Greek Main Courses
Spanakorizo Recipe (Greek Spinach and Rice)
Σπανακόρυζο spah-nah-KOH-ree-zoh · Spanakorizo
Photo: Spanakorizo.jpg by KaterinaStrak, CC BY-SA 4.0. Placeholder until original photography is shot.
In short
Spanakorizo is a Greek ladera dish of spinach and rice simmered together with onion, dill and lemon until the rice is tender and everything has taken on a deep green colour. It is naturally vegan and is eaten as a light main course rather than a side dish.
Spanakorizo belongs to the ladera family, the wide category of Greek vegetable dishes cooked slowly in a generous amount of olive oil until the oil itself becomes part of the sauce. Here the vegetable is spinach, cooked down until it collapses completely, with rice simmered right alongside it in the same pot so it absorbs all that green, dilled liquid.
It is one of the fastest ladera dishes to make, ready in well under an hour, and it sits somewhere between a soup and a pilaf: looser and wetter than a standard rice dish, with a spoon rather than a fork being the natural way to eat it.
Dill and lemon are what make this dish unmistakably Greek rather than simply a spinach rice. Do not skip either, and add the lemon at the very end so its brightness survives the cooking.
Key preparation steps
- Wilt a large quantity of spinach down in olive oil.
- Add rice and just enough hot water or stock to cook it through.
- Simmer until the rice is tender and the mixture is loose, not dry.
- Finish with fresh dill and a generous amount of lemon juice off the heat.
How much spinach you actually need
Spinach reduces dramatically as it cooks, losing roughly three quarters of its raw volume, so the quantity that looks absurd going into the pot is exactly right once it has wilted down. A kilogram of fresh spinach for four servings is not an exaggeration.
Wash it thoroughly, since spinach can carry a lot of grit, and there is no need to dry it fully before it goes into the pan. The water clinging to the leaves helps it wilt rather than fry.
Getting the texture right
Spanakorizo should be looser and wetter than a normal pilaf, more like a very thick soup than dry rice. Add the liquid gradually rather than all at once, and be prepared to add a little extra hot water towards the end if the pot looks like it is drying out before the rice is fully tender.
Medium grain rice is the right choice, since it releases enough starch to give the dish a naturally silky, slightly thickened consistency without needing anything added to achieve it.
Dill and lemon, added at the right moment
Stir in the fresh dill during the last few minutes of cooking rather than at the start, so its flavour stays bright rather than cooking away to nothing. The same goes for the lemon juice, which should go in once the pot is off the heat or very nearly there.
Some households finish the dish with a whole egg or two stirred through while the rice is still hot, which lightly cooks and enriches the whole pot. It is a good, though optional, addition if you want something closer to a full meal.
Tips from my kitchen
Do not underestimate the spinach quantity
It reduces to roughly a quarter of its raw volume once wilted. What looks like too much going in is exactly right.
Add dill and lemon at the end
Both lose their brightness if cooked from the start. Stir them in during the final few minutes and just after taking the pot off the heat.
Keep it loose
This dish is meant to be wetter than a standard pilaf. Add extra hot water rather than letting it dry out and stick.
Spanakorizo Recipe (Greek Spinach and Rice)
Σπανακόρυζο · by Kalliopi Andreou · updated 2026-07-31
- Prep
- 15m
- Cook
- 30m
- Total
- 45m
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large, wide pot over a medium heat. Add the onion and spring onions and cook gently for 6 to 8 minutes until soft.
- Add the spinach in batches, letting each batch wilt down before adding the next, stirring well. This takes about 8 minutes in total.
- Stir in the rice and cook for 1 minute, coating it in the oil.
- Pour in the hot water or stock, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer.
- Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 18 to 20 minutes, until the rice is tender and the mixture is loose and soupy rather than dry. Add a splash more hot water if it looks like it is drying out before the rice is done.
- Stir in the fresh dill and cook for a final 2 minutes.
- Take off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, and check the seasoning.
- Rest for 5 minutes before serving, with extra lemon wedges at the table.
Nutrition, per 1 portion
- Calories
- 312
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Sat fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
These figures are calculated estimates based on the ingredients listed, not laboratory analysis. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion size.
Frequently asked questions about Spanakorizo
Is spanakorizo vegan?
Yes, entirely, made only with rice, spinach, onion, olive oil, dill and lemon. It is a traditional Lenten dish for exactly that reason.
Can you make spanakorizo with frozen spinach?
Yes, thawed and squeezed of excess water, though fresh spinach gives a better texture and a fresher flavour. Use about 500 g frozen in place of the 1 kg fresh.
What do you eat with spanakorizo?
A block of feta crumbled over the top and good crusty bread are the classic accompaniments. It is usually eaten as a light main course on its own rather than a side dish.
Why is my spanakorizo dry rather than loose?
It likely needed more liquid partway through cooking, or was simmered too long after the rice was already tender. Add hot water gradually and taste the rice regularly near the end.
