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Greek Rice recipe – also known as Spanakorizo – is tender, lemony rice with spinach and dill. This easy recipe has been a reader favorite for years!
What is Spanakorizo?
This Greek Rice recipe – also called Spanakorizo – has been a reader favorite recipe here on A Family Feast for years!
It’s a simple recipe of rice and spinach, flavored with fresh dill and lemon. The combination of flavors goes so well together – this easy side dish goes nicely with grilled seafood, chicken, or lamb kofta.
Why You’ll Love Spanakorizo
- This side dish is a great option when you want to add something fresh and bold to your dinner menu.
- It’s quick and easy – just fifteen minutes of prep and fifteen minutes to cook.
- It’s loaded with lemon and dill flavors – flavors that nicely complement the rice and spinach.
Reader Review
“I have to start by saying that I’ve made 100’s of recipes that I’ve found on Pinterest. This is the only one I’ve felt compelled to leave a review. This rice is the BEST rice dish I’ve ever made. The flavor was amazing. The seasoning was spot on. The rice turned out perfectly fluffy. Maybe it was because of the basmati rice, but I can never get rice to come out fluffy where you can easily separate the grains. I did spend some more time than usual rinsing the rice first. Maybe that’s where I’ve been going wrong all these years! I served the rice with a tomato and cucumber salad and some baked falafel. They were good, but the rice was the star on the plate! I’m so happy to have found it. Hours of searching has paid off big time.” – Stacie P.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Rice – We use basmati, a very aromatic rice with long, slender grains. It cooks up quickly and stays nice and fluffy. Jasmine rice is another option, but it tends to be stickier than basmati.
- Vegetable Broth – We cooked the rice in vegetable broth, rather than water, to give the dish more flavor. If you have homemade vegetable broth, use that, or a good canned variety.
- Spinach – Choose fresh baby spinach for this dish. The young leaves are more tender and sweet, and the stems don’t need to be trimmed. You can use frozen spinach, however, you will want to thaw it first and fully drain, then squeeze out any excess liquids.
- Lemon – You’ll use both the zest and the lemon juice in this dish.
- Dill – Fresh dill will give this recipe the best flavor, so I strongly urge you to seek that out. Dry can be used in a pinch, but the flavors won’t be quite the same. If you don’t like dill, some readers have suggested using Greek Oregano in its place.
- Olive Oil
- Onions
- Garlic
- Cumin – Not traditionally an ingredient in Greek recipes, this earthy seasoning perfectly complements the other flavors in this dish.
- Salt & Pepper
More Ingredient Options
There are many variations of this recipe – sometimes served with feta cheese, tomatoes, or even an egg on top. While our Greek Rice does not include those ingredients and toppings, you could certainly add them if you’d like.
Special Supplies Needed
- Medium saucepan with lid
- Fine mesh strainer, to rinse the rice before cooking
- Citrus zester and juicer
- Cutting board and sharp knife
- This kind of zester, if you’d like to make the lemon curls for garnish
Cooking Tip
Be sure to rinse the rice before cooking to ensure that any excess starches are removed. Place the rice in a fine mesh strainer and run under cold water for a few minutes. This will help prevent the rice from sticking together after it cooks.
How do I make Greek Rice?
- Sauté onions and garlic in oil in a medium saucepan.
- Add lemon zest, cumin, and fresh spinach. Cover pan and cook until the spinach wilts.
- Stir in the rice, vegetable broth, some of the dill, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to a simmer and cover the pot. Cook until the rice is tender.
- Stir in lemon juice and more fresh dill.
- Serve immediately. Add more lemon zest for garnish if you’d like.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make Greek Rice ahead of time? Yes – although freshly made is best since you are adding fresh herbs.
- How do I reheat the leftovers? Gently reheat leftovers in the microwave until warmed through.
- Can I made this in a rice cooker? We haven’t tried doing so ourselves, but in the comments below, we did have a reader write to tell us that she successfully made it in her rice cooker.
