This Slow Cooker 4-Ingredient Beef and Rice Casserole is creamy, hearty, and made with ground beef, rice, cream of mushroom soup, and broth. Brown the beef, layer everything in the slow cooker, and let it turn into a comforting, scoopable dinner with minimal effort. You’re going to love how easy this cozy casserole is on a busy night.
Why You’ll Love It
- Four simple ingredients — ground beef, rice, cream of mushroom soup, and broth do all the work.
- Hands-off cooking — brown the beef, layer everything in the slow cooker, and let it cook.
- Creamy and comforting — the rice cooks right in the savory broth and soup mixture.
- Easy to customize — add cheese, vegetables, or a little extra seasoning at the table.
- Minimal cleanup — there’s only one slow-cooker insert to wash.
Ingredient Notes
Ground beef is the backbone here. I use 85 to 90 percent lean because it has enough flavor without leaving you with a skillet full of grease to deal with. If yours is fattier, just drain it well after browning. No sense carrying all that extra grease into the slow cooker. We’re making comfort food, not an oil slick.
Long-grain white rice is important. Not instant rice. Not brown rice. Not jasmine. It might be fine in a different recipe, but this one is calibrated for regular uncooked long-grain white rice, and the slow cooker can be a temperamental old mule when it comes to grains.
Cream of mushroom soup gives the casserole its creamy sauce. Campbell’s is a reliable choice when you’re tired. Cream of chicken or cream of celery soup works if mushroom is a hard no at your house.
Use low-sodium beef broth if you can find it. The soup already brings salt to the party, and you can always add more after cooking. Onion powder or garlic powder is optional, but a teaspoon keeps it from tasting like it gave up halfway through.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef, preferably 85–90% lean
- Nonstick cooking spray or 1 teaspoon oil for the skillet, if your beef is especially lean
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste; use less if your broth isn’t low sodium
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, optional but recommended
- 1 teaspoon dried onion powder or garlic powder, optional, whichever jar isn’t empty
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth, divided: 1 cup for the skillet and 2 cups for the slow cooker
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
- 2 cans (10.5 ounces each) cream of mushroom soup
Instructions
- Lightly spray the inside of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick spray. This helps prevent dried rice cement from sticking to the crockpot later.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add a little oil if needed. Add the 1 1/2 pounds ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until there is no pink left, about 6 to 8 minutes. Keep the pieces fairly small for easy spoonfuls.
- Carefully drain off any excess grease from the skillet. Season the beef with the salt, pepper, and onion or garlic powder if you’re using it. Pour in 1 cup of the beef broth and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. That little bit of scraping makes a difference.
- Transfer the beef and all the broth from the skillet into the prepared slow cooker, spreading it out in an even layer.
- Sprinkle the uncooked long-grain white rice evenly over the beef. Do not stir it in. Just let it sit on top in a nice, even layer. This is one of those recipes where resisting the urge to fuss with it pays off.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the two cans of cream of mushroom soup and the remaining 2 cups beef broth until smooth. It may look a little lumpy at first; keep whisking.
- Pour the soup-and-broth mixture evenly over the rice and beef. Make sure the rice is moistened, gently pressing down any dry spots with the back of a spoon, but again—don’t stir the whole thing together yet. Let the slow cooker have its moment.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. It should be creamy and bubbling around the edges. Slow cookers vary wildly, so check for tenderness toward the end of cooking.
- Once the rice is tender, gently stir from the bottom up to combine the beef, rice, and creamy sauce. Taste it and add a little more salt and pepper if it needs it. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving; it thickens as it stands.
Variations
Top with shredded cheddar during the last 10 to 15 minutes of cooking, then put the lid back on so it melts into a proper cheesy blanket. You can use 1 to 2 cups, depending on whether you’re feeling reasonable. Parmesan is good too, though that makes it taste a little less like the original.
For vegetables, you can layer 1 to 2 cups frozen peas and carrots or corn over the beef before adding the rice. It works nicely, and it makes the whole meal look less beige, which is not nothing. Vegetables can also be served on the side.
A teaspoon of smoked paprika or Italian seasoning added with the beef gives it more zip. Cream of chicken or cream of celery soup can stand in for mushroom if needed. If you want extra creaminess, swap only up to 1 cup of the broth for milk or half-and-half and keep at least 2 cups broth so the rice cooks properly.
Storage & Reheating
Spoon leftovers into shallow containers and get them into the refrigerator within 2 hours. They’ll keep for about 3 to 4 days, although it rarely makes it past lunch the next day.
To reheat, add a small splash of beef broth or water if the casserole has thickened too much, then warm it in the microwave until steaming hot. Stir halfway through, especially if you’re reheating a big bowl. The rice tends to grab onto the sauce overnight like it pays rent there.
I don’t love freezing this one because cooked rice can get a little strange after thawing—still edible, just softer than I prefer. But if you need to freeze it, use a freezer-safe container, thaw in the refrigerator, and reheat slowly with a splash of broth.
Final Notes
This is the kind of meal for rainy days, busy evenings, or any time dinner needs to feel warm and easy.
A slow cooker full of beef and rice has a way of making the kitchen feel occupied. Warm. Like there’s enough to go around.
And if the only vegetable on the plate is a scoop of peas from the freezer, well… that counts.
Slow Cooker 4-Ingredient Beef and Rice Casserole
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Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef Preferably 85–90% lean
- 1 teaspoon nonstick cooking spray or oil Use oil if the beef is especially lean
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt Or to taste; use less if the broth is not low sodium
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper Optional but recommended
- 1 teaspoon dried onion powder or garlic powder Optional
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth Divided; 1 cup for the skillet and 2 cups for the slow cooker
- 1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain white rice Do not use instant, brown, or jasmine rice
- 2 cans (10.5 ounces each) cream of mushroom soup
Instructions
- Lightly spray the inside of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, adding a little oil if needed, then cook the ground beef while breaking it up with a spoon until no pink remains, about 6 to 8 minutes.
- Carefully drain any excess grease, then season the beef with the salt, pepper, and onion or garlic powder if using.
- Pour 1 cup of the beef broth into the skillet and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom.
- Transfer the beef and all the broth from the skillet to the prepared slow cooker, spreading it evenly, then sprinkle the uncooked rice over the beef without stirring.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the cream of mushroom soup and the remaining 2 cups of beef broth until smooth.
- Pour the soup-and-broth mixture evenly over the rice and beef, gently pressing down any dry spots without stirring the layers together.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours, until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Gently stir from the bottom up to combine the beef, rice, and sauce, taste and adjust the seasoning, then let the casserole stand for a few minutes before serving.
