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Spanakorizo on a white rectangular plate with crumbled feta.
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4.75 from 4 votes

Greek Spinach Rice (Spanakorizo Recipe)

Spanakorizo is a delicious Greek spinach rice dish with lots of spinach, fresh herbs, rice, onions, and olive oil. With its aromatic herbs and tangy lemon combination, spanakorizo is both flavourful and healthy!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Sides + Sauces
Cuisine: Greek
Keyword: healthy, rice side dishes, spinach rice
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 307kcal
Author: Ria Mavrikos

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 white onion peeled and diced
  • 1 cup medium-grain white rice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt added to the rice
  • 1 cup water to pre-cook the rice a bit
  • 1 bunch green onion chopped - about 2 cups
  • 1 large package baby spinach 312 grams/ 11 oz.
  • 1 bunch Italian parsley chopped - about 2 cups
  • 1 bunch fresh dill chopped - about 2 cups
  • 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon seasoned vegetable base
  • 1 ½ cups water to mix with the vegetable base

Instructions

  • Wash and dice the herbs and vegetables.
    Rinse the Italian parsley, dill, green onions, white onion, and baby spinach under cold water to remove any dirt, then drain well or pat dry with a paper towel. Dice the parsley, dill, and green onions, and finely dice the peeled white onion. Leave the baby spinach whole. Keep the herbs, spinach, and onion separate, as they'll be added to the pot at different times in this recipe.
    1 white onion, 1 bunch green onion, 1 large package baby spinach, 1 bunch Italian parsley, 1 bunch fresh dill
  • Prepare the rice.
    In a small saucepan, combine rice, water, and salt. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from the heat and set aside. This step partially cooks the rice, as it will finish cooking when added to the pot with the herbs and vegetables.
    1 cup medium-grain white rice, 1 cup water, 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Vegetable broth.
    Heat water in a small saucepan, then stir in the Better Than Bouillon seasoned vegetable base. Once mixed, remove from the heat and set the saucepan aside.
    1 ½ cups water, 1 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon seasoned vegetable base
  • Combine all ingredients:
    Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the diced white onion for 10 minutes, until translucent, then add the chopped green onions and cook for a few more minutes. Stir in the baby spinach and cover for a couple of minutes to wilt. Add the chopped parsley and dill. Mix in the vegetable base into the partially cooked rice, then add it to the pot with the vegetables. Stir to combine, cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
    1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 white onion, 1 bunch green onion, 1 large package baby spinach, 1 bunch Italian parsley, 1 bunch fresh dill
  • Serve and enjoy!
    Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Option to add red chilli flakes for a little heat. I like to add a little bit of fresh lemon juice before serving to brighten up the flavour. You can also top spanakorizo with crumbled feta cheese.

Notes

  • Sauté the onion with olive oil on medium-low heat so the onions don't burn during this step. 
  • The rice will continue to cook with the spinach and herbs, soaking up the moisture and liquids released from the vegetables.
  • I like adding fresh lemon juice over my spanakorizo to brighten the flavour.  But, sometimes lemon juice can turn greens, like horta or spinach, brown if they sit too long with citrus, so it's best to just put it on the amount you'll be serving immediately. If you're making this recipe ahead of time, you can add the lemon juice when you're about to serve it or with a couple of lemon wedges on the side.
  • Keep the heat on medium-low throughout the cooking process so that the rice doesn't burn or stick to the bottom of the pot. 
  • If you feel the rice needs more water to cook, add a little more hot water at the end. Keep in mind that the rice will absorb a lot of the excess liquid from the fresh spinach.
  • When chopping the parsley and dill, you can cut off some of the stems or leave them and include them in the recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 307kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 23g | Sodium: 557mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g