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You are here: Home / Crockpot / Slow Cooker Lentil and Rice {4 Basic Ingredients}

Slow Cooker Lentil and Rice {4 Basic Ingredients}

Sep 14, 2021 6 Comments

Slow Cooker Lentil and Rice is a 4-ingredient, Dump and Forget, Lazy-Day dinner recipe where all you have to do is just add rice and lentils along with herbs and spices in your slow cooker and then get them cooked to perfection.
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Slow Cooker Lentil and Rice is a 4-ingredient, Dump and Forget, Lazy-Day dinner recipe where all you have to do is just add rice and lentils along with herbs and spices in your slow cooker and then get them cooked to perfection. Just like this Crockpot Lentil Coconut Curry and this Instant Pot Lentil Soup.

NOTE: I have not counted Olive oil, Salt and Pepper as ingredients since they are used in all recipes.

lentil and rice on a plate with cilantro
Jump to:
  • Five Reasons to love this Recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Just two steps to make a difference....!
  • Substitutions
  • Can I Make this in the Instant Pot
  • Storage
  • Variations
  • Do I have to Soak Lentils?
  • Is this Kid-Friendly?
  • How to make it Freezer Friendly?
  • Slow Cooker Lentil and Rice {4 Basic Ingredients}
lentil and rice in a slow cooker and a plate

Egyptian Lentil and Rice is such a comforting recipe that you don't need a special occasion to make it. You can make it with your basic pantry ingredients and the result will be something super-good.

This 4-Ingredient recipe is inspired by other popular 4-ingredient recipes which are:

  • Crockpot Chicken Thighs in Creamy Garlic Parmesan Sauce
  • Easy Dark Chocolate Walnut Fudge
  • Flourless Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
  • Donuts in Air-Fryer Without Yeast
  • Dark Chocolate Coconut Balls without Condensed Milk
  • 4-ingredients Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles

There is something so comforting about cooking food in the slow cooker right? I'll be honest with you. I love cooking. I love exploring flavors. But, standing on the counter for hours sautéing continuously is not my cup of tea. I'd rather just dump everything in the slow cooker and forget about it for the next 5-6 hours.

Moreover, slow cooked food is much much better than anything else. I am talking about recipes like:-

lentil and rice closeup
  • Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Bacon & Maple
  • Crockpot Tomato Basil Chicken
  • Chicken and Shrimp Gumbo in Crockpot
  • Crockpot Chicken Fajita
  • Apple Butternut Squash Chicken in Crockpot
  • Sweet Corn Casserole {5-ingredient} with Jiffy Mix in the Crockpot

Five Reasons to love this Recipe

  1. 4 Basic Ingredients - This recipe uses just 4 basic ingredients but tastes gourmet.
  2. Cozy and Comforting - It's absolutely cozy and comforting just like chicken and rice.
  3. Tastes Best the Next Day - Pack it for lunch and it will stay absolutely fresh. This tastes even better on the next day.
  4. Freeze Leftovers - You can freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months.
  5. Cheap and Healthy - Red lentils are one of the MOST inexpensive items on earth. You can easily get a bag of red lentils and let's not forget how healthy they are. Packed with protein, fiber, iron and foliate this should be your ideal choice.

Ingredients

ingredients for lentil and rice
  • Brown Rice
  • Lentil - any lentil that you like Brown, Red or Green.
  • Ground Cinnamon
  • Thyme
  • crushed garlic
  • Salt and Pepper
  • olive oil

See recipe card for quantities.

Just two steps to make a difference....!

Step 1: Add Everything in Slow Cooker

Add oil to the bottom of a slow cooker, followed by brown rice, lentil (of your choice), ground cinnamon, dried or fresh Thyme, crushed or finely minced garlic, salt and pepper. Stir lightly.

Step 2: Cover and Cook

Cover the lid and cook on low for 4 hours or on High for 2 hours.

comparison of before and after

Step 3: Garnish and Serve

Garnish with Freshly chopped Parsley or cilantro and serve with rice.

Hint: Your cooking time will depend on the kind of lentil you are using.

Green lentil and Brown Lentils - Green Lentils and Brown lentils takes around 3-4 hours on High and 6 to 8 hours on Low.

Red Lentils - Red Lentils cooks fast. So, you'd need about 2 hours on High and about 4 hours on Low. Don't overcook red lentils or else they will break apart and become mushy.

Substitutions

  • Bay Leaf - One dried bay leaf can add so much flavor and fragrance to your lentil and rice.
  • Ground Coriander - About 1/2 teaspoon of Ground Coriander would add more depth of flavor.
  • Curry Powder - Although it is not necessary, but you can add 1/2 teaspoon of curry powder to make the flavors more amazing.
  • Ground Cumin - A pinch of ground cumin adds an earthy tone to the recipe.

