do if my crock pot doesn't seem to be cooking the rice properly?
If your rice isn't cooking evenly or takes longer than expected, check the heat settings, and make sure the lid is properly closed to retain steam. Unfortunately, all crock pots cook differently so it may take some testing to find out how to adjust either the amounts of ingredients or cooking times.
What can I do if my rice ends up too mushy?
If the rice is mushy, it may have been cooked with too much water or for too long. To try to salvage it, spread the rice on a baking sheet to cool and dry out a bit.
Is it necessary to rinse brown rice before cooking?
Rinsing brown rice helps to remove excess starch, which can prevent clumping but is not necessary.
Can I add flavorings or spices to the rice while it cooks?
You can add herbs, garlic powder, onion powder, or even broth instead of water to add additional flavors to the rice.
How do I store leftover brown rice?
Store cooked brown rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Make sure it has cooled completely before sealing.
Can I freeze brown rice?
Yes, brown rice freezes well. Let it cool completely, then transfer to freezer-safe bags or containers. It can be stored for up to 3 months.
How do I reheat brown rice?
You can reheat brown rice in the microwave, on the stovetop with a splash of water, or in the oven. Make sure to cover it. You may need to add a little liquid if it seems dry, so check it while reheating.
tools needed
Crock Pot: For cooking the brown rice.
Measuring Cups and Spoons: For measuring the water, brown rice, and salt.
Fork: For fluffing the cooked rice once it's ready to serve, helping to separate the grains and improve texture.
what goes with it?
Stir-Fried Vegetables: Load up a mix of colorful veggies like bell peppers, broccoli, and carrots for a vibrant stir-fry to serve over your brown rice.
Curry: Spoon on a rich, fragrant curry, whether it's chickpea, chicken, or vegetable-based. The warmth and spiciness of the curry will bring the brown rice to life, soaking up all those bold flavors.
Grilled Salmon: Pair your rice with a beautifully grilled salmon fillet. The crispy skin and buttery fish create a delightful texture combo with the chewy, wholesome brown rice.
Fajitas: Use the brown rice as a base for fajitas, topping it with sauteed onions, peppers, and your choice of protein. The smoky, charred flavors from the fajitas will work nicely with the nuttiness of the rice.
Teriyaki Chicken: Drizzle some homemade or store-bought teriyaki sauce over a chicken breast and serve it atop the brown rice. The sweet-savory glaze will enhance the rice's flavors.
Soy Sauce & Sesame Oil: Drizzle a bit of soy sauce and sesame oil on the rice before serving for a quick Asian-inspired twist. The umami notes will deepen the flavor of the brown rice.
Chimichurri: Top the rice with a bright, herby chimichurri sauce. This zesty sauce can uplift the earthiness of the brown rice.
Egg Fried Rice: Combine the rice (leftover and well chilled) with beaten eggs, peas, and soy sauce for a fried rice dish.
Sauteed Shrimp: Serve sauteed shrimp with garlic and lime over the rice. The sweetness of the shrimp contrasts beautifully with the nutty brown rice.
Avocado Slices: Top with fresh avocado slices for creaminess and healthy fats. The soft, rich avocado creates a lovely mouthfeel against the chewy rice.
nutrition data
229 calories, 2 grams fat, 48 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein per serving. This recipe is low in fat.
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reviews & comments
Under doctor's orders, I must reduce my sodium intake. If I eliminate the salt, can you tell me what the sodium level would be?
Our nutritional information is to be used as a general guideline only. You'll need to calculate it based on actual products used and their labeling.
I have a 2 qt Crock pot (for 2 people) and want to make my brown rice in it. I eat a lot of rice. How do I measure it? (Brown rice comes out mushy in my rice/veg steamer)
A crock pot should not be filled more than 3/4ths full - so with the rice and water, make sure the amounts you use do not exceed that.
Can you do the same and get the same results with all rice?
Brown rice requires a longer cooking time than other rice so this recipe is specifically for brown rice.
