Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach and Rice)
A one-pot Greek rice dish simmered with wilted spinach, dill, lemon, and olive oil until creamy without any cream.
Spanakorizo is Greek comfort food at its simplest — rice cooked risotto-style until creamy, with an entire bag of spinach folded in as it wilts down into the pot. No cream, no cheese required, though a crumble of feta on top never hurts if you want it.
Plenty of fresh dill and a good squeeze of lemon at the end are what really define this dish, giving it a brightness that keeps it from tasting like plain rice with greens stirred in.
This is a fully plant-based dish that gets its creaminess from technique rather than added dairy, which keeps the saturated fat naturally low while still feeling indulgent. It's an easy weeknight dinner on its own, or a good side to grilled fish or chicken when you want something more substantial than a plain salad, and it comes together with pantry staples you likely already have on hand.
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion — diced
- 2 green onions — sliced
- 2 cloves garlic — minced
- 1 cup dry short or medium grain rice
- 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
- 10 oz baby spinach — chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh dill — chopped
- 1 lemon — juiced and zested
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
These ingredients are standard at most major European supermarkets.
Instructions
- 1Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and green onions, cooking 5 minutes until softened.
- 2Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute.
- 3Add rice and toast, stirring, for 1-2 minutes.
- 4Add broth, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 15 minutes until rice is nearly tender.
- 5Stir in spinach in batches, allowing it to wilt into the rice, about 5 minutes.
- 6Remove from heat, stir in dill, lemon juice, and zest, and season with salt and pepper.