Can I Make this in the Instant Pot

Yes you can easily make this in the Instant Pot. To make this recipe in exact Instant Pot, just add everything in the same order. Do not Stir. Cover and set valve to sealing position. Pressure Cook/Manual for 25 minutes. Now do Quick Pressure Release by turning the valve to Venting. Serve hot with fresh cilantro.

Storage

Refrigerate: Allow it to cool down completely. Transfer it to an air-tight container and refrigerate for 5-6 days. Reheat by simmering with a splash of water or vegetable broth for at least 5-minutes.

Freeze: Allow it to cool down completely. Freeze it in an air tight container for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for 5 to 6 hours.

Variations

  • Lentil and rice Pilaf - You can use Jasmine rice instead of brown rice along with caramelized onions to make Authentic Lebanese Lentil Rice Pilaf.
  • Lentil and rice salad - If you are using cooked brown rice and canned cooked lentils then you can just combine all of that to make a salad.
  • Lentil and rice casserole - You can simply combine all these ingredients in a baking dish and bake at 300 degrees F for about 1 hour 10-minutes. Add cheese and bake for another 20-minutes.
  • Lentil and rice stuffed pepper - You can make stuffed pepper with lentil and rice. Or else you can also make Lentil and rice stuffed zucchini.
  • Lentil and rice burger - Lentils and rice makes excellent burgers. See the recipe for Instant Pot Lentil Sloppy Joes Recipe {Vegan}

Do I have to Soak Lentils?

Yes you must always soak lentils for at least an hour or two before making this. It's not about whether it'll cook faster. Soaking Lentils breaks down the complex starch in lentils and makes it easier for you to digest. See this article by healthline and learn how to soak lentils and for how long.

Is this Kid-Friendly?

Yes, this is Kid-Friendly. I haven't added any spice mix that would make it too hot or spicy for kids. Therefore, I can say it with confidence that this recipe is friendly for kids.

How to make it Freezer Friendly?

Pan-Fry garlic with spices for about 30 seconds. Transfer to a gallon size Ziplock bag with all other ingredients except garnishes and water or broth. Let as much air out as possible. Seal it completely. Freeze for 3-months. Then cook from Frozen state with at least 3 cups of water or vegetable broth. Cook on Low for 6-7 hours or on High for 3-4 hours.

Slow Cooker Lentil and Rice {4 Basic Ingredients}

Slow Cooker Lentil and Rice is a 4-ingredient, Dump and Forget, Lazy-Day dinner recipe where all you have to do is just add rice and lentils along with herbs and spices in your slow cooker and then get them cooked to perfection.
4.78 from 9 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 5 hours hours
soak lentils for 2 hours: 2 hours hours
Total Time: 7 hours hours 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 546kcal
Author: Surup

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1½ cup green or brown or red lentils soaked, drained, and rinsed
  • 1½ cup uncooked brown rice can use basmati rice or wild rice
  • 4 cups vegetable broth can use water
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon dried Thyme optional
  • 4 cloves garlic crushed or finely minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper or to taste
  • ¼ cup freshly chopped cilantro for garnish (OPTIONAL)
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INSTRUCTIONS

  • Pour olive oil in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add all other ingredients. Give it a light toss.
  • Close it with a glass lid and cook on low for 5-6 hours or on High for 3-4 hours.
  • Open the lid and garnish with freshly chopped cilantro. Serve right away.

Video

Notes

Storage: Allow this to cool down completely and then transfer the contents to an airtight container. Refrigerate for 4-5 days. Reheat it on the stovetop simmering for about 5-minutes with few splashes of water or broth. 
You can freeze the leftovers for up to 3 months. Allow this to cool down completely. Transfer it to an airtight container. Freeze for 3-months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for 5 hours before serving.
 

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Slow Cooker Lentil and Rice {4 Basic Ingredients}
Amount Per Serving
Calories 546 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Sodium 1239mg54%
Potassium 860mg25%
Carbohydrates 100g33%
Fiber 24g100%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 23g46%
Vitamin A 607IU12%
Vitamin C 4mg5%
Calcium 78mg8%
Iron 7mg39%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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About Surup

Hi, I'm Surup - Thank you for stopping by at Recipemagik.com. I hope you enjoyed your time reading through some of my contents. the voice and the thought behind this website.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dennise says

    March 05, 2022 at 8:05 pm

    5 stars
    Very good! The calorie count isn't right.

    Reply
    • Anjali says

      March 06, 2022 at 5:56 am

      Well, its just an approximate value. It might not count correctly often!

      Reply
  2. Sherry says

    October 27, 2022 at 7:39 pm

    5 stars
    How long do you soak the lentils? Thank you ;-D

    Reply
    • Anjali says

      October 28, 2022 at 3:09 pm

      about an hour or two!

      Reply
  3. Angela says

    March 13, 2023 at 12:50 pm

    I’m in the U.K. so wondering if the recipe uses U.S. cups or will it work anyway as long as cup volume remains the same? Thank you

    Reply
    • Surup says

      March 17, 2023 at 8:27 am

      you can use any cup as long as the volume remains the same!

      Reply

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