July 29, 2019
First time I made this it didn't turn out. Was mushy. Second time I read the reviews and realized that it does need to be hotter in order to cook so maybe my crock pot doesn't heat as hot. So I let it heat and added very hot water and then let it cook. Turned out very good then! So lesson learned that crock pots vary
November 12, 2018
I used the amounts recommended when adjusting to 3 servings: 1 c brown rice, 2 1/2 c water and 1 tsp salt (I went with a scant tsp and will use 3/4 tsp next time). I pre-warmed the water in microwave for 1 minute 40 sec and cooked in the crockpot for 2 hours. Perfect!!! Thank you so much!
August 17, 2017
I went with one teaspoon salt and ended up adding more anyway because I find brown rice so bland. Turned out pretty good. I prefer a rice steamer for cooking but mine broke last week so I tried this method instead. I don't like rice in a pressure cooker so I think I'll continue with this method.
April 9, 2017
Made brown rice recipe for 4 followed all directions (only used 1tsp of salt) including the tips on boiling the water, spraying the inside of the crock pot and adding a Tbs of butter. The rice was fluffy and delicious.
March 4, 2017
Rice cooked great but way too much salt
What does everyone have against sticky rice? LOL. I like to eat with chopsticks so sticky is good! I've been making groats in the crock pot and just thought about making my short grain brown rice in it. I'm confident it will turn out perfect after reading all the comments. Thanks!
February 10, 2017
2 tsp. salt is way too much!
looks good..I will need to double it for a clan feast...I plan on trying it tomorrow..test run..;-)
October 28, 2016
Came out super mushy. Followed directions, but haven't used this crock pot much. Will cook for half the time next time. Nothing lost though, great filler for my burritos!
September 14, 2016
I followed the directions but mine came out mushy. It was fully cooked but definitely too mushy. Should I use less water? How should I tweak it? Thanks.
The rice will usually get mushy if the crock pot doesn't heat up fast enough. One trick is to use hot water which will help bring it up to temperature quicker.
August 26, 2016
Definitely start with warm or hot water. That's the only way I've had it work in my crock. My sister has a crock that overcooks/burns everything and she tried it as written not using hot water and it worked ok in hers but I don't think most crocks are crazy like hers.
April 25, 2016
I needed a large batch of rice for a big family gathering after church. I heated 10 cups of liquid to boiling, poured the liquid over 5 C of brown rice in the crock pot, stirred, and set the timer to high for 3 hours. Turned out perfect.
March 13, 2016
I was skeptical because of the mixed reviews but this turned out perfectly in my new slow cooker. I did use warm water (not boiling, just hot out of the tap) so maybe that helped. So simple!
February 10, 2016
This recipe did not work in my slow cooker (crockpot brand 4.5 quart). After three hours on high there was still a lot of water that had not been absorbed, and after all the water had been absorbed by the rice it was mushy and half of it stuck to the slow cooker pot. Might need to cut down the water by one cup.
Different crock pots do cook differently so it might take a little tweaking of the recipe to get it to work in your particular crock pot. It's such an easy recipe though so I hope you'll try it again!
There is a contradiction in the instructions that may be causing a problem with the cooking time. You can't "taste the rice and adjust cooking time to suit your taste" without removing the lid. Every time the lid is removed the cooking time is effected.
It means to check the cooking time after 3 hours and then let it cook longer if needed.
December 27, 2015
I sprayed the inside of my crockpot with cooking spray then followed the directions exactly, using a 6-1/2 quart crock pot. I check it at 2 hours and it was perfect. Fluffy and not mushy. I'll use this method a lot, so much easier than stovetop. Thanks!
October 9, 2015
great.
May 4, 2015
5 hours and 20 minutes later my rice is still in water. I guess my used crock pot doesn't get hot enough. I'm not giving up though. I'm going to try it in my other pot.
April 12, 2015
i doubled the recipe and at 3 hours it was still soup.... like nothing but water... any tips?
