Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach and Rice)

Spanakorizo, or Greek Spinach and Rice, is a delicious, healthy, vegan Greek side dish or plant-based main course, flavored with fresh lemon and dill. This version uses a few tricks for fast cooking time: green onions (which also add great flavor), basmati rice (which cooks quickly), and baby spinach (which has a very mild taste and doesn’t require washing or chopping). Spanakorizo is the perfect side dish to grilled chicken or shrimp, or on its own as a light meal!

If you’re looking for the PERFECT side dish to almost anything, look no further than Spanakorizo, or Greek Spinach and Rice.

Greek Spinach and Rice is packed with healthy spinach, boosted with flavor from lemon and dill. I like drizzling it with extra-virgin olive oil at the end and garnishing with some crumbled feta, fresh herbs, and sliced green onion.

Traditional, authentic Spanakorizo is often made with mature chopped spinach and converted rice, but I like using baby spinach for its mild flavor and faster cooking time, and basmati rice which cooks really fast with a fluffy, light texture. I also opted for green onions (scallions) instead of yellow onion for a brighter flavor and quicker cooking time.

In this post I’ll explain how to make Spanakorizo, how to use other kinds of leafy greens and rices, and what to serve it with!

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Baby spinach – you can use other leafy greens, mature or baby greens, if you like (more on that below). Frozen spinach may also be used.
• Basmati rice – you can use other kinds of rice if you like (more on that below).
• Green onions – a yellow or other bulb onion can also be used. You’ll add part of the dark green sliced scallions at the end of cooking, so make sure you reserve about 1/2 cup!
• Chopped fresh dill – or other herbs, or a combo, such as mint and/or parsley.
• Lemon juice and zest
• Vegetable broth – or chicken broth if you don’t need it vegetarian/vegan, or even water.
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• Extra-virgin olive oil

How to make Spanakorizo

1. First, SAUTÉ the light green and white parts of the scallions in olive oil. You only need a couple of minutes here – just until they soften and begin to brown.
2. Then, ADD the baby spinach. It will seem like a lot but will wilt down to practically nothing (see photo collage below). Give it a little stir and you’ll see it begins to wilt quickly with the heat of the pan. To speed up the wilting process, you can add a lid to the pot to keep the steam in. This should only take a couple of minutes (unless you are using mature greens, which will take longer).
3. STIR IN the rice and get it coated in the oil.
4. POUR IN the vegetable broth (or water, or chicken broth), add the salt, stir it, bring it to a boil, cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the rice is completely cooked.
5. STIR IN the fresh dill, lemon juice and zest, and dark green sliced onions.
6. SEASON TO TASTE, then serve! I like to garnish it with some crumbled feta cheese, a drizzle more of extra-virgin olive oil, and more fresh herbs and sliced green onions.

Can I use mature spinach, kale, or other greens?

Yes! Traditionally, Spanakorizo is made with mature spinach – and LOTS of it. I just used baby spinach because it cooks faster, it comes pre-washed, and you don’t have to chop it.

You can use mature spinach – up to 1 lb. of it! – if you like. Give it a good chop and a good wash. Mature greens will take longer to sauté as well, especially if you get them fresh from the garden as their water content will be quite high.

You can also use Swiss Chard (including the stems), or kale. Here’s a tutorial on how to prep, wash, and store kale that will be helpful for any mature green you choose to use for this Spanakorizo recipe.

You can also use another baby green, like baby arugula or baby kale. Arugula has a peppery flavor, and mature arugula has an even stronger peppery flavor, so keep that in mind.

Can I use frozen spinach?

Sure! This is another great way to save time for this Greek spinach and rice recipe. Just defrost the spinach and make sure to squeeze as much water out of it as you can, then proceed with the recipe. It won’t need but a minute of sautéing time.

To do this, I usually place the frozen chopped spinach in a mesh sieve and run hot water over it until it’s defrosted. Then, I use a wooden spoon to squeeze to press as much water out as possible.

You can also defrost it by spreading it out on a clean towel, then wringing it out in the towel to get the water out.

What about other kinds of rice?

I used basmati rice because of it’s fast cooking time and light, fluffy texture. But basically any kind of rice can be used in this recipe! Just be aware of how long the kind of rice you choose to use takes to cook and how much liquid you need for 1 cup of rice.

• Another kind of long-grain white rice (which is what basmati rice is) will work well and still be quick to cook.
• Converted rice, or parboiled rice, is used often in Greek cooking. It works well here. It’s the least starchy of the rices – it’s lower in carbs and won’t stick together at all.
• Short grain white rice, such as arborio, is quite starchy and will result in a creamy, heavier texture. It also takes much longer to cook and requires more liquid.
• Brown rice is a favorite in healthy cooking and can be used here, but takes quite long to cook with more liquid. You can find it in short grain or long grain. Brown basmati rice will probably be the fastest to cook.

What to serve with Spanakorizo

Spanakorizo is often eaten on its own as a healthy, vegetarian and vegan, light meal, but you can serve it on the side of a more traditional “main course” if you like. Here are my suggestions:

• Sautéed Garlicky Shrimp
• Pan-Fried Sea Bass with Lemon Garlic Herb Sauce
• Roast Chicken
• Greek Chicken Bites
• Juicy Oven-Baked Pork Chops
• Salmon Croquettes
• Keftedes (Greek Meatballs)

Other Greek and Mediterranean Side Dishes

• Orzo Pilaf with Lemon and Dill
• Greek Salad
• Greek Green Beans (Fasolakia)
• Egyptian Barley Salad
• Greek Roasted Cauliflower

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