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Everything cooks in the CrockPot for this cheesy Rice and Bean Bowl that’s loaded with amazing green chile flavors! And you can keep the kitchen cool when you make this tasty bowl meal recipe in the slow cooker.

PIN the CrockPot Rice and Bean Bowl to try it later!

Slow Cooker Spicy Brown Rice and Black Bean Bowl close-up photo of finished bowls

When you live where it’s hot in the summer, using the slow cooker to cook amazing food without heating up the house is one of the best tricks I know. In fact, on my Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker site I call recipes like this Slow Cooker Summer Dinners, and this CrockPot Rice and Bean Bowl would make a perfect summer dinner cooked in the CrockPot.

It took me a couple of tries to get this recipe just right, and for the final version I had the wild idea of cutting up some cubes of string cheese and stirring them into the rice and beans mixture for the last 30 minutes of cooking time, so this is a rice and bean bowl that’s seriously CHEESY. Everyone likes cheesy don’t they?

I tested several versions of this out on my niece Kara and her family, and they gave the thumbs up to the version with cheese, but that’s definitely optional if you prefer it without the cheese.

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

What makes the CrockPot Rice and Bean Bowl spicy?

I used two cans of diced green chiles (affiliate link) in the brown rice and black bean mixture and it was a bit spicy, even though these are Anaheim chiles, not Jalapenos! If you’re making this for kids you might want to cut that down to one can.

What other cheese could you use in the Rice and Bean Bowl?

If you have Queso Fresco or another crumbly Mexican cheese, I think that would be amazing in the rice and bean bowl that has Mexican flavors. I would just stir that in when the other ingredients are finished cooking in the CrockPot because it will melt much more quickly.

Want more rice and beans in the slow cooker?

For more ideas for cooking rice and beans, check out Black Beans and Rice Recipes or Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice Recipes on my Slow Cooker or Pressure Cooker site.

Slow Cooker Spicy Brown Rice and Black Bean Bowl process shots collage

How to make the CrockPot Rice and Bean Bowl:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

  1. Chop up a small onion and put it into a slow cooker that you’ve sprayed with non-stick spray, along with the Minced Garlic (affiliate link). I used my Crock-Pot 3-1/2-Quart Slow Cooker (affiliate link), but it could have been slightly smaller, or double the recipe and use a larger slow cooker if you’re doing Weekend Food Prep!
  2. Rinse 2 cans black beans and drain well in a colander. (Or you can use 3 cups cooked black beans. I love cooking dried beans in the slow cooker and then freezing to use in things like this.)
  3. Add the beans to the slow cooker. Add two cans diced green chiles with the juice (or maybe just one can if you’re cooking for kids.)
  4. Add 1 cup uncooked Uncle Ben’s Brown Rice (affiliate link), 1 can vegetable broth, ground cumin (affiliate link), Mexican Oregano (affiliate link), and 1 or 2 tsp. Sazon Seasoning (affiliate link), optional but good.
  5. Let it cook on high for 1 hour and 30 minutes, until the rice is mostly done and it looks like this. (If you have an older model slow cooker or use a different type of brown rice, your cooking time may be longer.)
  6. Then cut up six string cheese sticks into small rounds (or use 6 oz. cheese and cut into small cubes.) I liked using the string cheese because it was and easy to cut up.
  7. Stir the string cheese pieces gently into the rice and beans mixture and cook 20-30 minutes more on high.
  8. While that cooks, chop up green onions. (I used about a cup, because I love green onions.)
  9. Turn off heat, stir in the green onions, and it’s done.
  10. Serve the CrockPot Rice and Bean Bowl hot, with toppings like salsa, sour cream, and avocado as desired.

CrockPot Rice and Bean Bowl with sour cream, avocado, and salsa on the side.

More Rice and Beans in the CrockPot:

Weekend Food Prep:

This recipe for CrockPot Rice and Bean Bowl has been added to a new category called Weekend Food Prep  to help you find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!

Slow Cooker Spicy Brown Rice and Black Bean Bowl close-up photo of finished bowls
Yield: 6 servings

CrockPot Rice and Bean Bowl

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes

Cook this CrockPot Rice and Bean Bowl in the slow cooker and keep your kitchen cool. And this cheesy bowl meal with is loaded with Mexican flavors.

Ingredients

  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 tsp. minced garlic
  • two 15 oz. cans black beans, rinsed well and drained (see notes)
  • 1 cup uncooked brown rice (see notes)
  • two 4 oz. cans diced green chiles (see notes)
  • one 14 oz. can vegetable broth
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1 tsp. Mexican oregano
  • 2 tsp. Sazon seasoning (optional, but it adds a lot of flavor)
  • 6 pieces Mozzarella string cheese
  • 1 cup green onions, sliced (more or less to taste)

Instructions

  1. Spray the inside of a 3-4 quart slow cooker with non-stick spray.
  2. Chop up the onion.
  3. If using canned beans, rinse in a colander placed in the sink (until no more foam appears) and let the beans drain.
  4. Put diced onion, minced garlic, black beans, rice, vegetable broth, diced green chiles, ground cumin, Mexican oregano, and Sazon (if using) into the slow cooker.
  5. Cook on high for 1 hour 30 minutes.  (If you have an older model slow cooker or use a different type of brown rice, your cooking time may be longer.)
  6. Cut 6 sticks Mozzarella string cheese into slices (or cut 6 oz. cheese into cubes if not using string cheese.)
  7. Gently stir the cheese into the rice and bean mixture and cook 20-30 minutes more, or until the rice is done and the cheese is melting.
  8. Chop up desired amount of green onions.
  9. Turn off heat, stir in the green onions, and serve hot with salsa, diced avocado, and/or sour cream to add at the table.

Notes

You can also use 3 cups cooked black beans instead of canned beans. I used Uncle Ben's Brown Rice (affiliate link) for this recipe.

This was slightly spicy; you might only want one can of diced green chiles (affiliate link) if you’re making it for kids.

Sazon Seasoning (affiliate link) is definitely optional, but it's good in this.

I used my Crock-Pot 3-1/2-Quart Slow Cooker (affiliate link) for this recipe.

Nutritional information does not include optional toppings.

This recipe inspired by Slow Cooker Mexican Rice at Six Sisters’ Stuff.

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 340Total Fat 8gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 22mgSodium 613mgCarbohydrates 49gFiber 14gSugar 4gProtein 21g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Did you make this recipe?

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!

© Kalyn Denny
Category: Slow Cooker
CrockPot Rice and Bean Bowl shown in two serving bowls with toppings.

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
This CrockPot Rice and Bean Bowl would be too high in carbs for low-carb diets. It’s suitable for phase 2 or 3 of the original South Beach Diet. (Remember that dried beans are a limited food for South Beach, so if you’re actively trying to lose weight on Phase 2, use portion control.)

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Slow Cooker Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This cheesy Rice and Bean Bowl that’s made in the slow cooker was first posted in 2014. The recipe was last updated with more information in 2024.

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