Spanakorizo

Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach Rice)

A classic Greek one-pot dish of rice simmered with spinach, spring onions and plenty of fresh dill, finished with lemon and good olive oil. Serve it warm or at room temperature with a slab of feta on the side.

Prep

15 min

Cook

35 min

Total

50 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •300 g (10½ oz) fresh spinach, or 300 g frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• •180 g (6½ oz) short-grain or medium-grain rice, such as Carolina Gold or risotto rice; Greek recipes often use round medium-grain
• •2 whole yellow onions, one finely chopped, one sliced into half-rings
• •100 g (3½ oz) spring onions, about 8, trimmed and sliced
• •60 g (2 oz) fresh dill, a large bunch, fronds and tender stems, roughly chopped
• •80 ml (⅓ cup) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving
• •1 whole lemon, juiced, about 45 ml / 3 tbsp
• •600 ml (2½ cups) water or light vegetable stock, hot
• •1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• •1 pinch black pepper, freshly ground
• •120 g (4½ oz) feta cheese, to serve, cut into blocks

Steps

1. 1 Wash the spinach in cold water and drain well. If using fresh spinach, leave it in a colander to drip; if using frozen, squeeze out all excess water and roughly chop.
2. 2 Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or deep skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and spring onions and cook, stirring, for 6–8 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned.
3. 3 Add the sliced onion rings and the spinach. Stir and cook for 5 minutes until the spinach has fully wilted and the onions are soft.
4. 4 Stir in the rice and half the dill. Cook for 1 minute, stirring, so the grains are coated in oil.
5. 5 Pour in the hot water or stock and add the salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
6. 6 Uncover, stir gently, and check the liquid. The rice should still be quite soupy and loose - add a splash more hot water if it looks dry. Cover again and cook for a further 5–8 minutes, until the rice is tender but still has a slight bite.
7. 7 Remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and the remaining fresh dill. Taste and adjust the salt - it should be well seasoned, as the feta served alongside is salty.
8. 8 Cover and let the pan stand off the heat for 5 minutes. The spanakorizo should be soft and moist, not dry; loosen with a little hot water if it tightens as it sits.
9. 9 Serve warm or at room temperature in shallow bowls, drizzled with a little more olive oil, with a block of feta on the side.