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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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Vanessa says
Absolutely delicious!!!
Martha says
Thanks Vanessa!
Joanne says
I made this rice to accompany chicken souvlaki. It was soooo delicious. It’s definitely on my favourites list now! I didn’t use the cumin as I’m not a fan but it was yummy without.
Martha says
Thanks Joanne!
Ado says
This recipe is fantastic! My whole family loved it and I cannot wait to make it again!
Martha says
Thanks Ado!
Carol says
This has become a family potluck favorite and I don’t foresee anyone getting tired of it!!
Bonus it’s so easy to prepare I always do a double batch
Martha says
So glad to hear this Carol – thanks for taking the time to write to us!
Carolyn says
Made this recipe last week and we loved it! So much so that hubby wants it with his Greek dinner request for Father’s Day tonight! I’m not a big fan of dill and didn’t have any so just omitted it and it was still excellent. May add some oregano as someone else suggested but really, it has so much flavour I don’t think it really needs it.
Martha says
Glad you enjoyed the recipe Carolyn!
Cadie Maas says
I made this last night to go with a chicken shawarma, to serve with rice instead of in pita (ala chicken shawarma rice bowls) and it was the perfect accompaniment and it was so good by itself. I loved the flavor and can’t wait to eat the leftovers tonight. I am a first time visitor to your blog, but will be sure to check out your other recipes. Thank you for sharing this one!
Martha says
You’re very welcome Cadie! We’re glad you found us!
Anthoula V. says
Have made this twice now, hands down my favourite spinach and rice recipe. I am Greek and not a fan of cumin but love it here. My mom used to make this for me and your recipe is the closest I have come to make with the taste. Thank you so much. And it is easy with your great video. ❤️
Martha says
You’re very welcome Anthoula – so glad you are enjoying the recipe! <3
Janine says
No cumin in Greek cooking please. Traditionally one would not use garlic either. The flavor comes from dill, greens, onion, olive oil, and lemon.
Martha says
Thanks for your feedback Janine
Lori says
I recently found this recipe, and it has quickly become one of our favorites! I like to eat the leftovers with a fried egg and a bit of feta cheese.
Martha says
Great idea Lori!
Melissa Burden says
I worked in a Greek restaurant in college. I have been wanting to make this and found your recipe. It was the BOMB! I am making it again with Greek stuffed tomatoes and peppers for dinner. Thank you for the recipe.
Martha says
You’re very welcome Melissa! Sounds like a fantastic menu!