Ingredients
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1 pound lean ground beef (80/20 or 90/10 both work)
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1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1½ cups)
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2 cups long-grain white rice, uncooked and rinsed
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2 cans (10.5 ounces each) condensed tomato soup
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2½ cups water
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1 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
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½ teaspoon black pepper (plus more to taste)
A note on the rice: Do not skip rinsing the rice. Rinsing removes excess starch, which prevents the final dish from becoming gummy or overly sticky. Just put the rice in a fine-mesh strainer and run cool water over it for about 30 seconds.
Equipment You’ll Need
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Large skillet
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4- to 6-quart slow cooker
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Medium mixing bowl
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Whisk
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Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Brown the Beef
Place your large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until it’s no longer pink. This usually takes about 5 to 7 minutes.
If you’re using 80/20 beef, you’ll see a fair amount of grease in the pan. Drain off most of it, leaving just about a teaspoon or so for flavor and to help the onions cook. If you’re using leaner beef (90/10 or 93/7), you might not need to drain anything at all.
Step 2: Cook the Onion
Add the diced yellow onion to the skillet with the beef. Stir everything together and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion softens and becomes translucent. You don’t want any crunch left.
Once that’s done, turn off the heat and set the skillet aside.
Step 3: Layer the Slow Cooker
Lightly grease the inside of your slow cooker with a little cooking spray or a thin layer of oil. This helps prevent the rice from sticking to the sides and bottom.
Add the uncooked, rinsed rice to the slow cooker and spread it into an even layer.
Step 4: Make the Tomato Mixture
In a medium bowl, whisk together the two cans of condensed tomato soup, 2½ cups of water, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Whisk until the soup is completely smooth and fully combined with the water.
Step 5: Pour and Submerge
Pour the tomato soup mixture evenly over the rice. Use your spoon to gently nudge the rice around so that all of it is submerged in the liquid. This is important – any rice sitting above the liquid won’t cook properly.
Step 6: Add the Meat
Spoon the cooked ground beef and onion mixture over the top of the rice and tomato liquid.
Now, here’s a small but important instruction: gently stir just enough to distribute the meat and onions. You don’t want to aggressively mix or pack the rice down. A few gentle folds are plenty.
Step 7: Cover and Cook
Put the lid on your slow cooker.
Cook on LOW for 3½ to 4½ hours. Do not open the lid during the first 3 hours. I know it’s tempting to peek, but every time you lift that lid, you release steam and heat, which can leave your rice undercooked or uneven. Trust the process.
Step 8: Check and Fluff
After 3½ hours, check the dish. The rice should be tender and have absorbed most of the liquid. The texture should be moist and saucy, not soupy or dry.
Give everything a gentle stir from the bottom to the top to loosen any rice that may have settled at the bottom.
Step 9: Taste and Serve
Taste the Texas Hash. Add a little more salt or pepper if you’d like. Then serve it hot, right from the slow cooker, while it’s still steamy and moist.
What to Serve With Texas Hash
This dish is a complete meal on its own – you’ve got protein, carbs, and plenty of flavor. But if you want to round out the plate, here are a few simple ideas:
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A side salad with a tangy vinaigrette (the acidity cuts through the richness)
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Steamed or roasted green beans or broccoli
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Cornbread or a crusty baguette (for sopping up the saucy bits)
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A dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt
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A sprinkle of shredded cheddar cheese and fresh chopped parsley
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer: This freezes surprisingly well. Portion into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating: The microwave works fine (about 90 seconds per portion). For best results, reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a splash of water or beef broth to loosen the rice.
Common Questions (FAQ)
Can I use brown rice instead of white?
You can, but you’ll need to adjust the cooking time and liquid. Brown rice takes much longer (typically 5 to 6 hours on LOW) and needs about ½ cup more liquid. I recommend sticking with long-grain white rice for the best results with this exact recipe.
Can I add vegetables?
Absolutely. Diced bell peppers (especially green or red) are a classic addition to Texas Hash. You can also add frozen corn, drained diced tomatoes, or even a can of mild green chiles. Add them with the meat and onion before cooking.
My rice turned out mushy. What went wrong?
Two possibilities: either you used too much liquid (unlikely if you followed the recipe exactly) or you used a different type of rice. Short-grain rice, jasmine rice, and parboiled rice all behave differently. Stick with basic long-grain white rice for consistent results.
Can I double this recipe?
Only if your slow cooker is at least 7 to 8 quarts. A 4- or 5-quart slow cooker cannot handle double the ingredients – it will overflow or cook unevenly.
Can I cook this on HIGH instead of LOW?
I don’t recommend it. Cooking rice on HIGH in a slow cooker often leads to uneven cooking – the bottom burns while the top stays undercooked. LOW is gentler and much more reliable for rice-based dishes.
Final Thoughts
This Slow Cooker 4-Ingredient Texas Hash isn’t going to win any beauty contests. It’s not photogenic. It’s not fancy. But it is reliable, comforting, and genuinely satisfying in a way that complicated meals rarely are.
On the days when you’re exhausted, when you have back-to-back calls, when you just need dinner to happen without you having to think about it – this is the recipe you turn to.
Keep it simple. Feed yourself well. And let the slow cooker do the heavy lifting.
Enjoy.