Spanakorizo – Greek Spinach Rice

Name: Spanakorizo – Greek Spinach Rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 3
Ingredients: 6 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion; 2 cloves of garlic; 2 spring onions; 500 g spinach leaves, chopped; 1 cup rice; 1,5 cups of vegetable broth (or less if the spinach lost water while cooking); salt (quantity depending on your taste and how salty the broth is, start with 1/2 tsp); pepper; approx. 4 tbsp (fresh) dill (don’t skip) and 2 tbsp parsley (can be skipped. You can also or use chives instead), finely chopped; 3 tbsp lemon juice plus the zest of 1/2 organic (!) lemon; Optional: chickpeas, vegan yogurt and/or feta cheese

by Heidrun Kubart

3 portions

35 min

Spanakorizo, is a traditional, easy to make, and very tasty Greek vegan recipe made out of spinach and rice (spanáki and rizi), and some lemon juice – and lots of good (Greek) extra vergin olive oil, of course. The few ingredients are simple, but so healthy, budget-friendly, and the result tastes so delicious, which makes Spanakorizo one of those jackpot dishes.

Spinach and rice?!

Maybe the combination of spinach and rice is new for you and doesn’t sound so appealing at first. But hey: Spinach with potatoes taste great. Spinach with pasta does. And rice tastes great with several kinds of veggies – just think of all the different risottos out there. And maybe, you even had “Palak Paneer” (or a vegan “Palak Tofu”) already, an Indian dish made out of spinach and served with rice. Doesn’t sound too strange now? Great. So give this “Greek risotto” a try – you won’t be disappointed by Spanakorizo.

Foodtalk Recommends!

Make this delicious recipe using this highly rated vegetable broth that Amazon reviewers swear by!

Spanakorizo 2.0 – an extended version

Since I stumbled upon Spanakorizo I have made this Greek spinach rice already several times. It is perfect as it is, simple and pure. But if you feel like some proteins are missing: It goes perfectly with chickpeas. This idea came into my mind thinking about a soup recipe I love (will for sure share it with you here one day, in the meantime check out this Instagram post). It is made out of orzo (rice-shaped pasta), lemon, baby spinach, and chickpeas. As there were cooked chickpeas in my fridge, the idea for this extended Spanakorizo version was born. It was a perfect match – super like. On top of everything, I added plain yogurt. I have this quirk since my childhood. Back then, sour cream landed on almost every dish. I didn’t add it so far, but I can imagine that vegan feta cheese or tomatoes also fit great with Spanakorizo.

Greek vegan recipes (with spinach)

If you love comfort food, Mediterranean dishes and particularly Greek vegan recipes like I do, be sure to visit this site from time to time. There are so many good creations out there I want to share with you: Fava, a spread made out of split peas. Or Fasolakia, a dish with green beans and potatoes. Or – another vegan Greek food I already shared on this blog – Spanakopita. As you might know now: It must be something with spinach. Bingo. Spanakopita is a Greek spinach pie. Have a look at this delicious version with tofu instead of feta.

If you are looking for more vegan spinach recipes, keep checking back my blog. You can also use the filter function (on the right or at the bottom if you are using a smartphone) to select recipes according to your favorite ingredients.

I hope this Spanakorizo recipe will become one of your fave recipes too. I would be very happy to receive your feedback as a comment or in the form of a review, thank you.

Did you try this recipe?

I would love to see the result. Please do not forget to tag me on Instagram: @plantbased.redhead.cooks

Spanakorizo – Greek Spinach Rice

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Recipe details

Yield 3 portions
Time spent: Prep time: 10 Minutes Cook time: 25 Minutes Total time: 35 min

Show Nutrition Info

Per serving

% Daily value

Ingredients

6 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 spring onions
500 g spinach leaves, chopped
1 cup rice
1,5 cups of vegetable broth (or less if the spinach lost water while cooking)
salt (quantity depending on your taste and how salty the broth is, start with 1/2 tsp)
pepper
approx. 4 tbsp (fresh) dill (don’t skip) and 2 tbsp parsley (can be skipped. You can also or use chives instead), finely chopped
3 tbsp lemon juice plus the zest of 1/2 organic (!) lemon
Optional: chickpeas, vegan yogurt and/or feta cheese

Instructions

Finely chop the onion and garlic, cut the spring onions into fine rings (keep the green and white parts separately)
Wash the spinach, remove any unsightly large stalks and chop the spinach into coarse strips.
Wash rice in a colander to remove excess starch
Heat three tablespoons of good quality olive oil, add the onion, and sauté for 2 min.
Then add the white part of the spring onions as well as the garlic and sauté for 2 more min.
Next, add the spinach and let cook until the spinach wilts down.
Now add the rice, sauté for 1-2 more min. before you add the vegetable broth and salt. Let come to boil before you turn the heat to low, cover with a lid, and let simmer for 15 min.
Stir in the green parts of the spring onions, pepper, herbs, lemon juice (and zest) as well as two more tablespoons of olive oil.
Serve it like it is, or add plain yogurt. Cooked chickpeas are also a good fit. Or give it a try with vegan feta cheese.

Tips

You can use more spring onions and no onion instead, or the other way round.
If you're using frozen spinach, let it thaw a little and then squeeze it out before you cook with it.

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