Making a savory side dish in your Crock-Pot frees up your stove and time while you focus on your main course.
I’ve always felt that the Crock-Pot was invented for busy moms. It was one of my absolute favorite kitchen tools when my kids were young. I could toss in a bunch of ingredients, set it to cook, and spend quality time with my children. Even now, when they are grown and off living their lives, I still use it from time to time, especially for this savory Crock-Pot Spanish rice.
Sure, I’ve also shared a recipe to make this dish on the stove, which is great when I don’t plan my meals. But, on those rare occasions when I do plan, I tend to use it for recipes like this rice dish. There’s just something about the added richness of the flavors that have time to develop fully as the rice slowly cooks. It brings out the tomatoey, smoky goodness of the sauce and spices. I’m always running out of cumin because I use it in so many dishes. With only one-half teaspoon each of cumin and chili powder, they don’t overpower the rice. Instead, they add the right amount of flavor with just a slight underlying heat. Even people who don’t like spicy foods agree that this rice is perfect.
The lime juice added near the end brightens the dish. That is the primary difference between this recipe and the other one I shared. Although the recipe calls for low-sodium chicken broth, you can substitute vegetable broth for a vegetarian version.
Unlike some recipes that add the rice to the Crock-Pot immediately, this one requires an extra step. Just as with our stovetop version, you first sauté the rice in some vegetable oil to help it get nice and toasty. Trust me on this one: you don’t want to skip this step, or the rice will not turn out as good. I like to toast my rice in olive oil or avocado oil before adding it to the Crock-Pot.
Delicious variations for Spanish rice
As good as this Crock-Pot Spanish rice recipe is, you can still put your own spin on it by adding other ingredients. I like to add chopped onions and red bell peppers to mine, so once the rice has finished toasting, I add the onions and peppers to the pan for three to five minutes. Then it all goes into the Crock-Pot to finish cooking. I’ve also substituted some jarred salsa (that happened on a day when I was out of tomato sauce) for the tomato sauce, and it tasted amazing! Crushed tomatoes also work well, as they add bits of tomato to the rice.
One of my favorite things to add to many Crock-Pot dishes is frozen corn and peas. I typically stir them in during the last 15 minutes of cooking, which gives them plenty of time to defrost and warm up. Some chopped fresh spinach added at that time is also good, providing additional nutrients. Spanish rice is a great way to sneak more vegetables into your children’s meals, especially if they often turn their noses up at veggies. The one thing I don’t recommend changing is the rice. Stick with long-grain white rice to prevent it from becoming mushy. If the liquid in the Crock-Pot becomes fully absorbed and your rice is not yet tender, add a little more broth or water to the pot and cook it a bit longer.
How do I store leftovers?
Allow leftover Crock-Pot Spanish rice to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Once chilled, you can also freeze the rice for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container or zippered bag. Defrost it overnight in the refrigerator or reheat it from frozen in the microwave. Add a little water when reheating the frozen rice in the microwave. Leftover rice should only be reheated once for safety reasons. You can also reheat the rice on the stove over medium heat until warm.
Serving suggestions
Crock-Pot Spanish rice is the perfect side dish to this cheesy Taco Bake. One of my favorite ways to eat rice and refried beans at a Mexican restaurant is with tortilla chips. It’s like making nachos one at a time. I highly recommend this Refried Bean Dip as the perfect accompaniment to the rice. You can also serve the rice alongside Mexican Chicken Adobo, Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas, and Black Bean Enchiladas. May I suggest this refreshing Coconut Ice Cream Recipe for dessert? It’s a great way to end the meal.
Crock-Pot Spanish Rice
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 cups long-grain rice
- 8 ounces tomato sauce
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Pepper to taste
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- Kosher salt to taste
- Fresh cilantro chopped (for optional garnish)
Instructions
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the rice and toast it until it turns light golden, about 5 minutes. Then transfer the toasted rice into a greased slow cooker.
- Add the tomato sauce, garlic salt, minced garlic, chicken broth, chili powder, ground cumin, and pepper to the slow cooker.
- Stir the mixture well, cover, and cook on high for 2½ hours or until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Gently mix in the lime juice and season with kosher salt if needed. Garnish with cilantro if desired.
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