You have to try this stovetop creamy rice pudding. It’s truly one of my all-time favourite Greek desserts! It’s super easy to make, and so comforting and delicious. This recipe is perfect for family gatherings because you can make a big batch and portion it out ahead of time, or really just any time you’re craving a cozy treat. This recipe is extra creamy and indulgent with the addition of cream.  Made without eggs and thickened with the help of cornstarch, this traditional Greek easy dessert known as rizogalo is a recipe you’ll want to try!

RECIPE TIPS

• Rice pudding will thicken more once it cools. It can be enjoyed both warm and cold.  Sprinkle the rice pudding with cinnamon once it’s hot in the bowls.  Allow it to cool to room temperature before placing it in the fridge.
  

• You only need to add a small amount of orange and lemon rind. Otherwise, the rice pudding may become bitter. 
  

• Stir the bottom of the pot once you’ve added the sugar because sometimes it can burn if the heat is too high or if you’re not stirring frequently enough. 
  

• This recipe makes about four to six servings (depending on the size of your bowls), but you can easily double this recipe if you’d like to make it for more people!

INGREDIENT NOTES

Rice: Medium-grain white rice like Kokuho Rose or another medium-grain white rice works really well for this rice pudding recipe. Short-grain rice like arborio rice and sushi rice contains a lot more starch. The kind of rice you choose may affect the texture of the rice pudding.  Brown rice needs more liquid to cook and has a different taste, so it likely won’t work as well for this recipe.

Metaxa brandy: This is a Greek brandy that is used in various Greek desserts like kourabiedes and melomakarona. It adds flavour, colour, and a little bit of sweetness to rice pudding. If you don’t want to add in brandy, then you can omit it. If you don’t have Metaxa brandy but would like to add alcohol, you can substitute it with Grand Marnier or Cointreau.

Whole milk and heavy cream: This recipe uses a combination of homogenized milk (3.25% MF) and table cream (18% MF) for a more indulgent rice pudding recipe. You could use only homogenized milk or maybe even 2% milk, but it won’t be as creamy.  Adding in the cream will take this creamy rice pudding recipe to the next level! For a dairy-free rice pudding option, you can check out Riri’s Greek Eats dairy-free creamy rice pudding.

Orange and lemon rind: You’ll only need about a 2″ lemon and orange rind. Adding too much citrus may cause the rice pudding to become bitter.

HOW TO MAKE RICE PUDDING WITHOUT EGGS: STEP BY STEP

STEP 1: Pre-cook the rice and heat the milk. Add 1/2 a cup of short-grain white rice and 1/3 cup of water in a small saucepan. Stir, cover with a lid and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat and allow the rice to cook until all of the water is absorbed. At this step, we are only partially cooking the rice. The rice will continue to cook once it’s added to the milk.  At the same time, in a separate large pot, heat up the milk and cream over medium-low heat.

STEP 2: Add in the rice.  Once the rice has absorbed all of the liquid, add the rice to the pot with the warmed milk. Stir with a wooden spoon and then cook the rice with the milk for about ten minutes or until the rice is soft. Leave the pot uncovered. Stir occasionally and keep the heat on medium-low so that the milk doesn’t rise and spill over.

STEP 3: Incorporate sugar, citrus, and vanilla. Once the rice has cooked with the milk, add in the orange rind, lemon rind, sugar, pure vanilla extract, and brandy. You can also add a cinnamon stick at this point. Continue to stir once you’ve added in the sugar because otherwise, the bottom of the pot may burn. Keep the heat on medium-low so that the milk doesn’t burn or rise. Cook the rice pudding for about 25 minutes or until the rice softens.

STEP 4: Add in the cornstarch. Mix 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of milk, cream or water in a small bowl so that it becomes liquid. Increase the heat of the rice pudding to medium-high heat so that there is a little bit of a boil, and then add in the cornstarch. Stir continuously for a few minutes until the rice pudding thickens.

Remove the lemon peel, orange peel, and cinnamon stick. Use a ladle to scoop the rice pudding into bowls, top with a dash of cinnamon, and enjoy warm or allow to cool to room temperature. Then, cover it with saran wrap or plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator.

• Dairy-Free Rice Pudding Recipe
• Greek Butter Cookies (Koulourakia)
• Irresistible Greek Ekmek With Kataifi
• Can You Freeze Rice Pudding? Here’s How!