Spanakorizo is a traditional Greek rice dish made with spinach, dill and lemon.
This quick & easy Greek Spinach Rice recipe is the perfect comfort food for busy households looking to inject a bit of healthy Mediterranean nutrition into the midweek meal.
The popular Greek side dish is famous for its lemon scented rice, healthy spinach, and fragrant dill. Our family recipe includes crumbled feta cheese and tender sauteed shrimp.
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What Is Spanakorizo?
Spanakorizo translates directly from Greek to “spinach and rice.”
The healthy comfort food is a popular side dish often cooked in the colder winter months. Every Greek family has their own unique recipe for the dish, often passed down on worn down recipe cards through the generations.
The two most popular variations are the ‘white’ spanakorizo and ‘red’ spanakorizo, which contain chopped tomatoes. A less well known, non-vegetarian variation of spanakorizo can be made with sausages as well as sauteed shrimp.
Travel to Greece by Cooking Spanakorizo Spinach Rice at Home
I love traveling to Europe.
As a professional food and travel journalist, I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy amazing meals in Europe, from traditional markets to award winning restaurants.
During my first visit to the continent I traveled for 5 months by train and plane. I had the opportunity to eat my way through Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia,Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Austria, Croatia, Bosnia, Hungary, Slovakia, Turkey and Italy.
For over ten years, I’ve been on the hunt for the best Spanakorizo recipe. In Greece, I enjoyed comforting bowls of Spinach Rice at restaurants in Meteora, Tzitzikas Kai in Athens, Kokkalo The Bone in Santorini and Kiki’s Taverna in Mykonos.
After you’ve enjoyed your first few bites, you’ll realize why Spanakorizo is a must-try when visiting Greece!
Where To Eat Greek Spinach Rice
If you live in a large city in North America you’ll likely have access to a local Greek restaurant that serves authentic Spanakorizo.
Haven’t traveled to Greece before? It may be helpful to first sample Greek Spinach Rice at a local restaurant to better understand how the side dish is served. You’ll learn the best rice to spinach ratio, proteins like shrimp or sausage to incorporate into the recipe and other complimentary dishes to serve at the table.
In Toronto, popular Greek restaurants that may serve traditional Spanakorizo include Mamakas Taverna, Mezes Greek Restaurant, Estiatorio Volos and Messini.
My Family Loves Homemade Greek Spinach Rice
My family are big fans of Mediterranean cuisine.
We love cooking flavourful dishes from Greece, Bosnia, Croatia, Egypt, France, Israel, Italy, Lebanon, Malta, Morocco, Spain, and Turkey.
After traveling to Greece I wanted to share my love for Spinach Rice with friends and family.
I prepared the recipe at our cottage in Muskoka on a cold winter day. I cooked the dish in the morning while everyone kept cozy by the fire, eagerly awaiting lunch. The perfume of lemon, fresh dill and sizzling shrimp wafted through the air, making our mouths water.
This easy Greek Spinach Rice recipe is a tasty way to incorporate fresh and flavourful ingredients into a healthy Mediterranean diet. The attractive side dish is a real show stopper if you’ve got company coming for dinner!
You can easily make vegetarian Spanakorizo by omitting the shrimp and replacing chicken stock with vegetable broth.
Health Benefits
This Spanakorizo recipe is packed full of healthy ingredients!
Olive Oil is ranked as one of the healthiest fats and is a staple in the Mediterranean diet. It contains vitamins E and K and plenty of beneficial fatty acids and antioxidants.
Packed with folate, vitamin C, and potassium, spinach helps keep your blood, immune system and eyes healthy.
Shallots are a humble vegetable packed with vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Regular consumption of onions can help boost digestive health and reduce the risk of developing heart disease.
Nearly 50% of the people in the world get over 50% of their daily calories from rice. If eating brown rice featuring nutritious bran you’ll enjoy health benefits like cancer risk reduction and diabetes control.
Dill is packed with micronutrients such as Vitamin A and C, responsible for healthy vision, skin and immune function.
A rich source of phytochemicals and vitamin C, lemons help boost your immune system and neutralize free radicals that cause disease and skin aging. Lemons also protect against heart disease and help improve blood flow to the brain.
Consuming dairy products (such as milk and cheese) provides health benefits — especially improved bone health. Dairy foods provide nutrients that are vital for health and maintenance of your body. These nutrients include calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein.
Seafood is a high-protein food that is low in calories, total fat, and saturated fat. High in vitamins and minerals, seafood has been shown to have numerous health benefits including decreasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, obesity, and hypertension.
Spanakorizo Recipe Cooking Tips
Healthy Greek Spinach Rice is quick and easy to make at home.