- Can I use frozen spinach in this recipe? Yes, however you’ll want to make sure to thaw and thoroughly drain out any excess moisture. We suggest squeezing the thawed spinach in paper towels or cheesecloth.
- Can I use chicken stock instead of vegetable broth? Yes, you can.
This Greek Rice recipe originally appeared on A Family Feast in 2014. We’ve updated the post and photos, but the delicious recipe remains the same.
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Greek Rice (Spanakorizo)
Note: You will need a medium-sized sauce pan with lid for this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 tablespoon garlic
- Zest from one lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 pound baby spinach (8 ounces), coarsely chopped
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 4 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped and divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- A few grinds freshly ground black pepper
- Juice from one lemon, about three tablespoons
Instructions
- Measure out and rinse the basmati rice under running cold water. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Sauté onions until translucent (about 3-5 minutes). Add garlic and sauté for another minute.
- Add the lemon zest, cumin and spinach and cover the pan. Cook until the spinach wilts down (about 3-5 minutes).
- Stir the rice, vegetable broth, 2 tablespoons of the dill, salt and pepper into the spinach mixture and stir to combine. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer, replacing the lid on the pan, and cook until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.
- Stir in the lemon juice and the remaining fresh dill before serving.
- Optional garnish with lemon strands.
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Jeanie Rosted says
One of my go to recipes when I have company over. This dish is always a hit!
Martha says
Thanks Jeanie!
Rochelle Steinfeld says
We made this last night as part of our authentic Greek themed family dinner. Our box of spinach contained only half the quantity called for and we didn’t chop it after cooking. No matter it still looked beautiful. So easy to make and delicious delicious!
Martha says
Thanks Rochelle!
Briseida says
Delicious!! So lemony and yummy 😋
Martha says
Thanks Briseida! Glad you enjoyed the recipes!
Mark E. says
I’ve been using this recipe for years and I substitute shallots instead of onions as a personal preference but is delicious either way and always a big hit!
Martha says
Glad you like it Mark!
Heather says
Does rinsing the rice go without saying? Because I did not, and the texture of this dish is not great. I see other reviewers talked about rinsing. I do like the flavor, but slightly disappointed with the end result.
Martha says
Hi Heather – I think the answer depends on the brand of rice you buy. Some basmati does require rinsing (check the package label), others don’t require it.
b says
Simple and very flavorful
Martha says
Thanks B!
marlene says
I made this the other night for 12 people and it was a huge hit! It accompanied an “everything bagel” crusted salmon dish just beautifully. I followed it exactly as written and it was perfect. So delicious! I just thought it might be nice to have a drop more texture so I toasted and chopped up some slivered almonds and mixed them in before serving. I also had crumbled feta on the side for anyone who wanted it. This is an awesome dish and I can’t recommend it enough! If you’re on the fence and are hunting for a great rice dish, you can stop looking now. This is a keeper!
Martha says
Thank you so much Marlene – great suggestions!
Gabriel says
I think first made this recipe a few years ago when I found this post and it’s been In rotation ever since. Perfect rice with great flavour. A great side dish or even a main. Great the night of and the day after. Everyone I’ve ever cooked it for has always asked for the recipe or for me to repeat it.
Martha says
So glad the recipe is a hit Gabriel!
Laurie says
This sounds delish. Is it better fresh the night it’s cooked, or is it one of those dishes that tastes better the next day? Making for an upcoming dinner party! Thanks!
Martha says
Hi Laurie – With the fresh dill, I think it’s best served fresh. But I will say that leftovers the next day are pretty delicious too! Enjoy!
Melissa says
Made this to go with some Greek chicken I grilled last night and it was amazing. A new favorite for me! It really packs in the flavor and is a great way to add in some good greens. I think the flavor was a bit overwhelming for our boys, but it’s a definite overall win for me and the hubs!
Martha says
Thanks Melissa!