You can make delicious Mexican rice in a slow cooker! This is a great hands-off recipe that is perfect for taco night.

Crockpot Mexican Rice
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This rice has a similar flavor to the side dish I get at my favorite local Mexican restaurants, but I wouldn’t call this authentic Mexican rice, as I’m sure Mexican rice is not traditionally made in a slow cooker. Traditionally, Mexican rice is toasted in oil before being cooked, but I wanted to save a step and cook everything in the Crockpot. I know there are lots of different ways to make it, but this one is a great way because it’s so simple! It’s a delicious side dish and it’s great for feeding a large group. If you’d rather make this in a rice cooker, try my rice cooker Mexican rice!

I like to microwave the onion, garlic, and peppers for a minute or two to help soften them before adding them to the slow cooker. If you don’t have a microwave, don’t worry. You can still make this recipe! You can also add the ingredients completely raw. It just adds a bit more flavor if you soften the onion in advance.

How to Make Mexican Rice in a Crockpot

​Spray the inside of a large oval slow cooker with non-stick spray. Add the rice, onion, jalapeño, tomato paste, garlic, and cumin to a slow cooker.
Heat the vegetable broth until simmering. Add the hot broth to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
Cover and cook until rice is tender and all broth is absorbed, about 2 to 3 hours on high.

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

  • Taste your jalapeños to get a sense of the spiciness level, since it can vary quite a bit from pepper to pepper. You may want to add more or less depending on how spicy they are. You can also substitute poblano peppers for jalapeños.
  • I like Edward & Son’s “Not Chicken” Broth. It adds lots of flavor with clean ingredients. Another great option is the Better than Bouillon vegetable soup base.
  • I recommend buying tomato paste in a tube, so you can easily use a couple of tablespoons at a time. If using canned tomato paste, consider freezing the leftovers for future recipes.
  • If you want to add more veggies, add in a chopped red bell pepper for a little extra color and flavor. Any color of bell peppers works great in this recipe.
  • Be sure to use long-grain white rice. If you want to use brown rice, you may need to adjust the cooking time and/or add additional water.
  • You can add 2 teaspoons of taco seasoning if you want to add even more flavor.

How to Store Leftover Rice

Store leftover rice in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Sprinkle with a little water then reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. This rice tastes great the next day!

Troubleshooting

Slow cookers vary a lot, so here’s how to fix the most common problems.

  • Rice tastes bland: It almost always needs more salt, and it needs it in the broth. Low-sodium broth makes this worse. For a bigger flavor boost, add 2 teaspoons of taco seasoning with the cumin, or try the toasting step above.
  • Rice is still crunchy: If the broth is absorbed but the rice is firm, stir in 1/4 cup of hot broth, cover, and cook 20 to 30 minutes more. Make sure you’re cooking on high with hot broth.
  • Rice is mushy: Too much liquid or too much time. Rinse the rice well, measure the broth, and start checking at 2 hours.

What to Serve with Mexican Rice

You can pair this rice with my refried black beans or simple Mexican black beans. These Oven Baked Tacos are super simple to make and you can customize them with your favorite fillings. Or Crispy Potato Tacos are always a hit and the sauce is really flavorful!

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Crockpot Mexican Rice

Slow Cooker Mexican Rice

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.1 from 14 reviews
  • Author: Liz Thomson
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 2 to 3 hours
  • Total Time: 0 hours
  • Yield: 6 cups 1x
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Slow Cooker
  • Cuisine: Mexican Inspired
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

You can make delicious Mexican rice in a slow cooker! It’s a great hands-off recipe that is perfect for taco night.

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped fine
  • 2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 3 cups vegetable broth (boiling)
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice

Instructions

  1. ​Spray the inside of a large oval slow cooker with non-stick spray.
  2. In a microwave safe bowl, heat the onion, jalapenos, and garlic in the microwave for 1 minute.
  3. Add the tomato paste, cumin, chili powder, and oregano and microwave for 30 seconds. 
  4. Add the mixture to a slow cooker and stir in the rice.
  5. In the microwave or on the stovetop, heat the vegetable broth until simmering.
  6. Add the hot broth to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
  7. Cover and cook until the rice is tender and all broth is absorbed, about 2 to 3 hours on high. (Mine typically takes 2 1/2 hours.)
  8. Once the liquid has been absorbed, add the lime juice and season with salt.
  9. Top with fresh cilantro and fluff with a fork.