- We suggest using a Greek olive oil in this recipe but you can use a flavourless vegetable like canola if you prefer.
- We’ve used shallots in this recipe but you can substitute for white or vidalia onion.
- We’ve used fresh spinach in this recipe but you can substitute for frozen spinach. Be sure to squeeze the thawed spinach over the sink to remove as much of the water content as you can before adding to the skillet.
- Use a long grain rice variety like jasmine or basmati.
- We suggest garnishing the dish with a firm Greek-style cow’s milk feta cheese. Crumble it on top before serving.
- We like serving this rice dish with sauteed shrimp but you can also top it with sliced grilled sausages as well.
What To Serve with Spanakorizo
This Greek Spinach Rice is the perfect side dish to serve at a Mediterranean themed dinner party.
You can serve the rice on its own as a vegetarian side dish or top it with sauteed shrimp or grilled pork sausages.
Leftovers keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days in the fridge.
If you’re looking to impress guests at a Mediterranean themed dinner party we suggest serving this fragrant Greek rice with other popular dishes from Greece and the Mediterranean such as:
- Creamy Cheesy Greek Spanakopita Dip
- Oven Roasted Cypriot Cyprus Potatoes
- Prasorizo Vegetarian Greek Leek Rice Recipe
- Vegetarian Strapatsada Greek Scrambled Eggs
- Crispy Air Fryer Halloumi Cheese
- Baked Mediterranean Chicken Thighs
- Garides Saganaki Sizzling Greek Feta Shrimp
- Oven Baked Halloumi with Roasted Vegetables
- Fakes Soupa Healthy Vegetarian Greek Lentil Soup
- Melitzanosalata Greek Eggplant Dip
- Mucver Tarif Vegetarian Turkish Zucchini Fritters
- Turkish Pogaca Feta and Dill Bread Rolls
- Mihlama Kuymak Turkish Melted Cheese and Cornmeal
- Peynirli Pide Cheesy Chorizo Turkish Pizza
- Kiymali Pide Spiced Minced Meat Turkish Pizza
- Turkish Mint Yogurt Corbasi Soup
- Vegan Spicy Turkish Salsa Ezme Salata Salad
- Kisir Turkish Bulgur Salad
You May Also Enjoy These Rice Recipes…
- Kitchri Indian Moong Dal Basmati Rice
- Prasorizo Vegetarian Greek Leek Rice
- Chicken Pork & Shrimp Mexican Paella
- Riz a Djej Lebanese Rice with Chicken
- Cheesy Vegetarian Cabbage with Rice
- Chao Ga Vietnamese Rice Porridge
- Lebanese Beef Hashweh Rice
- Mdardara Lebanese Caramelized Onion Lentil Rice
- Vegan Gluten Free Thai Coconut Mango Glutinous Rice Balls
- Adas Polo Persian Lentil Rice
- Spicy Thai Basil Fried Rice
- Vegan Curry Leaf Rice with Cashews
- Sartu Di Riso Italian Baked Risotto
- Khao Pad Sapparod Thai Pineapple Shrimp Fried Rice
- Vegetarian Gorgonzola Risotto al Radicchio
- Indian Thakkali Tomato Biryani
How To Make Spanakorizo Greek Spinach Rice
Spanakorizo Greek Spinach Rice
Equipment
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- French knife
- Skillet
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Large Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 10 oz Baby Spinach
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Medium Shallots thinly sliced
- Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
- 1.5 cups Long Grain White Rice rinsed and drained
- 1 lb Large Shrimp peeled
- 1 cup Fresh Dill chopped
- 1 tsp Grated Lemon Zest
- 3 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 1/4 cup Feta Cheese crumbled
Instructions
- In a large saucepan over medium-high, heat the butter until bubbling. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until wilted but still bright green, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl, including any liquid released by the spinach; set aside.
- Set the same pan over medium-high. Add the oil, shallots and 1/2 tsp salt, then cook, stirring often, until the shallots are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the rice, 2.5 cups of water, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Stir to combine, then bring to a boil. Cover, reduce to low and cook until the liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 18 minutes. Meanwhile, season the shrimp with salt and pepper.
- When the rice is done, remove the pan from the heat. Quickly and evenly scatter the shrimp over the surface, re-cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Using a fork, fluff the rice and fold in the shrimp. Re-cover and let stand until the shrimp are opaque throughout, another 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the spinach with its liquid, the dill and the lemon zest and juice, then fold until well combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Top with crumbled feta cheese and serve hot.
Nutrition
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Wonderful recipe! Absolutely delicious. O ly thing I changed was added a little more lemon juice
glad you enjoyed it!