Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach Rice)
Spinach and rice braised with lemon and olive oil — Greece's one-pot green comfort.
Ingredients
- 200 g Rice
- 300 g Spinach
- 1 Onion
- 1 Lemon
- 4 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp Salt
- 2 Scallions (optional)
- 2 tbsp Dill (optional)
- 80 g Feta (optional)
Method
- Dice the onion and thinly slice the scallions.
- Soften the diced onion and sliced scallions in the olive oil in a wide pot over medium heat until translucent, about 4 minutes.
- Pile the spinach into the pot and let it collapse, stirring, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the rice and the salt, pour in water until it sits a little above the rice, then cover and simmer over low heat until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.
- Juice the lemon and chop the dill while the rice simmers.
- Stir the lemon juice and dill through the rice off the heat.
- Spoon the spanakorizo into bowls and crumble the feta over each one to serve.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach Rice)
Spanakorizo is a humble Greek one-pot of spinach braised with rice, a staple of the country's lenten and everyday cooking where olive oil, greens, and lemon do the heavy lifting. It sits within the ladera tradition of dishes cooked in plenty of olive oil, and its whole appeal is that a handful of pantry ingredients turns into something nourishing and satisfying. Onion and scallions form a soft aromatic base, the spinach collapses into the pot, and the rice simmers in just enough water to cook through and drink in the flavour.
The finished dish is soft and comforting, the rice creamy and green-flecked, brightened at the very end by a generous squeeze of lemon and a scatter of fresh dill stirred in off the heat to keep them lively. Crumbled feta on top adds a salty, tangy counterpoint that makes the whole bowl sing, though it is easily left out to keep the dish vegan. Stirring the lemon and herbs in at the finish rather than cooking them is what preserves that fresh, sharp lift. It stands on its own as a light main or works as a side to grilled fish or roast chicken, and like many such dishes it is arguably even better the next day.
Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach Rice): frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach Rice)?
A serving has about 457 calories — 8.8g protein, 63.3g carbs, 19.4g fat, 4.5g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach Rice) gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach Rice) has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
Is Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach Rice) dairy-free?
Not as written — it uses Feta. Swapping it for a plant-based alternative makes it dairy-free.
How long does Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach Rice) take to make?
About 35 minutes start to finish, but only around 14 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach Rice)?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out scallions, dill, feta — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Spanakorizo (Greek Spinach Rice) make?
This recipe makes 3 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.