Doubling the recipe will greatly extend the cooking time. For a recipe like this I wouldn't recommend it because the water won't get to the required temperature as quickly and the rice will probably be very mushy from taking longer to cook.
April 5, 2015
After 2.5 hours on high, my rice was mush. I think my crock pot must be very hot. Only the second time I have used it. Cooked sweet potatoes 1st and they cooked fast. Not giving up yet. Next time I will try cooking it on Low and adjust time as needed.
March 29, 2015
I added 2 TBSP butter and the recommended three hours in the crock pot turned out perfect brown rice.
Rice turned out soggy and wet
Not all crock pots cook the same so you should have followed the directions and reviews to adjust the cooking time accordingly if you needed to. We tested this recipe and it turned out perfectly so clearly you must need to make some special adjustments to compensate for your crock pot not cooking the same. Since you didn't give any additional information about how long you cooked it or what you did differently, I'm changing this to an unrated comment since we can't be clear that you actually tried the recipe.
November 9, 2014
I can't believe this turned out but it did best rice I ever made not a single sticky grain
June 12, 2014
great way to make brown rice in a crockpot, adding your favorite spices and other condiments to cook in the flavor. Definitely have to check the time as my crockpot took a few hours longer than indicated to get the rice just right, but thanks for the recipe! Definitely one to save in my recipe file on the computer. :)
rating based on feedback. Thanks for all the helpful comments. I Googled "crock pot brown rice". A number of other sites, including crock-pot.com do not offer just a recipe for rice itself. Another site linked to a recipe I may have tried, but was for a different cooking method. I'm optomistic about this recipe!
December 8, 2013
Turned out perfectly!
November 9, 2013
For some reason when I cook brown rice on the stovetop it always seems underdone, no matter how much I cook it or additional water I add or whatever I try. Maybe I just like my rice softer or something. Anywy, I tried this way of cooking it and finally finally finally I found a way to cook it that makes it how I like it. The rice was nice and soft but not overcooked either. I cooked it on high for 2 hours then turned it to low for 2 hours.
October 23, 2013
I needed to make a ton of brown rice ahead of time and used this recipe. I doubled it and used my biggest crock. Turned out fantastic!
July 13, 2013
Easy recipe and turned out perfectly! I am not great at cooking rice and this is a pretty fool proof method.
July 11, 2013
Our rice turned out perfect but I wanted to mention that there are a lot of variables that can throw this recipe off. First, crock pots all heat differently so the cooking time might be different from one to the next. Second, the temp of your water can affect the cooking time too. Lastly, don't overcook it. When it's done, it's done. It might take you a test run to get the timing down but once you do you'll love the rice it produces. The rice was tender without being mushy. The grains weren't stuck together or anything. I was really impressed with how well this turned out. We eat a lot of brown rice so this will be a much used cooking method around here!
February 6, 2012
Thank you so much for this simple recipe. I love my crock pot and cook everything in it, yet I have never used it to cook rice (which I eat daily). I greatly appreciated the simplicity of this recipe and was excited by the result. The rice was a bit sticker than I prefer, however I plan to adjust the water a bit. Thank you for helping me to make my life a bit easier.
January 27, 2011
I made this again in a different slow cooker. The other one I used is an older one that doesn't get real hot. The newer one gets very hot. To make sure the rice cooks properly, you may want to use hot water. You can either boil water on the stove or put the water into the crock for an hour on high before you add the rice. The rice turned out good. If you leave it in the slow cooker, even turned off, it will get mushy though.
I tried making this. It took way too long in my 5qt crock pot. It must not have been hot enough to cook it properly. Most of the rice was mushy while some was still hard. If I make this again I will use my larger 6 1/2 qt crock pot (it should get hotter) and I will start off with already hot/boiled water. My husband seems to think that brown rice needs to have boiling water at the beginning to break open the shell so it can cook properly. I didn't rate it, if I make it again, I'll be sure and rate it and comment on the recipe.